The storm starts, when the drops start dropping. When the drops stop dropping then the storm starts stopping.
Dr. Seuss
There are many quotations about storms, most of them advising us on how to deal with the figurative storms that threaten to rock our lives. But this one made me smile, so I had to use it.
After all, storms are inevitable (both the figurative and literal sort), so why not try to smile about them? That’s what I want to do for Beth’s inaugural ‘Stormy’ Lens Artists challenge this week. I want to show how bad weather needn’t throw you off course when travelling. How with the right attitude and a bit of flexibility, even a stormy day can be fun!
Stormy travels
Whatever the weather, when travelling it would be a waste of a day to stay inside. And with the right clothing it’s always possible to get out and explore. However, I have to admit to disappointment on occasions. Our boat ride on Lago Todos los Santos in Chile should have afforded stunning views of the surrounding mountains, but we saw none of them! I’d have liked to have seen more of the Lofoten Islands than was possible through the snowstorm that coincided with our brief visit. And a visit to Kaesong in North Korea was cut short when a tropical storm led to the authorities requiring all tourist groups that could do so, to return to Pyongyang to wait it out. But on all those
On other occasions however what may look like a washout can prove to have benefits. When we visited Kamikochi National Park in Japan another tropical storm meant that most hiking paths were closed, and the Japanese Alps hidden by low clouds. But the path by the river was accessible and the autumn trees had their own beauty in the misty wet conditions. A near-blizzard over the Grand Canyon gave us some strikingly different shots of that much-photographed landscape.
Kvaløya Island near Tromsø in Norway looked suitably atmospheric in the low clouds. Telegrafbukta too, where my friends and I even picnicked in a hailstorm! Dramatic views over the Bay of Kotor were some compensation for braving the rain at Cetinje Monastery in Montenegro. And even our soggy visit to the Banaue rice terraces in the Philippines earlier this year wasn’t without its high points, as the greens were enhanced by the weather.
I’ve included all these places, plus a few more, in the gallery below. I hope you don’t get too wet looking at them 😆
Storm clearing, Kaštel Kambelovac, Croatia
[my feature photo was taken at the same spot]
Lake Todos los Santos, Chile, in heavy rain
From the bridge to Austvagoy Island, Lofoten Islands, Norway
Lofoten Museum in the snow, Austvagoy Island, Lofoten Islands, Norway
An empty highway in North Korea, taken from a bridge at a roadside service station
[this road would be almost as deserted in good weather as very few North Koreans have reason, or permission, to travel south to the border]
Rain in Kamikochi National Park, Japan
Snowstorm over the Grand Canyon, seen from the North Rim
Grøtfjord, Kvaløya Island, near Tromsø, Norway
Stormy skies over Telegrafbukta, Tromsø, Norway
Rain at Cetinje Monastery, Montenegro
View over the Bay of Kotor, rain clouds clearing, Montenegro
View of rice terraces near Banaue, Philippines
Clouds clearing above Wahiba Sands, Oman
Stormy winter clouds above Druridge Bay, Northumberland, north east England
A stormy summer night in Sibiu, Romania, as seen from my hotel room
Rainy days
Rain, in my opinion, is however best enjoyed from a cosy interior, or being left behind as you take to the air! So to finish here are few photos taken looking out through rain-spattered windows.
Click on any photo for captions
29 Comments
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
I have to go with the crowd and say the Grand Canyon is my favourite. I was intrigued to read it was scanned from an old slide.
Egídio
Well, Sarah, I’m happy you still got great photos from those stormy skies in Chile, Lofoten, and North Korea. What a beautiful gallery you got here! I’m just not sure I want to travel with you based on your record with stormy weather… 🙂 Just kidding.
Sarah Wilkie
Haha 😂 We travel so much that some bad weather is inevitable, especially in some of the destinations we choose! On the whole I would say we’re pretty fortunate though.
Joanne
Absolutely wonderful images, Sarah! Such great photographs of weather must be product of both luck and skill. I can’t pick a favorite – I’d go, “Oh, that’s the one”, and then the next one, and the next one, and… The Grand Canyon snow is stunning. I loved the one of Kamikochi Park, and the Montenegro picture, and… Great post!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Joanne, I’m really glad you liked these shots 😊
Tina Schell
Like several others, I loved the grand canyon image, especially in light of your comments about editing it. But for me the clear favorite is the Lofoten Museum image. It’s priceless Sarah. Also loved your rainy windows.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Tina ☺️ The snow in the Lofoton Islands wasn’t especially welcome but it did give me some atmospheric images!
Heyjude
I love the Grand Canyon photo. We were there in snow, but not in a snowstorm, though we did experience one in Yosemite. Quite exciting! When there are storms here I tend to remain indoors!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Jude – the Grand Canyon is already emerging as the clear favourite here! Like you I would much rather stay indoors when we have storms at home, but when travelling we’re reluctant to waste a day doing that unless the weather is truly appalling (or unless forced to, as we were for an afternoon in Kamikochi and again in Pyongyang!)
Wandering Dawgs
Sarah, I love every one of your stormy images. The snow over the Grand Canyon is my favorite. I also love the man with the umbrella in Japan. Like you, we try not to let the weather spoil our adventures when we are traveling. We always take our rain gear with us. Some of the most memorable events from our travels are weather related.
Wandering Dawgs
I forgot to say I love the Dr. Seuss quote!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much Beth 😊 I had a lot of fun curating images from my archives for this post and reliving some travel memories. You’re right that weather often provides the most memorable travel events! The Grand Canyon shot seems to be the overall favourite in this collection, and Kamikochi is popular too it seems. The ‘man with the umbrella’ is my husband posing obligingly for me 😀 Glad you loved the quote too – fun, isn’t it?!
Anne Sandler
I absolutely loved this post Sarah, especially the Grand Canyon image. Always pack an umbrella!!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Anne 😊 Do check out my reply about the Grand Canyon shot to Sue below if interested.
Vicki
Love the snowstorm over the Grand Canyon
Austvagoy Island, Lofoten Islands, Norway is also striking.
Like you, I have lots of images of raindrops on the window glass. I find them rather interesting and it can be a challenge to get the sharp focus right.
…..and from my memory there in 1076 and 1978/79 I remember the storms in the U.K. very well. I was in London when it snowed quite deeply on the footpaths and parks.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Vicki, I’m very pleased you liked those shots 🙂 We used to get quite heavy snow in London from time to time, but in recent years we’ve had almost none. Personally I’m happy about that, as snow in a city is all hassle and mess with none of the prettiness!
bushboy
A wonderful selection Sarah. The Grand Canyon is my favourite.
I enjoyed walking about Milan on a rainy day. Not as many tourists out and about
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian 🙂 Yes, fewer tourists can be a real benefit of poor weather! See my reply about the Grand Canyon shot to Sue below.
Sue
Ah, what a selection! Like you, I try to make opportunities out of bad weather provided I can wrap up properly! That Kamikochi image is great, and you have really captured the light at the Grand Canyon-brilliant!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Sue 😊 That Grand Canyon shot is scanned from an old slide and needed plenty of work to make it usable but I’m glad I put the effort in as it’s a real favourite of mine (and shared several times previously I suspect!)
Sue
It’s really good, and I definitely don’t remember seeing it before!
Sarah Wilkie
It’s here for instance: https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/gallery-what-makes-a-photo-dramatic/. And here: https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/my-love-of-travel-some-special-moments/. Maybe elsewhere too 😆
Sue
clearly, I have the attention span of a gnat!
Sarah Wilkie
🤣🤣
margaret21
I love these. I got very wet, but it was worth it. My favourite was the rain in Kamikochi National Park, Japan. The man with his brolly just made the shot special.
Sarah Wilkie
My apologies for the drenching Margaret 🤣 Thank you for liking Kamikochi despite that. The ‘man with his brolly’ happens to be Chris!
margaret21
Haha! Even better!
Monkey's Tale
You make a very good point about the opportunities bad weather can offer. Where we live it doesn’t rain very often so we’re quite unprepared and disappointed when it does, especially when travelling. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
I’ve been disappointed too on occasion, especially if we go somewhere where the weather is usually guaranteed to be fine or at least, where I expect it to be so (like Kotor!) But other places I know to expect bad weather so I can manage my expectations of the trip 🙂