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Don’t let the Sun Go Down on You: 5 Tips on Surviving Rain on Your Holiday

Chile’s Atacama desert is said to be the driest place on Earth. There are some parts that haven’t seen a drop of rain in hundreds of years. Unless you plan to spend your every vacation there, you should face the fact that it might rain on your holiday.

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As I lay snuggled in my fluffy warm sleeping bag, I heard the droplets of rain caress the roof of our tent. It’s easy to to be romantic about the rain when you have a roof over your head and don’t need to get up. When the said rain continued well into the next day, taking respite only a handful of times, chasing us off of the beach, making us abandon our walk to the village and eat our meals in the confines of a tent, it started to grate on my nerves. But you can’t expect to go to Normandy let alone Brittany and not be ready for it.

Besides it’s not all bad, as long as you embrace the benefits and come to terms that there is really nothing you can do about it. With these 5 well tested tips, you’ll survive any drizzle or downpour thrown at you:

  • Don’t worry.

Unless you have some serious magical powers (think Elsa) there is really nothing you can do about it. Besides this is (probably) as bad as it gets. You’ve feared the rain, here it is and it doesn’t look like it’s the end of the world. So…

  • Take your time.

The weather gives you a perfect excuse to skip the things on your overly ambitious itinerary and really take your time with the ones you do decide to visit.

  • Chance to visit a hidden gem.

It’s also a chance to discover something new; a museum, gallery or a delicious restaurant – something you thought you didn’t have time for.

Had it not rained on our last visit to Salzburg, it would probably take three more visits to finally discover the amazing science museum.

  • Brave the weather.

Or you can put on your rain gear and persevere. You will be privy to some special views, only locals and some »lucky« travelers get to see. With enough convincing, you’ll probably come to enjoy it too.

  • Spa time.

Finally, not all forms of water are bad. If the drizzle turns into downpour, you can admit defeat from the coziness of a whirlpool. Spend a day pampering yourself after all you are on your holiday.

But whatever you decide to do, just don’t let the weather dampen your spirits.

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