Let's chat about the Australian weather. Everyone thinks we're the land of hot summers and great beaches, but no one talks about what happens when the temperature plummets.
"Plummets", in this case, is when the temperature drops below 21-degrees celsius.
Spooky stuff starts to happen, IMO. Aussies start rugging up in their winter uniform — usually a Kathmandu puffer jacket and stonewashed jeans. Then once night falls, we quickly bundle up in wearable blankets, grey trackpants and Crocs...
...And rightly so, because sitting in an Australian house in the winter will have you chattering your teeth. The cold is biting. The locals know it, and now, Canadian expats are realising it, too.
"I can confidently tell you that the coldest that I've ever been is living in a Melbourne share house in the middle of July and lying in my own bed trying to fall asleep," Tuohey said. "Being able to see my own breath while only being able to warm myself with a tiny space heater and an electric blanket." Here's what it feels like:
"Cold becomes a whole new level of cold," Jack said, adding that this is a must-know before visiting Australia. "We think 19 degrees [celsius] feels like minus 20."
He also noted that back home in Canada, he would be wearing shorts in the 19-degree celsius weather. Instead, the temperatures Down Under have him rugged up.
According to Pabon, the World Health Organisation has "consistently [ranked] Australian homes as some of the coldest in the world".
A report from last year even showed that 81% of Aussie houses had an internal temperature of less than 18 degrees celsius. This is the standard benchmark to be considered "warm".
Alexandra chalked it up to a lack of insulation and Australia's reliance on a Kathmandu jacket to fix the chilly temps.
If someone on TikTok could make a DIY series on insulating a home for under $10, that would be the best!
How do you stay warm when your house turns into an igloo?
Give us some ideas in the comments below.