I hope you are keeping warm...

Peter Wu

21 January 2013

By the look of it, the UK is virtually snowed in.

In contrast. Oz is sweltering. Sydney had the highest temperature yesterday ever at 45 degrees C.

The highest temperature I have ever experienced was 44.2 degrees C, in Melbourne in 2002.

The weather is playing havoc in recent years. People are blaming global warming. But like everything else, there are detractors who say otherwise.

We have had very fine weather lately – too warm in fact so air-con comes in handy. However, the nights are cool so sleeping is never an issue for me.

While on the subject of weather, thought I would ask when you are coming down-under?

Do let me know so I can do some pre-planning and take leaves.

Keep warm and keep safe.

PS Did you read the air pollution story about Beijing several days ago? Apparently, Beijing is not the worst one. There are several cities in Asia and middle east which are just as bad but not reported. There are many things about NZ that people take it for granted. Having clean air and water (relatively), clear blue sky, low population and housing density, access to wide-open spaces and beaches are among them. Sure we are making nowhere near the kind of money the rest of the world is making but I believe we have a better quality of life.

Perhaps the most common complaint from recent immigrants from China is how quiet and boring NZ is and that there is ‘nothing to do’. I beg to differ.

If they are looking for the kind of excitements, materialistic living, eating and shopping and hustle and bustle which characterize China, NZ is boring no doubt. If they are into outdoor-orientated activities like hiking in the countryside, fishing, boating, recreational and sporting activities, we have enough to sink a ship. If they are not into them, they can also have the whole back- and front-yard to occupy them with gardening.

There are also things we can do which do not cost much, like having a picnic at a park, sitting on the beach to watch the time goes by. Or just have time to yourself to contemplate without a single soul around.

Basically you don’t have to be on the go all the time to enjoy yourself. But do they know that?