September Rain

It's raining again. The past few days, KL has been the recipient of bountiful rain, though in this valley, that's not always good news. Rivers, canals and drains are going the way of the burgeoning budget deficit, sudden downpour causing flashfloods in the city.

This is also the month of Ramadan, the fasting month in the Muslim calendar. Offices close early and Muslim staff make a beeline for their suburban homes in one mad throng every evening, starting from around 4pm.

KL is stressed to the limit. Gridlock has taken on a new shade of meaning on KL roads. Cars are literally locked in a grid, not moving as yellow boxes are jammed and vehicles are trapped. Traffic police are always a welcomed sight to help direct traffic - but they too pack up and leave at 6:30pm sharp. It is a job after all. They also need to rush home to buka puasa, or "break fast".

We, the motorists, have it real bad. I have been trapped in a vehicle for two hours just trying to get out of KL. And if you compare notes, that is not the worse that can happen.

My three sons have been acclimatised to our traffic conditions. They know that if it rains, mommy is likely to be late picking them up due to traffic jams. They have been reassured, time and again, that there is no need to panic. Mummy WILL come.

Nevertheless, I have been leaving earlier from the house these days in anticipation of the jams. It does mean more travelling time on the road and a daily test of patience. But, never mind, patience is a virtue after all. Just listen to the i-pod-lor and think about the next blog post to write!