I’m continually reminded by daily events that we’re not in Sydney anymore. Perhaps the most telling example is the weather. The entire UK is currently gripped by an Arctic cold snap. I read today that temperatures in London in week are forecast to be 10°C below average. Today’s high was 3°C, with an overnight low of -1°C forecast (it’s already reached this temperature outside). For the rest of the week, at least until Sunday, the daily high isn’t expected to rise above 2°C, with lows of -3°C.
It’s been so cold that Garry and I turned up the temperature of our central heating boiler this week in attempt to keep the house warm. I’ve even pulled out one of our portable heaters from Australia this evening to top up the living room’s temperature. Of course, all of this is even harder to bare knowing that temperatures in Sydney’s Western Suburbs have hit 40°C for the third straight day.
We’re off to Zurich for a three-day weekend on Thursday to celebrate a friend’s 40th birthday. Brian was keen on going somewhere cold and snowy. It looks like he'll get his wish without leaving home. Yesterday morning we woke to the sight of snow on the ground. I later walked to the local tube station with snow flurries flying around me. Fortunately Zurich had some snow today and promises a high of 0°C on Friday.
While everyone is enjoying the Swiss snow I think I’ll hit the shops in search of a sales bargain. The zipper on my winter jacket broke this morning so a replacement is urgently needed. Garry bought me this jacket on our second day in London. I can’t believe we’ve been here long enough for it to wear out.
One other thing reminds me I’m not in Sydney anymore; the daily obituaries published by the Times newspaper. The paper is renown for its detailed obituaries of historical figures who’ve died recently. It devotes at least three or four pages to this practice every day, which makes for some fascinating reading.
Many are stories of gallant heroes from the Second World War, something we’d rarely see in Australia. Yesterday’s paper memorialized a woman who managed the minutes and files from secret cabinet war meetings, while today’s edition recalls the exploits of a fighter pilot who shot down 16 enemy aircraft.
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1 comment:
We've just spent three days at Bomaderry on the South Coast. First day 41 degrees, second 24 and rainy and the third 21 and overcast, so it's not all good but at least it's a lot better than London!!! I wouldn't like to be there in that freezing weather. Have fun in Zurich.
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