NORTHERN Europeans are obsessed with the weather. Turn on the television to watch the news and every 15 minutes there is a briefing on the current climate, followed by a forecast for the next day as well as the following week.
Recently I was enduring my seventh day of rain in early summer in Ireland, when I realised just how important it is to know that somewhere on this planet the sun is actually shining.
In fact, for travel agents selling vacations in the Mediterranean or the Gulf, it must be a no-brainer! For who would want to spend a holiday at home in northern Europe searching for an umbrella every time you leave the house when one air-trip could solve the problem?
When you think about it, it is not only Europeans, but almost everyone in the travel industry, who is concerned about the weather.
“Keep away from India between May and September, for it is the monsoon season!” we are told. “Stay away from Sweden from October to April, for the country is full of snow and very cold!” “The Gulf region is intolerable from June to September!”
Yet, much of this advice from so-called experts is wrong.
For example, many expats remain in the Gulf throughout the summer months, which undoubtedly are hot and humid, but hotel occupancy rates have been a remarkable 75-80 per cent in these mercury topping months.
The reason, of course, is that the arrival of air-conditioning changed the way of travel. Now you can shop till you drop in the cool environment of some of the world’s most exciting malls in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Bahrain with special summer festivities arranged by the local tourist authorities.
In fact, it is true to say that the special summer rates on offer are difficult to match anywhere when it comes to inexpensive vacations.
When it comes to Scandinavia, it is correct that it can be a hard sell to persuade holidaymakers to visit the ‘Top of Europe’ in the winter but as usual the present day Vikings have not let that interfere with their plans to attract visitors.
The Ice Hotel, located in the old village of Jukkasjärvi in Swedish Lapland, is now operating in its 20th year. It is built annually from scratch using 10,000 tonnes of crystal-clear ice from the nearby Tome River. Each year, there is a new design with brand new suites, a cinema and a bar.
The hotel can accommodate 100 guests and has become a favourite destination in the winter for hardy visitors from the UK, Germany, Holland, France and Italy. In fact, this year, the owners are billing the hotel as Sweden’s Number One winter attraction.
This is a destination for travellers wanting a unique vacation experience, the snow scooter tours in Lapland are also popular and the Northern Lights continue to attract everyone interested in this special atmospheric phenomenon. Christmas markets in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm are also attracting many visitors from around the globe.
Rubber boots and umbrellas are the order of the day, if visiting India during the monsoon season. At the same time, it is the trekking season in the Himalayan region in August and September.
India is such a huge country that there is always some vacation spot not affected by the rains, it is up to your travel agent to know.
There is not a monsoon season in Europe, but if visiting Venice in Italy, it is preferable to avoid the Acqua Alta, which means high water. It is an unusually high tide, which rises enough to flood parts of Venice, most likely to occur between September and April.
Predictions based on lunar tides are available months in advance.
For skiing enthusiasts, winter is a wonderful time to visit the Swiss Alps, Austria, Germany, France or Italy.
If fall/autumn holidays are the preference, then the US also has areas such as North Carolina engulfed in gorgeous paintable bronze, brown and yellow rustic colours. A warning: If the hotel seems to be emphasising the delights of the indoor swimming pool, it is probably because it is very cold outside during this time of year - so, once again, check the weather forecast.
There are some travel companies, particularly in the US, who offer a ‘hurricane-free guarantee’, so they will ensure your holiday is not interrupted or if it is, they will compensate you. Hurricanes can be very dangerous, especially in the Caribbean, so if you are planning to head for the West Indies, my advice is to aim for the northern islands. The hurricane season is from June to November with August apparently the worst month.
In winter and summer alike, Japan has a multitude of sightseeing attractions to offer any visitor, but if you are anything like me, you will head there in the spring for the cherry tree blossoms and the pretty white-clad brides.
If you are looking for a European flower show, then nothing beats the natural grandeur of the violet hues of the lavender fields of Provence in France with mid-June being the most favourable time for weather and viewing of the blossoms.
Heading south for an African safari, it is best to visit in the southern hemisphere’s winter between May and November. If heading even further south for an Antarctic cruise, remember December to February is the most popular time.
No matter what the weather, somewhere in the world there is an attractive destination. As the 18th century English author and social reformer John Ruskin put it: “Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating. There is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.”
by Jonna Simon