It rained last night. I don't know if it's supposed to rain in the dry season. But it was nice to hear the soft patter of raindrops.

The dry season really only got going in July, while we were in Surabaya. This is late for a dry season. Before that we'd have the odd week of dryness. But then the rain would fire up again big-time. Everyone thought it was odd. But then the weather world-wide is odd these days, right?

Arriving back from Surabaya, we immediately noticed that something had happened. The house smelt dry. Not musty in the least. The mildew that had attacked some of our luggage was beginning to beat a retreat. The pages in our books were beginning to uncurl.

Same only more so on our return from Sulawesi, three weeks later.

As far as the house is concerned, drier is better. And often (though not always) the nights and early mornings are cooler, which is very pleasant.

And you're much less likely, of course, to get caught in a big downpour in an inconvenient place.

But there are downsides, too. Dust is the main one. Our house is basically open to the elements (ie, there are open spaces above all the doors and windows, to try to counteract the downsides of the wet season), so dust blows in from everywhere.

And I do miss the sound of falling rain.* (*Unless in aforementioned inconvenient place.)

We haven't noticed much change in the local agriculture. The sugar cane is mostly cut now. But the farmers are still planting rice, probably because there's still plenty of water to feed the irrigation system. They're still out there of an early morning shouting at the birds.

And the ducks still have their rice paddy paradise...

UPDATE, 3 September: The dry season also seems to be windier. And it definitely seems to involve more ants...