But the weather is starting to cool down (yes, the lower nineties is cooler than upper nineties) and so, at the request of a couple of our church group members, we went up into the mountains for some hiking.
To get away from some of the heat we went back up to Siama, about an hour drive away and several thousand feet higher than Dushanbe. The weather when we got there was in the low seventies and breezy - perfect weather for hiking.
Our friends had hiked without out us last week, hauling themselves over ten miles and up 3,000 feet. We promised nothing like, with a four year-old and a four-month pregnant lady seriously cutting down on the hiking speed.
So after about an hour of hiking (with some pretty scary scree-covered scrambles that dropped seventy-five feet down into the river), we called it good and got down to the real reason most of the party came: snacks.
The children enjoyed the fruits of our consumables shipment - Sun Chips! - and everyone else relaxed and talked and watched Joseph play bulldozer with his head in the sand. I think boys have a biological imperative to get dirty.
Then it was back down to the car again.
With several stream crossings on the way.
And photo opps.
Edwin wanted to assure me that he also makes weird faces for the camera when when I'm not paying good money to a professional.
Good to know he's no respecter of photographers.
By the end of the (admittedly short) hike, the wimpier ones among us (me) were happy to enjoy the comfort of an air-conditioned car and flip-flops. Most of the children fell asleep on the way home, happy after a Saturday of adventuring.
