These days the temperature is reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius.
And the worst could still come, as it is expected that up to 43 degrees Celsius could be reached in the next few days according to the weather forecast.
At the same time, the inconveniences caused by such high temperatures are increasing with effects that also spill over into the air transport sector, both military and civil.
The high heat is in fact melting the asphalt of the runways of some airports, making take-off and landing operations difficult.
The British Royal Air Force announced yesterday that for these reasons it is taking off from alternative airports.
The record temperatures also affected the railway system and British railways have cancelled the service on some routes due to the deforming of some tracks which could potentially lead to derailments and accidents.
The government is warning its citizens to avoid walking around and doing any physical activity from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., warning especially the sick people and the elderly.
The usual recommendations, like drinking much water and keeping hydrated, are announced on television but the major problem is that very few apartments, and even offices, have an air conditioning system in London.
This is true because London is not renowned to be a hot place, not even in the summers, which are usually cool, overcast and sometimes rainy.
Many Londoners are apparently calling in sick these days because their bodies is feeling weakened by these extreme temperatures.
Others cannot stand to work in a place they consider unhealthy – due to the lack of an air conditioning system.
London has no peaks or mountains nearby so it is very hard to find a ‘cool place’ to be.
Very few condominiums and houses have a swimming pool and most people have to pay the entrance to one of the public pools, which are nice but overly crowded these days.
Speaking of pools, here in London they created the first suspended pool in the world with a transparent bottom.
It connects two private buildings in the Nine Elms residential district, near Westminster, offering a wonderful view of the city on the south bank of the Thames.
Access to that is unfortunately reserved to residents alone.
So…going back to fighting the heat: most people go to the shopping centres or they have a rest in the shade in one of the many parks.
For the first time I have seen Londoners ‘break the rules’ by jumping in the fountains to cool off…And cooling off is what we all need now, in every meaning of the word!
It seems in fact that fights and incidents are on the rise these days because people are literally going crazy.
I, unfortunately, have to work despite the high temperatures but, luckily, I am allowed to work from home most of the time.
I have a table fan and I was lucky to get one because the shops are running out as everyone is resorting to them these days.
My favourite park to cool off during weekends is Richmond Park.
One of the largest royal parks in London, full of wild nature, although it’s located off the beaten path.
It's a huge park where many wild animals like to live and it has a very lush vegetation.
I had written a blog about it if you wish to learn more about it.
Richmond Park:
