Four Awesome Things about Monsoon Season

A couple of months ago, I wrote about water. We were in the heat of the Indian summer and water was scarce all over the city. Now we have rain!! It is hard to describe the beauty and comfort of a good rainfall after not seeing rain for the past 8-9 months. You see, here there are 3 seasons : Winter (Nov-Feb), Summer (March-May), Monsoon (June-September). Some people call October second summer, but you also may get some scattered showers. These dates are all very approximate depending on the year and what part of the country that you live in. But generally, the only time that it rains is during monsoon. Since this is a season that we in the west are unfamiliar with, I thought I'd share some of the great things about it!

Everything is in High-Definition
After going so long without rain, its not just the grass that withers away and becomes a dull brown. There is dust and pollution in the air and on everything! When the rain comes, it is like your car being washed after a drive down a dirt road. Everything looks more vibrant - the sky, the buildings, even billboards. Only then do you realize what was lacking all that time. There is a mountain range a couple hours from our home, and during monsoon, we can see them so clearly! Its beautiful. 

Its a Great Time to Travel
While we typically don't think of rain and vacation going very well together, during monsoon they do! There are definitely places where the quality of the roads becomes terrible, if not un-driveable, so you must do your homework. But this is the perfect time for a weekend getaway. In our state, we have a lot of small mountain ranges. During monsoon, small waterfalls cascade of these cliffs. Chai, pakoda and roasted corn stalls line the scenic lookouts along the roads. Every year during this time, we try to getaway for a day or two with a big group of friends. Its wonderful.

The Showers of Spring but the Feel of Fall
Though it rains all year long in the US, spring is certainly when it rains more. Luke and I are both from tornado alley, so we are well familiar with the crazy storms that are concentrated in April and May. Monsoon may sound like spring, but it also brings the comfort of fall because the weather is cooling down rather than heating up. While sitting on our balcony during a good rain we can almost get the "smell of fall" that we miss like crazy.

Cravings for Comfort Food
The cooler weather and the steady rainfall definitely make me want to curl up on the couch with a good book, or take a long afternoon nap. It also makes me feel like cooking. And like eating. American food. Our diet is about 75% local cuisine. The times when we eat American food is usually when we want to cook it for guests, when we are at the mall or for breakfast (because we still can't handle vegetables right when we wake up). Rarely, rarely do I cook an American meal for just us. But during monsoon I crave it. Last week I splurged on six blocks of cheese and I plan to use up every bite before it goes bad! So perhaps during monsoon, you will find me in the kitchen and find my cook outside with the kids playing in the rain.