With the hottest day of the year upon us, I’m sure most of us are more than ready to soak up some sun as we head into the weekend. However, too much sun and heat can definitely get uncomfortable after a while, as I certainly found out today.

With highs of 30C and above expected throughout the day, such high temperatures have sparked warnings from both the Met Office and Kent County Council alike. Keeping safe in the heat is very important, so I made sure I was ready to brace the sweltering temperatures before I left for my adventures today – appropriate clothing, a stockpile of water, and a healthy amount of sunscreen applied.

One of the worst things to do on any particularly hot day is commute, there’s no denying it. Being stuck in traffic or enduring a particularly lengthy train journey in the scorching weather is certainly not a fun experience.

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So, in the interest of seeing just how bad a commute in today’s temperature is, I embarked on an, albeit short, train journey to see how I’d fare with the heat. Here’s how I got on.

My journey

I settled on the relatively short journey from Rainham to Rochester and back, to see if even a quick trip on the train was insufferable. The short answer is, yes, it was.

I arrived at Rainham about five minutes before my train was due. I initially stood out on the platform while I waited, but could immediately feel the top of my head start to cook, so I quickly retreated into the safety of the ticket office for some shade.

When my Southeastern train arrived, I was immediately happy to notice that the aircon was on and had been cranked right up. However, once I’d sat myself down by a window, there really was only so much the artificial breeze could do against the might of the literal sun.

I mistakenly lent against the window once I had sat down and it felt as though I’d pressed my shoulder into an oven door. I promptly learnt from that mistake and sat back in my chair for the remainder of the trip. At least the weather made for some nice views along the way.

The journey, which only took about 15 minutes, felt noticeably longer in the heat. It really felt like being stuck in a sauna on wheels.

Now, none of this is the train line’s fault; like I say, there’s really only so much you can do against such intense heat. Regardless, it was safe to say I was overjoyed when I heard the tannoy announcement that I would shortly be arriving in Rochester.

However, this relief wasn’t to last, as stepping off the train felt like walking into another bigger, and somehow hotter, sauna. Don’t get me wrong, I love a day out in the sun as much as the next person, but there is such a thing as being too warm.

After accomplishing what I needed to get done in Rochester, I embarked back to Rainham. This time my journey back was via a Thameslink train. The return journey was much the same, only this time accompanied by the delightful (sarcasm intended) sounds of children screaming and crying. Clearly I wasn’t the only one bothered by the heat.

Verdict

Do I recommend travelling via train on a day such as today? No, definitely not.

However, I know for some that such a journey is unavoidable, and I wholeheartedly sympathise. If I have any words of wisdom, it is to prepare beforehand.

Wear loose clothing if you can, drink lots of water, and try to find the spots where the aircon is working at its best. Make sure you keep safe while out having fun in the sun, but make the most of it – as knowing British weather, it will be snowing this time next week.

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Article Source: Kent Live