Summer in Blighty

When it's 24 degrees at 10 am you don't normally get that excited, except of course when you're living in Blighty and it's one of those rare moments you just have to delight in.

I was almost beginning to think that summer was something like the Dodo .... it became extinct a number of years ago. Thank god I was proven wrong.

We've managed to enjoy a lovely picnic this weekend and now I'm sitting here reveling in a balmy 29 degrees.  So it's with complete and utter joy that I write this post from a very summery Blighty.

Ham House where we had our picnic

For those of you sitting at home in Oz wondering how the residents of Blighty spend their summer, I thought I'd give you a little comparison. 

1. Parks replace the Aussie white sandy beaches.
There are some magnificent parks amongst the city landscape. So you can imagine that on a day of sunshine, rather than sit amongst cement, anywhere green is heaving with people having picnics or just chilling and working on their tans. 

2. Long grass. 
On the topic of parks, one thing I have really noticed is that you'll typically have long grass past your knees and people sit amongst it having their picnics. It still comes as a surprise when I see it because in Oz it would have been cut down a long time ago, either because it's to much of a fire hazard or because it could be hiding brown snakes.

3. For men, the shirts come off. 
No matter what size or shape the blokes like to show their winter tans. All they need is the navy singlet, thongs and stubby in the hand and they'll be partway there :)

4. Pimms is the summer drink (for the girls of course). 
This is something like a punch served with fresh mint, cucumber and orange. While I do miss my Alicante, I have to say you can't beat a nice glass of Pimms.

5. You can drink anywhere. 
While in Oz we're restricted by liquor licenses, here you can safely purchase your cans of beer from the Off License and walk down to the park, river or wherever you fancy and consume your tinny. I can't say I've ever felt the need to do this but don't be surprised when you see this everywhere in Blighty.

6. Air conditioning is a rarity. 
Except of course in shops. While Blighty is well set up for the cold most houses and the train system don't have air conditioning,  not that they really need it as it doesn't really last long enough!

7. Some shops stop serving hot food at 25 degrees. 
We popped down to a local cafe this morning for a coffee and they told us they wouldn't be cooking any hot food today as it was too hot for the staff mmmmmm

8. It's harder to get sunburnt. 
If I left the house in Oz with no sunscreen I'd likely burn within 5 minutes (yes I've timed it). But here I can safely sit in it for a lot longer and not be frightened to end up looking like a lobster. 

9. There is nowhere to have a BBQ.
For some reason Blighty is averse to letting people have BBQ's. Our flats won't let anyone have one, and all the local parks say 'BBQ's banned'. So where the hell do you go? In a land of high heat and bushfire Australia would have been the place I'd expect to have bans.  Yet in Blighty, a country with high rainfall and lush green fields they're not allowed. Whinge over....I miss my barbies.

Evening by the river in Kingston

So right now the cafes and restaurants along the river in Kingston are heaving with the remnants of celebrations both from a sunny day and also because Andy Murray, a Brit, has won the tennis for the first time is 77 years. 

Wherever you are enjoying the blue skies and sunshine, I hope you've had a glorious day.

Bye for now.