Indonesia

The rush of nostalgia is back.
I'm glad to be back in Singapore again. This would not be the usual reaction of a family on holiday overseas, i bet.
The words of the Lees resonated in me once i entered familiar territory.
It is only when one experiences the life outside of Singapore would one realise how fortunate he is.

Amidst the glory of its beautiful scenery and picturesque view of Mother Nature, Indonesia has nothing to offer. Drenched with the immense backdrop of corruption and politics, it's drudgery is revolting and downright disgusting. Trust is not to be taken for granted in the city of sins.

During our week-long vacation, we had trouble visiting various tourists destinations as we were halted by the security troops to conduct a "security check". We were told that we had to pay extra charges to visit scenic places of nature like the volcanoes and the panoramic highlands of Bandung (Jawa). If we had Indonesian passports, we only had to produce 20000 IDR but the figure multiplied tenfold (200000 IDR) per person once we flashed our gaudy Singaporean passports at the greedy money-grubbers.

What absurdity.

Furthermore, the traffic condition there is simply atrocious. Words themselves can't describe the preposterous sight of the multitudinous motorbikes flooding the roads. It is as if the traffic lights are just for display with no functional use. The blatant lack of order and governance makes my skin crawl. Unlike our civilised nation with lines and markings drawn on the tar-coated glistening roads, there is none there. Bikes simply scuttle around like blind cockroaches waiting for their doom to befall them. The drivers there are extremely skillful. They seem to have mutual telepathy on which lane to take and whether to swerve in the direction in order not to collide into the surrounding vehicles. Horns blare constantly. It is not a symbol of vehemence or annoyance like our country but horns are multi-purpose there. It is to insist on one's right of way, to warn, as a friendly gesture, to subjugate.

Traffic jams are ubiquitous and nothing to be shocked at. The average waiting time on the road is estimated to be about 2 to 3 hours in the event of a serious jam. Aunty B's husband claims that the resident in Indo spends his life toiling on the roads. There was once he had to trundle through the traffic for a whole night and finally reaching back home in the wee hours of the morning.

We were treated like royalty once we touched down at Soekarno-Hatto International Airport in Jakarta. My mum's childhood friend married an Indonesian Chinese and i must admit they are extremely prominent figures in the business realm over there. It shows in how they live, with numerous servants in their lavish mansion, coupled with armed guards patrolling the gates. I guess it is necessary given the poor security in that putrid place. Being devout Buddhists, the family owns a pagoda-styled private estate with marbled floors embellished with a myriad of idols and statues portraying Buddhists deities of all sorts. Proliferating artists impressions of majestic tigers lined the walls of the palace, evoking a sense of mystery and enigma.

Instead of being swatted at, flies are not taken to heed. These irritating creatures are dominating residents of the larders and food places there. Perhaps those disease-infested pests are the culprits of my food poisoning experience.

One consolating thing to report is that the standard of living there is quite low. Thus, goods and services are extremely worth it. Being typical Singaporeans, one can never resist the urge to shop for stuff. Bags, clothes, shoes, watches, glasses, coats, accessories you name it... Another thing to admire in the country is that people there are straightfoward and forthcoming. They usually do not have an agenda and the vendors are not scrupulous and thieving like the Ladies' Street in HK or bargain markets in China. They are open to negotiation and would usually not exploit you as a tourist. It is still acceptable to haggle a little but half the quoted price is a little overboard.

Overall, my trip there is just an appetiser. The entree is to be anticipated. The next vaycay would be to Japan and this time there would be much more exciting things to report. Stay tuned!