Day 4

So today got to sleep in a bit (still at Azmeh Baji's). By sleeping in a bit I mean till 9am. Which for me is barely sleeping in.

We ate breakfast together, which was really nice. Just talking and chatting round the table. Azmeh Baji called Dad and made me tell him everything I was up to.... he didn't have anymore to say than I did. No one realises that as a family we function in a quite unique way! Still it was nice to hear his voice.

We then started getting ready and trying to burn some music cds for the car trip at the same time. At which point the electricity went. Can you believe it? The electricity when in CANADA!!! Naveed bhai blamed me.... saying I had brought all this weirdness with me as this had never happened before... I wonder what he meant, I'm not weird! lol

Soooo... that made getting ready interesting as without lights these condos get quite dark. I couldn't iron my clothes.... had to take my shower with the door open so there would be light, had to forgo drying my hair............ the inconvenience!

We finally made it out of the door by 11 am. I was in the backseat with my cousins son, Aarish. Who is so cute (will post pictures soon). He watches the Cars DVD in the car whenever they travel.... both parents know it off by heart and are now resigned to their fate of watching or hearing it for a looooooong time.

We then spent the next 4 or 5 hours house hunting. Naveed bhai and Azmeh baji want to move out of their condo (apartment) and into a real house so Aarish can have a community, and can have space to play and grow. A condo really only allows him to watch TV or mayb play a tiny bit, but the space is limited and the there isnt really much he can do.

In all the 5 hours we only actually saw a couple of houses, but Azmeh Baji said she was so confused having seen so many houses now that she couldnt even remember what she was really looking for anymore! She said maybe it was Allah's plan that I was there so I could help them chose. (Me?!)

Anyway, the houses here look like dolls houses, cut-outs or something, and look as if when you blow on them they will fall down. And it seems like there is only one architect school in Canada cos all the houses look the same, in the same weird style.

But one of the houses we saw was really nice inside, and would suit them very well. They are thinking about it as it ticks all their boxes. So make dua it all works out for them, InshAllah.

After that we went to Niagara falls.... on the way there the weather got progressively worse. By the time we got there, there was a hefty mist and drizzle. But the falls themselves are magnificent and the best word I've found to describe them is hypnotic or maybe mesmerizing. Cos Wallahi you can just stand there and watch the falls forever. In a weird kind of way it is a spiritual experience.

The water doesn't just fall or slide of the edge of the waterfall... but you can see it churning towards it, as if eager to throw itself into oblivion. Tonns of water rushed towards the edge in big fat waves, and plunges in a fast torrent of blue. I could have watched it for ages. I couldnt help imagining that at that point Qadr had been written for me to be there at that particular time, that exact minute, that Allah had ordained those particular drops of water to plunge over the falls at that time I was there. The air was filled with mist and mystery; and I could see why countless generations had found it such a romantic destination. Its a force of nature that reminds you of something profound. No doubt, that thing is something different to every person, something personal.

For me, it almost felt like a renewal of faith and intentions. That like the falls my life too was rushes towards the edge, towards infinity, towards death... who knows what lies on the other side?!

I only spent a few minutes at the falls, and Naveed bhai was asking me if I was sure I had had enough but after seeing them there wasn't much more you could do other than stare at them some longer - which I could have done. But whats the point? At the same time, I wanted to stand there for longer and just contemplate on the magnificence of nature and on Allah's creations. Subhanallah.

After Niagra falls we headed back to Toronto, stopping to watch a Bollywood movie (Tara rum pum - or something!) on the way . SO we finally got home at something like 12.30am. Saniyah and family picked me up on their way home from a mendhi and we came back to theirs. Where me and saniyah stayed up even later (till like 3am) chatting about girly things (which was nice!).

This morning she had to wake up at some ridiculous hour of 5.45am so that she could go and jump out of a plane 3000ft up. Why do people do these things?!?!?