Fifth Journey Day 193: Humidity Holding the Voice

Date: November 17, 2025
Location: Kindia, Guinea

In Kindia, a city tucked against the granite hills of the Fouta Djallon in western Guinea, streams thread through red earth and gardens. The air holds a warm haze, the kind that softens sound and color—an atmosphere shaped by nearby waterfalls and the shelter of rounded hills.

Walking Toward Water

This morning, I walked toward the sound of water, following it almost without thinking. The road got narrower quickly, and I could no longer hear the noise of the town behind me. Kindia's air has a sweet, damp quality — it's not floral, but earthy, like warm soil after a light rain. My clothes felt a little tight, but the humidity felt less intense than in Conakry. It was as if the hills were keeping the heat at bay.

Choosing Stillness Over Sketching

The stream appeared out of nowhere. It was just a small dip in the land with a glimmer of light between the rocks. I sat on a flat stone that was still cool from the night. The water moved slowly, going over uneven patches of moss. The sound was steady but not loud, like a soft argument that you could almost feel. I didn't sketch because the graphite felt too fragile in this air, so I just watched.

Children Crossing, Voices Held by Humidity

A group of children crossed the stream without shoes. They barely looked at me; their voices drifted upward and became faint in the humidity. Their ease made me aware of my own stiffness — the kind that comes from constant movement, from arriving in new places before my body has quite caught up.

The Goat’s Pause

A goat appeared on the other side of the river, stopped for a moment, and then went back into the bushes. I thought about the pause more than the animal itself. I noticed that it seemed to measure the air before stepping forward. I've been noticing that lately I'm drawn to these small pauses, the quiet moments, more than the big ones.

Hills Under Haze

As I walked back, the hills changed color again — from green to blue under the haze. By late afternoon, the heat thickened, and even my breath felt slower. But there was something calming about the day, something comforting in the combination of water, stone, and slow movement.

Finding a Small Step Toward Stability

I'm still adjusting, but today felt like the first small step towards feeling more stable.

Travel Notes

• Weather: Warm, humid air with a soft haze; about 29°C. Hills temper the heat, and the afternoon grows thicker and slower.
• Scents: Earth after light rain—loamy, mineral, and a hint of moss from shaded stones.
• Sounds: A steady stream like a quiet argument; children’s voices rising then fading into the humidity; the town’s noise dissolving as the road narrows.
• Reflection: Choosing to watch instead of sketch; noticing pauses—how even a goat seems to measure the air; a small step toward feeling settled.

Continue the Journey

You may also enjoy reading about another quiet encounter with a goat in Fifth Journey Day 189: Goat Passing Through the Corridor, a moment from nearby Guinea-Bissau that echoes today’s gentle pause.