2011-01-14

Brisbane CBD Deluge Diary: Day 2

Wasn't able to sleep last night but the radio was definitely a great companion when you are stranded alone.
Finally went to bed around 2.30am and set the alarm for 4.30am to check how the highest peak of the flood looked like.
Woke up to find that it wasn't that bad.

PHEW!!!

The peak was about 90cm lower than the predicted height and you have no idea how much that made things a lot less bad.
If it did hit that height, even Joel's place might have been powered down.
Fortunately for them, their power never got cut throughout the deluge.

Went back to bed immediately after realising that it wasn't that bad.
Woke up around 11am with a brainstorm.
I have gas, I have water, I have a lighter.
So I cooked up all my fish balls and used the remaining water to cook a package of instant noodles.
Something I never would've done without thinking about conserving water.
I also used the water used to rinse bowls to help flush the toilets.
Water conservation was definitely well in play.

I started with 11 bottles of 1.25L bottles of water and 1 half jug of water in the fridge.
Now looking at my supply, I still have 7.5 bottles of water plus 1/4 jug of water in the fridge.
Not bad for slightly over 1 day, especially when I wasted 1 whole bottle flushing without thinking of using it first.

Around 2pm I decided to go back to my "hibernation" routine only to wake up at 4ish.
I was feeling this breeze on my feet and was surprised.
My first thought was that it probably was a breeze from the outside but it was too constant.
Got up to find the fan working!

YAY!!!

Power was restored.
But I was confused, it was 4pm...when the high tide was supposed to raise the water levels again. How can there be power.
Turned on the radio and found out that the river levels were much lower than expected again.

To make full use of the unknown length of power, I plugged the laptop back to get recharged and also my mobile.
Logged on and got onto Facebook and MSN to let people know that I was safe.
But the power got cut again within 10-15mins...only to be restored again 10-15mins later.
I was wondering whether I should get out of the building via the lifts.
Really didn't want to escape a bad situation only to get stuck in the lifts.

Eventually I decided (after talking to Joel) to leave and grab some dinner.
Long story short, visited Joel's, found out that my lifts were dead again, went for dinner anyways, climbed 19 floors.
Now I am exhausted and getting ready for bed.
Hopefully the lifts can get fixed by tomorrow and I can start receiving friends here who need a little rest, a warm meal and most importantly...power to recharge their devices.

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