Winds of change

I never really understood the concept of maritime weather, nor what it meant to have a southerly, northerly, southwesterly, etc., until I lived in New Zealand. Weather changes at the drop of a hat here. As they say, "If you don't like the weather, wait 30 minutes and it will change." I can never plan my day based on what I see out my window in the morning. Inevitably by midday it will change. I never leave my flat without a raincoat, several layers of clothing on, including a t-shirt, and my sunglasses.

To give a prime example, lets discuss this weekend. Saturday, I awoke to glorious sunshine and calm air. It afforded an outing to the local lake for an afternoon of water skiing. This morning I awoke to blustering winds, pouring rain, and cooler temperatures. Only slightly different then the day before. While you might think it would deter myself and some other locals from hiking, no, we continued on, despite getting soaked through. You just learn to live with it.