For some reason, I always end up in the warmest regions of Europe at the warmest time. You can count on me to be in Malta in the middle of August, in Firenze at the height of July; I studied in the Canary Islands, where I once saw the beach thermometer hit 50°c (122°F), and somehow, I never suffered from the heat in those places as I do in Belgium. Here's why, and more importantly, what to do about it based on my observations in warmer countries.