The Flood

I spoke too soon.

The rain started again on Sunday night and lashed down in almost Biblical proportions for 2 days and nights. Here is our street on Tuesday morning.

My friend, Anne, had to give her kids fireman's lifts across the deluge to get out of her house. Luckily she's a northern Irish lass and comes equipped with wellies and waterproofs - things which are nigh on impossible to find in Bahrain when needs must. I know; I tried.

And, of course, most Bahrainis aren't good at driving in rain. Motorways became lethal as locals adopted even more dangerous driving habits than normal, vacillating between racing madly with no headlights and scant regard for deep surface water and dropping to almost snail's pace with hazards flashing causing pile-ups from behind. There have been more than 500 reported road accidents in the last three days and traffic authorities have had to recall staff from holidays to handle the chaos.

Still, the constant downpour and accompanying mud and dirt all over (and inside) the car (and house), the frizzy hair, the running mascara and damp clothes have all made me feel quite at home again!