Category: Weather

Traveller’s palm

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There are two of these enormous palm trees in front of our balcony. The new leaves sprout from the middle and the old leaves on the ends slowly wither and eventually fall down. As the weight of the leaves lowers the sturdy stems, the hollow part of the stem faces up and is filled with water when it rains. Hence the name – traveller’s palm – a thirsty traveller can get a drink, though I don’t think I would risk the brackish water unless I was desperate! However, the birds love it. I have seen a pair of sweet little bulbuls dive in for a bath and then sit on the sturdy edge for a good shake. Our resident squirrels use the horizontal stems as a convenient pathway from one tree to another. They scurry along the palm’s leaves and stems and then take a flying leap into the tall tree beside it. We’ve never managed to get a photo of these lightning-fast furry creatures but often watch them with great delight. It is also a treat to watch the rain splattering off the palms (we’ve become Kiwis who love rain!) and  during one storm we took these photos.

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Monsoon

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There is no proper monsoon on the western side of peninsular Malaysia but there are rainy seasons. The rain usually falls in heavy downpours in the afternoons and brings welcome relief from the heat, though the precipitation can exacerbate the humidity. Today was one of the coolest days I’ve experienced since coming to live in Ipoh. It was cloudy for most of the day and there was rain on and off throughout the day. This meant that the temperature was two to three degrees cooler than normal and it was wonderful!  Driving in Ipoh during or just after one of these downpours can be challenging because the drains can’t cope with the volume of water and large pools form on the road surface. It is also dreadful for motorcyclists who get drenched if they can’t find a convenient place to shelter. They tend to congregate under bridges and motorway flyovers and wait out the storm.

Heat

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We are currently experiencing a dry period here in Ipoh. The sky is a hazy white and the hills around the city are barely visible, as in the photo above. There is no mid-afternoon downpour to bring a little relief. The day starts at temperatures in the high 20s and gets steadily hotter, so that at 7pm when it starts to get dark, the temperature is still in the mid 30s. For people like us used to the temperate climate of the south Pacific, these days are frazzling. I feel bad complaining when people have been dying in their thousands from the heat in Pakistan and India. They and many people here in Malaysia do not have the advantage of switching on a ceiling fan or air conditioner. As I write this at 8.30am, I have the fan whirring overhead and the air conditioners cooling down the whole apartment. Looks like I’ll be spending the whole day indoors. Good news is that there is a 50 percent chance of rain this weekend.

Jungle uproar

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I have just read this description in a story by Somerset Maugham: “the noise of the jungle at night is uncanny because you feel that at that hour there should be utter silence … it has an odd effect on you, that ceaseless and invisible uproar that beats your nerves. It surrounds and hems you in.” I know exactly what he means. Malaysia is home to the largest and noisiest species of cicada. When I first heard them, I thought one of our neighbours had started up a chainsaw! I’ve never got used to it. The sound of the cicadas and the boom of the frogs make the nights here extremely raucous. That together with the humid heat can indeed make one feel hemmed in. Thank goodness for air conditioning, which they wouldn’t have had when Somerset Maugham was travelling around Asia.

Blue skies

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Today is my first full day in our new accommodation and so far, so good. It is peaceful and quiet. I have the sliding doors onto the balcony open and all I can hear is the birds. I spent a few hours getting the kitchen organised and mopped the floor when I had all the cupboards arranged to my satisfaction. So I was extremely hot by the end of the morning! I remedied that with a swim in the complex’s pool, which I had to myself. I did a few lengths on my back, which gave me a good view of the clear, blue sky and the towering white clouds. It was early enough for the water to still be a refreshing temperature. I’ve kept my damp togs on since returning to the flat so not only am I relaxed but I am still cool.

A sunny Sunday in Auckland

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It was a beautiful blue-sky day in Auckland today. I walked along the  Remuera ridge into Newmarket. All along the route I caught glimpses of the harbour – the sea glinting in the sunlight and the white sails of scores of boats vivid against the blue. I sat at a pavement table outside a cafe with the tantalising smell of coffee all around. I wandered in and out of shops, not looking for anything in particular, but feasting my eyes on the lovely things for sale – books, stationery, shoes, china, glass. Shop assistants were friendly and helpful though I wasn’t actually shopping. Then I ambled back the way I had come, revelling in the mild warmth of the sun and the shade of Remuera’s huge old trees.

Homeward bound

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By the end of this week, I’ll be back in Godzone! People here ask me what the weather will be like and their most common question is “Will it be cold?” I know it will be cold compared with Malaysia but that doesn’t bother me at all. I’m looking forward to going for a walk at any time of the day without melting in the heat, like you do in Ipoh if you go out any later than 7am. I’ve already packed my raincoat! I’m looking forward to the smell of the sea, the green of the countryside, the aroma of coffee outside cafes, the smiles on the faces of my friends, but more than all that, I’m looking forward to seeing our girls! Only four more sleeps.

Golden weather

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I have been in New Zealand since 22 December and every day since then has been beautiful – a string of long summer days with plenty of sunshine, blue skies and high white cloud. I don’t remember when last we experienced such lovely weather, particularly over Christmas and New Year. In past summers newspapers and the TV news featured pictures of flooded camp-sites around the country, with stoic holiday-makers grinning from under the hoods of their raincoats. In contrast, a headline in today’s paper read “What a scorcher!” And the forecast is for more of the same tomorrow. We’ll soon be heading for water restrictions and farmers complaining of drought but for now, I for one am making the most of the golden weather.

I love Auckland!

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I know its charms are enhanced at present by the long run of beautiful summer days and the reduced traffic over the holidays, but I love Auckland! Despite being in the heart of suburbia, all I can see from the living room window is trees and all day long I hear birdsong. I’ve been walking a lot and enjoying the glimpses of blue sea and green volcanic hills along the various routes I have taken. When I pause at a pedestrian crossing, the traffic actually stops for me (in Ipoh, drivers speed up when they see you approaching!) I like the friendliness of cafe waiters who bring my coffee, shop assistants who ask how my day is going, people I pass on the footpath who smile hello.  I guess you could say I’m having a wonderful time!

Cornwall Park

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On New Year’s Day this year my daughters and I walked through Cornwall Park to the top of One Tree Hill. Today I walked through the park again. It was the kind of spring day that makes you feel that winter is back. There were southerly gales and the rain fell in heavy showers. The signs of spring were all around, however, daffodils, bright green leaves on the trees, lambs and calves. At one stage I took shelter beside a stone pillar and watched the stoic sheep turning their backs to the wind and rain. I enjoyed my walk very much, the weather notwithstanding, and was grateful for the very sturdy umbrella lent to me by my good friends and current hosts. I have so enjoyed staying in their home and being back in Auckland, where right now the sun is shining. Four seasons in one day!