Last time I was to come to Indonesia, I had to postpone my trip by a few days since one of my pre-marital ceremonies, the lover boy's birthday and his thread ceremony all were during that same week. The very same floor for which I was booked in the Marriot was blown up in a bomb blast. Had I not postponed my trip I would have died. Scary.

This month during my second visit while I was in a meeting, suddenly I looked up to notice that the Operations Head of my client's team was under her desk. I must say I love Indonesian people for their little quirks but this was a little too much so I yelled at her saying "Hey is that a new operatinal process?" to which she replied "NO! this is an earhtquake". Holy smoke! Only then did I realise the tremors, my foundation is too strong and my weight too much , you can't easily shake me.

Within seconds we were evacuating the building, coming down from the 12th floor by stairs. There was a pregnant lady right in front of me so there was no running and people respected her speed and didn't panic. By the time we reached the 8th floor the tremors were still strong and the building swayed merrily. We noticed paint cracking on the walls of the under construction building we were in. Thats it. Thats when I choked knowing I would be dying for sure in that massive glass house.

So what do you think would be your last thoughts if you knew you were gonna die? Would you think of your family? Your lover? Would you be thinking of God? I don't know, but the first thought that came to my mind was 'My God, the many hajaar rupees Lehenga that I have bought for my wedding reception would go waste now.' Talk about being loony. Well the next I am calculating my life Insurance amount and wondering if natural calamity is covered by my policies *Notes down: Check your bloody policies woman! *

By the time I reached the ground floor I had calculated the amount, I had to just add the sum assured in the two policies I hold, but with the world trembling under my feet it took a very long time to do that :). When we were standing in the emergency assembly area we could still feel the earth trembling under us. I wondered if it was a figment of my imagination but people around confirmed the ground still grumbled. I have been told this was the longest the tremors have lasted in a very very long time.

Once it all settled down and I was back in my hotel room on the 31st floor in the very comfortable Mulia Senayan, I wondered how would I ever get down to some safe level if something were to happen again. My knees buclked up thinking of the tremors * phew* For now it is business as usual. But what is it with Indonesia? It's a nice place. The people are slow and easy, generally very peaceful. So why is it that every visit of mine is marked by life threathing events such as bomb blasts or earthquakes? I think that by the time this project goes live I will surely die in one of such incidents and my lovely lehenga would indeed be wasted * sobbing meekly*