Coz when the minutes seem like hours and the hours seem like days
Then a week goes by you know it takes my breath away
All the minutes in the world could never take your place
There’s one-thousand-four-hundred-forty hours in my dayHanson
I’ve been struggling to adjust with my new life. As in, life in reality, the one I have to see myself living long term. Not the beautiful life in 2-weeks Kashmir-India trip. The ironic fact is that I had only 3 days gap after returning from India to prepare myself for the job. It was hardly gaps even, as we were busy with my parents who came over to KL to see the apartment they bought, and as a result, surprisingly, I started my new job without any single new shopping, leaving me without a pair of proper office shoes. Heck, when was the last time I even owned a pair of office shoes? =,= It seems like I’ve lived as a student for all my life, even it wasnt that easy to feel the mood of going back to work, after 2+ years leaving it.
The new company I’m working now isnt as big as the place I used to work before. It’s located somewhere in USJ and with less than 10 people. As much as I’m okay with the people and job, the traveling time is totally nuts! We’re talking about after-work hours that it would take you 2 hours driving in the insanely congested Federal Highway to reach home at 20km away! 2 hours!!! T_T
The going route, on the other hand, is fine. I can reach office in just 30 minutes, given I have to leave before 6.50am to reach before 7.30. Although I start at 8.30, but thats the safest time to avoid heavy traffic. And we have plenty time to have breakfast and relax first. Oh yeah, Az comes with me almost everyday and he does his work in masjid nearby. Not that I am no longer an independent superwoman who-can-do-everything-by-my-own once I got married, but until I’m totally adjusted with this kind of life, I hate having to wait one hour before office start, and driving 2 hours to get home, alone. I’ve tried the komuter and bus, and am thinking to stick to it. Although it doesnt help me to reach home any earlier, but at least it’s not as stressful as driving in crazy traffic for 2 hours! And I dont have to drag Az along everyday again.
I know I cant complain as things wont be any different, but for past 2 weeks, I’ve been living a life like this, and it might sound nothing unusual to many out there, but I’m keeping a hope to escape. Somehow.
Currently in hot Agra, after spending 2 days (+1) in Delhi, 1 day in Amritsar and 5 freezing days in Kashmir. Going home on Sunday,.
Taj Mahal is surely pretty, but Agra isn’t our most favorite place here. The best days we had were in Kashmir. Watching sunset from shikara on majestic Dal Lake, playing snow in Gulmarg, walking in a quiet countryside in Pahalgam, staying in exotic houseboats in Srinagar (please check Butt’s Clermont Houseboat) I will surely be having endless stuff and photos to share. Later.
1) New Delhi – Amritsar 448 km
AC Chair Car (CC) Day trip Rs.1262 (with meal :D)
2) Amritsar – Jammu 206 km
AC 2 Tier (2A) Night trip Rs.910
3) Jammu – New Delhi 577 km
AC 2 Tier (2A) Night trip Rs.1855
4) New Delhi – Agra 195 km
AC 2 Tier (2A) Day trip Rs.930
5) Agra – New Delhi Nizamuddin 187 km
Sleeper (SL) Day trip Rs.305
Thanks to Farah who recommends Cleartip.com for hassle-free Indian train booking, when Az & I were almost giving up with IRCTC website that treats all their visitors as Indian citizens =.= (I mean, filling up Indian address and Indian phone number IS required, and also, what’s with the long list of Indian bank and payment gateways I have to choose when I want to make payment with a foreign credit card?).
Anyway. Cleartip.com has a tiny small charge but almost ignorable. When the standard-comfortable class train fares (2AC) arent very cheap either, I still am amazed that the total railway journey spanning 1613 km only costs Rs.5262 equal RM356 for two!
We’ve been studying Indian trains like its classes and types from several websites and forums, and also from Manu (my old penpal whom we’ll be meeting in Amritsar yeay!) but this is one quick guide if you want to get to know this epic Indian trains :)
In case you’ve been thinking that I have officially closed ilyani.net once I got married.
It’s been more than a month seeing myself as a wife to Az, I am surprised with myself that I managed to abandon my blog for this long. I wanted to give an update from the very wedding day, but kept forgetting (read: procrastinating) and weeks passed by with so many events happening I could no longer catch them in track and it now seems almost impossible to write every single thing from the beginning.
Among the reasons, well, was the final departure of our beloved grandmother (whom we fondly called Cik), exactly 2 weeks after seeing her all healthy, smiling ear-to-ear during my wedding meeting relatives and guests. And imagine one day Az and I were having a day out with her, eating pizza and such, and week later seeing her warded in ICU, unconscious, and simply a few days later, a news that this only grandma I’ve ever got, has eventually passed away. It happened so fast, unexpected and drastic. Needless to say within a few weeks with my wedding. The twist of life has put me into a deep confusion I no longer had any idea how I could write happy stuff and put all smiling wedding pics in this blog in those days, however much I had planned to do so even before the wedding.
Anyways. Sad story aside, I have been living in KL for a couple of weeks now, attending some interviews. I only managed to start applying job once the wedding thingy was over. Believe me, it’s tiring. Thanks goodness that the reception at Az’s house will only be in May (note: in Malay culture there usually will be two wedding receptions, one is bride’s – this is also when the marriage solemnization takes place; and another at the groom’s, usually held a few days to a few weeks after the bride’s reception) otherwise it’d be too hectic for another immediate event. In between me seeking a job, adjusting in being a housewife, we’re now finalizing our India trip plan. So many things, so little time.. *happy sigh*
Right now we’re in PJ Community Library, me studying some thick computer books for tomorrow’s interview, and Az with his work (at this point of time I love the fact that my husband is a freelancer as he can follow me like everywhere :P).
No wedding picture in this post yet. Maybe next post. Heck, I havent even got time to sort the album as yet. Only one pic in my Facebook if you like. Only one, yep.