I'm jealous.

I left the house saying "YAY! warm weather!" and didn't take a jacket. Now, of course, being Melbourne, it's bucketing with rain.

I'm going to get soaked going home from work.

I'd recommend for you soaking a facewasher and lying it on your forehead and or feet. Simple, but effective.

Yeah, after a shorter-than-normal winter here, we are basking in positively summery weather (expecting 27-30 over the weekend).

If you are suffering from 30^o "dry heat" you aren't suffering at all - imagine what it's like for us up north, where those temperatures invariably mean about 90% humidity. Maybe thinking of us will make you feel cooler ...

Yeah, you're lucky it's a dry heat: the cool wet cloth idea will work. Also, take a cool shower before getting into bed and stay hydrated.

One wonderful trick that I learned when living in India (46°C+ during hot season): drink HOT liquids. I know, seems counter-intuitive, but it really helps. You may be extra toasty when you're drinking it, but afterwards: bliss. Drinking cold liquids will actually make you feel hotter: your body's core temperature drops, and makes an effort to heat you back up.

Now I'm off to make a cup of hot tea and put on wool socks. English fall. Sigh.

Yer, I was in Brisbane in September last year and it was 32 and that was really warm for September - then we stayed in Singapore on the way back to London and it was even more hot and humid. But we stayed at Raffles, so we survived :).

My tips for beating the heat:
1. Buy a baby pool. Set it up in your backyard if there's a breeze, on your back deck or in your living room (only really advisable if you have wood floors. NOT RECOMMENDED for carpet or if your floor won't sustain the weight). I spent many a night watching TV in the pool, and hosted a birthday party in one.
2. Sleep nekkid with a sheet only, preferably on a back deck. If you must sleep inside, lose the sheet.
3. You can peg a wet towel over the fan for a DIY evaporative cooler, but make sure it's not dripping.
4. Close blinds and curtains where the window is facing the sun.
5. A cool shower is a good idea in a dry heat, but not humidity.

We've had a piss-poor summer in London, only a couple of weeks of heat and/or sun - and a very mild winter before that. Weather's been pretty screwy lately.