Tuesday 22 January 2013

Tourists

9th January Well we are back from Bandung, we arrived safely and returned in one piece. It was the in between that caused the headache. As we got off the train we were fleeced by money grabbing taxi drivers: no meter Madame - wanted to charge us 50,000 instead of 18,000Rp No blue bird taxi so we got in an old jeloppi and were charged 50,000 instead of 18,000Rp Asked to be dropped off at outlets couldn't get a reliable taxi back wanted to charge us 50,000 instead of 18,000Rp Ollie dragged me round outlets for 5 hours. it got dark, we were lost and the traffic was horrendous with the occasional beggar thrown in to jollify the proceedings. I was so glad to see the hotel I could have wept. As you can imagine we had room service for dinner. We were totally drained. We got the hotel shuttle back to the train station this morning therefore avoiding all the thieving taxi drivers. It was pleasant to arrive back in Jakarta where the people are more use to foreigners and do not feel the urge to fleece them at every opportunity. Ollie had diarrhoea in the early hours of the morning not to severe probably just the change in diet. Ollie left at 16.30hrs to do wait for it...... More shopping. It's now 19.00hrs and he has not returned. When he asked me did I want to go with him, we'll a I am sure you can imagine what images and expletives went through my mind. Julian is out doing evening meetings and I am not sure when he will return. He is very busy so household chores are my dept. Just waiting on the washing to finish and earlier struggled upto the 8th floor with food shopping. All off to Bali tomorrow hope the weather is good, it has been very wet here for the last couple of days. The hotel pool is an outdoor one therefore I have not been able to swim since I arrived. For my piece of mind I use the gym. Ollie and I have a few mosquito bites between us so much for Julian telling us there aren't any in Jakarta. As Ollie says we are on the wild frontier whereas Julian is in a sealed environment all day. Appt, air-con taxi, malls and office.

Homesick

7th January Felt a bit homesick today - fed up of getting lost in the hideously over crowded cheap mall over the road and of traipsing around after Ollie as he hunts for designer items to sell on. Oh yes and we got caught in a down pour. Tomorrow taking the train to Bandung 3.5 hr trip with Ollie to pursue even more cheap designer goods. Have booked a night at the Hyatt Regency in Bandung and will return Wednesday. Julian is working hard and is staying in Jakarta. God only knows where Ollie and I will end up. Neither of us speak Bahasa and Ollie is terrified the locals are going to eat him so, he is of no use at all. i have no interest in shopping in Bandung but, I am doing the trip once with him so that when he comes over in the summer he can do it with a friend. Had a few problems booking the hotel, the bank stopped my card fearing it had been stolen - multiple withdrawals outside the UK. I had to Skype them - kept getting cut off. Book cab to take us to the station tomorrow. Ollie and I have been bitten a couple of times by mosquitoes so we rub raw garlic into the bites. It stops them itching. Now have gone from falling asleep at 19.00hrs to still being awake at midnight. Thursday we will leave for three luxurious nights in Bali in a 5 star hotel. If that bl** dy boy mentions cheap designer goods while we are there I will brain him

Lost in Shopping

5th January Today Ollie bought 4 armani exchange t-shirts and has listed them on eBay already. Ollie and I got lost in the cheap mall which is opposite our hotel. Neither of us have much sense of direction. I have never seen so many malls in my life. Our sleeping pattern is still quite mixed up, we are exhausted by 19.00 hrs and wide awake at 02.00hrs. I will not be doing any crafting for the moment there is so much to sort out maybe in a week or so. Our appt has air-con so the heat will not effect my sculpting I hope. Mum I hope you got help with your duvet cover.

Getting Use to the Timezone

4th January Today Ollie and I went to look at T-shirts at an outlet shop. So that he can buy low sell high. It is 20.00hrs now and I am exhausted julian and I didn't sleep well last night. we woke at 02.00hrs and found it hard to get back to sleep. We have just returned from having a buffet dinner at The Four Seasons hotel, it cost 1000000 rupiah thank God that's only about £64.00. Ollie has been to the gym twice today once in the morning with Julian and again with me in the afternoon. We are staying at the Ascott and will remain in the appt for a month hopefully up grading as a renovated appt becomes available. Tomorrow we hope to explore a museum or a national park but, must of all have a lie in. Julian's Indonesian employees bought him a batik shirt as a present which he wore today as its Batik Friday. Traditionally government workers wore Batik clothing on Fridays. Now the custom is spreading to other occupations.