Comments on: Snow in Australia (vs. Canada)

By: theprofessionalhobo

theprofessionalhobo — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:46:36 +0000

@Kathie – Aha! The trick is having a lovely warm home to return to! When I was living in Rubicon (2 hours NE of Melbourne), the house I was in was far from warm and the fire wasn’t sufficient to keep the cold out of the many cracks. This was part of what made the temperatures feel even colder than they were – there was no chance to get warm, ever! Ack.
It was the beautiful fog and green landscapes that kept me sane during that chilly Aussie winter. And it was the only winter I’ve spent since 2007 that wasn’t either right near the equator or in the other hemisphere (where it’s summer)!
Even my current chilly summer in Switzerland is more than my poor tropical self can handle. Ha ha!

By: Kathie Thomas

Kathie Thomas — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:53:59 +0000

What a lovely description of winter in Australia. Thank you. I love the last image you have there. I have very similar shots myself having taken them here in the Dandenong Ranges. I love winter here, it is cold and wet but it is beautiful and there’s nothing like knowing you have a lovely warm home to come to and snuggling up in front of a fire or under a doona. But I guess you can’t have the fire part in camper van, can you? 🙂

By: Sylvia Ericson

Sylvia Ericson — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:20:29 +0000

Some doctors are now recognizing that vitamin D levels should be much higher than previously thought. Seasonal Affective Disorder can disappear when a person takes enough vitamin D.

By: theprofessionalhobo

theprofessionalhobo — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:18:21 +0000

In reply to Amanda. @Amanda - True enough. In places like Canada, you rush from one well-insulated well-heated place to the next, and layer up in between. In Australia, you rush from one poorly-insulated poorly-heated place to the next, and wonder why you're never truly warm!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:05:21 +0000

Nora, I’ve been grumbling away about winter this week (here in Perth it’s been “cold” – 18 degrees C in the day and maybe 5 C at night – that’s “freezing” here) and wet and basically miserable. I know, in theory and from experience, that it’s much, much colder in other places … but those places, and I’m guessing Canada’s one of them, are prepared for it! Here in Perth especially, builders, heating installers, etc are all part of a conspiracy that says it never gets cold here, so they don’t build any buildings that stay warm. Which is great in summer but … to sum up, I still hate Aussie winters. When I retire in a million years I will be one of those summer-chasers. OK, rant over.

By: theprofessionalhobo

theprofessionalhobo — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:50:50 +0000

In reply to Zakk Greco.

@Zakk – I agree: in principle, winter is wonderful. However on a hot and balmy day, I’m still cowering in the corner with blue hands and a numb face. So I’ll chuck my dislike of winter down to simply not being built for it!
And thank you for making my day: Aussies just don’t get the hoser reference; it’s been too long.
Take off, eh! 🙂

By: Zakk Greco

Zakk Greco — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:33:35 +0000

I don’t see what all the fuss and muss is about. There is absolutely nothing wrong with winter in Canada, or with winter in general. I guess it is because of my uncanny abilities to get a sunburn a couple of minutes after stepping out into the sun, even after 20 minutes of applying sunscreen.
The winter months are quieter and the nights are excitingly eerie. I find the walks during winter to be like unplanned adventures, you never know what you’re going to come face to face with, which fascinates and calms my spirit/soul. To me, there is nothing that can compare to the feeling I get when I go for a long winter walk, with a pair of high top sneakers instead of boots, my jacket opened all the way to let the cool breeze in and a nice joint to make things a little more interesting. hahaha.
If for whatever reason it gets to be “too cold” (which I think does not exist) just talk a swig or two of rye, that’s the reason we make the stuff here.

Sorry for the rambling, but I love winter (Canadian winter especially) too damn much. Call me a hoser if you must, for I will just reply with “Take Off eh”!

By: theprofessionalhobo

theprofessionalhobo — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:11:39 +0000

In reply to Andrea Dickson.

@Frank – Downhill Skiing is one thing that I just can’t embrace here…the Rocky Mountains speak for themselves!

@Andrea – you know my grandmother too! Maybe they can commiserate.

By: Frank

Frank — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:12:20 +0000

My eldest daughter is working at Falls babysitting. Can’t ski or board YET but she will be into it! 50cm PLUS already, yippee.
Can’t wait to visit her!

By: Andrea Dickson

Andrea Dickson — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:52:14 +0000

The other thing about snow in Canada is that the neighbors never shovel their damn walk, which pisses off your elderly grandmother, eh? Because she’ll be damned if she is going to push her walker over packed ice.

Maybe that’s just my grandmother. But seriously, she’ll go out for a walk in minus 30C weather, and the thing that tweaks her nose is the unshoveled sidewalks.