I'm meeeelllllltinnnnng....
When I lived in the US, especially Boston and New York, I was used to temperatures in the 90s and even low 100s with very high humidity during the summer. I would read posts from my UK friends complaining about how horribly hot it was when the weather pixies said it was only 75 degrees with 70% humidity. When we got days of just 75 degrees and 70% humidity, we counted our blessings and went out to enjoy the nice, cool weather. When I came over here for a narrowboat holiday in August of 2002, I was fleeing the 80 degree temperatures of NYC to the blissfully cool low 70s of England. I think I wore shorts a grand total of one day of that whole trip, and jeans the rest of the time, with a light jacket for the evenings. So of course, I laughed at my UK friends for being such wimps...
There was one major factor I failed to take into account. On the US East Coast, we have that lovely, gradual warming trend where summer starts with the 70s, builds up over June and July until temps hit the 90s or more, then gradually the temps fall as autumn approaches. Here in the UK.... there's no such thing as gradual weather changes. The body has absolutely NO CHANCE to adjust. Once the heat hits, it hits hard. (Add this to the fact that air conditioners are not nearly as prolific over here, because they apparently weren't really all that necessary until recent years.)
I'm currently sat in my flat, windows open, staying out of any direct sunlight, wearing t-shirt and shorts only because it's very easy to see in the windows. My face is already starting to show signs of minor heatstroke and I haven't even set foot out the door yet!
So to all my nearest and dearest here in the UK... I promise I will never laugh at you again for complaining about the heat... I now know that you have every reason and right to bitch about it. :)
And now I have to get up the energy to go down to Safeway for dinner stuff...
There was one major factor I failed to take into account. On the US East Coast, we have that lovely, gradual warming trend where summer starts with the 70s, builds up over June and July until temps hit the 90s or more, then gradually the temps fall as autumn approaches. Here in the UK.... there's no such thing as gradual weather changes. The body has absolutely NO CHANCE to adjust. Once the heat hits, it hits hard. (Add this to the fact that air conditioners are not nearly as prolific over here, because they apparently weren't really all that necessary until recent years.)
I'm currently sat in my flat, windows open, staying out of any direct sunlight, wearing t-shirt and shorts only because it's very easy to see in the windows. My face is already starting to show signs of minor heatstroke and I haven't even set foot out the door yet!
So to all my nearest and dearest here in the UK... I promise I will never laugh at you again for complaining about the heat... I now know that you have every reason and right to bitch about it. :)
And now I have to get up the energy to go down to Safeway for dinner stuff...