Summer's Here!

While the USA and UK are under severe polar conditions, here in Melbourne we are in for a week of soaring temperatures. Today is a pleasant high of 35 C, but from tomorrow we're due 4 days which are likely to top 40 C. While the daytime temperatures are searing, it is probably the nighttime that is difficult for an expat from the UK to get used to.

Fabulous photo of Niagara almost frozen at night (Donna Brok)

Funny that the heatwave here in Melbourne should coincide with the start of our Australian Open Tennis Championships. I was wondering today how many players would be happy for an early exit rather than having to play in 40 C conditions later in the week. The temperatures are also likely to play havoc with my exercise regime and my eating and drinking habits. I've managed to get up to about 30 km running a week at the moment (3 x 10 km runs), but I'm prone to heat stroke and wary to run much this week. If I do get out it will be very early or very late as it appears as if it may be reaching high 20's C by 7 am, and staying up to 30 C through till midnight.

Of course, hydration is important and so it is vital to get the right diet for this kind of weather. Unfortunately, this means coffee should be drunk sparingly, if at all (and it will be drunk!). It'll be plenty of water, fruit and salad for me this week. I'm thinking of trying some new food stuffs but some things seem to put me off, even just the name...

I'm not sure I could bring myself to eat something called Knackwurst!

Probably the best thing to do is find a cool place to sit quietly and just read a good book. While it might not be easy to find a cool place, there are no shortage of good books on my to read list, and I'm going to be spending some of time off this week losing myself in a good novel. So what will I be reading? It'll come from these choices:

I've recently read some amazing novels (in my opinion) and am always looking out for more, so if you think there is a novel that I should read, then please tell me. I'm open to any genre. For instance, I've recently read a Lee Child thriller, Isobelle Carmody young adult fantasy, Booker Prize winner Elizabeth Catton's historical mystery The Luminaries, and the cutting English comedy, The Yips by Nicola Barker.

And while I'm sitting around in the heat my thoughts might stray to things which I plan to do in the future. The most immediate of these is a trip to Hong Kong in March. Apart from catching a connection at the airport, I've never been to Hong Kong, but I'll be there in March. I can't wait to experience a new culture, and travel to a place I've never been before. I'm not too sure what Caroline and I will be doing there, but some sightseeing will definitely be on the cards, and especially checking out the cultural heritage of Hong Kong.

Can't wait to experience Hong Kong's cultural heritage