Somewhere else

I arrived yesterday afternoon to the flat jungle that is Hong Kong. One day earlier than expected gave me a chance to chill out and spend some quality time with a friend. Although it is my second visit to the island, I found myself still completely in awe of the tall buildings where people live. As urban city living in Jakarta is slowly rising up, most people still prefer a house, a land, a backyard.

This morning I look out from my friend's kitchen to the neighbouring towers. It feels weird to be able to get a glimpse of other people's lives. There's a voyeur in all of us and there I was hoping for some drama. The morning was quiet in this area. Most people have gone to work and beginning of a day quickly passed.

So, here I am typing away words and impressions about the place once again procrastinating. I should really finish my work before I head into the office and try to impress my colleagues. After all it is not my usual fun travel, it is for work.

When flying economy...

When it took me more than 2 hours to pack for a one week trip, I knew that I was in trouble. Either it was too late in the evening to be doing any kind of practical thinking, or I was just rusty. I hated the feeling. I was a super-packer! I was summoned to help some friends packed 12 months of their lives in 2 huge suitcases -- and I suceeded!! Me! Eventually the packing was done and 4 hours later I was sitting in an airport lounge waiting to board the plane.

The plan was to use the 4.5 hours on the plane to finish some work stuff that desperately needed to be done (it was my own procrastination to blame). The plane was full and I held my breath to see who would be sitting next to me. The idea is to get a gorgeous 6ft something handsome man, but since that never happens, someone with a good economy class seat flight attitude would suffice. I got myself a young man indeed, a 5 year old with his parents. Not the ideal. I hate children in planes because they're normally cranky at some points on the journey and irritate the hell out of you. One next to me, when I had 4 hours sleep and some work to do was not ideal at all.

However, it was a really good surprise to discover to find that not only was he polite and not annoying, and not cranky, and didn't do stupid things children do... most importantly, he was quiet. I like quiet. Quiet is good.

Alas, quiet was not a word known to a middle-aged couple sitting behind me. On route to China (yes, I got to hear all about their trip, their children's educational history, etc) the lady was talking to 2 teenage girls next to them who were on their way to do 12 months of language course in Shanghai. She simply could not shut up. I swear it was 2 hours of non-stop talking with her...

Traveling is a bit like that. You hope for the best in people, and that the journey would be as painless as possible. But when it comes to people, there's really no telling. I wonder if there's an etiquette class on air travel. The curriculum should include things like: conversational volume level, how to read a newspaper without annoying the next person, how to stop your children from crying... Anything else anyone wants to add?

Matchmade My Parents

Somehow I missed the turning point from being an attractive, independent single girl to an attractive, independent single-for-too-long-girl. Another valentine day's passed and I am still without a beau to show. My parents showed me their concern a few months back, but after a discussion they could not rebuke my arguments; for the last thing they want is a daughter who marries just anyone. When it comes to their children's happiness, parents often decide that fate needs a helping (...meddling) hand -- and they take it upon themselves, to try to find their son/daughter the ideal son/daughter-in-law.

At a recent hospital visit, my father and mother meet this lovely woman who out of the blue started inquiring about other people's eligible children. She started her question from where we live, my mum's practice, etc. Mum thought that it was all very strange, but then again the world is full of strange people. She began to think that something really strange is going on when one day this lady paid a visit to our empty house (everyone was working and out of the house) and asked even more questions to my maid. My good maid gave her my mother's business cards and told her to contact my mum.

She did. It was when she revealed her true intentions. She wanted to get to know: ME. Thank god for my mum's sanity, because she in her own polite way managed to dodge every possible chance of ever meeting this woman and her son, who turned out to be a school friend of mine. Well, we're not exactly friends... but we did go to the same school. It was all very hilarious. She actually made my friend talked to my mum (that's how she found out that we actually went to the same school) and that if he was interested in me, he should just gave me a call. Yes, she did give his mother my phone number.

This was a few weeks ago. So far, no phone calls.

Isn't it strange that a single girl in a big city like Jakarta can be seen as unable to find her own beau? That somebody else's mother should do the picking? I found it disturbing that parents "go-shopping" for their children's lifelong partner. It is interesting that in this era of equal rights, women's independence and all... we're still objectified.

I'm sure that woman means no harm. All of those thoughts I mentioned above probably did not cross her mind at all. She loves her son. She just wants the best for him; she thinks I'm probably good for him. I should just be flattered.

Morning Radio

It is a habit of mine to reach for my stereo remote as soon as I opened my eyes in the morning, to tune in to my favourite radio show. The show has the usual elements of humour, Jakarta traffic news, birthday pranks, etc. This morning, a caller called in to report the traffic condition on a particular area of Jakarta that he just passed,

C: Hey guys,... Before I said anything about traffic...

R: Yes, whassup bro? What good important news do you have?

C: It's important for those who is about to pass Cililitan toll gate. The girl behind gate No. 16 whose name is Nyoman Sari is very beautiful. Go check her out! She's worth the time queing to pay the toll fee.

R: That's not exactly traffic info, but hey... listeners just go check her out.

I don't know how many people who listen to this radio station pass through Gate No. 16 of the toll road. I'm not sure how many guys checked out this Nyoman Sari girl. I can't even begin to think about how she feels when people looked at her kinda differently as she does her job. She would probably think of them as sleazebags or weirdos. But who doesn't like to look at a pretty face?

This information put a smile on my face this morning. For those who are lucky enough to check out Nyoman Sari, they might get a more enhanced experience.

Water anyone?

the wealthy area of Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta drown in coffee coloured water

... not only the filth, but also the strong current
Kampung Melayu area, East Jakarta

These pictures appeared on today's KOMPAS - a national broadsheet newspaper. They reflect the dire state of this town and how change is desperately needed. A foreigner friend of mine asked, "What are you going to do about this? You guys should do something about your current governor. He's useless... Get rid of him and get a new one. Someone who actually cares about improving the lives of the people and not just do them for show!!"

I wish it was that simple. But then again, it should be THAT simple. Natural disasters are beyond anybody's control, but when floods become an annual event surely some kind of precaution can be planned. Town planning and special projects should be developed to make sure that things like this don't happen again. A simple comment that this kind of flood only happens once every 5 years is not a good enough excuse not to do anything.

However, the apathetic and apolitical person in me chose to do exactly that. I tried fighting these things after my return from overseas, and it only got me frustrated, angry and tired all the time. I shut one eye and go about my business and life goes on. Hell! If things are really THAT bad, one should just get out and not put up with the shit. Right??

Long WET Weekend

A few weeks ago, the Jakarta skyline took an unexpected face and one could not but stop to marvel at its beauty. Known to be one of the most polluted city in the world, blue skies and white fluffy clouds are not common occurence in Jakarta. I was driving on the highway from my parents' house when the photo was taken; it was a dangerous thing to do, but it was well worth it. Who would have thought that things could change drastically in a matter of days. The sky lured us with its beauty and seduce us into complacence; nearly forgetting that the rainy season is at our doorstep. No more white fluffy clouds; all what was left was angry grey skies, fat tropical rain, thunder and lightning.

Last Thursday night was the most frightening drive of my life ever. At 10.30 pm, my daily 7 minute drive from work to home scared the hell out of me. The rain took out electricity. The fat rain reduced visibility and I could not tell which part of the street was drowning in water and if it was too deep for my car. It was like driving blind. When I saw the gate of my townhouse complex, I felt a huge relief. I could breathe normally again. I was safe.

An hour later, my cousin called. She and her husband was trapped by floods in the area and they could not go home. Hotels were fully booked. They had nowhere to go and there was water in their car. We shared the bed and her husband occupied the couch. It was Thursday night when they came, and they haven't left since. All the roads leading up to their house in the western part of Jakarta was flooded. The only working mean of transportation on the flooded areas are human driven carriages called "gerobak". It transports people who are looking for safety and even motorcycle. The rate for is Rp 10,000 per person -- equals to $1 and Rp 25,000 for a motorcycle.

It is Sunday now, and the roads are beginning to dry up. I took a drive around Kemang all the way through Kuningan to see traces of the crazy wild wet world that was Jakarta. The roads were busy with people cleaning up the dirty mud. Hundreds of people became displaced and had to be refugee of their own city.

It is difficult to be positive when natural disasters like this happen. Somebody said Jakarta needed to be cleansed (... not literally) of all its ignorance and greed. Would we learn? Would we weigh natural conservation against economic development? Or would it be cheaper to invest on a few inflatable rubber boats?