In the UK we regularly complain about the weather. We moan when it rains. We moan when it's windy. We moan when it's cold. Some people even moan when it's too hot. Well, we should be grateful that we are spared the annual hurricanes that batter the US and the Caribbean. As the current hurricane, Isaac, heads towards New Orleans on the eve of Hurricane Katrina, I would like to share a few personal moments with you all.
In August 2004 we had a family holiday at Kissimmee, Orlando in Florida, the Sunshine State. We did all the usual things, hit the theme parks and the shopping malls, not forgetting the all-you-can-stuff-in-your-stomach buffets. Well, we also spent a lot of time watching the Weather Channel and CNN. August 2004 brought Hurricane Charley, a category 4 storm. As we watched the daily forecasts, we realised that Charley was heading straight towards us. As the day of our departure drew closer, so did Charley. Now I've watched television footage of hurricanes and there is a certain amount of disaster movie feel about it. When you are facing the prospect of being stuck in one, the reality soon sinks in.
Hurricane Charley hit Orlando within hours of our flight back to the UK departing from Sanford Airport. Had we been leaving a little later, we would have been stuck. The airport was closed, The windows were buckling. When we arrived at the airport the wind and driving rain was already there. People due to fly out after us were stuck for over 24 hours or longer before they could head for home. The whole experience was one that we will never forget. However, that was nothing compared to Katrina.
On 29th August 2005 Hurricane Katrina made landfall. A category 5 hurricane, it devastated the city of New Orleans. Over 1800 people died during Katrina. We visited New Orleans in 2011, some 6 years after Katrina, and found that some parts are the city are still recovering and some hadn't been touched.


The Lower 9th Ward was the worst hit part of New Orleans, as shown above. Six years later, parts were untouched, as shown below.


So, as Hurricane Isaac heads towards land, I will spare a thought for all those affected by whatever it brings and perhaps the next time we in the UK feel like complaining about the weather, we will consider just how lucky we are?