A bad spell of whether
It seems to have been raining for weeks. In fact, apart from a couple of honourable exceptions, it has been raining for weeks. E's parents came to see us in mid-June and apart from the first weekend and the last few days we had some pretty spectacular precipitation as well as a T8 signal (at least the T8 - only our second in HK and our first "proper" one as the other time the signal was raised just as we were just landing at Chep Lap Kok on our way back from UK - allowed me the chance of a lie in (usually this signal is raised just in time for the weekend....)). To be fair, on the days of their holiday when it was not raining, it was very clear, very sunny and extremely hot so A. had a chance to try out his new boogie board at Shek O beach (we thought we would leave Big Wave Bay for when he was a little more experienced).
From our eyrie in Tai Tam Towers we generally get a good view of whatever the day holds for us weather-wise. On particulaly clear days the existence of previously unseen islands out beyond Stanley peninisular can be discovered. Equally the squalls and thunderstorms sweeping in from the sea can be just as diverting. Last weekend was a case in point as I watched a rainstorm making its way into Tai Tam Bay. It was like watching a waterfall slowly advancing across the sea completely obscuring the islands, boats and windsurfers that lay in its path. I have never seen anything like it and only thought to get my camera when the rain was thundering against the window.
The rain on my way home last Friday night was also almost biblical in its intensity - the road leading up from Repulse Bay to the CMK turnoff was turned into a raging torrent as the taxi aquaplaned its way up the hill, lightening flashes lighting up the night sky like a Hollywood film set (think the brooding, rain-streaked opening scenes from Bladerunner). Even the taxi driver, who at the start of our trip from Central had enthusiastically embraced the challenge of beating the land speed record to Tai Tam Towers, slowed down as the windscreen wipers struggled to make any impression on the cascade of water obscuring his view of the road.
I should also add that last night's storm, whilst failing to match the torrential downpours of the weekend, at least managed to produce the loudest clap of thunder I think I have ever heard, waking up me and no doubt several residents in downtown Manila. Given that I am due to return to blighty for a holiday next week fingers crossed that things improve before the weekend.
From our eyrie in Tai Tam Towers we generally get a good view of whatever the day holds for us weather-wise. On particulaly clear days the existence of previously unseen islands out beyond Stanley peninisular can be discovered. Equally the squalls and thunderstorms sweeping in from the sea can be just as diverting. Last weekend was a case in point as I watched a rainstorm making its way into Tai Tam Bay. It was like watching a waterfall slowly advancing across the sea completely obscuring the islands, boats and windsurfers that lay in its path. I have never seen anything like it and only thought to get my camera when the rain was thundering against the window.
The rain on my way home last Friday night was also almost biblical in its intensity - the road leading up from Repulse Bay to the CMK turnoff was turned into a raging torrent as the taxi aquaplaned its way up the hill, lightening flashes lighting up the night sky like a Hollywood film set (think the brooding, rain-streaked opening scenes from Bladerunner). Even the taxi driver, who at the start of our trip from Central had enthusiastically embraced the challenge of beating the land speed record to Tai Tam Towers, slowed down as the windscreen wipers struggled to make any impression on the cascade of water obscuring his view of the road.
I should also add that last night's storm, whilst failing to match the torrential downpours of the weekend, at least managed to produce the loudest clap of thunder I think I have ever heard, waking up me and no doubt several residents in downtown Manila. Given that I am due to return to blighty for a holiday next week fingers crossed that things improve before the weekend.
posted by Taitamtales at 8:52 pm
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