It was a dark and stormy night ...



Eleven pm, Thursday night. I had just eaten more pizza than any sane human should even attempt, had hair all a-frizz from being too lazy to dry it, and was bored on the internet.

THEN THE ELECTRIC WENT OUT.

We thought it might be drunks acting the maggot, especially when we saw people running in and out of reception. It was pretty freaky because the only light came from our laptops and we’re all pretty hysterical people at the best of times. When we rang the warden, he said the power was gone because the basement had flooded. The rain this week broke all records, so that made sense. I was happy to go to bed and wake up to a fixed world in the morning.

Then my flatmate said: "OUR CARS."

We ran out in the torrential rain in our pyjamas to find that the underground carpark was already two feet deep in water. Which we had to wade through to drive our cars out. The barrier, being electric, wouldn't rise, so the wardens and a few helpfully violent volunteers hacked at it till it broke. So far, so good - we planned to drive them into the street.

WHICH WAS NOW A RIVER.

Eventually, a bevy of tractors towed our cars into the complex courtyard. We stood around for ages in shock. There were no house lights, just really eerie reflections of the streetlamps on what used to be the pavements and road. The water rose super-fast; within a couple of hours the underground carpark was filled up to road level. Two cars were left in there and for all I know are still floating. The laundry, with all the washing machines, and the computer lab - gone. All the student accoms were similiarly hit, as was a brand new college building on the same road.


Thursday night.


The view from my window, Friday morning.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.

Friday was Med Ball. The ball went ahead despite all of this. My appointments in town to get my hair and makeup done at Toni & Guy and Mac were, quite literally, a washout. I managed to reschedule in another part of the city that, by virtue of being on higher ground, was flood free. We were supposed to be evacuated by the army at eleven am. Half eleven came and went with no army. I decided I'd simply have to walk to a point where my mom could collect me and drive me to get my hair done. (Yes, this was in fact my main thought when my apartment block was flooded and my car possibly a write off. Sue me, I'm shallow.)

SO I DID.

Four feet of filthy, scummy, sewerage-stained, FREEZING COLD water. I waded through it with my ball dress in a backpack and my laptop held over my head.

I made it in the end. I was not at all impressed with my makeup and my hair was shocking - PETER MARK SUCKS; BE TOLD. The night itself was a bit of a disaster; the less said the better. Still, you guys. Four feet of water. I think I deserve an award - although what I'll probably GET is pneumonia.


A superlatively bad camera phone pic. Hopefully facebook will yield some full-length shots of my dress - I was planning to charge my digital camera Thursday night...

I also managed to rescue my car today, so all’s well that ends well.