Rain

Transcript

It's raining today. I like rain now and then, but Rainy Season in Japan has always been a hard season for me. Often it's hot and humid and gloomy, and most people seem to become irritable, especially on crowded trains and subways. When it rains hard, like today, I can't enjoy my favorite outdoor activities. Sometimes I go out anyway, though, because I feel like a prisoner when I stay indoors too long.

Commuting by bicycle and train is a challenge when it rains, but I manage pretty well with a good rain suit, a small backpack, and a waterproof backpack cover. The secret to comfort is to get very good, lightweight rain gear and to take good care of it. I never use an umbrella when I ride a bicycle. Many people do it, but riding a bicycle with an umbrella is really dangerous. Cycling in the rain is bad enough, but with an umbrella it's suicidal.

Actually, I commute mostly by car, regardless of the weather. Rain doesn't make much difference, except that it takes longer and it's a little more dangerous. But driving in rain is no problem if you just take it easy.

I suppose I'll survive this Rainy Season, as I've survived many in past years. I'd like to be able to get outdoors more, but I know rain is necessary. Rain makes life inconvenient, but it also make life possible.