I grab just a couple of things as I already know that all what I really need is just my passport, some money and a smile.
Final destination: Indonesia
I fly with Ethiad airlines and when I reach the airport of Malpensa I regret I couldn't have done the check in on line due to the fact my printer is broken.
There is a huge cue and it takes me lot of time to do it and pass the security.
Never mind, I'm on holiday after all...forget the rush and take it easy.
To reach Jakarta I have to transit from Abu Dhabi, so my first flight is directed there.
It is the first time I fly with Ethiad and I have to admit the service is excellent and the food deliciouse. Seats are not very large but recline in a quite comfortable way, so I also get to sleep a bit.
I land in Abu Dhabi during sunrise. Desert sunrise from a flight is really amazing.
I have to wait about 5 hours in the airport to get my connection flight. I was tempted to get out of the airport and go to visit a bit of this incredible city but one of the stewart advised me I wouldn't have time enought to come back in time, plus as it was the ramadam I would have found everything closed.
So, after cueuing for the security check I've spent the time wandering arond the shops in the gate all.
You can find there lot brand shops but prices are ridiculously high.
I made the big mistake to change my Euros in Indonesian Rupias over there. Double change was a proper theft!!!
In the airport air cond is very cold and if you have to wait over there for hours as I did I suggest you to take with you warm clothes and socks.
Despite of this useless use of power to "refrigerate" the terminals in the airport you can find lot of advices that invite people to save water and power.
Landing in Jakarta the days just before the end of Ramadan is quite nice. Our flight has been cheered by lot of fireworks all around.
It took me a while to get the Visa and check the passport as when our flight landed there was just one visa office open, so the cue was quite long.
There are two separate exit to choose so, if you are supposed to be picked up by someone and you can't see this person when you get out, try to go to the other exit: you will probably find him there.
In Jakarta I've been at the Ro&Vi Boutique Hotel http://www.hotelrovi.com/about.php
When I've booked I've asked to be picked up at the airport as my flight landed at midnight and I couldn't be bothered to look for a taxy hoping he wouldn't cheat on the price after a so long price.
Pick up service with a taxy sent by the hotel costed me about 200.000 rupias, a bit expensive, but never mind. In the hotel I reserved a suite room (on booking.com it is called executive), that was supposed to be about 28 square meter, but to me it looked quit tiny.
The room itself was nice and quite kitch, but toilet was very dirty, with no room to put your beauty case. Though we were on the 4th floor it was very noise. Bed lines had blood spots and the robe and towels were so dirty I didn't dare to use them. In the room you can find a kettle, noodle soup, teas and coffee and condoms.
I paid 285.000IDR per night, breakfast included.
The hotel is quite close to the city center, at a walking distance from the main square. At the bottom of the building there is an "Holland Bakeries" that bakes fresh cakes every day. You can find some cakes also at the hotel with your breakfast. Buffest breakfast is great with good choice of things: fruit, cakes, rice, eggs, etc...
Jakarta is quite a chaotic city, traffic is so heavy that sometimes it takes 1 hour just to drive 500 meters, so it is not teh best place to visit by foot.
I wantes to visit the mosque and the main church that are one in the front of the other, but because of the ramadam they were both closed.
The main square is huge and is very nice to go there before sunset as it is a sort of meeting point for people from Jakarta. There are lot of street vendors and stalls.
The day I left the hotel I asked for a taxy to the Kampung Rambutan bus station to take a bus to Bogor. The taxy was from Blue Bird, famouse to be quite reliable, but as soon as I got in I noticed the taxy driver was paying a commission to the hotel. After we left, he drove all the way around the city along the toll motorway, the opposite way of the bus station. I noticed it as we passed by the Mangga Dua and Soekarno Hatta Airport that are exactly on the opposite way of where I was supposed to go.
In the end he charged me about 150.000 IDR instead of the 50.000 IDR the hotel said it would had costed.
Kampung Rambutan bus station is quite busy with lot of bus leaving every moment. There is no indication or platform, so the only way to catch a bus is asking people. The best is asking to the policeman on due as most of the time people won't have any iidea of where is the bus you're looking for.
Bus to Bogor costs 30.000 IDR and have air cond. From Bogor I took a minibus to cibods via Punkak Pass. I had read this is a panoramic route, but honestly, I couldn't see anything else than buildings and traffic jam. Furthermore the travel took us about 4 hours because of the traffic, the bus was overcrowded and I had to sit on my own luggage and of course there was no air cond. Trust me, chickes travels more comfortably!!! If you want to go to Cibodas from Bogor I suggest to take a taxy and bargain for the price in advance. It is surely more expensive but at least comfortable. For the minibus I paid 30.000 IDR.
In Cibodas I've spent a couples of days at Cibodas guest house. It is a nice place on the top of a hill. The owner is a balinese who moved there, so the guest house has a balinese style.
Room costed 120.000IDR per night. It was tiny but cleaned, bathroom ensuite but no hot water. As it is on the mountain taking a shower with cold water requires a bit of bravery
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