RAIN, RAIN AND EVEN MORE RAIN........

SATURDAY 18TH JULY 2009

Having made the decision to holiday in England this year, and hearing from yet another 'expert' that we were in for a barbecue summer I was feeling quite optimistic as we set out to spend a week in a luxury cottage deep in the Northumbrian countryside.

The first two days, although fairly cloudy, remained warm and dry, so early in the morning on day 3, we decided to visit the Holy Island (aka Lindisfarne). We checked the tidal times for a safe crossing and off we went.

It was fairly sunny as we set off on a walk to the castle and then it all went wrong.............

Literally without warning the heavens opened and the rain just fell. I have never seen such a heavy downpour and certainly never been standing out in one, without any form of shelter in easy reach.

My husband was wearing a t-shirt, longsleeve shirt and a pair of shorts. Not at all concerned about me he pushed his beloved camera in my hand saying "look after this" and ran to hide under the nearest tree.

I did have a showerproof mac with a hood but this was no match for the powerful rain and by the time I reached the tree I was soaked right down to my undies! My husband didn't fair any better as even the cover of the trees was no match for this amount of rain.

Eventually the rain eased and the sun shone once again. My husband left me on a street corner saying that he was going to the gents to try and dry his clothes off. I waited and waited and waited,(I didn't even get one offer!) until eventually he phoned me to say that he was back at the car.
Thanks Darling xxxxx

It was hilarious though, on arriving back at the car, to find that he had stripped down and had items of his clothing drying on the bonnet of his car. Having a black car was proving an advantage on this occasion as the sun had turned the paintwork into a furnace. As usual no concern about me, he only wanted to make sure the camera had made it back in one piece.

You would think that after this we would have learnt our lesson and not venture too far without wellies and an umbrella.

Wrong!

Three days later we decided to visit Bamburgh Castle.
It was a glorious morning. We walked and explored and had a fabulous time. If only we had left it at that and headed home, but NO. Guess who wanted to see some other sights - yes, that's right ME!

We ended up at yet another castle, Warkworth. It was still a fairly bright day, so ff we went, both of us with a showerproof mac this time, but without an umbrella, and once again a million miles away from the car, the heavens opened once more.
This time we thought aha here's a shop doorway. We can shelter here for a few minutes and wait for the shower to pass.
Shower? you may well ask. The rain just came down heavier and heavier (even worse than on Lindisfarne) so we just had to attempt to get back to the car as quickly as we could. I wonder what the manufacturers of showerproof items actually class as a shower, as once again the rain penetrated the macs in seconds
The Hubbie was not at all happy with me, as once again we had to drive back absolutely sodden.

It was a good job that we decided not to wait in the doorway otherwise we may well have still been there, as this downpour lasted until we were approx 30 miles from home yesterday, and apparently it is still raining in the North East. oh Joy!

Where will I be going on my next holiday. Well it will not be in England, that's for sure. If I ever tell you otherwise please have me locked up....