Just writing what my mind is wondering about these days. It is really funny and ironic how people have different perspectives on summers depending mainly on where they are. My thoughts stem from my 2009 summer experience, during which I spent almost 1 month out of my home country (UAE). Considering that I have been to downunder (Australia and New Zealand) late May and early June and travelled again to Switzerland in Central Europe in late July and early August, I can only say: What a World!
Not that I was not aware of the huge weather differences across the globe, but travelling through these weather extremes in less than 3 months can really shock your mind and make you feel insignificant in comparison to Earth.
While it is extremely “summery” in the UAE between May and October with temperatures hitting more than 4oc almost everyday with humid periods, one can easily forget that a nicer weather exists somewhere else. I often get moody, feel negative, and less active during the summer in the UAE. And it is almost a fact that uncomfortable summer weather in the UAE really restricts your activities and a simple basic example is that even going for a short walk can be really exhausting. But enough of that!
Elsewhere, summer is the time of joy, happiness, and is full of activities. This is true for countries that experience very cold winter and Europe is not an exception (can’t generalize that for the recently steamy Southern European summer). Life literally becomes greener there during summer with mild temperature and some spells of rain. It’s ironic how their summer seems similar to our winter when we get to enjoy the 20s. However, a European summer can deliver some extremes when strong cold fronts pass by, dropping temperatures from 20s to teens which can make things a bit wintry. Moreover, you can always find snow and cold weather in central Europe over the Alps, so you have the whole weather package there. You can in minutes leave a mild day with a green scenery (often interrupted by thunderstorms) to a snow wonderland by just rising 3000m! And yes it can snow in there during summer.
But downunder, the months of June, July, and August are not really summer. They are wintry and what a winter. While SE Australia can get really cool, the pinching New Zealand winter can’t be forgotten. New Zealand, to me, is the Switzerland version of the southern hemisphere. While surface temperatures can hardly exceed 5c in southern NZ with the possibility of freezing rain and snowy mix, the southern Alps in NZ are even colder at this time of the year. Experiencing -7c with a windchill of -15c on Fox glacier (2600m) near Mount Cook (+3700m) was so freaking painful and exciting at the same time. nevertheless, the eastern coast of NZ is much drier than the west coast due to the high mountains acting like a rain shadow.
I guess the below photos can tell you how different summers exist!
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- Rainy Luzern, Switzerland, (August 2009)
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- Sunny lake Luzern, a view from mount Rigi , Switzerland, (Aug 2009)
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- Sunny lake Luzern , Switzerland, (July 2009)
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- a view on lake Luzern from Mount Pilatus, Switzerland, (July 2009)
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- Lake Luzern, Switzerland, (July 2009)
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- Lake Luzern, Switzerland, (July 2009), upcoming thunderstorm
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- NZ winter taking over autumn (May 2009)
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- Glaciers around Mount Cook, NZ
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- Lake Tekapo, NZ (May 2009)
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