  One interesting thing about Europe in comparison to the USA is how much more important vacation is considered to be in Europe than the USA. Whereas people in the USA are often asked to move their vacation to another time, in Europe vacation is sacred. So sacred that entire companies will close for weeks at a time so that all their employees can take vacation at the same time. Now of course July and August are the favorite times for vacation. This can be a great inconvenience if one does not have vacation him or herself during this time period and relies on other companies that do shut down for vacation to get work done.
Thus was the case for me. I find myself under pressure to prepare numerous steel samples for some experiments. I have the samples cut at a laser company and I find that this company closes in the middle of July for 3 weeks..so I realize I had better get all these samples cut before they go on vacation. NOw to cut the steel, I first need the steel and I realize the guy who is going to get me the steel is going on for a month's vacation starting at the end of this week. Hence, I made a desperate dash today to pickup steel at the other end of Switzerland before his vacation began.
The trip started off nicely, but clouds quickly closed in, and just as I entered downtown Zurich, I noticed it was looking almost more like evening than lunchtime..the sky was that dark..not a good omen. Next thing I know, my car is being pelted with hail and the streets of Zürich look like they are covered with snow.
I worry about my dings on my hood and roof as well as not having an accident. Luckily, I survive, but have to repeat the process a few more times during the day. I am always wary of hail storms as I remember a student who got killed at my university driving during one. Luckily the actual retrieval of the steel was relatively painless. Now to get it cut..that is tomorrow's wild trip ;) 
