Outdoor pursuits are under persistent fire from miserable weather.
I step outside the house and into the cold and unforgiving realm of mother nature. Lampposts do their best to roll back the tide of the inky black night, but a bulb only goes so far and soon enough, the darkness advances.
New rivers
I look out at the world around me to see nothing but water. Mighty clouds are weeping, their tears drowning the town below. The merciless cold wind throws the never-ending barrage of water droplets in my face at speed, striking my eyes like rocks as they threaten to blind me on my journey.
I force open my umbrella, but the wind forces it back. Back and forth, back, and forth until finally it turns inside out and snap! My umbrella is no more. The wailing wind has rendered it nothing but a pile of loose metal rods a cloth, flying like a flag. I stuff it in a nearby litter bin and soldier on, my waterproof coat acting as the last line of defence.
But at last, I reach a wooded area. The first leg of my journey is over. Between the trees is a downhill, stone path except, it’s no longer a path. Rain water is cascading down the path, turning it into a stream. Water gushes and flows almost as if I’m actually stood in the middle of a babbling brook. I cautiously wade through it before reaching the road below, watching the water run off onto the road as if were joining a larger river. The ocean must be empty, surely all the water is here?
The destination
I push on hopelessly in the face of the relentless rain, passing a large river which stands ever ready to burst its banks at any moment. I walk on completely exposed until, as luck would have it, I spot an alleyway. The wind is behind me now, forcing the rain onto my back so I duck into the alleyway for some brief rest bite. But the weather clearly has other plans because as soon as I get in there, the wind changes direction and throws the dismal downpour in my face again, in what has now become a wind tunnel. Oh, mother nature, what have I done to anger you so?
But alas, after what felt eternity, I reach my destination. My place of work is all dark and the wind is still howling, the rain flying at me like a hail of bullets. How many insects have been struck down by this onslaught? How many birds confined to their nests due to the turbulence?
I desperately look for shelter and eureka! I’m in luck. The supermarket next door didn’t store their trolleys in the trolley bay properly. On one side the trolleys are spilling out and on the other side there is a nice little space for me. I’m not sheltered from the cold but at least now the rain can’t get to me. I look up at the roof to see the monsoon above, trying hard to get in, hammering at the glass but to no avail. I am beyond its reach.
But now my workplace is opening, I can escape into the warmth and the light. I make one last stand against mother nature, before fleeing her clutches for good.
My only obstacle
As a lover of hiking and nature walks, I bemoan the current weather. Spring has arrived and yet winter does not yet want to let go. How long can I keep writing about walks gone by? I want to go on new walks, see new places and experience new things. I want to write about them and tell their stories.
I love writing about past walks, but I am getting ever more anxious to get out and explore again. But, for now, nature has other plans. Time was, I would hike long distances in the wind and rain but now I wait for dry and sunny days. I beseech mother nature to stop her unceasing assault. I beg her to allow nicer days for more walks.
Truly, our nation is home to some of the most fantastic walks going. But looking beyond the popular trails and you find hidden gems in every corner, discoveries just waiting to be discovered. I understand that the rain is needed and that it is a vital part of our ecosystem. But please, bring on some sunshine or at least a dry day and let’s get walking again!
