Jakarta / Bandung.

Left for Jakarta at 0700 hrs vides Air Asia flight on 18 July 2009. The entourage comprised of my wife, Haji Adenan and wife together with his little girl, Fitrishah. Upon arrival we checked in at Ibis Tamarin Hotel at Tanah Abang area. First itinerary was shopping and lunch at Tanah Abang shopping complex. This complex is a wholesale distribution center for Jakarta and practically everything is available from leather goods to textile materials and you name it. Due to heavy traffic jam (machet in Indonesian) we had to get down from the taxi and walked a distance to the complex. We bought a few items and Bandung was our main destination for shopping. On the way back we could not get a taxi and resorted to the “vespa cab”. It was an experience just like in India.

After a short rest we took the taxi and took a tour of Ancol, the playground of Jakarta somewhere near Tanjong Periuk. We stopped for dinner at Garuda Restaurant for Nasi Padang. We managed to see the last fifteen minutes of live coverage Malaysia versus MU played at Kuala Lumpur. We took a stroll back to the Hotel and called it a night.

19 July 2009 – After breakfast we checked out early and got our entire luggage into the taxi. We told Pak Erwan the Taxi Driver to show us Jakarta city including the Marriot and Ritz Carlton which was bombed on 17 July 2009. Being Sunday Jakarta downtown was quite deserted, traffic flow was easy and moreover the bombing incident slightly scared the jakartans. Pak Erwan took us to Mini Indonesia Park and we just took a tour around the complex. We then headed to Jatinegara Railway Station for Bandung. Unfortunately tickets for the Executive Coach were sold out and we decided to take a taxi instead. We managed to get one with 500,000 rupiah from Jatinegara to Bandung. Pak Suwaryono was the Taxi Driver.

The taxi ride to Bandung took us about two hours by the highway a distance of about 180 km from Jakarta. As we entered Bandung, the Traffic Police stopped us. The regulation is, Jakarta taxi cannot operate in Bandung. Pak Suwaryono was interviewed and his documents were confiscated. Haji Adenan and I had to testify that we were from Malaysia and we took the taxi as train tickets had exhausted. The Police openly requested for 300,000 rupiah bribery and he would personally guide the taxi to the Hotel otherwise more Policeman are waiting along the route. We negotiated with him and agreed on 150,000 rupiah. The Policeman rode on a motorcycle in front of us and the best joke he did not even know where the Hotel is and had to ask someone by the roadside. We finally reached Hotel Kedaton and paid Pak Suwaryono 600,000 rupiah. The extra 100,000 rupiah was our share of the bribery. That is life in Indonesia, bribery is open and rampant and the saying is ujung ujung duit (at the end is money).

Bandung is known as Parijs van Java (Paris of Java). Perhaps it got the name during the Dutch colonial days. With the city now over populated, the Paris of Java only remains at Jalan Braga where the Dutch colonial heritage buildings still stand. The first itinerary in Bandung, we contacted Pak Tardmizi of Zafira Travel and he came along with a MPV. We decided to visit Jalan Dago, the Factory Outlet Shopping Area. The textile materials goods sold here are very cheap and all sorts of branded goods are available. We went to three Factory outlet and millions of rupiahs flowed away like water. We found Versace, Calvin Klein and you name it. We adjourned for dinner at Matahari Shopping Complex Food Court. At night we just spent the time watching TV especially TVRI News for the latest update on the Jakarta bombings.

20 July 2000 – It was a public holiday in Bandung, israk mikraj (ascension of the Holy Prophet) and it seems most of the residents in Jakarta spent the long weekend in Bandung. It was indicated by the numerous B plate automobiles running around the city. Those who came from the nearby cities to Jakarta to watch the Indonesia versus MU match which was cancelled diverted their trip to Bandung. Bandung was exceptionally crowded and the roads were all jammed up. Hotels were all fully booked and the rate went up by 100%. It was lucky that we booked a month ahead through Zafira Travel.

In the morning we went to Cibaduyut. This is where all the leather goods are sold, shoes, belts, handbags, luggage bags and all items made from leather. I got myself two belts and my wife bought a pair of shoes. We then went to Pasar Baru at city center. This is where the center of attractions to all shoppers. Malaysians would come here to buy embroidered telekung, tudung, batik lepas, batik sarong and kain pelikat. I must admit it is pretty cheap and lots and lots of varieties. My wife was really enjoying the shopping but with the bargain and the haggling around I was having severe headache. The overcrowding added to my misery. Soon after my wife got what she wanted, I suggested returning to the Hotel. I ordered room service for my lunch. We became babysitter to Fitrishah as Haji Adenan and wife escaped downtown to do their shopping. I took Fitrishah to the swimming pool and that little girl really enjoyed the water splashing spree. Her giggling and laughter cured my headache.

After Haji Adenan came back from his shopping trip we went to Rabbani Store. This is where all the Muslim fashions designs are sold. I got several shirts for myself and my son. I may get the same at Jalan Masjid India in KL but it would be more expensive. I really got the thrill of shopping in Bandung because when I convert the rupiah to ringgit, I found that the unit cost was about 50% cheaper, though in rupiah it sounds very expensive, everything in thousands (ribu ribu). Sometimes I was scared to take out a 100,000 rupiah currency note to pay for an item when it actually cost me RM 35.00.

We had our dinner at Simpang Raya Restaurant, a Nasi Padang food outlet. Regret I did not get my favorite, “jenkol masak lemak”. Nasi Padang Restaurant is the safest food chain whenever in Indonesia. Halal is guaranteed and the food is near similar to Malay food. Never consume food by the road side stalls. After dinner, I walked across to the Supermarket as I wanted to buy several boxes of jasmine tea bags. Bandung is also famous for its fragrance tea.

We told the Driver to tour Bandung city by night and he took us to see the Savoy Homan Hotel which was built in 1938 by the Dutch. We passed through the Asia Africa Summit Conference Building. The Afro Asia Conference was held in 1955 by late President Soekarno for anti colonialism. We went back to the Hotel and just laze by the swimming Pool as little Fitrishah insisted on another splash. We practically had to pull her away from the swimming pool as we had to do a lot of packing. Early next morning we got to catch the early morning flight home to KL.

21 July 2009 – Zafira MPV fetched us early morning as the flight would be at 0600 hrs Indonesian time. It was about fifteen minutes drive to Husein Sasteranegara Airport. This Airport is actually a Millitary Airport, within the Indonesian Air Force Complex. The only international commercial flight is to/from this airport are Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The domestic is to Batam and Surabaya. The best Airport in Indonesia I have been to. The Airport is within a control security area and unnecessary loiters are not around. It is clean, systematic and the personnel are very friendly and accommodating.

Breakfast was nasi lemak and milo on board the flight. Smooth flight home and touched down at LCCT fetched by Haji Adenan brother. As we entered the USJ area it started to rain and all the way to Port Klang. After a good shower I caught up with my sleep and woke up at 1500 hrs.

I would definitely plan to return to Bandung. This time besides shopping I plan to visit the outskirts, the volcanoes, waterfalls and the highlands. This trip was merely shopping and I found that time was really a constraint. We did not know that it coincided with long weekend in Bandung. The good thing Zafira Travel only charges 400,000 rupiah per MPV per day, that include petrol, toll and a chauffeur. Zafira Travel can be contacted at www.zafiracar.com for further information regarding travel in Bandung. I surely recommend.