The mad dash home

The mad dash home

We witness the same sight every year: Millions of Jakarta
residents doing their utmost to secure sought-after tickets for
buses, trains or ships to take them back to their hometowns to
celebrate the post-fasting month Idul Fitri holiday.

For the travelers, fighting for space in their best dress and
laden down with gifts for their relatives back home, concerns
about the toil and trouble of the journey are overshadowed by
thoughts about what awaits them at the end of the ordeal.

It's all in the spirit of the season.

Although not all will be able to afford the luxury of
celebrating Idul Fitri in their hometowns on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26
this year, for others it is a must. For Idul Fitri would not be
quite the same without celebrating the triumph of making it
through the fasting month in one's hometown -- including the
arduous journey involved in getting there.

-- Text and photos by P.J. Leo