Passengers head out of Java

JAKARTA: On Sunday, seven days before the Idul Fitri holiday, officials at the Pulo Gadung bus terminal in East Jakarta recorded increases in the number of passengers taking bus rides for destinations outside Java.

Crowds of people could be seen there, waiting in clusters for buses to take them to places like Palembang in South Sumatra, Padang in West Sumatra, or even Mataram in Lombok.

They had to leave early, at least seven days prior the holidays, as their journey back home could take as much as five days from Lombok, and three days from Palembang or Padang.

Bus station officials have yet to note a significant increase in the number of passengers heading to cities or villages elsewhere in Java, however.

The annual exodus would likely to peak on Thursday.--JP