Brits relish the microclimate….

I suppose it was inevitable that the cold weather would hit us eventually. AEMET – Spain’s meteorological agency issued a cold weather warning at the beginning of the week, telling us all to expect a cold snap with temperatures dropping to single figures along the coast and even into minus figures inland!

Goodness, at this rate we’ll be needing to invest in antifreeze for the car. I realise that some places here in Spain such as Madrid and Granada definitely do need it anyway, with snow the norm there. Even up in Guadalest, a mere 30 odd kilometres inland but not in the likes of Benidorm or Albir.

I remember laughing some years ago when the new Dealz opened at the Marina Centre, renamed from Poundland over here and all the stock came from the UK, which included windscreen scrappers and de-icer and wondering who on earth would be buying those… however I’d like to remind you that it did open in June!

When people first move here the winters feel positively mild, but over the years you tend to acclimatise and become accustomed to a new climate. It’s certainly easy to spot the holidaymakers.

Only this week I was out wrapped up in a coat yet passed some in sandals and shorts! Yes, shorts and they didn’t even appear to register that although the sun may have been out it didn’t actually mean it was shorts weather! I think my puzzled shocked expression must have concerned them as one gent asked me “alright luv” to which I replied “aren’t you a little chilly dressed like that”. His reply was “compared to where I come from this is like summer”. I couldn’t quite grasp the broad accent, but it was northern. Enough said – they are a hardy bunch.

Many many years ago I was on holiday in Jamaica over Christmas with my husband. I vividly remember it must have been ‘hot’ as we were in shorts yet walking past us were ladies wearing fur coats – yes real fur! That wasn’t what shocked me – the fact that it was real fur, just that they felt it was cold enough. But my husband explained that to them it was a good 20 degree drop in temperature so for them it was indeed cold. Putting it that way from an average of say 24 degree here then dropping to just 4 degrees would mean a definite change of outfit for me too.

Visitors seem surprised that we have central heating here, believing that we have year round sunshine and warmth. Yes, we have the sunshine, most days that is and behind glass its delightful. Even for a few hours in the middle of the day its pretty decent, but come say 4pm and goodness you can feel the drop and a chill descending. Christmas and New Year is always glorious here, which was evident over the last couple of weeks, with people even in the sea. But the coldest is yet to come.

I generally advise visitors to stay away in February as it’s our coldest month and on the whole, they are coming here for some respite from the bitter and depressing wet cold British weather.

They certainly don’t want the same when they come here although on the whole we do have mostly sunny days even if it is chilly. There is nothing nicer than waking up and being greeted by a blue sky in the morning – it instantly puts a positive perspective on everything, well for me at least.

On my last trip back to the UK, waking up to grey overcast skies with drizzle made me feel rather depressed and bad tempered.

Maybe I have seasonal affective disorder (SAD) otherwise often referred to as winter depression. But I was in London where on the whole the weather is better than in other parts of the country, goodness knows how they cope up in the likes Scotland and Yorkshire.

When it’s nice they are beautiful but otherwise… I am definitely a warm sunny weather person and looking at how many others chose to come and live here for the climate, realise I am not alone.

Only around 16 weeks till the flip flops, sun loungers and bbq’s come back out.