Wednesday, October 8th, 2003 – Day 232
More thunder storms last night. I rarely sleep when i know I have to get up at a certain time. I packed my bags (much of which is going to be posted home from Singapore) and had a shave and a shower. I need to look my best for my Cathy Pacific Flight 🙂
As I mentioned, got very little sleep as I kept gancing at my watch. At least my stomach was beahving. It was 3.30am and I decided to move. I would be way too early but I would feel better at the airport than the hotel. It was only a 15 minute walk to gambir station but as it was dark I got a beano for 4,000 Ir which was only seven minutes. There is an excellent bus service to the aoirport from all corners of the city.
The airport is located 20km (12 miles) northwest of Jakarta. The hour-long DAMRI shuttle bus route runs between Kemayoran, Gambir, Rawamangun, Blok M/ Kebayoran Baru and Bekasi. Buses also leave every 30 minutes for Kilideres Station (journey time: 30 minutes).
Anyway, i thought one bus was covering all these routes but now understand a bus leaves every 30 minutes from each of these locations. as it was 4.00am, there was NO trafiic on the roads. I would be less likelt to use them during rush hour. Still, if you include tools, a taxi may cost up to 60,000 IR verus the 10,000 Ir I pay for the bus. it was a nice easy rice, but signage is bad and I did not know which was domestic or ternmianl was International. Te International terminal is 2km past the domestic. More information from the Jakarta Airport site here.
I was the first to arrive and nearly first to check in. the authorities have recently incresed the EXIT tax to 100,000 IR. cheeky. Anyway, I though I was in trouble at immigration. Even though I had a 60 day Visa, and I have only stayed for 33, they said I had over stayed by three. i have hear of lots of stories by people do you ahve to pay to leave the country. See information of such scams here , here , and here. the official foreign Ministry Site is here.
Anyway, I poined out that it ws 60 days and he let me go. i ahve heard that it moved to 30 days on October 1st, but recently heard it was moved abck to December 1st. I have heard many people complain of the immigration officials. My bags were screened and I went to the boarding gate where Cathy pacific Officials screened by bags again. S*&^, I had left my pen knife in my small carry bags. Lucky it was Cathy pacific People rather than local police. for a brief second, I had visions of been interoogration in a small room, strip searching and lathex gloves. then he smiled, and he showed me his en knife which was exactly the same. He gave the knife to the Cathy Pacific Staff who said I could collect it in Singapore.
I have over an hour wait as I was so early. Anyway we left on time at 7.05am. They gave us a very small breakfast (2 muffins and a cup of tea) and we were left to our own devices. At least I grabbed a few free news papers from the financial times to the Herald tribune to pass the time. We also had a few good shows on the persoalised Video on Demand System. I watched and old episode of ER. It was a short 1 hour 40 minute flight.
Looing forward to see Ireland play in the Rugby World Cup in a few days. Pool A fixtures.All kick-off times are BST up until Saturday 25 October. From Sunday 26 October all times will be GMT.
1000* Fri 10 Oct: Australia v Argentina – Sydney
0800 Sat 11 Oct: Ireland v Romania – Gosford
1030 Tue 14 Oct: Argentina v Namibia – Gosford
0700 Sat 18 Oct: Australia v Romania – Brisbane
1100 Sun 19 Oct: Ireland v Namibia – Sydney
1130 Wed 22 Oct: Argentina v Romania – Sydney
0730 Sun 26 Oct: Argentina v Ireland – Adelaide
1000 Thu 30 Oct: Romania v Namibia – Launceston
0935 Sat 1 Nov: Australia v Ireland – Melbourne
*The match starts after the Opening Ceremony at 1000 BST
i see CNN are offering American tourists to france some advice. Looking forward to seeing Tarantino’s KILL BILL.
Anyway, back to business. Never jump or move queues. i did it in Bali and I did it here while waiting for passport check. You think one is shorter and you move. Your new line slowed downa nd before you know it, your former position has passed through. At baggage claim, a guy had my pen knife. Fine!. i collected my bags and got money from the ATM. Its a rule of mine when arrriving at a new airport, to have no currency from my previous countrya nd none from my new one. i always arrive with nothing. i hate getting a bad excahnge with money lenders before I arrive.There will always be an ATM (hmm, not in Denpaser in Bali. Both were broken). Anyway there is a great metro into town and takea about 30 minutes. i bought a ez-link Card which is a contactless stored value ticket for use on the MRT, LRT and the buses. It cost 10 SD and there was an additioanl 5 SD Deposit.
Station and train information here.
I was heading to Little India, an area and a station. I was told that there was a hostel there. The same person had said many of the back packer places in Singapore had closed due to tthe drop in tourists due to SARS. it was poiring rain, heavy lighting and also deafening thunder. I did not want to leave the station but the bad weather wasnt lifting after 20 minutes. I dont know why they plant so many tress as I was afriad it would attract a lightening strike. i got soaked getting to the hostel and alot of my stuff got wet (icluding some pictures). When i was 2/3 the way there, i went to get some shelter at a car hire place. When i was moving off again, the owner gave me a free umbrela. Nice gesture.
I got to the hotel. Real nice owner, who gave me a map and highlights of the area, including the locations of post Office, NET cafe, food Court etc. The hosel is Mckenzie Hostel on the street of the same name. Singel room with fan cost 22 SD (11 Euro) and 35 SD (17 Euro) with air-con. Very clean and tidy and breakfast is included.
I had posting to do and it took me an hour to wrap two parcels. I am always paranoid that my parcels will not arrive home. I have to warp them, them mask tape them and wrap again. its harder to get into my parcels than a U2 concert. I walked to the Post Office in the rain. They were really nice and gave me a marker, paste, cello tape etc for free use and told me all the price options. I took the cheapest surface mail but they hould arrive home within 10 weeks. The cost was 67 SGD (33 Euro). I then went to get a bite to eat. The food court is a few minutes walk and a main course costs about 2.50 SD (1.30 Euro).
i retrospect, i expectected things to be a lot more expensive in Singapore, but they are not so bad. I am staying in the little India area.
This modest but colourful area of wall-to-wall shops, pungent aromas and Hindi film music is a relief from the prim modernity of many parts of the city. Centred around the southern end of Serangoon Rd, this is the place to come to pick up that framed print of a Hindu god you’ve always wanted, eat great vegetarian food and watch streetside cooks fry chapatis.
I walked around te Little India area. the Deepavali Light-Up festival (3 – 29 October) is on in this area and the streets are busy.
Marking the Festival of Lights, Little India explodes with vibrant colours and lights! Walk down the streets and be dazzled by the beautiful sights and decorations, alluring fragrances, and captivating sounds as Hindus prepare for Deepavali.Soak in the festivities as you check out the festive bazaar and enjoy the cultural performances.
i headed back around 11.00pm. I was wrecked.
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Singapore – Deepavali Light-Up festival (08-10-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Singapore – Deepavali Light-Up festival (08-10-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Singapore – Graciousness is ………… (08-10-2003)