Winter is definitely over and the summer, I mean spring, is finally here. It’s so easy to get confused when you live in the UK. The time changed a few weeks ago, and the days are becoming longer. But that’s not the real reason why you might get confused. Oh no. It’s the fact that with the first sun rays after the winter British people go a bit ‘summer crazy’. They start walking around half naked, fill up the parks, roofs on cabriolets go down, and the ice cream vans suddenly appear everywhere. And it’s still only 15 degrees Celsius outside. But hey, we have the sunshine.
It’s hard not to get a bit overexcited when the spring comes to the British Isles. We have certainly enjoyed the weather in the last week or two. Staying more outdoors during sunny days have made a difference to my baby’s sleep patterns too. Her nap times during the day have gone from 30 minutes to more like one hour plus when out and about, wheeey. Rested baby, happy mummy.
We’ve been to parks quite often with the little one. And so have been the majority of the UK population. Or at least, it feels that way. As soon as the sun comes out in spring, parks, beaches and beer gardens start to fill up.
And it’s no wonder. In a country where the clouds and rain are a part of the national identity, a little bit of sunshine immediately drives people insane. In a good way, of course. You instantly feel like it’s Christmas all over again. Only this time, you can also put your bikini on.
After months of dark, cloudy and very often rainy mornings, it’s such a shock to your system to wake up to sunshine suddenly. When you are new to the UK, you may feel like everyone has gone a bit crazy over the sunny weather, walking around with hardly any clothes on, while you are still feeling cold wearing three layers of clothing. What’s all the fuss about, you may wonder. It’s not like we are in the Caribbean.
But after a while, you start to understand the logic in this unusual behaviour. And you may also start behaving in exactly the same way. You start to appreciate every single day without the rain.
My country (Slovakia) is nowhere near as hot as some Mediterranean countries, but every time I visit, I get so excited and overwhelmed, should I say, when I wake up in the morning, and it’s sunny outside. This once normal weather conditions suddenly feel so distant to me. After years of living in the UK, it’s the clouds and rain that became a norm for me.
So, it’s obvious why the Brits love the sunshine so much. They really get bonkers. Their once pale skin turns bright red on a first sunny day in spring, a sight you won’t see anywhere else in the world.
Why do they even need the summer? Oh, I know. It’s so much more fun to watch England lose in a major football tournament when you are getting pissed with your mates in a packed beer garden. That makes sense.
When you live in the UK, you just have to make the most of the sunny weather. Yes, it’s madness, and it’s hilarious, but it’s so infectious at the same time. I love it. So, here’s to many more sunny days to come. I will surely be spending them in my local parks with my baby, enjoying the ice cream together with the rest of British population.
Zuzana
