On the move in Jakarta<\/p>\n
After reading Jim Plouffe's Having a bad-cab-day in Jakarta?
\n(The Jakarta Post, July 2, 1995) I can only wish that someone
\nwould give me the Golden Tip of how to get around in Jakarta
\nwithout all the frustration caused when using a taxi or public
\ntransport.<\/p>\n
Being a typical tourist, I have this natural desire to explore
\nthe capital of Indonesia. When I arrived after a 13-hour train
\nride, I assumed that transport at 9 p.m. from Pasar Senen railway
\nstation to Jl. Bangka II, Pela Mampang, South Jakarta, wouldn't
\nbe a problem. A nice guy driving a bajaj (small three-wheeled
\npassenger transport vehicle) offered to take me and my de facto
\nthere for Rp 8,000. Sounds all right, I thought, and off we went.
\nAnd as we have learnt over the last few weeks to never be in a
\nhurry in this country (unless you're after a good seat in a bus
\nor train) we didn't think any of it when after more than one hour
\nwe were still driving around. It wasn't even that much of a
\nsurprise when all of a sudden the bajaj stopped next to a taxi.<\/p>\n
The two were chatting away before we were to told to get into
\nthe taxi. As far as we understood, the bajaj couldn't find the
\nstreet, but for the same money the taxi would take us there. Fair
\nenough, we thought, and 15 minutes later we drove around in
\nPela. We even found the right street, we thought, but not the
\nright number. Strangely the numbering of the houses is not in
\norder. Number 90 is followed by 15, which is next to number
\nthree.<\/p>\n
Because our taxi driver seemed to be lost as well we figured
\nit was time to get some outside help. But the explanation we got
\nonly made us more confused. Then we started driving again.
\nHowever, after another 10 minutes the taxi driver pulled over and
\nannounced that he had given us a ride worth Rp 8,000. He wanted
\nto go home. He stopped another taxi, took our money and left.<\/p>\n
Finally we asked the new taxi to go to a hotel on Jl. Jaksa in
\nCentral Jakarta. This ride cost us another Rp 9,000. At 11:30
\np.m. we found ourselves one single bed. The next morning we
\nprepared ourselves for another day in Jakarta by purchasing a
\ndetailed city map. In daylight we had no problem finding our
\nfriend's place. From that day onwards we have been traveling with
\nour new Jakarta Street Atlas and Names Index. Now we can't be
\nfooled any more.<\/p>\n
MONICA YOLANDA HOLS<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-the-move-in-jakarta-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }