About the UK Heatwave and What it Means to Travelers

Paris recorded its highest ever temperature last Thursday, beating the previous record set in 1947.

News like these are common these days and why should we be concerned more than ever?

An intense heatwave majorly across Western Europe has led to June being the hottest ever month with temperatures hitting up to 46°C. We are, however, not sure yet as the situation seems to continue.

What it means to travelers?

The red alerts have disrupted the locals’ routine life and it might be a while before it gets back to normal. Travelers are facing issues with intercity train transfers as there is a possibility of train track failures and overhead wire damages. This has also led to some trains getting delayed or even canceled in the routes of Watford Junction and London Euston. Nick King, The Network Services Director of Network Rail adds,

‘Our teams are working to fix the issues as quickly as possible and get things rolling. We’re asking anyone travelling this evening to check with their train operators or visit the National Rail Enquiries website to see how their journey is affected.’

How to deal with the situation?

• Try to avoid commuting by train if not for an emergency.
• If you have to, check beforehand whether there are trains operating on that particular route.
• Carry water and keep yourself hydrated at all times.
• Find good indoor attractions where you can resort to when the day is at its hottest.
• Try to trade Eastern Europe for countries such as Norway, Sweden, etc which are relatably cooler than its Eastern counterparts.

On the other hand — Climate change ruined Okjokull glaciers and the situation is only getting worse.

Wondering if there’s a thread that connects both the situations? There definitely is! Iceland is losing over 10 billion tonnes of ice annually to global warming. Scientist have created a memorial to commemorate this loss and a shout-out to the haunting reality of climate change. It reads thus:

“Ok is the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier. In the next 200 years all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it.”

We know what is happening and if we care, we can change the course where this is leading to. Pickyourtrail cares. Do you?