I love the spectacular weather experiences Saigon throws on its residents.

I know, it’s not a lot of fun being caught in a sudden torrential downpour when you’re on the back of a motorcycle going nowhere in peak time traffic on Pasteur and there is no weather proof jacket to hand.

With the rainy season almost upon us, the thunder and lightning storms across the city are becoming more common. Never before moving here have I seen such spectacular displays from Mother Nature of forked lightning, beautiful bright rays of light ‘cracking’ the sky.

Last night was no exception and for once I had the time to grab the camera and see if I could finally capture some of the beauty.

And somehow I fluked it as the image below shows!

Saigon strike, May 3, 2012.

This is a real photograph (Photoshopped only to balance the colours and contrast). No trickery or superimposing. (For some reason on WordPress the image looks blurred onscreen – but if you click on it you’ll see it clearly, I promise).

Modern buildings like Bitexco Tower – like comercial aircraft – are equipped with lightning conductors to ensure if they get hit there is no damage to the electrical systems. But it sure looks spectacular if you’re lucky enough to capture the moment on camera.

Some people are scared of thunder, others of lightning. I was once staying in a hotel room high above Marina Bay Singapore when an electrical storm hit. My partner at the time lept out of her chair and hurriedly closed the curtains. I was gobsmacked!

Why did you do that, I asked? “Because I’m scared.”

Of what I could never deduce, but I immediately squeezed between the heavy hotel curtains and the windows and enjoyed the show for the next 20 minutes.

Last night over Ho Chi Minh City was a far more enjoyable show.

And afterwards – these storms are usually short, sharp and spectacular – as I headed into town on the back of a motorcycle for dinner, it was cool and fresh and for the first time all day I didn’t like I was breaking out in a sweat.

Roll on the Rainy Season and the entertainment it brings with it!

Above is another shot from the same ‘show’.