While the eye of the storm is still about 800km away, the skirts of Chanchu are tickling the south China coast and, looking out of my window, I can see the palm trees have just started to wave at me.

Yes, I know its childish. Anyone reading this may well shake their head and smile but anticipating and enjoying a good storm has always been alot of fun. I used to love my curtains flashing ultraviolet..then silence..then. . .the deepest biggest sound most people ever hear. Thunder. Thunderstorms used to give me a mix of 'creature feeling' and thrill to revel in.
The thunderstorms here are a bit different. Often happening without rain, sometimes lightning without any thunder too.. The building where I live has been struck only once while I was at home. There was no crackling crescendo that you usually hear, just one huge echoless bang, followed by fire alarms. There was no fire.

But there is something very very physical about a close pass from a Typhoon. The wind is just more physical and well, the wind is actually intimidating. In the UK, there are gales that you can lean into. Maybe the door will be yanked open or slammed shut.. . . . .but a couple of years ago I went out in a Typhoon called Imbudo, just so I could call my family. The wind, in gusts, did surprise me and even in my most childish adventurous mood, I looked at and thought "If I step into that, then I know that it will knock me down." I could see the water spray moving over the pavement so quickly that I knew it was much stronger than I was.