Why We Love Summer. And Why Some Asians Don’t

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When we think of summer, we think of sun. The beach. Blue skies. Cool drinks. Our swim suit coming off as we swim in the strong yet warm ocean waters.

Summer’s my favourite time of the year in Melbourne – December through to February – for many reasons. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way.

Summer sunset city views, Melbourne. A pretty sight | Weekly Photo Challenge: Summer Lovin'.

Summer sunset city views, Melbourne. A pretty sight | Weekly Photo Challenge: Summer Lovin’.

We feel so much more productive, so much more eager about getting up during summer in Melbourne – there’s something about warmth that can be so inviting.

We feel alive, full of energy when it’s summer in Melbourne. Flowers blooming on city sidewalks. The cricket and the Australian Open Tennis on. Outdoor orchestra concerts. So much to see and do.

And so we get to go places in Melbourne when it’s warm, places so easy to get to by foot or public transport. Going out, we discover people and places, and have fun and exciting times. Be at one with everything and everyone. And we can get away without taking an umbrella with us most summer days – 4-seasons in one day doesn’t usually happen this season, more so in autumn and spring.

We get the chance to have some peace come summer in Melbourne. It’s the “silly-season”: Christmas, New Year and Australia Day celebrations left, right and centre. Much reason for celebration with the ones we love, or having some “me time”.

Then again, not all Asians like summer, fearing the hot summer sun. My Chinese-Malaysian mum has never been to Melbourne’s beaches in summer, afraid of getting tanned and turning “all dark and ugly”. And she hates hot air on her skin, something she was all too familiar with living in Malaysia.

Some Asians spend most of their lives in hot, humid parts of Asia, and maybe, naturally summer in the western world doesn’t feel nice at all to them. Plus, when the weather heats up in Melbourne, some of us get red Asian cheeks when we usually don’t. Happens to me. Some think it’s cute, but a lot of the time red cheeks are annoyingly painful. Another thing to dislike about summer.

There are flies everywhere come summer in Melbourne, flies that seem to be a bother to Asians. Countless times summer flies have flown around my face. Countless times I’ve seen flies annoyingly flying around me and my Asian friends but not my Caucasian friends standing an arm’s length away from us. Maybe sometimes five-spice sauce sticks on our lips after we eat Asian, sauce that flies probably like.

So there are some things I don’t like about summer. The string of 40’C-plus days last summer in Melbourne was uncomfortable – oven-like temperatures. I sat in my room for most of the heat wave, writing. Drawing the blinds down to keep my room cool and avoid looking sunburnt like a tomato. Laughing at flies outside my closed window.

Summer. It’s what we make of it. And if we make the most of summer, what’s not to like about it?

What do you like about summer? How do you spend your summers?

130 thoughts on “Why We Love Summer. And Why Some Asians Don’t”

  1. Just back from an evening walk in beautiful summer in Canada. The long days, not having to wear a down parka, the beautiful greens, not having to shovel snow. I’m all about summer lovin and we are currently lovin it! 🙂

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  2. Humidity and high heat make me wary of summer. I do not intentionally seek the sun because I get headaches when it is too bright, but I go out when I need to, e.g., when I have to do some gardening.

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    • Ah, you’re not a humidity fan. I don’t mind humidity if the temperatures are too high. I don’t like high temperatures, and I really dislike the dry air that usually comes with it. I hope you keep cool this summer and wear a hat when you do gardening, Imelda. That’s so nice of you, thinking of your plants 🙂

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  3. My country is in South East Asian region whete hot and humid weather is our die-hard friend. The temparature is really high and the sunlight is so strong during Summer. It is getting hotter in the past years. So if you ask me what I like about Summer. I can’t give an answer to you. But if you ask me whether I like it or not. I don’t believe I hate it though.

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    • Sounds like you experience summer all year round. When I was living in Malaysia and Singapore, it sure felt like summer all year round. Like you, I don’t hate this hot and humid weather. I think it’s something we get used to after a while. In Asia and I’m sure in Bangkok too, there are loads of air-conditioned shopping centres and community places like libraries. So if you are feeling too hot and can always go to these places to cool off.

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  4. The aversion to tanning thing in Asia is unfortunate. I for one don’t agree, dark skin can look great!

    However, Asia is a big place and I understand why people from certain places don’t like the summer. Southeast Asia is HOT! And humid, and gross, and it’s not easy being outdoors. I tend to be inside with the A.C. on as much as possible and my electric bill shows it.

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    • Some sun is definitely good for us but yeah, unfortunately a lot of Asians don’t seem to understand that. Sometimes I wish I had darker skin because my fair face tends to look white like a ghost’s in winter, especially at night when lights bounce off it.

      You are right. South East Asia is hot – hot all year round. I usually get sticky after half an hour standing out doors in Malaysia and Singapore. And I always feel I need three showers a day.

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  5. I love summer and hate winter (ok, we get considerably colder winters here in Europe than in Oz). I like being near the beach, on the beach. I LOVE ice cream! hehe…

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  6. Too hot and humid isn’t at all pleasant, and I tend to stay in the air conditioning, As I’ve got older, I protect my skin against the sun, much more than I did when I was young and carefree. I don’t really mind which season it is, though. Life is good! 🙂

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  7. Here in HK, we’re more about winter lovin’ than summer lovin (due to the hot and humid days and typhoon season). But there’s something about summer in the west, which makes it very nice – everyone seems more cheerful and nicer, there’s lot going on outdoors, not to mention that the temperatures generally aren’t as high as in some Asian countries. I spent summer a couple of years back in Melbourne. It was pleasant and not overtly hot, which was nice 🙂

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    • There’s definitely a distinction between summer in Asian and summer in the West. Glad you brought that up. You’re right, summer in the west tends to have milder temperatures than in Asia. Westerners aren’t afraid of going out into the sun a bit; they welcome sunshine and the warmth that comes with it. Summer in the west also tends to be the season where Westerners take time off work, adding to the fun summery atmosphere. Even if it gets too hot in summer in Melbourne, there’s always a cool change or a thunderstorm around the corner to cool things down 🙂

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    • I also lived in HK for a few years, and the summer time for me meant typhoons and blistering hot days. Not my favorite. Haha! My favorite seasons were Spring and Autumn. We would leave our windows open during the evening for that refreshing wind. Ahh…

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      • Seems there’s a summer trend in Asian countries: it’s either raining torrentially or blazingly humid-hot during summer here. During the middle of the year in Malaysia, summer time, sometimes it gets so hot with no rain and the authorities start rationing water.

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          • Earlier this year water rationing took place again in tropical Malaysia for about a month. It was close to middle-of-the-year-summer-time (April-May) and it hadn’t rained heavily in a long while. Water pipes were turned off for some days of the week. Probably happens about once a year.

            I’ve experienced this two or three times when I was living in Malaysia. My family had to go to the water truck near our house to collect water, coming back all sweaty 😀

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            • So in these situations, do you need to boil the water or is it all good to drink? Isn’t there the option to buy bottled water? How do you make sure that the water from the water truck is evenly distributed amongst the residents?

              You’ll have to pardon my ignore. I’m just really curious. 😀

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              • In Malaysia, we boil water that comes out from kitchen taps before drinking it, even if there’s a filter attached. So it’s obvious what we do with the water collected from trucks 😀 It’s always a first-come-first serve when it comes to collecting water from trucks!

                These days a lot of Malaysians drink and use bottled water. They tend to be in limited stock around the hotter months of June-July.

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  8. I am a late riser but in summertime it is a lot easier to get up in the morning for me as well. I can’t stand the thought of wasting a summer day. Not wasting it means being outside, bike to a lake, do some gardening, walk around barefooted, have a barbecue with friends, relax in the park with a good book and best of all: eat fresh fruits right from the trees and shrubs. And a sunny (not too hot) day has such an incredible positive impact on most people’s mood.
    Just remember all the days in wintertime when you are longing for some more sun…

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    • I too don’t like seeing a fine sunny summer day go down the drain. It’s so much more pleasant temperature and weather wise to do outdoor activities in summer compared to the cooler months. Even if it gets too hot, just go indoors and have a cool drink or sit in an air-conditioned room for a bit.

      Sounds like you know how to make most of summer, Cindy, good on you. Longer summer days usually gives us more energy and more time to do all those fun things outdoors 🙂

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  9. I loved summer in Austria and thought I was a summer kind of person until I moved to Shenzhen. I like being outdoors if the sun is out in Austria, but the heat and humidity in Shenzhen would give me headaches and I needed to stay inside much more than I would have thought. When I was 6-7 months pregnant in April/May in Shenzhen, I was craving water melons all the time, because even with the air con on, the heat just felt unbearable (this was not only connected to the heat but also to me being pregnant).

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    • Humidity makes the heat much more unbearable. Sticky air, somehow that makes us sweat more and we’re more prone to feeling hot and dehydrating. That is terrible that you get headaches int he summertime in Shenzhen. Stay indoors and in air-conditioned places if possible. Eating watermelon. Now that’s something I’ve always been advised to eat when it’s hot as watermelon has great cooling properties, just like cucumbers.

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  10. Nice! When I used to live in Brazil it was summer all year long… living in Germany its nice to see the seasons change! During summer the best thing is that the day lasts longer, the sun stays longer… I wish during winter it wasnt so dark. But during summer I dont like those really 40C days that we also have here sometimes, mostly because there is no air-conditioning at home 😦 but like winter, it has its positive and negative things 🙂

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    • I love it too when the sunset is later in the day! You can walk around outside feeling more safe and have a good look at the strangers, I mean people, approaching you 🙂

      Oh dear, 40’C in Germany and no air-con. That must be hard. Maybe you can stay in an air-con shopping centre all day so you can escape the heat? Sometimes when it’s 40’C, you don’t really want to move from your chair…every move you make you feel very sticky 😀

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  11. Such a wonderful topic. Weather does effect our lives. We are roasted in Texas during summer, today is mid 90s F. I enjoy the long day time and wearing sandals and summer cloth 🙂

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    • “roasted in Texas”. That phrase made me think of a roast chicken on a stick over a fire 😀 Which you wouldn’t think of doing during the summer (due to fire reasons). You sure know how to keep cool during summer, Amy. Don’t forget to wear a hat when you go out then. Or try to stay in the shelter, Texas sounds very hot 🙂

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        • Thanks, Amy, for the very nice words 🙂 This photo was taken at sunset on New Year’s eve last December. It was in the middle of summer then, so you see strong yellows in the sky. Lovely, yes.

          I’ve been thinking of putting some of my blog photos on a page in a gallery for people to enjoy. I think I will soon 🙂

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  12. I can do dry heat just fine, but when combined with suffocating humidity, I can’t stand high temperatures. Living in Hong Kong, I would take minimally 2 showers per day during the summer. (3 showers if I had the opportunity.)

    In the past, summer-time was my time to take a break from school. Now I find myself studying part-time during the summer. Haha.

    My ideal summer is in that 20-30 Celsius range. Where I live in Sichuan province, however, we get lots of rain and lots of humidity. Not as bad as Hong Kong, but not like those beautiful days back in North America.

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    • Summer is always a good excuse to have more cooling, relaxing showers. These showers always, always cools you down instantly.

      Usually I don’t mind humidity. But like you, combine it with searing temperatures – 30’C and above – that’s something I find uncomfortable, especially in Malaysia. But 30’C in Melbourne? That’s very pleasant and feels like 25’C in tropical Asian countries minus the humidity.

      You sure know how to keep yourself occupied in the summer. It’s a fairly quiet season, so maybe you can get studying done then.

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  13. Hot summers are usually no trouble for me, even the ones in central China. However when the temperatures are going over 32degrees celsius and the humidity is too high, then I start getting trouble while doing sports, just nothing works then anymore.

    Soon (this sunday) we will get some extra sun, as we have one week holiday in Greece at a beach resort. Most likely I wont be much at the beach except perhaps finding some pebbles or so but I will be definitely swimming at the sports swimming pool 🙂 (and get some color…)

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    • Agree with you there. When there are high temperatures and humidity, usually every move you make is enough to send a waterfall of sweat down your back. Such weather is extremely dehydrating and if you do try doing sport under the sun, you probably will find it hard to cool off after. Or you might not.

      Have fun on your summer holiday in Greece. Sounds like fun already. You can send Nathan on a mission to find seashells while you swim in the pool alone 🙂

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  14. I can’t think of many Thais who like summer. And you and your readers know all the reasons why! I used to love summertime back in the US though. Even though I don’t like the sweltering heat (like anyone), I need the sun. I’m a Hawaii girl born and raised. When we have too many cloudy days here in Thailand or back in America, I’ll be the first to complain.

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    • Hot and humid during summer in Thailand! Just like Malaysia and Singapore…summer all year round. In the West, a cool change usually sweeps through after a spell of hot-ish days, bringing down temperatures quite a bit. Maybe that’s why summer seems more pleasant in the States and Australia.

      Cloudy days? I’m not a huge fan of them most of the time. That makes two of us.

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  15. My husband is from Sydney and he loves the summer. I am from Florida, USA so summer or winter was almost the same for me. We have lived in the northern part of USA for 18 years now, winters being very cold with long dark days, so summer is a special time for us even when it feels too hot and humid.

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    • Compared to the States, Australian winters are very, very mild. Anything below 15’C for us Australians is cold. Your husband should know this 😀 I like how you say “summer is a special time” for the both of you. I think many in Australia feel this way too – summer and warmer days always seem so fleeting here.

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  16. Lovely words about Summer in Melbourne, Mabel. I’m very much a winter person I’m afraid because here in the UK, when it gets hot in the summer, it also gets humid and humid and me are not good friends I’m afraid. Because of the lack of air conditioning in homes in the UK, summer nights can be very uncomfortable and summer is usually the time when we have many poor nights of sleep. Whereas in winter, there is no humidity, so its far more comfortable to sleep.
    I guess we are all different but there are some things I do like about summer, like being able to wear shorts for 3 months, ice cold beers, and the odd days when we have perfect weather, which for me is blue sky, sunshine, a nice cool breeze and the temperature no more than 25 degrees centigrade. That’s my perfect summer.

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    • Over the last few summers in Melbourne, it has been very hot. We’ve had strings 40’C plus days, definitely very uncomfortable. Sleeping at night wasn’t very pleasant, so I sympathise with you of lacking sleep in the summertime. I bet every summer humid day that comes along, you want to hop into the shower several times a day.

      I hope you get more of those days of perfect summer. Sounds like very relaxing days for you 🙂

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      • Well would you believe it, Mabel, today it is over cast and raining, but it’s not humid which is the main thing. When I was a child, back in the 1970’s, we use to have perfect summers. Blue skies, sunshine, no humidity and the temperature never got above 25’C. It would rain at night and the next morning everything looked fresh and clean. Those summers seemed to go on forever and I only wish we could somehow get them back.

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        • That is a little odd. Usually when storms are coming, humidity will be in the air. Sometimes when it’s humid in the summer in Melbourne, I can feel moisture in between my feet and carpet at home. Not pleasant at all. Now that it’s August, hope that summer starts to simmer down in your part of the world. Autumn is just a month away for you 🙂

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          • It wasn’t so much a storm, just a few hours of rain with no wind at all. It’s certainly cleared the air and the humidity away which I am thankful for. Yes, I’m counting down to Autumn as it’s my favourite season. Our trees turn beautiful colours in the Autumn which is nature at its very best.

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            • That is good to hear that there was no wind. Gusty winds happen quite a bit in Melbourne – gusty dessert winds in the summer, and antartica-like winds in the the winter. Very unpleasant. Looking forward to seeing what Autumn has in store for you soon 🙂

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  18. Just today I thought about winter and beautiful snow…as it has been quite warm here. Great topic, and in HK it really is the same, but more & more of the younger HK people are enjoying the beaches (with the older generations wanting the white-porcelain skin). Also, I could not help laughing when you talked about how the flies bother Asians. In HK, it is the mosquitoes and tiny flies that bother my good friends and their little daughter.

    They are like the mosquito magnets… 🙂 Of course the little girl doesn’t think it is fair, so she always laughs and then tells me “it is because our blood tastes so much sweeter than yours.”
    Cheers to the sunshine that is still quite a ways off for you…but definitely here in Seattle 🙂

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    • It was snowing in parts of Melbourne (not my place) today, freezing. I could use some of the warm weather you’re having now. Brrr.

      You’re so right in that younger Asians are flocking to the beach more than the older. They don’t even mind getting tanned.

      Glad I made you laugh 😀 Mosquitoes were a big bother to me during the hotter months in Malaysia, always biting my rather hairless arms and legs. I heard mosquitoes don’t usually like to settle on westerners’ arms and legs as they are hairy…then again, I’ve always heard my mum say those who possess fairer skin have sweeter blood. Like what you said in your comment 🙂

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      • Ha, ha…yes, that is what I often tell them I have a nice barrier of hair which is my protection 🙂 But I also think it is a sense the mosquitoes and small flies have toward nicer scents & sweeter blood ~ so you can consider yourself lucky to be a wanted girl 🙂 Hope you have a cozy weekend 🙂 Take care.

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        • Hahaha. Luckily we don’t get many mosquitoes here in Melbourne – the air’s very dry and that seems to keep them away. Sounds like you have a natural shield against pests 🙂 I prefer flies over mosquitoes. I hate the itch that comes with mosquito bites – hot, sweaty and itchy in the summer. An uncomfortable combination.

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  19. Coming from Switzerland with a very short summer I missed the sun and warm weather. Now living in Australia the summer is long hot very dry and after more then 2 months with only little or no rain I’m happy the summer is over. Sometimes I feel the same as during winter in Switzerland. I prefer to stay inside in the air-conditioned cool and the outside activities are minimized. I think spring and autumn are the best seasons and in winter we have also some beautiful days here. I say always, a mild winter in Perth is a bad summer in Switzerland. 🙂

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    • Australia has one of the driest summers in the world. When the temperature goes up to 35’C or more, you feel as if you’re breathing in sand or something, at least in Melbourne and I would assume Perth too. The air is very, very dry this season.

      You’re very wise, minimising outside activites when it gets hot in Perth. I try to do that too, and try to minimise movement overall – like getting up from my chair – when it’s 40’C or more 😀 A bad summer in Switzerland? Sounds like blocks of chocolate don’t melt in that country!

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  20. 😀 In a hot summer day the chocolate starts melting, but the next day it’s cool and rainy again and it keeps well conserved. That’s why the Swiss chocolate is so good. The other reason is, the grass is very green because all the rain, the cows have good food and give good milk. Good milk makes good chocolate but 60 days over 30 gives never good chocolate. 😦

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  21. When we were kids there was no single season to specifically mention about, it was 365 days of happy life.

    Summer means vacations and countless hours of play time, cricket, football or any sports…

    Rainy season provided opportunities to play “with water” and “in water”,

    Once we moved to the cities and started living and working inside the concrete and glass containers with conditioned air, there was only one season, that was neither summer nor winter.

    To me, once I am out of this container, I still feel like a kid, and enjoy all these seasons 🙂

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    • In many parts of tropical Asia it’s uncommon to have anyone describe the weather as summer, autumn, winter or spring. As you said, it’s either “rainy” or “sunny” season.

      Sounds like you know how to make the most of the weather in India. Though water cools us off from hot weather, I don’t know if it was clean or not to play with rain water…. 🙂

      I like how you describe working life as glass containers. The air-con’s always adjusted to 24’C in my office and when it rains, someone will shout and point to the window. It’s like a magic show outside the office when it rains 🙂

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      • In my home place rain is a feel, the darkening of the sky with the rolling clouds, the wind, and finally the fresh smell of soil with the fall of the first rain drops…

        In work place, it’s exactly what you said, we could see the falling droplets, if some one tells us that it’s happening.

        You could easily miss a great downpour even without a hint of what’s happened outside 🙂

        This year, I am in the middle of all these drama, right at the heart of the monsoon country. I work from home feeling the magic being unfolded right outside my windows, I could hear, smell and see… 🙂

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        • I love your different descriptions of how we experience rain wherever we are, Sreejith. So alive 🙂

          You are so lucky, working from home. Stay dry. At least it’s not blazing hot at the moment where you are.

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  22. I prefer a comfortable temperature range rather than a particular season for daily comfort. But Summer’s are generally filled with more activities because of the length of the days, so it’s a more active and pleasant time of the year.

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    • 24-25’C seems to be a comfortable temperature range. That’s what the air-con is set to in a lot of offices. You’re right. There’s always more things to do in summer in Australia – more music festivals, street food stalls… It’s also more pleasant going outdoors in summer unlike in winter where if you do, you can’t feel your body sometimes.

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  23. I’ve given up the idea of glamour a long time ago. That’s when I fell in love with the mountains. Getting dark after a long hike became a sweet thing. Digging every mountain climbing experience I had gave me life changing lessons. And most of those happened during summer. I am just a summer person as I previously claimed.

    That just made me wish I am in the Philippines right at this moment. 😦

    By the way, I never knew those rosy cheeks hurt. Funny, huh! Thanks for stressing that out.

    As to the question, what I like most about summer is we can do so many activities. The coolest of which is being able to sweat a lot through working out. Simply, I feel most energized during this season. Need I say more?

    😉

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    • Never thought you were the glamorous kind, Sony. But always knew you were a down-to-earth, adventurous kind of person. This is the first time I’ve heard an Asian person say getting dark from spending time in the sun is a sweet thing. I guess you don’t mind because doing what you do in the sun gives you a great feeling. With summer there’s more opportunities to exercise, trek, hike, run and walk outdoors. All fun activities good for the body, no wonder you feel energised 🙂

      The rosy red cheeks I get sometimes don’t always hurt. But every time it happens, my cheeks feel very hot, as if they are on fire. Taking a cold shower makes them disappear instantly – and the only way to make them disappear 🙂

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  24. Love your post …. *smile – I love summer and especially my Swedish one – the long days, when the sun hardly goes down … but I love summer anywhere really, I’m not a big fan of laying in the sun hour by hour … but I don’t mind a nice tan, but we should be a lot more careful with our skins … than we are during summer. Your summer is soon with you.

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    • Thanks, Viveka. Haha, “the sun hardly goes down”. Sometimes I wish the summer sun won’t go down, I just love light. But I also wish that the summer sun not be too hot. Enjoy your summer and make the most of it, but I am sure that you are already 😉 Oh yes, summer will soon be coming to my side of the world!

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      • Mabel, yes … so the spring with be with you. I just love the spring – but it passes so quickly and then the summer comes and it’s over before we have blinked.
        Yes, you have to visit the North of Sweden .. Polar Circle – and will have both the sun and moon up on the same time.
        Be good to you and nice talking to you.
        Planning a trip down under for 2016. Next year Japan.

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        • I like spring too, but I really dislike all the pollen that flies around and makes me sneeze. Which is another reason why I prefer summer 🙂 You are right. Summer passes so fast for a lot of us because we are always having fun spending time outdoors during this season.

          Looking forward to welcoming you Down Under 😀

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          • Marbel, we had a couple of days … of rain and thunder now – but the sun is back, but it’s a lot more pleasant now.
            When is the best time to visit Down Under??? I’m thinking of the end of October.

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            • Hooray! Sun is back and shining over at your end. I hope it brings you happy vibes 🙂

              End of October would be a great time to visit Melbourne, right in the middle of spring. Temperatures won’t be 35’C and up at that time of the year. The sun doesn’t set early either, so you have longer days and more time to enjoy yourself. Lots of pretty flowers and greenery in the gardens too.

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  25. I think the best thing about summer is the longer days. And, with daylight saving time we fool ourselves into making them even longer. It’s 9PM here and just got dark. (but what I like least: the mosquitoes; there’s no standing still when they’re out — they love me better than anyone and if I leave one sq inch of skin uncovered, they find it)

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    • Wouldn’t it be nice if the sun never set in the summer? Some of us might not be able to sleep then, for different reasons 🙂 Oh dear, the mosquitoes are after you. You must have very sweet blood, very attractive 😀 Maybe you could spray some insect repellent or burn those coiled-mosquito repellent things that stink bad, they might chase the insects away.

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    • Wow, you really like being outdoors in the sun, Dedy. So if you come to Australia you will love our summer…and maybe get sunburnt. 35’C plus temperatures sometimes here 😀

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  27. I live in the same city as Sue S. here in Canada. Albertan summers can be hot but are drier than Toronto/southern Ontario which is over 4,000 km. east of us. I lived in southern Ontario over 40 yrs. of life and the humidity can reach nearly 100% @30-35 degrees C. So yes, we get prepped for tropical climates. Except there are no palm trees in Toronto outdoors.

    Vancouver British Columbia is lovely in the summer –it only gets hot up to around 25-28 degrees C several times during each summer, but not as humid sticky as Ontario nor as dry as Alberta.

    Canadians do appreciate their warm weather seasons much more. It doesn’t mean sunbathing all the time. Just doing more enjoyable things outdoors for many more hrs. without being impeded by snow and ice. Living in a country with 4 distinct climate seasons makes one appreciate the sun –no matter what temp.

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    • Ah, maybe you and Sue S. have crossed paths before. Interesting that both of you live in the same city. Sounds like you’ve lived through very uncomfortable and sticky summers in southern Ontario sans much shades. I bet you either had to put up with it, or find refuge in air-conditioned places. I think most of us prefer a dry summer over a sticky one…though dry summers do then to give me itchy throat and noes.

      You’re right. Summer season means we can spend more time outdoors without shivering all over and not feeling our face. The only downside would be trying not to get sunburnt and staying hydrated. I heard the Canadian sun isn’t as damaging as in Australia. Sometimes standing in the summer sun for fifteen minutes, my arm turns two shades darker. The sun’s that strong here.

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      • Wow, the sun seems more powerful in Aussieland, Mabel. The sun in the prairies seems more powerful to me than in Ontario. And it probably is: Calgary is 1,000 metres higher than Vancouver at sea level. It is open prairie with a lot less trees unless one goes to the forests near the Rocky Mountains (over 100 km. north of us) and the skies are clearer here. (I’m not positive about this for next 5 yrs., as more oil drilling will occur shortly.)

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        • There is a hole in the ozone layer (or only a very thin layer) over Australia so more damaging sun rays land on our country. But you’re right: being higher above the sea level, the sun might feel hotter and be more damaging to our skin. I hope you find shelter over there when you can in the summer, sounds like you live in a city where you can get sunburnt easily.

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  28. Summer? So hot ! Hahahaha..
    Because there’s no summer holiday, yeach..just school holiday for a month during dry season…I spent lots of time visiting some historical places around Jakarta and seeing my good friend in Purwokerto, Central Java for a week.
    I spent the first two days of Ramazan in Purwokerto, and see…I woke up late for sahoor (early breakfast), because my friend was not at his home.

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  30. I often forget you live in the southern hemisphere so our cold months are your summer and vice versa. You are right, we Asians, particularly those living in the tropics could easily hate summer because it can be so humid and hot. But then I also love summer because it’s the season where the sea and the sky is bluest of the blue, the flowers are of the brightest colors, and of course the best time to enjoy the beach! 😀

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    • Ah, people always seem to forget that it’s summer in December and winter in June in Australia. We’re so far down the globe, it’s easy to forget us! 😀 I suppose you like summer in the Philippines because there is less rain and you can go out more? Oh wait, I think it’s typhoon season then. Boo.

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  31. Being a summer-lovin’ Canadian, I hike more, cycle more, work out harder, make more adventurous road trips with my wife, reach out to others more, imagine more, create more, use my camera more, draw, paint and write more, feel more alive, fell more positive, enjoy the heat, enjoy the humidity, enjoy thunder and lightning storms, watch people more.

    Everything is better in summer!

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