Message Home from Diego Garcia

Good evening (or morning for you),

We've been so busy here that I haven't had time to respond yet. After several confusions and setbacks, we're finally back on track to get everything we need done but the heat here isn't making it easy. This morning it rained so hard you could hardly see across the road but we worked anyway since it wasn't hot! We've had time to stop for lunch and every time we do we remember how beautiful this place is. I'll attach some shrunken pictures here since the internet kinda sucks.

Today and yesterday we were rewiring and replacing some power system components and there's a particular thing about solar panels that makes them difficult to work on in places like this. They need sun to work, so they often get put in open fields or areas cleared of trees. The only shadows around are under the solar panel itself. If we weren't so hot, we'd have pictures of us cowering in the little squares of shade.

Working at each sensor site is much better since those tend to get put in wooded areas to block the wind. The palm trees here provide much better shade than a solar panel does. However, they also drop coconuts and I don't want to hang around underneath them for too long. Out at our sites we usually hear a coconut or palm frond fall about every 10-30 minutes, depending on wind conditions. There's also sneaky coconut crabs, about the size of a football, whose pinchers are capable of opening said coconuts to get at the delicious insides. They're very pretty but I don't want those curious crabs anywhere near my fingers or toes.

Anyway, gotta get some rest so I can be back at it tomorrow. Just another day in paradise!

Love you!
Drew

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