It's been really hot since I arrived in Kendari. In the early morning and evening, though, the air is a lot cooler. This is especially true near the ocean.
Here in Kendari, many houses have cats. There are also two kinds of gecko lizards here. I have seen the small yellow ones, which can fit in your palm. These are called cica in Indonesian. There are also big ones that can grow up to ten inches long. They have polka-dotted backs and huge eyes and make a loud sound, "to-ke" (pronounced Toe-kay). Indonesians call them toke for the sound they make. These are easy to hear but harder to see. It's pretty awesome, though, when you track one down hiding behind a door.
Right now, the mangrove trees are blooming in Kendari. Mangroves are trees that grow only in water that is brackish, which means half seawater, half freshwater. The variety of mangrove here in Kendari has small white flowers, and they have a sweet smell that fills the air.
