Hujan.

Okay. This might come as a big surprise, but I haven't unpacked anything. The boxes and suitcases I shipped are still intact, and the suitcase I brought to London has sort of been gruesomely murdered, the contents of its guts spilling out all over the place. If anything's changed in my room, it's the accumulation of more dirty laundry, and in the absence of a proper laundry bag, they too are spilled out all over the place. The right side of the bed is covered with lumpy pillows, random books, National Geographic magazines and my computer, and there is a path from the door to the bed that is not covered with laundry/ suitcase/ random shoes, and the left side of the bed is where I spend most my time.

The last few days I've done nothing but eat, read, play games and chat with the Girlfriend online, and it's been good.

I've realized though that you cannot not shower in this humid country. You sweat constantly, and the sweat evaporates and mixes with the humid air and just stays in a lovely mist around your nostrils. The max you can go without a shower is 12 hours, and after that you have no-one to blame but yourself for the strange lifeforms sprouting out your armpits.

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My sister and I had big plans to go to Ikea today. I don't know if that's quite happening. It is 4 pm and we're both still in our respective beds. She hasn't left her room much either. And now to top it all off, it is raining.

Hujan (hoo-jahn), the Malay word for rain, is the appropriate response and excuse for anything and everything. Why is there a traffic jam? Hujan. Why are you late for class? Hujan. Why did you miss your own wedding? Hujan. Why did you stay in bed all day? Hujan.

Hujan, hujan, hujan.

I missed Malaysia's hujan. Over here it rains properly, it lasts a respectable while, and it rains a respectable amount. There is rolling thunder, there is some lightning, and the entire country grinds to a halt, as if in awe.. but really it's the flash floods and massive traffic jams.

I can hear my mom downstairs, she must have come home early from work. Why did she come home early? Hujan.

Still, hujan or no hujan, I should go say hello. So, see you next time. Until then, stop stealing the blanket!

Bai!