It's been more than a week since I came home from traveling. This time around my traveling didn't involved packing up bikinis and sun screen, which I'd miss so much of it.
I started my journey May 11th to Jakarta, May 13th to KL, May 14th to Bangkok, May 16th to KL, May 17th back to Jakarta and finally home bound on May 20th. The hours that I had in KL was only to repack, two hours of sleep, and boom I'm on my way to the airport.
I had nightmares on several occasions since I came home. Once was about, I came back from traveling, went to the office, and my boss asked me, why are you here? Weren't you suppose to be 'somewhere'. I was thinking to myself, WHAT? I JUST came back and I hadn't have time to unpack and repack. This shit is crazy. In another dream, I arrived somewhere, took a cab and got to the hotel, only to realized, I DID NOT pick up my luggage from the airport!!!! Now just freakin great. Work is about to start and I have no change of clothes. Geeez.
Yes, I love traveling, lots and lots of traveling. But never once, did I not have enough resting time in between destinations.
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Jakarta is... insane, esp the traffic. There are like 20 over million population in just on city! It took me on average 1.5hr to get from one point to another. I kept thinking, why on earth are there so so so many cars in this city? But then I realized, DUH, try to jam ALL the cars in Malaysia in ONE city, that's what you get. INSANE TRAFFIC. Because if I'm not mistaken, Malaysia's population is 28 over million and in metro Jakarta alone is about 24 over million ppl. So yea. The rush hour in Jakarta lasts til about 9pm. lol. On my last night of my second trip in Jakarta, some coworkers took me out for dinner, the traffic was so bad, they suggested that we take 'ojek', I was like HELL NO, I ain't taking that, I'll like fall off and die. And they said, if we took 'ojek' it'll take like 3 mins for us to get to the mall, if we take a cab, it could take up to an hour. I said, I'd rather walk there! So sure enough, we started walking and it only take about 30mins to get to the dinner place. =) Yea, I was quite stubborn. lol I enjoyed it so much, I wouldn't have been able to walk the streets of Jakarta if there weren't any locals to do it with me. =) Very very stoked!
So like another thing about Jakarta that is truly interesting. In the city there is a highway, only cars with 3 passengers and above could take the route during certain hours. So during that certain hours, you will see people lining up alongside of the road, these ppl will actually get into your car IF you needed enough head count to use the highway. LOL. Like you have to PAY them to sit in your car through the highway. I couldn't believe my eyes and my ears when I learn that. I'd be damn happy if cab drivers would pay me to take me into KL.
Oh oh one more thing, so you probably already know Jakarta's traffic is insane (coz I kept talking about it). So like I rarely see traffic police directing traffic ya, what I saw was bunch of ppl "dedicated" themselves into doing just that. For example, in a T-junction, normally we would wait for our turn to cross the road or whatever right? In Jakarta, these ppl will help you to "stop" the coming traffic, and let you pass or go across or whatever. You're like ok, that's cool. BUT, the truth is, you have to pay these dedicated ppl some coins. LOL. That also happens, when you wanna use a short cut in the 'back alley'. It is totally mind blowing to me, how these guys are making a living. Well, you can choose not to pay them but really? Your car might get damaged or something. Nobody wants to take that chance.
Manila's traffic is crazy too, but I ain't see nothing yet until I saw Jakarta's traffic.
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Bangkok is cool. I been there once (for work), but I don't think I'll go back again. They like put fish sauce in all the dishes!!!!! Everywhere I go that all I could smell. One thing though, I didn't get to check out some temples. Bummer. Coz Temple makes me feel how insignificant I am, also, makes me feel content and calm. I *heart* temples, esp Buddhist temples =)
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All and all, it was a great experience, visiting my neighboring countries. I was fascinated by the vast differences we have in our culture and language even though, our countries are so close by on the map. ;)
p.s. If you ever have to go to Jakarta, the cab company that is trust worthy would be BlueBird Taxi. Please beware that not all BlueBirds are made the same.
2 comments:
Glad that you've been travelling a lot! ANd I'm even more glad you arrived safe from Bangkok!
Hey girl, Bangkok was ok at first. You just couldn't visit certain parts of the city. But my last day in Bangkok which was on the 16th. We had to flee the city and check ourselves in at the airport WAY earlier. Coz thats when the condition gotten worst. Govenrment put curfew on and stuffs.
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