My first winter. And guess what makes it even more of a treat?

I HAVEN’T ENDURED A PROPER WINTER IN 10 YEARS.

Which isn’t necessarily the best situation…

After residing in a tropical country for a decade, migrating to a temperate country means facing the temperate weather. Which I had completely lost the endurance for.

From the moment I landed in beautiful, splendid Sydney, expecting a beautiful, splendid summer, I stepped out, arms bared to the “sun” and then…

An icy wind blew, destroying everything.

That first month, I sat there, the 14 degrees unbearable for me to bear. Shivering, wrapped in a duvet ball, the only time I actually decided to move my numb joints and limbs were to go to the kitchen, grab a cup of coffee, and zoom straight back into my igloo of blankets.

And yet, here I sit on my couch, wrapped in a fur robe and trackpants more than 4 months later. Summer passed, and now, I’m enduring my real taste of winter.

It’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen.

Yesterday was the official start of winter, even though it appeared a month early. Weirdly though, I didn’t feel like freezing, instead being able to tolerate the breeze and the occasional temperature drops. The painted sky and the fluffy clouds overrode my chattering teeth and jelly-like legs as I gazed up into the distance. The sunrise was breath-taking, a golden horizon against a background of off-white puffs of cotton candy.

Walking to school, it was like walking through a fairy-tale scenery which I’d only seen in the movies. Colourful flames of leaves hung on to the barren branches before fluttering off into the wind, the product of fall. The path was littered with heart and clover shaped fronds, swaying in the building wind.

Staring at the picturesque sight after so long, my mind drifted to the news of the bushfires, deforestation, erosion and so many other climate disasters around the world. Only for a flash, I thought, where would you find such a place, if they were all destroyed?

Even the simplest of framed pictures on the great wall of Nature can be so important. Be it a simple winter sunrise, or the fallen leaves of tall shrubbery surrounded by the ever-present evergreen pines.

BACK TO A MORE CHEERFUL THOUGHT.

I take back what I said about not freezing…

I’ve gone back to being bundled in gloves, sweaters, and scarves. YES, SWEATERS.

This is definitely going to take some time getting used to…

Also, this freezing ice block is also the same person who ate an ice-cream in 10 degrees.

Different perspectives at different times, right?

LET’S HOPE I DON’T END UP A POPSICLE.

Signing off…