camponotus

Sorry to be critical of Australia again (hey, if you don't like it/don't agree/think I'm a b*****d for saying so, here's a thought - just don't bother reading/replying) but I CAN'T HELP BUT POINT OUT that aren't the current, ridiculously, insanely, dangerously, cancerously hot temperatures in Melbourne RIGHT NOW something of a retort to all those who endlessly protest that Australia is better than England/Scotland/Wales "cos it has a 'better' climate"?!

I mean, please. Why is it that the UK is no good because it gets cold in winter and rains but Australia is great whilst we're all frying to death, suffering water restrictions and coated in sunblock?

Mmm? Anyone?

camponotus

Does Australia come with its own definition of the word 'better', perhaps???!??!

pumpkin blossom

I would much rather have the extreme hot weather for a few days and sunshine most of the year (we seem to get more than Melbourne here in Adelaide) than the cold gray weather for most of the year in the UK.

BETTER BETTER BETTER

Pommy Dan

just a thought, like but the "ridiculously, insanely, dangerously, cancerously hot temperatures" have only been for THREE DAYS. that's 0.8% of the year.

weather is rubbish in england more like 98% of the time.

in my opinion, like...

ABCDiamond

We aren't all frying, it hasn't been above 29 today, in this part of Australia

Some people like weather that is warmer than the UK, and are prepared to put up with a short spell of really hot weather, in exchange for the longer period of nicer weather.

I think that is probably the answer to one part of your question.

To the bit about "Why is it that the UK is no good", well, I think only a few people may actually think that, because that is how it is to them, the majority of people probably just prefer one to the other without actually thinking that either is no good.

camponotus

This is interesting though and represents a common way of thinking. I come from Southern England, so I can only speak of that.

There is NO WAY that the majority of the year in South East England is ''cold and gray''. The winter's are often rather mild (though dark early - that I will admit) and Spring, Summer and Autumn are often very pleasant indeed.

I think a lot of this thinking is based on established ways of thinking whereby people get locked into 'repeating' whatever the standard line is. The standard line about the UK is that it's cold and gray the whole year round, but this just isn't the case!

My brother-in-law has just gone over to the UK for the first time and he's been stunned by how London is nothing like as expensive OR gray as everyone always says. This is what I mean. It becomes almost an urban legend.

And in case, Melbourne is gray and rather cold at many points during a typical year.

paul30

and the first time in a hundred years it's been 40+ for four consequtive days

ABCDiamond

Hang on, should I have read this and replied..... or were you actually wanting opinions, or just agreement with you, now I am confused

camponotus

I was not asking for automatic agreement but merely suggesting that if you are someone who hates to hear anything negative said about Australia (Aussies are inherently like that and some Expats get that way too over time) perhaps they should just not read on rather than get outraged that I hadn't written a post about how much I like all things Aussie.

jad n rich

Melb can get very hot in jan/feb, but the current weather is really bad even for this time of year.

However I agree with you in a way, because it doesnt have to be 46 degrees for the UV radiation to attack you, it can be 20, cloudy, winter whatever. The climate here has plenty to moan about and plenty that makes Uk drizzle and usual temps of 5 - 20 look like a walk in the park, but not one person in the UK will undestand that till they have done the 35+ , sunblock, water restrictions etc.

I reckon you could say its 46 in melbourne and many in the UK would claim to be envious

camponotus

The weather in England is mediocre about 50% of the time. By this I mean neither hot nor cold, neither sunny nor rainy.
It is cold/rainy about 25% of the time and really quite nice about 15% of the time. The remaining 10% is lovely.

In my view, naturally.

camponotus

You're almost certainly right - people in UK would think that's good. People over here (Expats I mean) get influenced by all the Aussies who are convinced that the urban myth that it is sub-zero in England 365 days of the year and so celebrate the hot weather cos ''at least I'm not in the terrible English weather anymore''.

ABCDiamond

I see.

I don't think anyone will be outraged by you not saying you love the country though
We are all different, some like it, some don't, some give it a go, some don't, some just accept it, etc.

ABCDiamond

I though the average Brit was more intelligent than that.

BadgeIsBack

There has been at least one already.

Put like this, mediocre is probably quite good for many...and typifies the UK maritime/temperate climate. Maybe 15pc of nice and 10pc of lovely (25pc) is not good enough for people who take into account average weather patterns. I would say that the weather in Melbourne is lovely and/or nice for at least 25pc or more..maybe more like 50pc.

Some Brits seem to like warm weather but I think we can exclude the weather of the last few days.