About the weather
It’s been lovely, sunny and warm here in London this week. And apart from the instant good cheer that the sun seems to bring out in people, I can revel in my ongoing amusement at the difference between British and Australian attitudes towards weather.
As soon as the thermostat hits 20 degrees, people in the UK start stripping their clothes off, wearing strappy footwear to work, drinking al fresco and saying that they’re roasting. Even when it’s cloudy and there is a gale blowing. I will never forget my boss in Glasgow who used to start wearing sandals to work at the first sign of summer sun because that meant that it was officially hot.
In comparison, people in the perpetually mild city of Sydney start throwing on their hats, gloves and scarves the minute it gets around 12 – 15 degrees. A handful of days under 10 degrees constitutes a cold snap and leads to discussion about just how freezing cold it is. I will never forget a colleague in Sydney who was always prepared for the worst and carried a cardigan with her all summer – just in case the temperature dipped below 30.
Thankfully though, I am comparatively immune to this and manage to wear much the same clothes all year round in both countries. I’ve rarely worn a winter coat in Sydney and I’ve rarely worn a summer dress in the UK. Perhaps this year?
May 9th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I was castigated by my anglocaribean colleagues for uttering the phrase “it was nice in th sun” on sunny but chilly day last month.As they only believe it’s warm when their eyes are melting. It’s good to see that Aussie (other than yourself that is!) whinge at home as well ;)
May 9th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Oh, Australians like a good whinge as much as the Brits. Have you ever been out with a newly arrived (or not even that) Australian in the UK? It’s all: ‘the weather’s terrible, the coffee’s undrinkable, the food’s rubbish’ etc. etc. etc.
Sorry, that’s probably what you meant! But yes, we whinge at home as well.
May 9th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I once sat on a train into waterloo with some young Aussies they spent the entire trip slagging off every beach in europe so much so I wondered why they bothered their entire trip must have been one big let down.One lass spent ages trying to descirbe who Che Guverre was finally hitting on the description “you know the guy on the tshirts in the hat!” that being said we have more than of our share of gormless teenagers.
May 9th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Amd what is it with blokes (normally boneheads) strutting around shirtless in the high street (normally with a can of Stella on the go) – you don’t get this in other sunnier parts of Europe
May 9th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
BLTP – I don’t know why they bother coming over either. I seem to have gone too much the other way myself. I actually found myself in the pub last night having an actual argument with someone (who is English) about why I prefer living here to Australia.
PM – Oh yes, the topless sunburnt Stella carrying fat bloke. That species does seem to be uniquely British, yes…
May 10th, 2008 at 11:33 am
This week was probably the first sustained (by that I mean more than one day) burst of hot weather we’ve had in Glasgow, though we’ve been quite slow to cast off our clothing it. The office arsehole remarked that he was disappointed at the lack of cleavage on show during his lunchtime break and I caught sight of a woman who looked like she was dressed for a cold winters day. Very strange.
May 10th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Ill Man – yes, that is very strange. Scottish people, if you don’t mind me saying, are usually very good at dispensing with winter clothes as soon as the sun is out. Your office arsehole should come to London – he’d have a great time…