“Nobody ever mentions that weather can make or break your day” – Noel Gallagher.
Caught in an umbrella stampede on Nathan Road, Hong Kong! Help me!!
Random rant time – get your windbreaks, brollies and shades at the ready it’s time for some extreme weather. But who really cares about the weather? Answer: A lot of people and therein lies the reason for this random rant. I travel round the world and I love it – I take whatever goes and get on with it. Weather doesn’t matter to me in the slightest – I don’t care what the weather is like. I just don’t care. I mean why care so much about something we can’t change or control?? We can prepare for it and take what it gives us, but ultimately we don’t actually control the weather in our set location. It’s nobody’s fault. Get on with it…unless it’s life threatening of course 😉
Backpackers just don’t care about the weather. If we did, we’d stay at home. Backpackers just don’t own umbrellas. Hands should be free. Hats and raincoats loyal, nobody ever bows to the umbrella loyalist.
“You can stand under my umbrella” – Nicky Wire.
LOVING it – being caught in a blizzard and in cold weather at Barrientos in Antarctica but who cares what the weather is like?
In the past on my travels I have heard people say “it’s too wet – I don’t want to go hiking”, “it’s too cold to go there”, “it’s too hot” or “there’s a severe windy weather warning”. Unless it’s going to be a major disaster I don’t care what the weather brings. Death and major disasters are a separate matter – I’m talking a few drops of rain and people go crazy, a bit of sunburn and people blame the weather. “It’s too cold” – So what?? Put a jacket on. Buy a pair of gloves! “It’s raining out” – so what? Wear a hat or buy a raincoat, or do as backpackers do – own both and have a poncho as well.
Freezing cold and on a boat stuck in pack ice in Antarctica, LOVING it!
In 2010 I went to Antarctica. It was cold. Sometimes very cold. Sometimes it snowed. Sometimes it was windy. Sometimes the weather was so extreme the boat got stuck and we couldn’t do any sightseeing. I still loved every moment of it – even the time we couldn’t land due to the pack ice and abverse weather conditions. It’s all part of the experience. It’s only the weather, which we can’t change. Nobody died.
My bus broke down and I was stranded in the snow in San Marino, but who cares? I had a beer in my hand and a coat on. The travel lifestyle doesn’t care what the weather is like!
In 2009 I was stranded in Pisa airport for almost 24 hours. Our flight was cancelled due to extreme snow which had also seen us stranded in San Marino the day before. I had a quick rant and moan to the airline company at the time, but in the end these things happen and they are beyond our control. It snowed, I got an extra night stuck in Pisa airport with my travel buddies drinking cheap wine and listening to music. So what? I lost a few quid (pounds) but all in all – no big deal. It’s only the weather, which we can’t change. Nobody died.
While lying on this beach in Taiwan in 2009 I got burnt by the hot sun. My fault, but who really cares about the weather anyway? It’s not as if there is a switch we can just turn off.
In 2009 I visited Chiayi City in Taiwan – there was a typhoon which meant the rainforest was destroyed in parts and we couldn’t do the Alishan Railway. No big deal. We just did something else. It’s only the weather, which we can’t change. I ended up instead on the south coast at Kenting beach, got sun burnt because it was too hot and loved it! It’s only the weather, which we can’t change. Nobody died.
I got soaked to the bone doing the Inca Trail in Peru in the pouring rain in 2010! Did I complain about the weather? No chance, I loved it. Best hike I’ve ever done!
In 2010 it rained almost the entire way through my Inca Trail in Peru. Was I bothered? Not at all I loved it! It was an amazing experience – I met some great people, did an incredible hike with outstanding views and as the morning mist cleared on the fourth and final day of the hike I got up close and personal with Old Mountain (Machu Picchu) – the lost city of the Incas. Spectacular. I didn’t become an eejit moaning about the weather. Besides, backpackers don’t own umbrellas. Nobody on our hikes had an umbrella. Poncho loyal normally, but I also always have hats and raincoats. It’s only the weather, which we can’t change. Nobody died.
Next time you have a moan about the weather, stop and think – it’s nobody’s fault. Enjoy what the heavens are bringing you. We are truly blessed my friends…
Best weather quotes:
“Everywhere you go you always take the weather with you” – Neil Finn (Crowded House)
“Nobody ever mentions that weather can make or break your day” – Noel Gallagher (Oasis)
“Tomorrow may rain so I’ll follow the sun” – Lennon/McCartney (The Beatles)
“I know a place where the sun hits te sky”- Gaz Coombes (Supergrass)
“Thunder only happens when it’s raining” – Mick Fleetwood etc. (Fleetwood Mac)
We cannot control the weather, so take what it gives you and “be on your way and stop crying your heart out…”
Jonny,
You are so right, my friend. Nothing should stop you from living and enjoying life. It’s easy to sink into the low spot, but more difficult to climb to the peak. If you’ll bitch about the weather… your likely to bitch about other pointless things… and who needs that. Life is way to short to complain (about weather or anything else)!
Happy travels!
Darrin
Completely Darrin! It’s only the weather and unless it’s life threatening (where we as humans all lend our support), we should just get on with it. Who cares if a bus is cancelled because of snow?? Open a beer and make new friends while you wait for the next one!! Safe travels. Jonny