Let me start by saying September and I are no friends.
This hate/love relationship with the 9th month of the year started when I first arrived on the island 14 years ago and the feeling remains unchanged today.
Allow me to explain why…….
Imagine taking a cold shower in the morning. You dry off with your fluffy towel, walk to your closet to select something to wear and as you’re putting on your brand new dress you feel it. That trickle of sweat coming down the side of you face followed by another trickle but this time down your spine and all the way down to your butt crack. This is not the way you intended to start your day. By the time you apply your make up and run out of the house you resemble the Swamp Thing. Your mascara has melted down your face, your hair is flat and your new dress soaked. No sir, September heat is no fun.
As an added bonus that deodorant you decided to try out, the same one that promised to keep you dry and that was advertised as being strong enough for a man but made for woman, apparently has nothing on September heat and it’s only 10 am.
So you finally make it to the office, panting, trying to catch your breath and smelling like a dead squirrel. Then it happens: your “trusted” local utility company decides to do some maintenance work, which means no electricity for the next three hours and thus no A/C or fan. By this time all you’re thinking is: I hate my life.
My fellow islanders are now enthusiastically shaking their heads in united agreement because they have all been there. In the meantime non-islanders are scratching their heads: “Wait a minute. It’s the Caribbean. Isn’t it always hot there?”
Dear non-islander, here in the Caribbean we have seasons too. Mild, hot and inferno-hot. The latter is when you swear you’ve just taken a cab to downtown hell to have a drink with Satan. “It’s hot like a dog’s ass” is a famous local saying around this time. Even though I haven’t checked to see how true this saying is, I do believe it to be true. Temperatures rise to almost 40 degrees Celsius with barely any wind and humidity around the 75%.
As if the heat was not enough September is also the peek of the hurricane season and the time of the year many restaurant and other business owners decide to close shop and go on vacation. So that cute little restaurant with the great tiramisu you craved so much after an awful day will most probably be closed. Curses.
I must admit though September does bring the most beautiful views, calm waters and gorgeous sunsets. The water is unusually still and super flat. Can I get an amen for awesome beach days? The view is so clear that one can easily see neighboring islands Saba, Statia and St. Kitts. You can even see the roads of our sister island Saba. It’s just amazing.
Yes, the heat is bad. It’s really bad. I for one do not enjoy smelling like Pepe Le Pieux. Should we ever find ourselves in a zombie apocalypse I can guarantee you that even the walkers will avoid the islands around this time, which is a good thing, I guess.
That, along with nice beach weather, beautiful sunsets and spectacular views are the reasons why I will fondly remember my frenemy September. But I am still thankful October is here. So I happily wave goodbye to Satan as I step back into the cab. Destination: Milder weather. Welcome October. It’s good to have you back.
Stay cool my friends.
Love, Laugh, Live and Travel Always
TTIG <3
1 Comment
Say island seasons are mild, hot and inferno! That’s a good one. So true.