And then one day, blessedly, it was cloudy

We are going through a bit of a cold snap here in Abu Dhabi. The low today was 28 degrees, the high 38. When I left my hotel and ventured outside, the first thing I noticed was that I didn't feel as though I might pass out.

The second thing - the remarkable thing - was that after witnessing 71 straight days of sunshine, it was, as best the UAE can be, overcast. The sun was there, I could even feel it, beating down on behind a thick cloud cover. But I could not see it, and that was the joyous part. As I shared a cab to work with a colleague who is also staying in my hotel, I joked that I felt like taking the day off, just so I could walk around without being assaulted by its rays.

I am heading back to Canada for a couple of weddings next week, and then a stay at a cottage in Quebec. My friends there are hoping for a bright, sunny Canada Day. I wish for cold, damp rain, a chance to wear my Lululemon track suit and drink hot cocoa.

Trust me, it's lovely, but you really do not want the sun to shine every day.