Friday, March 27, 2009

Leaving The City In A Jiffy

I'm not at all wistful to leave the city. The work is done and it's time to leave. There is nothing for me here. All my friends who were here have left for less polluted cities. I've never liked this grey and eeky Jakarta. I still don't. I prefer chic Yogyakarta and the quiet beauty of Banten and Bali; the breathtaking Lombok and Manado.

I'd have liked to go shopping for batik though. They've beautiful items. Too bad there isn't enough time for any sort of leisure.

Ah... time. Time is like a bad word in this city. To depart from the hotel at 6.30am for a 10.20am flight (when we've already checked in online) is just ridiculous. Our hotel is only 1 hour away from the airport. We're in a city, not out in the boondocks. I guess that's how bad the traffic jams can be. Thank goodness we managed to get bumped up to a 9.20am flight instead.

And the configuration of toilets at the airport befuddles me. Do you share the sentiment? There are toilets along the road outside of the airline check-in rows. After checking in, there are shops and cafes aplenty, and Starbucks. Heeeee. But there is NOT a single toilet. The only toilets available are at the departure lounge where you just sit and wait for the plane doors to open. Finally we found one spacious dirty toilet (1 cubicle) at the surau and within the depressing nursing room at the corridor of shops. I had to use that.

When I travel, my 2 biggest hang-ups are to have a constant supply of drinking water and the availability of toilets. So if you've got a small bladder like me, at Jakarta international airport, for pete's sake, pee outside before you walk through the customs.

6 comments:

littlecartnoodles said...

Wah seh, first to comment ...

Have not been to JKT for almost 10 years, but still remember relieving myself at the urinals and then realising that the every person that walked past the airport men's room could look in and see me ...

Basic washroom architectural layout : FAIL

In another example of airport lavatory screwups, was in a restroom at the then newly-opened Guangzhou Baiyun Airport. The three brand new hand-dryers were not plugged in ... because the British-style plugs had three flat pins while the wall sockets that were installed accepted only round pins.

Anonymous said...

grin.

NOW i'm worried!

imp said...

LCN: u haven't missed much in the 10 years. GZ airport electrical engineers WIN.

cherie: i was thinking of you when i wrote this- just go to the toilet when u see one ok? don't think wait- later then go. doesn't work. esp when u're travelling with so many people. and Please please take only the BlueBird taxis. not the rest. 7 out 10 times u will kena kertok.

kikare said...

Haha. My nearest airport is in the neighbouring country. Yet 3 hours is more than enough - including checking at airport and a cup of coffee!

Jo said...

Unrelated...Do you know that if I were to go home, there is only one flight in a day that leaves Jakarta airport, and that's the 5am flight. I gotta check in by 4am, leave for the airport at 3:00AM. Basically I can forget about sleeping! Crazy or not?

imp said...

kikare: see. a trip is an adventure, so many times i don't mind getting to the airport earlier. but 4hrs is madness. haizzz.

jomel: that is a very strange timing indeed.