A bright idea came to me to start a travelogue of the places that I’ve visited, whether for work or leisure.  Before visiting a new place, I like to research the web for information on the must-see/do/eat and make a long list, which I take pleasure in ticking off, as I see/do/eat.

The travelogue is organised into 2 broad sections:

• Wow – which include the must see/do/eat, advisory and uniqueness of the place
• No, no, no – Time-waster/ugly-side of the place

This first travelogue is on Jakarta.  I’ve been to Jakarta several times in the last few years for business.  Partly due to several nasty experiences in previous visits, I’m wary of the City.  Of the cities that I’ve visited so far, I find Jakarta to be the least safe.  Having said that, don’t start your trip with a negative perception, just take precaution and enjoy its rich culture and history.  It’s also nice to remember that many of the locals earn much less than you do and would appreciate any tips you give for their service.  There are some (re. Bajaj and taxi drivers) who think that because of this reason, they are “entitled” to charge a foreigner more and shameless do it, expecting you accept it and not make a big fuss.  Depending on your philosophy in this matter, if it’s just a few extra dollars, it’s hardly worth risking your limb and those few extra dollar would go a longer way for them.  

Wow:

• The People : they are warm, hospitable and friendly and have large amounts of patiences, especially when we butcher their Bahasa. 
• Must Try Food : Sudanese food & Balinese food.  Jakarta is made up of many regions/provinces and each has its unique flavour.  Typical Indonesian food is so-so, not as good as Malaysian but somewhat similar to Filipino food, in terms of blandness.  One of the local favorite dishes is Ikan (Fish) Gurame, fried until its crisp, also known as the flying fish (because when its fried to a crisp, it resembles a fish with wings!). Advisory: Always drink mineral or boiled water and avoid ice.  I would also not tempt the tummy with food from the street-vendor.
• Bahasa : the national language.  The wow factor here is the fact that each region has its own dialect and each Indonesian can speak at least 2 languages-Bahasa & local dialect.  They speak very fast and I’ve observed that they tend to speak in a manja (affectionate) manner.  A tip to sound more Indonesian, is to add the “Ya” or “iYa”, after each sentence. 
• Shopping : because  of the weak Rupiah, everything is cheaper if converted to your home currency.  Unique to Indonesia is Batik, which is currently very popular and fashionable too. If you enjoy the local atmosphere, where things are cheaper, consider a visit to Mangga Dua and Ambassador Mall.  The former is 2 huge complexes, filled with small shops covering everything a woman desires.  Bargaining is mandatory.   Advisory: The place gets crowded during the weekends, after noon.  So it’s best to be there and out before noon.  Bandung and Bogor (towns about 2hr and 1hr, outside Jakarta) are well-known for having factory outlets that sell export overruns.  But it’s very crowded during the weekend and the trip could take much longer.
• Massage : Indonesian massage is dry, unlike the Thai massage.  Although there’s lots of seedy massage parlours, I’ve found 2 centres, which pride themselves on being a “Family Health Centre” – Bersih Sehat and Mitra Sehat.  They have outlets around Jakarta and rates are reasonable, approximately 100,000Rp for 1 hour of massage, tips not included.
• 3-in-1 and Jockey for Hire : A rule was imposed on certain highways, which required at least 3 passengers in the vehicle in order to travel on that road.  This created a niche market of Jockey for Hire, whereby drivers would just pick up men and women from the road-side and pay them a fee to ride the distance on the road.  These Jockeys are let-off at the driver’s fancy.  Hire price is standard at 10,000Rp/person as supply is plentiful.  If you’re unlucky, the driver could pick up a smelly Jockey, so pick a fairly well-dressed one.

 No, no, no:

• Traffic : is chaotic during rush hour, which is almost anytime between 6am to midnight.  It once took us 45mins to make a U-Turn.  It’s everyone for him/herself during rush hour and all courtesies are gone, as everyone try to out-manuevar each other, with motobikes squezzing in when they can. 
• Pollution : Terrible because of the large population of vehicles on the road.  Advisory: Never consider walking outdoors longer than 20mins.  You’ll smell like smoke and probably inhale more of it. 
• Public Transportation : In the city, there’s buses, vans, three-wheeler or known as Bajaj and taxis.  The cheapest of these is the Bajaj.  Although fare is negotiated up-front, but from experience, this does not stop the driver from threatening you for more, along the way.  It’s fine for short distances but beware of being stuck in traffic, you’ll be eye and nose-level with other vehicle’s exhaust pipe… not a pleasant position.  Stick with Taxis for comfort reasons but some will take advantage of foreigner.  Advisory:  Only take taxis from Blue Bird Group, they have 2 types of taxis – Blue Bird (Economy-class, painted blue) and Silver Bird (Premium-class, painted black).  Blue Bird is so popular that several rivals have tried to trick passengers by also painting their cabs a different shade of blue.  So look out for the company’s name, which is painted on the side of the taxi.  Flag fall for Blue Bird is 6,000Rp, tips are appreciated.
• Income disparity :  Is so obviously big, with a large portion in the low income bracket.  A local once explained that although Jakarta covers about 20% total land area in Indonesia but it held 80% of the wealth.  Many poor people travel from the provinces to work in the city and some make their homes under bridges and railway lines.  At the same time, it’s mind-boggling to see huge shopping complexes selling designer brands. 
• No Free Map : I’ve tried but failed to find a free map of Jakarta, so for those who like to navigate and know your bearings, it might be worth investing in a map.  I’ve never bothered and depended on the taxis.
• Historical places : There are some museums and several roundabouts with monuments, which I didn’t find too fascinating.  Other than that, there’s nothing much touristy to do in Jakarta.  The time is better spent, talking to a local and understanding Jakarta’s history and culture.