Jakarta was the expected pain in the arse, first the flight was 4 hours late out of Bali due to a “technical problem”, and when I saw the plane I could see why, as it looked like something as was once used by the Wright brothers. They did compensate us with free dinner in the airport, which consisted of the strange combination of what appeared to be a KFC zinger leg with a big patty of rice served up in a MacDonald’s carton. So it was 11pm by the time I was out of Jakarta airport, and sure enough the taxi drivers were on me like vultures around a fresh piece of road kill. The guy I got was trying to screw me for about 200,000 whereas the bill was eventually 60,000 or so, but I had to drag him into the hotel to get the receptionist to help get him off my back.
After 4 hours I was up again at 4:30, a tuk tuk driver swindled me for 2,000 (I let him get away with an extra 1,000!) to take me to a bus station where I caught an airport bus which went surprisingly smoothly. So off I went to Singapore, unfortunately my baggage decided it wanted to go to Hong Kong, so I am still sitting here 2 days later with my beach shorts, singlet and flip flops on from Bali. Smells lovely, I’m assured by Rakesh and Michelle that I’m staying with. Apparently it’s now back here and should arrive at the apartment in a couple of hours much to everyone’s relief!
Spent the afternoon/evening with Rakesh at the bar on the riverside where Nick Leeson of the Barings Bank scandal was arrested. The state we ended up in, it’s a wonder we weren’t arrested there as well to be honest.