Start of Rainy Season

On our last afternoon in the village, I decided to enjoy the afternoon by walking (20min) to river to get some photos of the monkeys living in the trees there. Most of the village looks like the Mohave Desert so the strip of land around the river is a wonderful spot to relax. Knowing how quickly the monkeys flee when large groups show up, I decided to go alone, since walking during the day in the village is completely safe. I spent about an hour watching the dozen or so monkeys in very close proximity. Then it started to rain. In the weeks we've been in the village, it had rained twice, each time lasting less than half an hour. Since there is no tree cover on the way to my house, I decided to wait it out by the river. By 5pm, it was an absolute downpour with no end in sight. An elderly man happened by with his small herd of goats and cattle (why he was moving them at this time I have no idea.) He waited with me until the rain let up a bit, then insisted I use his walking stick, left his livestock by the river and waded with me through the now running washes toward the main road, staying with me until we met another man who agreed to walk with me until I reached the center of town. I was soaking wet when I reached my house, and it was still raining when we moved out of the village at 10 the next morning. The raint season has arrived!! The kindness of these two men, neither of whom I'd met before, was absolutely amazing and I am incredibly grateful. (The camera, thankfully, wasn't damaged.)