This is my late post on my holiday to Jakarta Indonesia for the first time.
I managed to arrive at Changi terminal quite early as planned since I only took the mrt on the way there. Since it was my first time to take the train as I always took a cab to the airport. Arriving at the airport
I immediately checked in upon reading the tv monitor that the counter was already open. I guess the counter lady which I believe an Indonesian was caught by surprise or just don't know what she was doing. The lady was at a loss she does not know that I was checking for the other flight other than she was checking in that moment. She gave me a wrong boarding pass luckily I review it first before leaving the counter. When I told her about the error she begun talking in Bahasa and talking to me in a language I have little understanding. Puzzled, I told her I don't understand what she was saying, surprised only then that she know I am not an Indonesian, to my horror since she has my passport. She begun asking me questions which I believed she should not be asking, like what I will be doing in Jakarta. I quickly left the counter soon as I have my boarding pass with me. The tv monitor indicates the flight she's checking in, how come she has this confusion? I begun to have second thought if my decision to spend the weekend in Jakarta would be a good idea. Worst was when I was at the Immigration counter at Jakarta and the officer was interrogating me like I was an alien not capable of flying nor has no capacity to come to his country. He was asking me the purpose of my travel, when I told him I'm on a holiday for four days. He asked me if I know someone and where to stay. When I told him I'll be staying in a hotel and showed him the print out of hotel voucher given by agoda, he asked me how much did I pay for the hotel. I told him the amount I paid, he was demanding for a receipt reflecting the amount I just told him. I told him I paid online using credit card and I don't have it with me, he was puzzled. All these takes time, and to add that the mouse his using was not working. I felt humiliated standing there and looking at the people standing after me waiting their turn. I don't know what the Immigration Officer was thinking of me that made him react that way. Was he surprised to know someone like me capable of visiting his city, or something else. After a while he stamped my passport while asking for the other counter to borrow him a mouse, when I asked if I still have to wait, he just waved his hand shooing me, what a jerk! Double whammed. While going out, I keep telling myself that is it just an isolated case and things will going to be alright. True enough the duration of my trip turned out fine.
The boarding area, waiting to board plane
The plane
While waiting for the plane to take off
Approaching Jakarta, interesting view from above
Outside the arrival lobby
Is this the same ZTE deal that made noise back home?
Yes there were toll gates too, if you are riding a taxi, you are the one to pay for it!
Tuk tuk!! Seeing these on the streets finally affirmed that im already in Jakarta, lol
The hotel lobby
The room
The view
My plan on my first night in Jakarta was to explore the local nightlife, but I was told by the hotel receptionist being holiday that day bars were closed so there was nothing to explore. After I settled in I went out of the hotel and check the neighborhood without my camera. I received advice including my landlord about the situation during nighttime in the city. Have this in mind and being not in pleasant neighborhood, I traverse the Mangga Besar road with caution and presence of mind. I came across an old shopping mall, which sells majority of the tenants selling used mobile phones and retail shops selling cheap clothing. I headed to the supermarket and bought items i'll be needing for the next three days. I took my dinner in a chinese fast-food inside the mall. On my way back to the hotel, a was surprised to see mobile hawkers came out both sides of the street. I did not try any of them, judging from the appearance, I decided not to be adventurous. But I set in for a durian as there were few vendors squatting along the street selling just durians. One of the best tasting durian I have eaten so far. I arrived the hotel past 11 pm already, 10 pm local time. I forgot to adjust my watch so I thought it was already late. I spent the night mapping out my itinerary for the next three days. First day will be national monument, national museum, Istana Negara, and the Ancol Themepark . Then the following day will be attending sunday mass, Kota Tua (old town), Chinatown district. The last day will be spent malling before heading to the airport.
