A Quick Break

What crazy weeks. I had to go to Langkawi for an interview last last Thursday, so on Wednesday I worked like mad to finish my paperwork right up to the last minute, knowing that I would be away for one, possibly two days. There I was, typing my submission right up to the last minute; I made a quick phone call to a friend for a photocopy of reference and went to get it at about five, my submissions ready in print, quickly rushed down the corner to a photocopy centre to have it duplicated and bound, rushed further down the road to courier it down, and, family in tow (having dumped a couple of pieces of clothes in the overnight bag) went to fill up the gas, and shot, just ten minutes to six, to Kuala Kedah via the highway, hoping and (weirdly, believing) that i would make it in time for the last ferry to Langkawi.
Of course I made it. (Never underestimate the power of believing.. hahaha) So in to the last ferry we went, my son (of course I cannot leave him out of a trip to an island!!), my mom (why not have a holiday!) and my brother (right hand man whenever he is having his semester break). We arrived at 8.20p.m. and got to the rented car which I had pre-arranged. Another dear friend had mercifully sms-ed me the number to the beach-motel I had booked but forgotten to keep - and the phone was ringing endlessly on the other end. Perhaps the owners had gone to bed already, seeing that it was, by then, almost ten.
Not one to worry (hah!), I took my family around Kuah town, noting down the various possible places to stay. We bought our dinner, and mercifully then, the motel-owner answered my umpteenth call. We were set to the beach side.
The next morning while I went for the interview, my brother, mom and son went to the park and the beach. The interview did not quite go as initially scheduled, and I finished well into the afternoon. I had to go to Kangar the next day for a couple of matters, and at my son's prompt, we stayed another night at Langkawi, thinking that it would make less sense to return to Sg. Petani and then drive to Kangar again the following day. A stay at an island is never complete if it doesn't entail swimming in the sea .. and so at half past six the next morning we went to the beach. My soul felt invigorated!

At noon we left for the mainland, and drove further down to Kangar. Late that night, we were back in Sungai Petani.

Monday came sooner than expected - after my engagement in Butterworth that morning, I took the train to KL. Arrived at 6.30am and went to my room to change clothes and get ready for the day. Later that afternoon I was in the uni in Gombak to key in the final exam results of my my students, and it wasn't till well after Maghrib that I was back in my room, got my laptop and went to the bus station. I was back in Sg. Petani the next day. I had to work fast, and that evening again I was back on a bus to KL. I attended to my matters in KL, paid a visit to my friend at her office, exchanged some letters and took another bus home. It was Thursday night.
I checked my diary and made entries for appointments and tasks on my mobile, and by the time I arrived I had my schedule aligned. There was only Friday left to work on, and at six on Friday, after my last appointment with a client I packed my family into the car and we went to the new place. Lallang-ridden as it was, Saturday and Sunday was spent weeding, or as I put it to my friend who called while I was there, "Projek Tanaman Lalang Setempat'. My son love the place, as do I, it being peaceful and uncluttered (unlike the home-office!). A day spent there, seems like a holiday all over again.

Taking in every minute, and living life to the fullest! Things would not be the same though, if I didn't have the company of all the wonderful people who are there everywhere I go.

(c)raosuryana 2007-2008