Wednesday, November 12, 2008

DUBAI | Missing the Rain

People from Dubai tell me it rained about five times in the city last year. 

People from home tell me it's raining dogs and cats right now.

I miss the rain. More than anything else, I miss the wetness of home. During this season the monsoon winds will bring on the heavy showers. It will be wet and cold, and it's wonderful and cozy to sleep in during the rainy season. I miss the feel of the squishy wetness of shoes soaked in the rain. I miss running through the rain to the nearest bus-stop. I miss waiting for my bus in a packed bus-stop during the rain, the water on my forearms, avoiding the umbrellas of the people with their bags of Christmas shopping.

I miss the rain.

There was a scene in my favourite desert book, The English Patient, which describes a moment when it rained one night in the desert. One of the character had been in bed with her lover. She leans out of the window, letting the rain pour down on her naked body. I would post that passage if I had my journal, or my copy of The English Patient.

Right now, I really like to feel the cold rain on my skin.

11 comments:

Yogamum said...

I can see how the rain would be something you'd miss. The dry air can be very unbalancing.

chrisa511 said...

This post made me very melancholy...I enjoyed it :) I hope that you get some rain soon DO! Just think how wonderful it'll be when it finally comes.

Doc Martian said...

there's something about rain in the desert. you'll never look at rain the same way again. it releases organic compounds that smell tremendous. like musky, sweet, rich and wonderful. different deserts smell different too. the upper sonoran smells different from the mojave at least. the mojave smells like bay. the sonoran smells like slightly more chocolatey/cinnamon. its truly something to appreciate. if you're the rainhound you claim to be, wait til' you get one good rain there. you'll never have smelled anything like it. plus the psychic bliss of the folks who live there is magical.

Cheers!
Doc

Anonymous said...

It's coming, DO, hang in there!

I saw 3 clouds today from my window. I bet we will have a good shower by the end of the month.

Ana S. said...

As much as I sometimes complain that it's raining, I think I would miss it a lot too.

Melwyk said...

I never thought of that problem! I can see what you mean; I love a rainy day, it somehow lets stay inside, tucked up reading, without feeling guilty about not taking advantage of clear weather... but I suppose you aren't really clamouring to wander about in the midday heat, in any case!

Anonymous said...

yeah - you definitely need a balance of weather. having some element missing feels all wonky.

i think it also reminds us that we're still animals and that we need a particular kind of habitat they'd we're used to.

Anonymous said...

"they'd" we're used to?!!? "that" we're used to, of course... :D

darkorpheus said...

Yogamum - it's deeply unbalancing. in fact, when I had to go for a blood test a while back, the nurse told me I needed to drink more water. The dehydration is showing on my veins.

Chris - Glad you enjoyed melancholy! I'm still waiting for rain though.

Doc - I'll be paying attention when it rains, to see how it will smell. I wonder though, with the sand.

Ella - 3 clouds? Don't give me false hopes here! :)

Nymeth - Like all things, we never really appreciate it until it's totally gone. Too much rain can't be good either.

Melanie - Oh yes, rainy days are also good for curling up with a good book, and maybe with your feet tucked under a warm blanket. *sigh*

Jean Pierre - What kind of animals run around naked in the rain though? :)

I get you on the habitat idea - I'm a creature of the wet and warm.

Anonymous said...

Isn't it odd the things we end up missing from a place? I mean, how often when you were out in the rain did you complain or wish for the sun? I still miss mountains but I am slowly getting used to and learning to love the wide open sky.

Doc Martian said...

here's the palette my nose works from.

http://unrnet.seismo.unr.edu/Aerials/Coachella-Valley.jpg