Rainy Day

I woke up feeling prespiring. The heat is getting unbearable. As I was starting to be a little grumpy, the weather took a sudden change with dark clouds hovering in the sky. Before I know it, it's raining cats and dogs.

I love rainy days. I like it when it cools down the temperature. In Singapore, the temperature change is minimal when it rains. However, in Australia or Canberra at least, a rain can bring a great drop in temperature. I remember the last time it rained, the temperature dropped by 10 degree celsius and the 'cooling' effect lasted for a good three days.

I love rainy day even when I was a kid because it means that I can walk out in the rain with my cute little fancy umbrella. Truth to be told, I like to get myself drenched and play in the rain. I remember this one fine day when I was in secondary school when there was a heavy downpour and I didn't have an umbrella with me. I strolled back home from school in the rain (which was a 15 minutes walk away), feeling happy and especially relaxed but when I was home, my parents were especially concerned, particularly my father. He told me ring him up the next time it's raining, so that he can fetch me home from school with an umbrella. He didn't know that I actually enjoyed being in the rain. However, to save my parents from worries and heartaches, I never get myself drenched intentionally from then on. Oh, did I mention that it is very satisfying to have a warm bath after being drenched?

I like observing the rain drops; if you pay close attention to the rain, you can actually see the direction of rain drops changing with the direction of the wind. I like to see people running to shelters, waddling in puddles of water, sharing umbrellas and/or struggling to open umbrellas. I especially like the sight of adults fussing over their children, ensuring they aren't drenched in the rain; it's a warm sight. I like observing the behaviours of people on rainy days (outdoors of course), especially when it's a sudden downpour; I like to see people's expression and reaction to it. I like to observe from behind the windows of cars, cafes and buildings. I mean, if I'm one of those who are caught in the rain, how then can I observe others who are in a similar plight? I will most probably be struggling to cope with the sudden downpour.

I like the skies to be grey when it rains; it looks and feel every bit like a rainy day. I dislike it when it's a sunshower, also known as devil is beating his wife (an interesting metaphor). A sunshower makes me feel extremely uncomfortable, especially when the ground gets heated up while it rains (more common in Singapore than Canberra). If I were to be exposed to it, there's a 80% chance I'll suffer from a migraine and fall ill shortly after. Needless to say, this is the kind of rain I will never get myself drenched in. It's a recipe for disaster.

I like rainy days on most days. No, I'm not fickle minded. While I enjoy rainy days, I am not oblivious to the inconveniences they bring. Since I moved to Canberra, I usually stay at home on rainy days, giving lectures and grocery shopping a miss. I will also be less willing to meet friends for coffee or meals when it rains. The good or bad thing about Canberra (depending on which perspective you are looking at) is it rarely rains as compared to Singapore. Even when it rains, I'm usually unaware of it as it is usually unaccompanied by thunder and lightning (unlike in Singapore). Truth to be told, I have only seen lightning once in the one and a half year I'm here. However, back in Singapore, I see lightning striking at least once a fortnight. After moving to Canberra did I fully comprehend the notion that Singapore is one of the countries with the highest frequency of lightning strike and as such, has the highest death rate from lightning. Interesting, yeah? I bet you didn't know that.

On hindsight, I like observing lightning strikes as well. I think they are interesting to watch and are often a beautiful sight. When I see lightning strikes, I relate them to the blood veseels in our muscles, especially the heart. And I think whatever I have just mentioned is going to cause my youngest sister is going to shrug in discomfort.