Jakarta oh Jakarta

Sunny days, free and easier motoring through Jakarta, helpful staff in stores and malls, fewer buses can only mean one thing. It can't last. The Jakarta quickly described is to me as rare as a glimpse of the mountains to the south of the city from Gambir railway station (next to Monas). A rare and beautiful thing.

Mountains from Gambir Railway Station, November 2010, well just but they were visible.

So Pulang Mudik has happened, the newspapers are reporting an increase in traffic fatalities through this years mass travel home to 345 people and at least 8 million are travelling back to their home towns and villages across the vastness of the country (sources the The Jakarta Post), not including the mass exodus of the rich who without maids and drivers are forced to holiday overseas rather than wash up or do cleaning themselves. Finally with everyone preparing to end Ramadhan and celebrate Eid, the government gave the information that there was to be one more day of fasting which seemed to cause some disagreement and confusion between some Islamic leaders here but there we go. Highlights of the news through the mass travel home have to be the hijacked train into Jakarta, The local bullies, the FPI making a TV station change it's programming and the fact an estimated 2 billion sms's will sent over the holidays. 

So never dull here and with the fact that the fasting is nearly over and maids, drivers and families have returned to their homes means the city is rather empty of people and traffic although the malls are full of lost souls, looking for something to do, eat, buy, see etc

All the pictures could represent how I see people in the mall wandering around... There has to be some similarities if you just think about it. And the last picture looks like the car park at Central Park!!!

Well zombies aside, actually there is not many other places to go in the city during the week let alone during this holiday or lebaran, it just takes less time to get there at the moment. I am doing well, I have been to only 1 mall so far this holiday. 

Mind having really bad food poisoning at the start of the holiday does seem to slow you down as in you dont need to be far from a toilet and whilst I am almost over it, I would be lost without my fiance, norit (highly recommend that stuff), panadol fever tablets, Orange water, Pocari sweat and finally, Burger King. After a few days of eating little and drinking lots there is nothing like a double whopper with cheese to stuff the body back up with fat, protein and all things good and maybe it does not do any actual good but mentally it makes me feel better so why not. 

The weathermen keep threatening rain in the city and so far apart from a strong breeze, lots of cloud in the afternoon and strong hazy sunshine there is no sign of rain, I know it is coming and it will be good when it does but I will be careful for what I wish for as whilst it will make the place greener and the air less dusty it will no doubt cause chaos and misery for some, especially this weekend coming as the 8 million or so that left the city will be all be coming back at once as well.

This year like the last, I have made no plans, no travel arrangement and have no intention to venture outside of the city or anywhere too exciting, it seems to work better that way although I could do with some beach time but that can wait until November and by then I will be truly ready for it .

Some borrowed photos of Mudik....

I will assume waiting for a ferry

Sumatra

Looks far too familiar

A family of 4 plus luggage maybe gifts going home

Finally I wish everyone a happy Eid 2012  or Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri 1432 :)