On Frigophobia and Winter Travel Plans

Confession: I hate the cold. Yes, I am Canadian. And yes, I chose to move to a city that is located even further north than my hometown. But it doesn’t change the fact that I detest the cold with every fibre of my being.

I hate cold weather, cold water, cold anything. I dread the start of winter every year. I like my drinks to be served at room temperature. I refuse to eat ice cream unless it’s at least 20 degrees outside.

I’ve always known my aversion to the cold was ridiculous-bordering-irrational, but it turns out I’m not crazy after all – fear of the cold is a real thing! According to my 30 second Google search reliable sources, the clinical term is Frigophobia, and it’s defined as:

An abnormal and persistent fear of cold, including cold weather and cold objects. Sufferers may experience anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. To avoid cold, they may live in a warm climate, dress more warmly than necessary, stay indoors on cold days, and avoid cold foods and ice cubes.

Frigophobia is more likely to occur in those who have had a significant negative impact from the cold. For example, if you have experienced hypothermia, fallen through the ice, or been stuck in a snow drift, you may be more likely to develop this fear.

I’m pretty sure suffering living through twenty-odd Canadian winters counts as a ‘significant negative impact from the cold,’ right?

Thanks to my affliction from frigophobia, I’ve spent the past 10 years chasing the sun, spending anywhere from a week to six months in warmer regions during the winter: Australia, Fiji, Southeast Asia, South Africa, India, the Caribbean – my love for tropical regions and countries below the equator knows no bounds.

But this year, I’ve decided to embrace winter. Or least attempt to, anyways.

In November, I spent a weekend in Dublin. I rang in 2016 outside on the streets of Edinburgh. I have a (very quick) trip to Wales next week, and I’m visiting Berlin at the end of February. I’m heading to Ireland again in March to celebrate St. Patrick’s day, and I’m also hoping to squeeze in some Scottish travels in the next month or two.

For the first time in years, I don’t have an escape-the-winter trip booked, and it feels incredibly strange – wrong even.

There are approximately 47 countries I want to visit on the European continent, and confining myself to travel within the summer months isn’t a viable option, so this year, I’m attempting to make the most of winter. I’m choosing to willingly visit countries in the Northern Hemisphere in the dead of winter. And I’ll try not to curse the name of all that is holy every time I step outside.

Are you a Frigophobic? Where are you travelling this winter?