I report to you from the midst of a heat-wave like no other. While the East Coast is gearing up for a cyclone and parts of Victoria are shrouded in torrential downpours, South Australia is experiencing a heat wave of biblical proportions.

Yesterday, it was 40 degrees in Adelaide. As someone who has been to Luxor in summer, one can still attest that 40 degrees is unbearably hot. To be honest, once it hits 40, it all feels the same. It's a dry heat here, because it all comes from the desert plains. With a northerly wind direction, every now and again you get a faceful of steaming hot air, which simply adds to the trauma. We have no air conditioning, just a fan, so last night was possibly the hottest and most uncomfortable night in recent history, made especially so by the occasional gust of searing hot wind coming through the open window. Walking along the pavements of the city yesterday was like walking on a mirror, as all the heat was reflected back up so it was a double whammy of heat. Shops were closed because of extreme weather conditions. Even going to the beach was traumtic, as tip toeing across the sand was like walking on hot coals.

That was yesterday, when it was 40. Today, it's 42. I refuse to go outside until after 3 o'clock, when hopefully the edge will have been taken off the extreme heat but to be honest I'm dying for some kind of icy refreshment, and the thought of going to the air-conditioned supermarket is an endearing one. I may go and stand in front of the freezer section for a couple of hours.