h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've just looked out the window and decided I'm going to work in the full head-to-toe waterproof kit and caboodle. I'm not squelching around the office yet another day.

Someone in Margarathea didn't read the design brief properly. When they were told that islands should be surrounded by water, I think they took it to mean *submerged* in the stuff. Perhaps they have the same problems with dodgy manual translations as we have here on Earth.

Ah well. Auf, auf zum Kampf. Up an' at 'em. The only reason I'm sitting writing this is to put off going out the door.

We get really penetrating rain, although we're not quite as in danger of "going under" as your little island. I get kitted up and get on my bike and ride to work laughing. It's so ridiculous, I can't help myself. Not being able to see anything through my glasses tickles me all the more.

I keep a towel and dry socks at work. I may even park a spare pair of shoes for extreme cycling conditions.

You are probably thinking I wrote this in jest - but honestly I didn't!

Long live waterproofs!

We only occasionally get driving rain that hard (we just tend to get it in spurts which flood the houses and roads- not the entire land mass). I hate when I come out of the train station with my umbrella open only to find it's raining sideways and it won't do any good.

You all have my sympathy. Around here, we worry about drought.

Getting home took a lot longer than usual, because you have to time it carefully and only go past puddles when there are gaps in the traffic. The drivers really don't care if they soak you.

They do that in Philadelphia a lot - I think they get extra points for drowning pedestrians.

City of Brotherly Love, huh?

I know what you mean, Mal - it's like one of those old platform games where you have to time your moves just right between the big swinging blades.

In the event it was rainy enough, but not the freak torrents that the Met Office were predicting. We've had rainier this year. Although there was one farmer on the radio who was badly hit. From the way he told it, at least, every last ditch and gully in the Sperrin Mountains jettisoned its water, and it all made a bee-line for his dining room.

Why only his dining room, I'm not 100% sure; I guess it's hungry work!