Power

I realize that I write a lot about electricity here in Zambia. Never before have I given voltage as much thought.

This afternoon on his travels, Trevor heard that the power is scheduled to be off tomorrow from 9 am till 9 pm. I took advantage of having power now by firing up the oven and baking blueberry muffins (thanks, Mom & Dad!), cornbread with shredded carrot, and carrot/raisin bread (with peanuts instead of walnuts, sigh). As he stuffed his face, Trevor said plans to tell me the power's going to be out more often.

Yesterday the mail brought us a bunch of Google maps of Chipata (thanks, Karen & Isaac!). We were awed by the sprawl--this city is way bigger than I realized. Trevor just learned that only about 4,000 of Chipata's approximately 75,000 people are on the power grid (hydroelectric). The other 71,000 cook with firewood or charcoal, which translates to a staggering number of trees getting chopped down, burnt up, and not replanted.