The upper part of the North Island has really lived up to this epithet this week. We’ve had two months’ worth of rain in a few days, causing flooding, traffic woes and power cuts. There hasn’t even been a gleam of sunlight through the clouds. Aucklanders are hardy people and go about their business wearing raincoats and steering their umbrellas into the wind. But we’re all longing for some sunshine to warm us up and dry us out.