The air in this city tastes like nothing in the USA I have ever experienced. Like the cars are running on a mixture of gasoline and perfume, and the fruits are both rotting and ripening at the same time, while the parakeets in the pet stores spray millet dust into the air. Like the dogs have been eating too much garlic and the sewers are full of restaurants that burn their garbage in the back alleys. Everything is one smell that just metamorphoses as you walk down the sidewalk.

I went to the embassy today and picked up an emergency passport. It will be valid for one year or until I decide to renew it for free and get myself a real passport. Good deal. I can now leave the country, which is important.

I'm writing this at my hostel and my time has just run out (too much time on email already!), so this is all you get for now. Sorry! More later.