Nomadic Existence

The weekend was pretty good. Went to Akak's on Saturday to spend the night which necessitated me taking various modes of transportation before reaching her place. Babysat the kiddies, had steamboat for Saturday Night dinner, crabs included. Mummy and Abah came to visit Akak too Yesterday, no doubt to check on me too! They also brought crab cooked in coconut milk [ketam masak lemak]. Yum yum yummy! And as the King of Fruits, durian, has never looked so fresh, fleshy, irresistible and tempting, I bought some at Jusco and later Tesco. Was sorely tempted to buy it last week but I can't buy the whole fruit, 'cause superhuman strength would be needed to pry it open and I'll probably just end up mutilating the fruit in my unsuccessful hacking attempts. So all in all, it was a successful 'increase-thy-weight' weekend - I'm normally a semi-vegetarian at My Own Private Idaho.

There's this new travel alert for those flying to the UK and fr UK to the US. Will be travelling myself next weekend but not to either UK or USA for a week of study trip so should not be affected, insyaAllah. Was trying to wriggle out of it but to no avail. I'm not too thrilled that my first port of arrival is coded BOM and yes, the city was bombed recently too. Am quite worried about the hygiene there to be honest. Thus not too looking forward to this trip. Couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry when my boss told it to me. But Adek will try to make the best out of it. Must be optimistic and inject some enthusiasm eh! Must console myself that at least am travelling to some exotic place with expenses paid for.

I haven't yet decided what to bring for this trip, will have to sit down and draw out a list later. Work clothes and shoes are a definite must besides casual outfits and practical walking footwear so my duffle Samsonite might be practical after all [was earlier thinking it's wayyy too big but perhaps not]. And as usual, before any trip, official or personal, I must prepare a list of some sort to inform my parents of where I'll be on any given day - this list covers airports, check-in and check-out dates at hotels etc - in short, my movement during the trip. Might as well fix a GPS on meself me thinks.

But before the trip, I have this event next week, in which I'm heavily involved. Can't abdicate my role no matter how much I want to [so like it or not, must work extra hard and longer hours, especially with our little Unit being short of a staff]. I can't wait to get this event and the trip out of the way and can't wait for my colleague to come back from her maternity leave too [but the sooner they get done also means the sooner it'd be for the Big Bang move to new departments]. Anyway, back to this event: I would need to camp at the hotel where the event will take place for two nights. Another round of packing in the overnight case again for this nomad.

I wonder if I'm supposed to feel this way for good. Belonging neither here nor there, hardly ever fitting in, Always on the outside looking in. But even Socrates said, 'I am not an Athenian or a Greek, I am a citizen of the world.' And so I suppose Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home).