Chapter 25: Climate Change

Don't worry. This isn't a political rant about climate change. I'm not going to tell you to give up your cars, stop eating steak and eat bugs instead, and tell you the world is going to bust into flames in a few years. Maybe it will, and may be you should (celebrities seem to like eating bugs due to the number of them queuing up to take part in I'm a celebrity get me out of here!). No, the title refers to the difference in climate between Scotland and Gibraltar.

And now the weather.

When I've phoned home since I've been in Gibraltar, most of the stories I've heard is of rain and cold. In November, the temperature in Edinburgh has ranged from 7-13 degrees Celsius during the day, and a night time temperature of -2 to 10 degrees celsius. In other words, bloody freezing! During the same period in Gibraltar, we're talking a comfortable 17-24 degrees, with one day even jumping to a summerlike 27 degrees. I even got sunburn last week, because I wasn't expecting it to be so sunny in November. Nights are a bit colder mind you, between 18-12 degrees, although 18 degrees would be a warm day in Scotland in summer! 

The sun is still strong this month!

So far this month in Gib, there have been 8 days of full sun, 11 days of cloud then sun, and only one day of rain! Edinburgh in contrast has only had one day of full sun (according to the weather reports), 10 days of clouds and sun, 4 days cloud, and 7 days of rain. They say a picture says a thousand words, so to save me rambling on further about climate like a weatherman/woman, I've added a video, and image, below to contrast the weather outside my Mum's house in Edinburgh, and outside my flat in Gibraltar. Guess which is which!


Spot the difference to the video above!

So what does this difference in climate mean to every day life? Well, for me it means: waking up more happy and energised because the sun is shining; a more outdoor lifestyle of sitting outside at a café, bar, or restaurant, going to the beach, going on a boat, or watching an outdoor rugby match; a healthier lifestyle of walking along the coast, or just walking around the town (without rushing to get somewhere out of the cold or rain). While I could do all those things in Edinburgh, the weather conditions are probably only right a couple of days a year to make them enjoyable.

Look at the sky!

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