February 12 - Hot or Cold?

Today, my post has nothing to do with sight. Instead I want to write about the weather.  Usually the weather is a rather inconsequential topic but our experience of the last few days proves otherwise.

Lyle and I are in Australia again. When we left Alberta, the temperature ranged around the minus thirty degree Celsius mark.  When we arrived in Sydney on Friday, we walked out of the airport into a blistering forty-five degrees Celsius.  All told, and I’m sure you don’t need me to do the math, it was a difference of seventy degrees! We sure noticed the change.

Temperatures here continue to be very warm although a cooler change is expected.  Unfortunately, this cool change will be brought in by strong gusty winds.  This will do nothing to ease the bush fires that are already burning.  These extreme conditions are unusual even for the hardy Aussies who seem to feel the heat as much as we do.

Anyway, seeing as this blog is titled White Cane Connections, I will add one more note about sight.  I find it easier to see in hot conditions as opposed to snow on the ground.  The white snow definitely blurs outlines and it is also more difficult to maneuver using my white cane.  This certainly isn’t an issue here today.  It is even too hot to walk on the beach.