Fon tok! (Rain falling!)

Thailand’s weather is characterized by three seasons: monsoon/rainy (cool and wet), winter (cool and dry) and hot (hot and dry). Right now there is a debate of whether or not we are still in the rainy season. In theory, the monsoons last from April/May to mid-October. There are peaks in the rain in May/June and September/October. And yet, despite the fact that it is November, it has still been raining in Tung Ka Mang. Some of the rangers try to say that the rainy season is over, and these are “just storms,” but I can’t say I understand this logic . . . Sometimes it rains all night. Sometimes it rains in the morning. Sometimes it rains in the afternoon. Sometimes it rains on and off all day. Sometimes it rains in the forest but not in the camp, or vice versa.

A lot about the rainy season sucks. It’s hard to see when you are driving. Binoculars fog up to uselessness. It is way easier to lose the monkeys in the rain because they become harder to see and, more importantly, hear. The river crossings become more treacherous, and getting water in your Wellies on the walk in means wet feet for at least the next 6 hours. It gets really muddy on some of the big trails that are shared by Team Langur and Team Macaque, and slipping and falling down hills into creeks is about as much fun as it sounds.

Mold is definitely the worst part of the rainy season. All sorts of things that you wouldn’t consider molding in the States mold in Thailand. I mean, it is obvious that bread molds if you don’t eat it soon enough and it is being stored in a hot, humid environment. But would you think that emery boards would mold? Or wooden buttons? Or anything leather (wallets, gloves, etc.)? Shoes and clothes also mold . . . just by sitting out or hanging on hangers. Everything gets damp (like sheets!), and doesn’t get dry. Field clothes take ages to dry and I have had to wear damp field clothes to the forest and “sweat them dry.” (Yep, eww.) For those of you wondering, this is especially gross under your poncho.

There aren’t many pluses about the rainy season, except that I will appreciate all of this rain come March. All of our water- for drinking, cooking, washing- comes from a reservoir (the drinking water is purified twice, but yes, I drink rainwater). Once the rains end, they END. Until April. Which means if we don’t get enough rain now, we’ll have water shortages at the end of the hot/dry season, so the rain is pretty important if you think about it like that.

I’m also learning how to better stay dry. When it is really pouring, I wear rain pants and a rain jacket in addition to my poncho and Wellies. If I push up my sleeves under my rain jacket, and Velcro the arm openings against my wrists, water doesn’t run down my arms when I pick up my binoculars. I also have a whole system (you know me) of how to layer the rain jacket and poncho hoods so I don’t get wet if it is raining when I am driving in on the bike and am wearing my helmet. I also use an umbrella in the field, which looks ridiculous but is surprisingly effective. When we take multiple days off, I take all the linens off of my bed and spread out the mattress and comforters so they air out. It is all a learning process . . .

I’m off to BKK for the next few days to renew my visa, but maybe by the time I get back, the rains will have stopped!