Not one to venture out when the weather is so bad, a 9.30am appointment in Gzira saw me leaving at 8.15 thinking this would suffice. Wrong.  I reached the Mosta Subaru roundabout with no problem but then hit the white-water rafting section. Water was everywhere with a highly confused swell as yet more run off rain joined the main river. This was one of those times when a UK upbringing comes in useful as without the ability to drive in floods one would not drive at all.

We are taught to tackle deep water in first gear with revs around 3000 but judging by the number of abandoned vehicles this is not the case in Malta. After 20 minutes, having moved about 30 yards, I was rewarded with a fine head of steam emerging from the bonnet. Mildly off-putting but with perseverence I reached the Birkirkara Bypass after about 40 minutes. Two manholes by the Lija Government flats displayed fountains two foot high, proving challenging to Mosta bound traffic. Every time large trucks or buses passed on the other side our cars were swamped by spray. To call the experience surreal would be an understatement.

Once upon the Bypass I made better time only to have to go down from University to Msida where I again hit kayak conditions. I made my appointment only ten minutes late which was quite an achievement.

A handyman/gardener I used was also employed with the PWD as a JCB driver. He had worked in Valley Road, Msida and told me they had found wide and deep culverts either side of the road. These were old, presumably from the time of the Knights, and designed to take all flood waters straight down to the sea at Msida. Why, in our wisdom, did we cover them up ?

Our home is part of an ancient farm, lying between Main Street and St Anthony Street in Mosta, and running the entire length of the roads. It was formed across the natural water course and the run off from Naxxar irrigated the series of fields before ending up in Mosta valley. The PA decided to allow garages to be built thus blocking the water course and diverting it through our farmhouse. I have made arrangements so this no longer occurs but now MEPA have passed a development in the field next door which will destroy an ancient cistern holding around a million gallons.

Surely in this day and age we could apply a little more common sense and thus save more of this commodity as it appears that 90% of our precious rain ends up in the sea?