I thought I had the ideal photograph for this week's west weather theme. Taken about 25 years ago, it showed my daughter holding an umbrella over my head as I tried to cook our first meal on a barbecue. We had bought the barbecue as a summer present to ourselves as we were not going away on holiday. (This was long before the term "staycation" came into vogue). The barbecue took ages to light and just when I thought the coals were hot enough, down came the rain! And my husband got his camera out to record the occasion. Unfortunately I cannot find the photo! We never really went into barbecuing after that.
Neither have I photographs of ancestors holding umbrellas - or even parasols, and I cannot say it ever occurred to me or my family to take pictures of rain. So instead I am taking a nostalgic look back at holidays with less than perfect weather - but hey, in Britain we learn to enjoy ourselves whatever is thrown at us.
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My early memories recall my father building a house out of deck chairs on an empty damp Bournemouth beach. I think my mother had decided that a look around the shops was a better wet weather option, but my brother and I enjoyed our makeshift tent. On another wet occasion we donned our willies and went a walk along the Chimes (cliffs) to collect pine cones which we later used in Christmas decorations.
As a student I was coming back on a crowded Dover ferry. As we perched on our cases on the top deck, the heavens opened as we approached Dover harbour and we got soaked - but thought it was hilarious. On the train to London we scrambled around trying to find some dry clothes in our luggage, before we began the long journey north to Scotland. That is almost my main memory of that holiday!
It even poured down on our wedding day in July and we have no photographs of the occasion taken outside.
Many years on, and another ferry - this time from Oban to Mull - still on the top deck braving the elements with a very wet dog.
Sheltering from the wind on Iona in May - though our dog does not look much happier.
The hills are alive with "The Sound of Music!
We have had our share of downpours and mountain thunderstorms on holiday in Austria and this was the dramatic sky just after we landed at Salzburg Airport.
BUT NEVER MIND THE WEATHER - WE HAD FUN!
P.S. I am writing this on one of the hottest days I can remember for a very long time - what a contrast!
Click HERE to see how other bloggers have enjoyed the weather.
I love how that rainbow cuts the sky in two!
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at your sad introduction to barbecuing. It reminds me of the time my husband and I packed up the world to go camping. As soon as we got there and unloaded the car, the rains came. We loaded up the car and went on home. We never tried camping again.
The word staycation is new to me. Barbecuing with gas saves a lot of bother!
ReplyDeleteHi, Brett - "staycation" is one of those new words coined by the media and tourism industry to refer to people who, in these times of austerity, spend their holiday at home or in their home country.
DeleteThat's what we've been doing for years! I must say I don't like new words like that, particularly when coined by the media or marketing industries, cynic that I am. If they're invented by ordinary folk, that's more acceptable.
DeleteI love "The Hills Are Alive" offering. And the rainbow is beautiful - a great shot! But I wish you could have found the BBQ-in-the-rain picture. Maybe another chance to use it will come up & by then you will have found it???
ReplyDeleteThat rainbow picture is so dramatic. Enjoyed your rainy day stories!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post. I love how nonchalant your dog looks, like it's really not raining at all. The rainbow photo is a classic.
ReplyDeleteNancy
I don't mind a little rain as long as it is not cold and I don't get soaked. I remember one trip when I walked around all in the drizzle with an umbrella and didn't really get wet.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the rainbow photo with the yellow slicker.
Where's that lonely goat-herd, high on the hills with you two? It's a fabulous shot -- makes me smile!
ReplyDeleteI am sure that so many of us were hunting through our collections this week looking for the elusive rainy photograph that we knew was there somewhere. I am glad to say that you were more successful than I was.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Alan; my prompt and I was sure there'd be one. I found a wet holiday in Devon, but no umbrellas.
DeleteI hope you find that soggy barbecue picture one day but thank you for reminding me of the number of times rain has potentially stopped play. How lovely to end with the rainbow.
ReplyDeleteThe only time I have been camping it rained from the time we arrived until we packed up the tent when the sun came out. It was so wet the worms were creeping onto the top of the groundsheet. I experienced wet ferry trips off the west of Scotland too.
ReplyDeleteBad weather never feels so good as when the rainbow comes out. But the best travel stories always have rain. The more the better.
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