The Four Step programme to overcoming bad weather on holiday
Such is the poverty of the English language, there is no word to describe the poignant sting of seeing the forecast for your much-anticipated holiday littered with dark clouds and water droplets. A cruel cocktail of disappointment, rage and incredulity: ‘But I booked this months ago and spent £££ how can the weather not be good?!’. Sadly, early-booking offers do not come with weather guarantees. In light of this, the four-step programme below is designed to help those confronted with the profound melancholy of a poor holiday weather forecast.
Step 1- Ignore the forecast
The first step in overcoming this frustrating situation is to ignore the forecast. As fickle as budget airline baggage allowances, the forecast will change constantly and sitting at your desk hitting refresh on BBC Weather every five minutes does little to alter the meteorological conditions of the coming days*. This is especially true for those venturing to more tropical destinations, in particular during the wet season when a single day can hold torrential down pours, thunder storms and bright blue skies. Additionally, journeys closer to the equator mean innocuous overcast days have an abundance of UV rays, so tanning (and burning) is still very much on the cards. Of course, don’t totally disregard the forecast, it can help make more informed packing choices.
Step 2- Eat
Whilst the contemporary British high-street is a patchwork of restaurant chains imitating cuisine from across the culinary universe, they are exactly that, imitations. Travelling allows for a true immersion in the local culture and in many communities, food is integral to the social fabric. Not only can regional dishes be experienced at their most authentic, a meal of similar quality in the UK would be followed by a hefty bill. Thailand is a prime example. A curry or Pad Thai in a sit-down, waiter-service restaurant will set you back around 70 Baht. In pounds sterling this is a little over £1.50. In London, you won’t find a Pad Thai which treads the line between sweet and salty with the same deftness for less than £9 (and that was from a market stall) †.
Step 3- Cultural attractions
Contrary to what Neil from The Inbetweeners may think, you can’t see ancient Greek ruins anywhere. Travelling presents the unique opportunity to experience another culture and some of the remnants of its history first hand. Fortunately, temples, museums and Coliseums are not weather dependent. Indeed, a lack of blue sky could make the trip all the more worthwhile; those not accustomed to consistently inconsistent forecasts and vitamin D deficiencies may be deterred by the bad weather, leaving all the more space for selfies and hilarious holiday poses. Cultural attractions should also not be restricted to the historical. Check travel blogs and social media posts for festivals of art and music, local theatre and cooking classes happening around you.
Step 4- No such thing as bad weather just inappropriate clothing
Those of us hailing (pun intended) from the UK are no strangers to adverse weather. And by adverse, I mean drizzly winters and overcast summers. These conditions have trained us natives in going about our daily lives regardless of the inopportune climate; a more laissez-faire, weather-dependent approach would reduce us to a population of recluse hermits.
In the words of the late Alfred Wainwright ‘There is no such thing as bad weather only inappropriate clothing’. But why stop with clothing, why not attitude? A healthy belligerence can see you through the most miserable of forecasts. So, whatever the weather; slip those crocs on, fish out the bucket hat and wear your Euro 2004 Beckham shirt with pride.
* Based on personal experience
† Based on extensive personal research
