Jakarta, day 1

Yeah, I know I’m skipping like the entire Singapore stay, but I just can’t bothered right not to recap everything that’s happened thus far. But don’t worry, I have at least written stuff down in my log so that I will be able to remember it at a later time (or more likely, be reminded of what I’ve forgotten), and hopefully write a post about it then.

Yesterday was a very interesting day. I arrived in Jakarta a little to nine in the morning, and immigration was the most dreary (and costly, 25 USD for Visa on Arrival) thus far. It took about an hour and a half to get into the country, and then just as long to wait for the bus and go with it into town. Something I immidiately noticed that I didn’t miss in Singapore, was people trying to hawk you their transportation services, or just hawk something in general. Though people did at least show me in the right direction when I said I wanted to take the bus! Anyhow, a fairly slow and uneventful bus ride later, I arrive at Gambir station only to realize that I’ve forgotten to write down my host’s number that I was supposed to text upon arrival. So I go off searching for internet, and thankfully enough find a cafe inside the station with wifi (which didn’t work for me for some reason) and two computers that I could use. My host arrived a little later, and together we drove around central Jakarta for a bit showing me what few things that there apparently are to see (according to my host at least), including the national monument (like a huge stone torch more or less) which had such a long queue (I haven’t seen a queue like that since the Eiffel Tower) that we just didn’t bother and went for lunch instead in one of the numerous malls (seriously, shopping really is the favorite past-time of Asians, because I have never seen so many malls since I came to Bangkok/Singapore/Jakarta), in this case like the most central and largest one here.

Food was really good (continuing my food experience of having something new every meal since I arrived), but by this time the sleepless night at the airport was taking its toll on me and I was more or less falling asleep as we sat by the table. So we went to my host’s apartment and after a cold shower (no hot water, so much like in Bangkok, but it was still amazingly cold for being 30+ degrees outdoors) I slept for two-three hours before it was time to meet up with the Indonesian girl from CouchSurfing who wanted to join me for the hike to Gunung Gede national park. We were to meet at the same mall that me and my host (Anton) had lunch in, and I was sent there on a motorbike. I have to say, that was the scariest and most near-death experience I have yet had since arriving in Southeast Asia. Zig-zagging through insane traffic (at least at bad as Bangkok, if not actually even a little worse) with millimeters on either side to the countless cars, trucks, buses and other motor bikes and nothing but a small metal rail behind my back to hold on to was petrifying yet strangely exhilarating.

I managed to find the right place though, and we (Kety and I) both reached the conclusion that we knew more or less nothing about if and where you can sleep in or around the national park, or if and where you can eat, so we will simply leave today at 15 for the park, in order to find out as much as possible about it, and then dealing with the situation then and there. Later my Indonesian friend Hanny (whom I know from CouchSurfing since some 8 months back, and who was in fact the main reason I came to this place) joined us together with one of her own friends (who apparently is learning Swedish and wants to come here), and it was really great meeting this person (i.e. Hanny) who regularly is just typing on the other side of the computer screen. It was a really nice evening anyhow, and Hanny’s friend Didi was kind enough do drive me back to my Anton’s apartment (who was out meeting some friends of his own), which I never ever would have found without being driven there. I had a hard enough time finding the right apartment in the building complex once I’d actually been dropped off here. I actually forgot to get a map of Jakarta on the airport, and now I realize this was a huge mistake, as I am more or less completely blind when it comes to getting around. Add to this an in general non-English-speaking population, and you realize how this is an issue. But, I’ve got instructions on how to get to the train station from which we will go to Bogor (town near Gunung Gede), so hopefully this will be fine. I’m really grateful Kety is joining me for the hike though, as I most likely would not have bee able to go otherwise due to the language barrier.

Alright, time to head off for some brunch, and then it’s off to the train station (hopefully not getting lost, but I’m going early in case I do). Wish me luck for the hike! Internet access will likely be patchy, so don’t expect any updates until Thursday.

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~ by koeus on June 22, 2010.