Snowy

I want to share my experience of snow for all those who've never had it or don't fully appreciate it.

I have seen snow before when I was 10 or 11 while on a camp in Howick on a farm. We traveled there in our bakkie (US: truck, UK: Flat Bed) and it was so muddy we were lucky that it didn't get stuck *good driving mom* . While there on I think the 3rd day or so it started to sleet one day and we thought that was gonna be it. The next day we woke I can only assume that the camp leaders had gotten a message on their radios coz after breakfast we were pilling up in the vans and went off to see the snow. There were limited pairs of gum boots (UK: wellingtons) and only one size 7 which was my size of course this boy grabs them and refuses to do the gentlemanly thing by letting me use them. So I was "playing" in the snow with my old holey takkies (UK/US: trainers) on. Needless to say that wasn't the best first experience of snow for me. Crappy shoes, no gloves and only track pants. I do remember sitting in front of the fire when we got back thou, to thaw my feet out.

Anyway so one of the reasons that I was so excited to come to England was to experience the snow. It had been bloody cold for 2 months and all I had seen was true frost for about 2 days. I was like a head light when I first saw the frost, it was magical and so so beautiful. If I wasn't going to work I would've taken photos. That was only around for 2 or 3 days and there was no sign of the snow.

After moving to London I was hoping that there was finally going to be some snow. But the lightly hood of that happening was nil, as London is warmer and the seasons were supposed to be changing around now. There were however ppl who were saying that the weather was supposed to just be getting colder.
After being in London for 1 week and getting a job I was off to work for my 3rd day of training. After getting ready for work the sun was just coming up at 8am while I was checking I had all of my things I looked up and saw that it had snowed. First thing out of my mouth? OH MY GOD . I was in total shock, I never say those words. I honestly thought I was dreaming because I had had dreams of it snowing before all which were of course not true. I was so so so happy, I grabbed my cam and found a bag to carry it in. While walking to work I was smiling my head of like a loony person. It was very very clear that I hadn't experienced this before. Fresh snow!!! AWESOME. I missed the first train to work coz I was standing on the platform taking pictures and had a Russian woman ask me to take a photo. I didn't care tht I missed it, I was so happy to finally have the snow. Enduring all of those cold days was really worth it!!!
Unfortunetly it all melted before 11am, the spread was too thin, so that meant no photo's during lunch.

The newspapers were reporting even heavier falls for the next day - and honestly I believed it. Woke the next morning, of course the first thing I did was look outside. No snow. Oh well I thought, one day was better than none.
I was plesantly surprised thou, as while on the bus to the tube I was looking outside and it started to snow. And what did I do? Yip, get that goofy smile on my face, I could actually feel my brain getting happy. I didn't wanna get into the tube, I wanted to get snowed on. I stood outside the entrance for a while with my hand out stretched letting the snow land on me as I watched. When I got out of the tube and onto the train platform at Islington the snow had stopped. I was still happy that I got to experience it snowing on me.

My next experience was to be in 2 weeks.

Again the weather man predicted snow. This time I didn't believe. But sure as rain the next morning, there was fresh snow all over. And guess what? It was still snowing. I stood at the window and watched, amazed at how it was floating down and the ways the wind was blowing it. When I left for work it was still snowing, pretty hard now. And me again, I was beaming with light. Smiling as I was walking to the bus. 15 mins walking in the snow and then 10 mins waiting at the bus stop, yippee, I was so so happy. My gloves, cap and jacket were dripping as the snow landed on me and then melting. I didn't care, I wanted it to snow until lunch time so I could get some photos. While I was sitting at work looking at the snow outside I was saddened to see it melting so fast but then it started to snow again and my hope of a lunch time photo shoot was revived. Alas all but a little had melted by 2pm which was my lunch time.

I will never forget seeing that first day of snow and the joy I got will the new experience of walking in the snow and watching the drops falling off the brim of my hat peek. It was truly wondrous what mother nature had created and I felt privileged to have experienced it. Coming from a sunny, hot, sticky climate I was truly blessed.

Thank you northern airflow from bringing the snow.