JAKARTA. AN ADVENTURE.

A little something about Jakarta before we go any further ... Jakarta (also Djakarta or DKI Jakarta), formerly known as Sunda Kelapa, Jayakarta and Batavia is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Located on the northwest coast of the island of Java, at 6°11′S 106°50′E, it has an area of 661.52 km² and a population of 8,792,000 (2004). Jakarta has been developed for more than 490 years and currently is the ninth most dense city in the world with 44,283 people per square miles.

I just got back from Indonesia ... Jakarta ... to be exact. And I must say, it was an exciting experience .. or adventure if you might call it. I arrived at the Jakarta International Soekarno-Hatta Airport on the 13th August 2006 and it was a Sunday. I'd say my first impression of Jakarta was a good one ... the airport looks huge ... old looking but not rundown, just clean, very clean. Standing amidst the crowded airport, we hailed a cab or "taksi" and headed towards the hotel, Gran Melia. Jakarta taxis are more colorful than the bright yellow cabs of Manhattan; they come in such a great variety and can become a source of confusion. I was on a "Silver Bird" taxi ... at least that was what I was adviced to ride in Jakarta. "Just grab any Silver Bird or Blue Bird.. but not anything else !".

And I really didn't ask why ... which I found out eventually. Driving in Jakarta city is no easy feat ... I can vouch for that, since those of knows me ... understands clearly how I drive. Then again, I believe this is old news. All greats cities in the Asian region boast great drivers ... Bangkok, Manila ... and let's not forget our proud Malaysians. Besides the "taksi" there are also other mode of transport which provides equally adventurous experience .. such as ...

The TransJakarta, a bus rapid transit system in Jakarta, Indonesia. The system is modeled on the successful TransMilenio system in Bogotá, Colombia. Alternative common names include Busway or TJ (pronounced Tije, "tee-jay").

The "Mikrolet" a smaller version of public transport. Not as romantic as the bemo of Bali, it is typically a modified van that can carry up to 10-12 passengers. Mikrolet can take you to the remotest corners of Jakarta.

Bajaj, a Vespa (think of it as a fat-bottomed motorcycle, if you don't know what a Vespa is) derivative with an attached carriage. Their obnoxious bright orange color, and distinctive, ear piercing rattle, will accompany you along your ride in the constantly vibrating vehicle. It's similar to the "Tok-Tok" of Thailand.

The last one in the chain is probably Ojek. Ojeks usually park in front of small alleys (gang) that can have thousands of residencies inside. There is no chance for a taxi or a car to get into these alleys, and the distance maybe to far to walk it. So, Ojek - a motorcycle complete with its driver for hire - comes to the rescue..

That aside, let's get back to my story. As I was saying, we got to Gran Melia hotel which was located somewhere near the southern part of Jakarta (bear in mind, Jakarta is HUGE). Arriving at the hotel, we were greeted by a line of men in uniforms (army, I presume) guarding the exterior of the hotel. A few of them stopped us just as we drove up the hotel, requesting to perform an inspection on our cab. Cab driver inform us that this is a norm citywide .. all hotels, malls, office buildings and popular tourist destinations require checks like these upon entering the premise. Talk about tight security !

The currency of Indonesia is Rupiah, I am sure you know about that. I am just not used to paying thousands of Rupiah's for food and stuffs we buy. Just imagine ... I stayed at the Dusit Mangga Dua hotel and it cost me approx 500,000 Rupiah's per night. That's a lot of zeros ! A cab ride starts at 5,000 Rupiah's and the meter rolls faster than a stopwatch ....

And with a couple thousand Rupiah's, you can buy yourself some decent food from any nice interesting stalls around the city. Food is never scarce in Jakarta ... every little corner, every alley .. there's a stall. Whether it's selling piping hot "Sup Buntut" to spicy "Nasi Goreng Gila" or the special "Satay Babi", you are sure to find them. But from one traveller to another, my advice to you is ... take a look at the surrounding ... see how the food is being prepared. If you're ready to stomach it, by all means ... take the gastronomical adventure ! But if your tummy toodle thinks this is a little tad too much, fast food or some decent commercial restaurant would be as good.