Our team just finished an impossible survey in the middle of Liberian rainy season. Once again I will miss the victory party. My insurance company will be happy to hear there is no fire dancing (this time), but there will, possibly, be generous whales:

We’ll surely be dancing tonight. No fire eating planned this time, but you never know here. A man just told me about a whale that comes to Greenville (yes a whale) that beaches itself so residents can cut out meat for a full day. Then the whale leaves and goes to the next town to offer its meat.

That is my field manager Bryan texting from the bush.

I have heard stranger. On my fourth day ever in Africa, I myself was almost stoned for supposedly being a vampire. But that is another story. In Liberia, the guys at our local partner and survey organization swear that the best hunters have the power to change themselves to animals.

Perhaps this is culturally insensitive of me, but I have a standing offer of $1000 cash to any of them if they can find one of these guys, bring him to me, and demonstrate. $2000 if I can film it.

Incentives matter.

I’m pretty sure my money is safe. But in the unlikely event I’m wrong, you will be treated to one of the best blog posts of all time, and I will consider it money well spent. I return next in November…