Jakarta

Today is Sunday and in 1 week I will be somewhere in Indonesia on a train headed towards Surabaya, Yesterday I went to Jakarta to change the ticket I bought last week as I have decided to get an extra couple of days in Bali and I am now leaving on 20th December!

I decided to drive to Jakarta on my motorbike, done it before several times, last week I went by bike to buy the tickets and I have driven there in the middle of the night, simply because I felt like a ride, at night it takes about 45 min, during the day more like 90 min. But this time I decided to go a different way, the way I would go if I took the Angkot (small minivan type bus) and the TransJakarta (The equivalent of an Underground train, but a bus above ground). I got to Gambir without a problem, I think I took 1 wrong turn but by taking a side street I was able to correct it without difficulty.

Gambir is the main train station is Jakarta, It is located next to Monas which is the national monument. I haven't been there yet but intend to go after Christmas is over.

Coming back however was a different story. As I said before I have driven to Gambir last week and the route couldn't be simpler, follow one road until you see a turn for the station, then follow that road back when you've done. Last week I did that, this week the station changed the parking area, probably because the one I used last week was full, so we came out on a different road. I intended to go shopping in Blok M, which is a very cheap place to get all different kinds of clothes and other stuff.

Following the signs towards Blok M, I took a wrong turn without realising it, the signs are not that clear and the Blok M sign wasn't shown on this sign so I took the turn that I thought would go in that direction. I headed totally the opposite direction.

I enjoy going for a ride and exploring so it wasn't too much of a problem and I enjoyed some of it, the traffic jams and subsequent sun burn I did not and am not enjoying.

I did eventually get back on the right road after about 35km and did not go to Blok M as the clouds were building and I expected a storm so I headed straight home instead, via the route I took last time.

After getting home and starting to feel my arms getting hotter and hotter from the sun burn, I took a shower, WOW my arms looked crazy, BRIGHT red below my elbow with a very clear line as to where my t-shirt had been.

The BBQ

Last night we had a house BBQ, nobody was invited it was just a house thing. It was good fun and we had chicken and meats. It took sooo long for the food to cook as the coals were not burning very well, It must have been 30 minutes to an hour for the chicken to cook, sate/kebab style. In the end I put some potatoes in the fires and also an apple, the apple was an experiement but it came out really well, shriveled like a grandmother! It was soooo delicious and next time I must remember to turn it over so all the sides get cooked like that.

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• BBQ
• Sun burn
• motorbike
• Jakarta
• lost
• exploring
• Sunday
• Surabaya
• train
• Gambir