There's no such thing as bad weather...

...just bad clothing.

I found this out to my cost yesterday. My first day in St John's we walked from Quidi Vidi Lake to Memorial Campus. In the snow it took about an hour, and during the course of the walk I realised that jeans are extremely inappropriate as a bottom half. As my thighs began to sting and I lost feeling in my bum I regretted being so unprepared.

Turns out that I arrived in NL just in time for one of the coldest winters in Atlantic Canada seen in a while. I can't even begin to think what it's like on the mainland in far lower temperatures. What did surprise me though is how the locals seem to deal with the cold. I expected them to be completely at home and skipping merrily across the ice in t-shirts. Instead people seem to drive everywhere and stay indoors. I've never seen a shopping centre so empty on a Saturday. I may have it wrong but it felt more like Sundays used to feel back in the 80s when nothing was open. Curious!

Anyway, I am now equipped with insulated troosers which should keep my nether regions suitably unbitten by frost. I shall report back on their efficacy ;o)



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