Don't rain on my festival

The only session I booked for today at the Sydney Writers Festival was Michael Frayn: On Fiction; a discussion with the playwright and author about his novels.

Taking our seats in the Roslyn Packer Theatre

It was a late afternoon session and very entertaining it was too.

Ending at 5.30pm I had thirty minutes before the nearby bus stops would be closed for the opening night of Vivid Light, Music and Ideas Festival commencing at 6pm. If I missed that cut off time I faced a long walk up town (or is it down town?) to the temporary bus terminals.

I reached the bus stop at 5.55pm just as the heavens opened with heavy rain. The last buses before the cut off were queued and in grid lock as the special road clearways and closures for Vivid came into effect.

The journey home was more than three times the usual duration. The combination of special event arrangements and rain combining to frustrate everyone.

Vivid is a terrific Festival but its impact on movement through and around the CBD is profound.