I like humans' highly evolved ability to imagine. But I wish our mental hyperactivity wasn't so often a burden. Because we can imagine the worst happening — and we always do — we have vaccinations and banks and security checks and extensive visa-application processes. Everything requires long-winded translations of meaning and intent.

I've encountered plenty of this in setting up my baboon research in Ethiopia. Being an African working for an American researcher, in Africa, is not as simple as it sounds. My communication and cajoling skills have been tested to the limit while trying to arrange border crossings and behavioural research on our fellow primates. I wonder how we use so many words yet communicate so ineffectively. Why did humans not just stick with a grunt and a smile? In all my mad dashing about I felt the greatest calm at the smiles of greeting from my new employers this morning. Then we started to discuss more about long-term planning, words started flowing and things got complex once again.

For a few more days I will be surrounded by people and our world of words and paperwork and convoluted communication. I think my body has become addicted to the adrenaline necessary to survive — I sometimes like the racing heart. But I can't wait to be surrounded by primates who will simply ignore me while I search for clues about the origins of our strange habits.