Saturday, April 6, 2013

It's raining, it's pouring...

I live in the wet tropics, in far north Queensland, so it’s just as well that I like rain. I love the sound of rain on the tin roof. Sometimes, when I am sitting in my study, I can hear the rain approaching. At first a distant sound that could be traffic on the road or wind in the trees. Then, the unmistakable sound of rain on the sea of tin roofs that surround me, growing louder. And finally the rain on my own roof: a rising crescendo as first the edge of the shower passes by, and then the main body hits with full force. Sometimes the rain reaches such torrential proportions that before long even the deep gutters in the road cannot contain the flow. The water rises to the edge of the small step at the front door. Fortunately it spills over at another point before it can enter the house. Occasionally a small creek runs through the patio area, when the swimming pool breaches its confines.

The roof gutters cannot deal with the heaviest of downpours. The rain overflows, creating a curtain of water surrounding the house on several sides. The patio is enclosed by a fine mesh insect screen, and on one side, the water cascades down the mesh – we could not have designed such a feature.

Those of you used to a cold wet winter, knowing how unpleasant it is to walk in the rain, will find it difficult to appreciate the joy of walking through the rain on a day of 30°C+, wearing only a T-shirt and shorts. Then the sun comes out and sucks the moisture back into the air.

The dry season in Cairns is beautiful: sunny, 25°C+, no rain in sight. But it is the Big Wet that I really love, watching and hearing nature toss itself into the fray with complete abandon.

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For the price of a Big Mac: Maybe they'll remember me

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