India 2012

Was in India for about a week. Came back the day after Diwali. Main reason I went was to accompany mom coz she had some things to buy, she told me. We ended up coming back with five huge luggage bags ALL of which were overweight (Not to mention the one bag we had no choice but to leave behind at the airport and have it sent to KL). Nothing a few thousand rupees can't do though.

Trip was only so-so for me. I fell sick three days into my so-called holiday due to the lack of sleep the whole week before; thanks to my mid term exams.

I left JB on a Wednesday night to KL. My flight out was supposed to be at ten but it got delayed and we were held back by nearly two hours. I had only gotten two hours of sleep that morning and a couple of hours of sleep all the other days before. I thought once mom and I reached the hotel in India I could make up for all that lost sleep but boy was I ever wrong.

So.

I reached LCCT at around one in the morning. Mom was already waiting for me. We checked into Tune, repacked, washed up and left for the airport again at about three thirty. Our flight out to Chennai was at six in the morning. We reached India at around nine something local Indian time. I was knackered. As soon as we washed up and had a bite to eat, the shopping began. My God.

We stayed at the Hotel President and Towers (located on Radakrishna Salai) for three days. Beautiful hotel. It's a very old one, apparently, but has recently been refurbished and looks brand new. Four star. Food was fantastic. Staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful. Service was remarkable. We were very impressed. And to top it all off, it was just a two minute walk from one of the malls in the heart of the city. Mom was thrilled.

After our three days there, we checked into Courtyard by Marriott (located on Mount Road). Very classy, very classic but would you believe it. It didn't really come close to the first hotel we stayed in. Service was good, no doubt, but not as warm and a lot of basic necessities weren't provided until and unless you asked. Food was very good though. Staff were pleasant. We were even given a complimentary tiffin the morning we left for the airport. However, unlike President, it wasn't conveniently located. Yes, places were close by but you couldn't walk. You had to take an auto.

Unfortunately for me, I fell really sick that very day we checked into Marriott so it felt like my holiday had been cut a little short. Very high fever, very bad chills. I was shaking so much I thought I was gonna get fits. Fever was there continuously for about four days. Even with medication it didn't subside. And because of all the rides on the auto, the dust got to me and I had another bout of wheezing. It was terrible. Also had very bad back pain. Lol all this at twenty. I can't imagine what I'll be like another twenty years from now. Doctor had advised me to go for an MRI but we didn't have time to do it there so I came back and saw a specialist here instead. Turns out it's a lumbar strain. I've been having pain in my lower back since the beginning of the year but because of all the weight I had to help carry during our trip it aggravated everything and made it worse. Was even bed-ridden for two whole days. So no more heavy weights, nothing.

Couple of perks of this trip include the fact that I got to meet Rajinikanth's daughter, Aishwarya, when mom and I were at the jewellers. She's extremely fair and was in a pretty saree. Quite friendly. And I was introduced to some guys (or young men or lads or blokes or whatever you wish to call it). My aunt's cunning little plan >:( Though I must say they were all very good looking, spoke excellent English and loved what they were doing.

Only got to spend three days back home in Ipoh. Didn't spend much time with daddy, either. Fever went down the day after I got back. It's been a week now and I'm still recovering. My ears are still blocked and my wheezing is still there.

The joy of being asthmatic.

On the whole, though, mom managed to buy everything she wanted. I got some new tops and suits as well. And my very first saree! Quite daunting, in a way. Feels like I've grown up so quickly. Too quickly.

Didn't manage to take too many pictures but here are the few that I did take anyway.