Since I first arrived it was generally hot and humid (not below 23-26 degrees Celsius at night) and in the mid-30s during the day. Not my idea of fun! It is interesting that although genetically siblings are almost identical and our genetic history is exclusively northern-European, two of us have managed to adapt to living in the tropics, which is something I never managed to do, even when I lived in Townsville between the ages of around 8 and 17. I was always sick with some sort of tropical ailment! Melbourne's more temperate climes suit me well and I have had no difficulties managing the Scandinavian winter during my multiple visits there. Perhaps this is an example of 'epigenetics' at work - it is certainly an exciting new area of scientific endeavour.
Since it seems to be consistently hot in Queensland, particularly in the tropics, it is somewhat amusing to hear Queenslanders complaining about the heat and a 'heatwave' when the temperature is "only" in the 30s (Celsius). In Victoria it is not unusual to get high to extreme temperatures in summer, but it is more often a 'dry heat', rather than the humid heat which is the norm in Queensland. I still remember the stifling and smoky 46 degrees of "Black Saturday" in February 2009 when firestorms tore through Victoria leaving death and destruction in their wake.
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