called Summer. I grew up in Alabama in the days when air conditioning wasn't very common. Most of the summer, we'd have days where both the temperature and humidity was over 90. Somehow, we all survived. I used to joke that the reason why Southerners do everything slow is genetic. In the days before air conditioning, those with the defective "fast" genes would die from heat stroke before they were old enough to have kids (~13-14).

Your memories of Africa remind me of the famous old Noel Coward song, "Mad Dogs and Englishmen."

In tropical climes there are certain times of day
When all the citizens retire
To tear their clothes off and perspire.
It's one of those rules that the greatest fools obey,
Because the sun is much too sultry
And one must avoid its ultryviolet ray . . .
The natives grieve when the white men leave their huts,
Because they're obviously definitely Nuts!
Mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday sun.
The Japanese don't care to,
The Chinese wouldn't dare to,
Hindoos and Argentines sleep firmly from twelve to one.
But Englishmen detest a
Siesta . . .

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