I don’t know when Bali snuck into my bucket list, but snuck it did. In vain, I made it all the way to Macau, Singapore, KL, Bangkok and Chiang Mai, but Bali still remains elusive. This November I made one more attempt, touched Jakarta, but then came back because I had left my bucket list partner at home. Somehow hitting paradise alone wouldn’t have been as much fun.
Jakarta in transit, however, made quite an impression.
Starting with amazing sunsets… Unlike Bangkok, Singapore and KL, the sunsets in Jakarta are untouched by a towering sky line. The city is open enough for you to catch a glimpse if you are a sunset fan.
More Rupiahs then you know what to do with.
Kerb side food right out of a desi dhaba catalog all the way down to solid Lahori company to share it with.
Hazy mornings and a custom canopy of trees spread across and over an Executive club
that made me run for three days on a bad knee on a track made in heaven. The knee is gone but it was three days of rehab, therapy and sheer joy all rolled in one. When my grand children ask, I will tell them, I left my knee cap in Jakarta.
The only down side was traffic but the Indonesian’s don’t mind. Made me appreciate how open the roads still are in Karachi and Lahore.
We did manage to escape from the city and hitch a ride on a speed boat to a deserted island.
Met some old friends.
And hung out/on/with some new ones.