Monsoon, a few personal thoughts.
The heat of the summer has passed and the weather is becoming more humid, 70/80% is normal with the temperature still in the 30deg range. You sweat but it doesn’t evaporate, this is the worst part as far as I am concerned, you never feel clean. Your clothes are always damp, energy to do anything evaporates. Cuts take forever to heal and flies are beginning to be a nuisance.
This is the only season here I dislike, the period between the summer and the onset of the rains.
Ah, the rains, wonderful when they come. Refreshing all the country and the people, I love this time of year even if I won’t ride in it often (far too many potholes). For Indians, it is an adventure to get on a bike and ride off through the rain………….sorry after growing up in the UK I have seen enough miles on a bike in the rain to last me a lifetime!
Plants burst into growth, grass turns green again, suddenly nature awakes from her long summer sleep and the world is a riot of greens. Everything seems to grow as you watch it. Rivers and lakes start to fill, children play naked in the puddles screaming and rushing in and out with sheer joy.
Roads are washed away, houses flood, everything leaks and nothing can stop the monsoon rain at over two inches per hour it’s like a waterfall. Yes, we get water in the house despite our best efforts windows leak, paths flood. This year so far we have been lucky, no flooding in the house……….yet.
This will go on for several months gradually cooling into winter as the weather dries up again. Then the rains stop for another year, have we had enough to fill the wells? Only time will tell.
I love the monsoon for all its problems and for its rewards. A unique time of the year.
An explanation of the monsoon weather pattern
During warmer months sunlight heats the surfaces of both land and oceans, but land temperatures rise more quickly. As the land's surface becomes warmer, the air above it expands and an area of low pressure develops. Meanwhile, the ocean remains at a lower temperature than the land, and the air above it retains a higher pressure. This difference in pressure causes sea breezes to blow from the ocean to the land, bringing moist air inland. This moist air rises to a higher altitude over land and then it flows back toward the ocean (thus completing the cycle). However, when the air rises, and while it is still over the land, the air cools. This decreases the air's ability to hold water, and this causes precipitation over the land. This is why summer monsoons cause so much rain over land.
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| Monsoon clouds closing in |
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| Fantastic view of incoming rain |
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| Summer |
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| Monsoon |
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| Main road flooded in city centre |
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| Yes this is a main road |
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| Road flooded outside of railway station, normally trucks and rickshaws are parked here for pickups except during monsoon |
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| Top Right is the bus stand flooded |
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| People trying to cross flooded road |
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| City centre and its only been raining ten minutes, it will get deeper the longer it rains, thats when people abandon cars, bikes and rickshaws |
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| Ominous clouds approaching but yet beautiful |
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| Rain running down off our first floor cornice |
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| One of the many roads that gradually grow enormous pot holes |
Our Health has suffered during the last month, my asthma has been bad, recurring lung infections, which take longer to get over with the humidity and changes in the weather there are a lot of viral conditions going around.
Chris has a nasty burn on his calf, which he did on a very hot bike exhaust, he is having daily dressings and antibiotic treatment which I am undertaking, its starting to heal but everything takes so much longer to heal in this climate. To make matters worse he stubbed his toe again and caused a nasty cut, which again will take time to heal.
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| Chris painful stubbed toe |
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| Chris's burn on his calf |
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| Yes its very sore, daily dressings needed |
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| Our beans at the back of the house |
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| Chris picking the beans as I can't reach, hee hee, theyre like french beans and very yummy |
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| Peter and Liz getting married |
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| Kris's brother Ian, Marti, Sylvie, Alex and Emma at the wedding |
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| The 3 monkeys are Kris's brothers, Ian, Peter and Alan |
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| Sylvie and Emma were bridesmaids, Alex paige boy and Ian best man |
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| Peter and Liz with Kris's cousins Mandy, Barry, Davina, Christopher, Pamela and Richard |
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| Happy family photo |
Comments by
Kris
This month
we thought we’d give you a flavour of what it’s like to live in a country with
monsoons, so I thought I’d share some observations we have made.
Monsoon
rain is a blessed relief after the scorching high temperatures of summer, locals
often run outside at the first sign of real monsoon rain and dance with joy. I
confess Chris and I go into our garden and embrace the rain and yes I do have a
little dance. On the negative side we have many more power cuts and we remain
thankful for our inverter which means we have fans, tv and the freezer is ok.
The power can be off for many hours or off for shorter times but several times
day and night.
It’s so
humid that its difficult to dry clothes indoors and out, everything feels so
very damp even after ironing. I have got used to going to bed and the sheets
feeling damp, there is no way to keep everything dry. After bathing you feel
great for about ten to fifteen minutes then you feel as if you need to bathe
again, the humidity is the hardest part to cope with. The atmosphere feels
oppressive at times just before a storm or rainfall, but so pleasant during and
after. Its not cold like the UK, I actually enjoy riding my scooter and getting
wet as the rain is reasonably warm in comparison. Moti our friendly street dog
visits us more often as he shelters from the rain, he either comes into the
house or lies outside under shelter on his bedding, then leaves when he wants
to.
Roads flood
quickly and pot holes in the roads increase during this season as the rain washes the road
surface away so driving and riding a bike becomes more hazardous. Its more
difficult to get an auto rickshaw or taxi as they are much more in demand
during the rain. Luckily here in Udaipur the taxi prices remain the same, this
is not true of all Indian cities where the prices rise due to high demand.
Do I
actually enjoy monsoon with all its difficulties you may ask and I say a very
definite Yes. The rain transforms the countryside from bleak and barren to
green and lush in a very short time. The animals have more grass to eat and
more grazing areas.
Our garden
is undergoing a major transformation more on that next month, important that
the work and planting is done now as monsoon helps the plants get a good start
before winter comes. We’re employing three local lads as labourers to take the
heavy work away from our aching bones. They’re hard workers and life is
difficult here for day labourers as they are never guaranteed regular work.
With us they’ve been guaranteed four days work this week which is good. The Papaya
and mango are starting to fruit so it’s a great time in the garden at the
moment.
I plan to
buy twenty more chicks this month to add to my flock, so we have rearranged the
chicken coup to section them off till they’re more able to cope on their own.
College has
restarted after summer break and this semester I’m teaching Humanities which is
great as I loved studying this at uni, but as I only have one semester it will
just be a brief introduction to a vast subject. First years have yet to start
that will happen soon after clearing through the college enrolment system. Then
its workshop for them with Chris and I.
God Bless from Chris and Kris in rainy Udaipur,
hope you enjoyed the blog this month.
