The changing of the seasons

In doing research for our Japan trip, I have discovered the weather here in Shanghai is very similar to most parts of Japan. The summers are scorchingly hot and the winters are bitterly cold and autumn/fall and spring are very pleasant, mild and lovely.

Well the changing of the season is certainly here! and right on queue too.

On Friday it was still very hot, around 32-33 in the daytime if I recall correctly. But over the weekend it started becoming very cool, right on the dot of the first of September (start of autumn).

Today, it is in the low 20's. I can't believe I put a cardigan on for a walk outside and still felt cold. The air was cool and the wind was even cooler.

Before, when I went to bed I would turn the air conditioning on at least ten minutes beforehand. Then when I felt myself almost falling asleep, I'd turn it off. Then when I'd wake up in the morning all sticky and gross I'd turn it back on again. There was a period of about two weeks where I didn't just wake up sticky, I swear I was literally dripping in sweat, litres of it. It was so horrible. (I don't like to sleep with the air con on as I find it too cold and too drying, not to mention too expensive!). I used to sleep without the blanket and now even with the blanket on, I still feel a little chilly. Such a stark contrast - I am still shocked the temperature has dropped 10 degrees in just a few days.

I know this sounds strange after all my complaints about the sticky summer heat I think I am going to miss it already. :(

Insane crazy heatwave weather!

Every day I check the temperature on various weather websites. It's become my obsession. It's just crazy. I guess I've been too spoilt for too long living in Sydney, where the climate is so moderate. Where people think it's hot if it's over 28º or cold if it's under 15º (myself included). Well It's been in the mid-30s here for almost a month now. Which may seem OK but it actually feels more like 40+ and I'm not making this stuff up either! Even Yahoo Weather agrees. To me, going outside is like standing in front of one of those hot air handryers in public bathrooms - a huge one, for hours on end.

The poor workers who have to work outdoors...(like construction builders). I really feel for them. Standing or walking outside for just 5 or 10 minutes is hell on earth. How do they manage to work outside in the blistering heat (where the sun is also very strong and shining brightly every day) for hours and hours on end? I heard that if the temp. is over 35º they get paid a little more than usual and if it's 40 or over, they don't have to work.

Thank God the humidity is not that high. It is only about 50% and not more than 60%. However, the sweat factor is definitely there. You just sweat. And sweat. And sweat. And sweat... I have seen people walking or riding a bike with a wet face towel over their head - good idea! The weirdest feeling I get is when I walk into a freezing cold air-conditioned building after being outside and my arms become as cold as ice yet my chest, back and head are still sweating like mad. Such a lovely feeling - not!

Overheating and overheating!

My poor little laptop is overheating. It reached 51º at one time. I have been meaning to buy a laptop cooler stand for it, and wanted to do that today except if I ventured outside I would have overheated.

(Right now it's 8pm (not 7pm) and it feels like 39º)


Earlier today, at around 3:30pm, the mercury reached 36º and Yahoo said it 'feels like 44º.' Yuck yuck yuck!

I have had the air conditioning on all day (set to around 19º). I turned it off for a while and couldn't stand it even after just 5 minutes. The heat was horrendous. I went outside briefly too and it felt like a sauna.

I brought my trusty laptop cooler (which my Dad got me from Taiwan) with me, but the fragile delicate parts inside broke during my many airport and taxi trips. :(

It looks like this:



I plan to accomplish my task tomorrow. The problem is figuring out what is the best time to go outside. 11am-4pm is the hottest part of the day so I have to go before this. Problem is, most shops don't open till 10am. And if I go after 4 it is too late because peak hour is imminent and I won't be able to find a vacant taxi to get home. So I think I'll try to leave at around 9:30 am to get there just before it opens. And that way, I'll beat any crowds too. :) And hurry home before I fry.