Icy cold

Been facing some really chilly winter this time in UK. The temperature is sizzling at -4 everyday and the sun is a mere bleak of yellow dot above the horizon. I never liked cold and can't bear the low temperatures very well...and this time of the year is a maniac for me. the cold snap started two weeks ago and for full three days I was snow locked inside the house. thank god for the flexibility of working from home otherwise I would have been stuck in cold for hours.

Last week took a bus from Leeds office to home in moortown which usually takes 1 hours 15 minutes door to door. the snow started falling and suddenly infront of my eyes the roads were jammed with vehicles. Everyone wanted to get home that day and everyone had cars...so everyone came on the road and then the snow added the icing on the jam cake.....i was stuck in the bus for three hours from Leeds city centre to Moortown. From my office in Armley to Leeds city centre, it took me 2 hours......I was cold, tired, frustrated and numb....didn't even have the energy to curse someone.

I came across stranded vehicles, bus driver kindness, moaning, snowfall all in one journey. When the snow falls, it has the ability to make everything white and fluffy and snowy...of course snowy because its snow but then its just beautiful....totally breathtaking and serene. We had some days in Leeds when it was snowing and the sun was shining as well....the entire set up looked like that of a film set.....very fairy tale version of things.....

I recently learned how to protect your self from the bitter cold, thanks to one of the colleagues in the offices. She suggested to wrap myself in three layers at least and get some mandatory thermals which I promptly did. Thank god I did....as they really work wonders. I am now eyeing some ski wear which I can get during the Christmas sales which will protect me further from the cold.

On one of the snowy evenings, we had some mandatory shopping to do and we car pooled with our friends and elderly neighbour to go shopping together. It was a fun ride....My neighbour kept us entertained and friends got a ride to the supermarket in the car. They were very sweet to treate us with Gujarati food when we returned from the shopping.

Christmas time is excellent time to do some window shopping. I love the decorations and the festivity around shops and people. The entire country is like a christmas gift. There are new menus in the restaurants, new collection, lovely and colourful gift sets and wrapping papers, beautiful baubles and decorations...totally and completely christmasy...... Though I will be spending the Christmas in Jaipur, India I will definitely miss the charm of Christmas in UK.