Yet, people still do go outside during such gales and do the most silly things: like ride their bicycles to work (Limpet), or try using umbrellas to staid off the storm (my neighbour), or walk down streets littered in projectile broken branches and flying objects (Nature Girl). All they have to do is just open their eyes and draw some intelligent conclusions about the safety of being outdoors, but many don’t seem capable of doing this.
It is truly as though, the weather just does not exist in their personal grand scope of things. I’ve been told such behaviour is common in many European countries. You can see it by the fact that many homes or buildings lack: central heating, air-conditioning, or proper isolation.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if everyone got a chance to experience one winter in Manitoba (cold, wind, snow), one spring in Montana (ice and snow spontaneously melting), one summer in Montreal (staggering heat and humidity), and one autumn on the Gulf of Mexico (hurricane season)? Surely they’d then become sensitised to the powers of nature. Hopefully, once back home, when the weather channel said, “Orkan Warning!” they would batten down the hatches, snuggle under their duvets, pull out a good book, and listen to the howling winds through the security of their double-pane windows.
It has been an exciting evening. Nomad Son and the rest of the over a hundred teenagers and their four teachers and the one doctor are stuck somewhere in mid Germany because of the weather conditions They were due to arrive this evening back from their ski trip in Austria, but now they will come tomorrow, the gods and weather permitting. There were 200 km/h winds.
All the trains have been halted and everyone is staying overnight on their trains, or if possible in hotel rooms. Though I imagine the “hotel room” option will only be extended to the old and weak, or the young and hysterical. Nomad Son and co. will, hopefully, be quite content to snuggle down on the floor and live the adventure to the fullest.
I am so relieved that someone at the Bundesbahn made the right executive decision early on in the evening and didn’t wait until all chaos broke out. Oh, how I love the German Bundesbahn (here)!
P.S. Update, the train did not stop but is doing a snail pace to Hamburg and is expected tomorrow at six AM. So much for feeling relieved...
I too have marvelled at people who were outside yesterday when clearly branches were flying all around. Do you think Americans are better? I thought they all drove around in cars wearing tees in mid-winter. But then, people everywhere are living as if nature didn't exist. As if we werne't a part of it.
ReplyDeleteBad timing for your son. And I thought I was the only one lovind the Bundesbahn. Is he home safe yet?