I Love It When It Rains In Africa
I have always loved an epic African thunderstorm.
A hot and humid afternoon. A storm building on the horizon. The towering cumulonimbus clouds growing ever darker and more menacing.
The dusty ground at my feet swept up by the first gusts of cool air fronting the storm.
White wings of Egrets in flight, contrasted against the dark of the cloudburst.
The first flash of lightning — blinding. The clap of thunder — rumbling. Echoing amongst the hills.
All of this I love about an African thunderstorm. But, there is one reason that stands above the rest.
The smell of the first drops of rain when they bite the dust.
That smell is intoxicating. It is my favourite on earth!
It is both sweet and earthy. It is almost indescribable. Petrichor they call it.
The smell of the earth’s thirst quenched. The smell of life.
For without water there is no life.