It’s no secret that many parts of the UK are pretty soggy at the moment, killing any dreams of lying in the sun soaking up some warm (Summer?!) rays. You may even be tempted to skip work for a day if there’s a sliver of hope that the sun will actually shine and the rain will hold off because you know the window of opportunity is a small one.
Despite all this, take solace in the fact that there are other places in the world much soggier and more miserable than the UK.
How about sloshing around in Cherrapunji, India in the state of Meghalaya, a place that holds several top spots in the Guinness Book of World Records as “Wettest Place on Earth” with nearly 500 inches of rainfall every miserable year. Now don’t you feel better already? Cherrapunji “enjoys” monsoon weather year-round and a quick Google search will likely show days on end of predicted heat, humidity, and rain storms. Meghalaya’s name literally means Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit, a dead giveaway to what you’re in for if you ever go there. On a positive note, it is quite lush and beautiful there.
If you don’t mind living in a tree house and zip-lining through dense forestry come rain or shine, mostly rain, Finca Bellavista, nestled smack-dab in the forests of Costa Rica, might just be your cup of tea. It is, after all, a rainforest, so it sees rain year-round. The “dry” season runs around November to May, but don’t let that fool you. Dry just means less rain than the usual torrential downpours. If you’re wondering if this treehouse community has electricity, yes it does, by way of solar power. It is also located about a mile-and-a-half from the nearest beach, but getting there through the tangle of forest is not an easy jaunt. Getting a golden tan may be optional here.
Of course, if you live in or near a rainforest, you’re going to see some serious rainfall. What about the wettest cities? In the United States, most people think first of Seattle, Washington when it comes to dreariness and rain, but there’s a place even drearier, Alvin, Texas. Alvin sees rain every month of the year and holds the US record for most rainfall in a twenty-four hour period of 43 inches. Before considering a visit or move there, you might want to invest in some life vests and a boat. You never know when that next record rainfall will hit. Selling umbrellas must be a lucrative business there.
Though Alvin, Texas is soggy, Cilaos, a town on the French island of Reunion recorded 74 inches of rainfall in a twenty-four hour period, which makes Alvin look like the Mojave Desert, sort of. With monthly averages of up to fifteen inches of rain, it’s a wonder that the residents here aren’t just floating and bobbing around like buoys. It does have its pluses by being surrounded by a beautiful mountain range, but that may not be enough incentive for most people to flock here when clouds are usually the order of the day.
So, before you complain about the miserable, dreary, cloudy, soppy weather in London or Glasgow, think of the people in these other places who share your sentiment, and in some cases, would probably not mind trading places with you. For them, rain is about as common as breathing. Walk tall and proud as you brave the UK weather, knowing things could be much worse. Just be sure to bring an umbrella. It is the UK, after all.