Did Anyone Pack An Inflatable Ark?

Well, my first outing to this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival was memorable…

Of course, they always are, but not usually because of the weather. There I was, with 600 other people, avidly listening to Kate Atkinson being interviewed by Lee Randall, when the thunder started; in the middle distance at first, but steadily drawing nearer. Then the rain began. And the lightning flashed and the thunder and rain both got louder and louder and louder, until Kate and Lee gave up trying to make themselves heard and we all sat, mesmerised, waiting for the tent to float away, or perhaps cave in on us.

Enter Nick Barley, festival director, dripping gently, to announce that all the electrics would have to be switched off due to the proximity of lightning. A few seconds later, the lights went out and we sat there, trying to find the torch function on our mobile phones, wondering whether to stay in the dark tent or venture out into the wet night.

Eventually we all dribbled out, as the rain moderated, to find Charlotte Square somehow managing to carry on regardless, (except that the events had been suspended). I made for the sanctuary of the yurt to console myself with a glass of wine and wait to see what happened next.

The lights briefly came back on (cue cheering), then went off again (groan). The rain increased to biblical proportions. Trapped in the yurt! Oh no! How dreadful! Would the wine outlast the rain? (Fortunately, yes)

What next, I wonder…

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