Thunder Storm May 30, 2009

I think different weather is perfect for different moods or for different times of the year. When everyday is the same it ceases to be perfect.

Winter perfection is snow, deep on the ground and either a lovely winter sun making everything twinke and glister or a white sky thick with big tumbling snowflakes.

Warm sunny spring days with gentle breezes; crank up the heat a bit for summer and then some of the best days ever are those when you can feel a storm is coming, can feel the cool channels moving in and the first fine mist of rain as thunder rumbles and crackling lightening illuminates the sky.

I used to love it when the rains came in Cambodia and the whole day would suddenly darken, the temperature would drop for the first time in what felt like years and then the city would be obliterated step by step by a wall of water as the rain moved across it. Very cool.

Autumn has those great days where you have a nip in the air but the gold brightness of the sun just seems to increase the dark and brooding quality of the sky which in turn emphasizes the stunning shimmering coppers and reds and the contrasting greens of the trees.

So many different types of weather are perfect. The only problem is if you have too much of a good thing. When the rainy season starts after the long hot dry that rain is the most perfect weather you can imagine. When you're trying to get to work in it and everywhere is flooded and it's been like that every day for the last few weeks and is set to continue it feels less than perfect! I could do without bitter howling wind that whips your skin and makes your ears ache. The rest is all good - bearing in mind that I don't live in a tornado zone or anything - they might be amazing to watch on film but they must be terrifying in reality.