Opinion: Goodbye summer, it's time to bring on winter

If there is one thing to take from this weekend, it's that summer is well and truly over.

Not that it was really here to begin with.

With the lacklustre summer we had in Rotorua this year, it came as no surprise that bang on March 1, we were straight into autumn.

Last week we felt temperatures drop and were kept inside by heavy rain. Come the weekend it was no different with the city being battered with periods of uninterrupted downpours.

I saw people take to Facebook to declare how bummed they were about the weather, but to be honest I can't say I'm disappointed.

Waking up on a dark Saturday morning to the hounding sounds of a storm outside was utter bliss.

I snuggled back into my feather duvet enjoying the warmth - not the mugginess we've recently had to endure - of being inside.

For the remainder of the day I pottered around the house, watched a movie (and by movie I mean have a nap) and did some work, knowing I wasn't wasting a sunny day by staying inside.

A lot of people are staunch summer-lovers who long for the stickiness and heat of a 28C cloudless day but I'm the complete opposite.

I love being able to rug up in the cooler months, light a fire and let the stormy weather pass by.

This weekend's forecast forced events to be cancelled or postponed and Lakeside to be moved indoors for the first time in its 21-year history.

But by all accounts, Lakeside was still a roaring success with thousands in attendance, despite the change of venue.

While tramping the Tarawera Trail and swimming at Tikitapu (Blue Lake) are highlights of a Rotorua summer, Every winter I look forward to soaking in the Polynesian Spas and taking trips to the snowy peaks of Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu.

We may be saying au revoir to summer for another year but I'm sure there are others like me who are thrilled to be saying bonjour to puddles, cold nights and the rust-coloured leaves of autumn.