I have accepted that this is a week that will have to be written off in the interest of regaining my sanity and in order to be well equipped to deal with the upcoming one.

I didn’t get around to doing all that I had planned to do, but I’m feeling better about being distracted from work. I have been looking at our pick of honeymoon destination, though, (a country and city neither of us have been to) and getting all excited about that bit of holiday time we’ll have.

People ask me how the wedding planning is coming along, and excuse me, but er, what wedding planning? Apparently, you’re supposed to read bridal magazines, and get beauty treatments three months in advance, and argue about the color of the flowers, and obsess over the embroidery and heaviness of the lehenga, and change your mind constantly regarding the selection of the menu. Sheesh, come on people, it’s just a wedding! I’m not too bothered about any of it, which is why I get to keep my mental health.

The only thing I am worried about and obsessing over is the paperwork, both in India and England, that Sam and I will have to file to legalize our marriage in both countries. Sam’s really looking forward to this part– he’ll become a PIO, a Person of Indian Origin (don’t ask how that makes any sense), which means he’ll have all the rights of an Indian citizen, except the right to vote. I half suspect he’s marrying me simply so that he can get into the Taj Mahal for Rs 10, as opposed to the Rs 750 entry fee foreigners have to pay (and mocking the security guards on his way in).

But while my country’s going to be bestowing great honor on my new husband, his country’s not being as kind to me. Since I don’t plan to live there or give up my Indian citizenship, we’re off to see lawyers to figure out what rights I do have as the wife of a British citizen. (I’d be happy if they just let me in occasionally.)

Argh. I’d trade this paperwork and legalese for wedding planning any day.