Storms

Today is beautifully sunny, I am sitting outside as I write, the sky looks clear for a change. Yesterday afternoon, it just rained and rained. Round about the time that the schools finish, there was this massive hailstorm and all the kids were screaming as they got pelted by the icy stones, it was quite vicious and I'm glad that I wasn't out running when it happened. I might have screamed as well.
One thing I really miss about Africa is the massive electric thunderstorms that you get there. As the atmosphere builds up , it becomes very oppressive, the heat becomes stifling, then all of a sudden the sky blackens and the rumbling thunder becomes louder and closer and a fresh, sweet smell precedes the gigantic raindrops as they start to hurtle to the ground. The rain can be so heavy that it is like sheets of water and all of a sudden the sky will become ablaze with the crackle and roar of lightening, it can actually be quite deafening. It is truly a magnificent spectacle of the immense power and energy of nature.
In Zimbabwe, many people are killed by lightening, especially in the rural areas. My dad always used to freak out because I loved to swim in the rain and didn't know what all the fuss was about! The water in the swimming pool was always warm compared to the outside air and it was always very exciting to be doing something that was strictly forbidden!