Jun 19, 2013

Rain Rain go away - Monsoon Season

Monsoon season. It has arrived and what attire was I sporting this morning when I walked out the door ? A summer dress , boots and an umbrella. A most bizarre mix match of attire for someone who comes from Cape Town especially since  I am  used to warm dry summers where floral dresses , sunhats and gorgeous high heels are  the norm. That seems to be nothing but  a distant memory now . Weather forecast for the next month ?  Rain , rain  oh , and  more rain with a humidity index having the capability of  reaching 90 %. So amped  , said no one ever.

Korea is a land of extremes in that the summers are  hot and humid and the Korean winter is cold and dry. Summer is hot and humid with monsoon rains beginning near the end of June and lasting until mid to late July. Summer temperatures can go over 38°C loooooovely . Ice cream,  watermelon and frappacinos are going to become my staple diet this Summer. 


So here are  the facts on cray cray Korean climate
  • On average, the warmest month(s) are July and August.
  • Most rainfall (rainy season) is seen in June, July, August and September ( Help)
  • On average, the warmest month is August.
  • On average, the coolest month is January.
  • July is the wettest month.
  • December is the driest month.

    humidity over the year

Average relative humidity in Gyeongju, South Korea   Copyright © 2013 www.weather-and-climate.com

Everyone in Cape Town feel sorry for me.





For the last few months I have been enjoying my morning cycles to school .  However with the torrential down pours  for the next month cycling to school  is going to be rather challenging and  I don't think the school would appreciate me showing up looking like a drowned rat. Solution ,a  waterproof poncho. Yip , i'm talking about that ghastly looking thing that Ugly Betty wore. It seems that Koreans are quite the fans of their ponchos and  are nothing short of trendy , cute  and dare I even say sexy . But oh the stress of choosing one. Especially in Korea where you coolness level and popularity is determined by your fashion sense. Ive been doing some online browsing searching for the perfect poncho and my goodness I have never come across so many different designs and brands in my life.
Women's Patterned Rain Waterproof Hooded Pack Away Foldable Portable Poncho
From polka dots , to floral , to animal print to hello kitty and even Disney . I kid you not they have it all. How much do one of these sexy items go for ?  I guessed maybe 20 000 won , equivalent to about R200. But oh how off my estimate was .Perhaps if you add an extra 0 you may get a more accurate  number  .True story. Ponchos in Korea can cost as much as 200 000 won equivalent to about R2000. Who on earth would spend that much on an item that is regarded as  socially unacceptable?  Koreans,  and perhaps even me.
Bring on the panchos , wellington boots and air conditioning.





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