Ted Meinhover Tedericco

Captain’s Log, Stardate Sunday Night WIB

That's Waktu Indonesia Barat. That's Western Jakarta Time. Can you believe the entire archipeligo of Indonesia only has three time zones? People in Aceh start the day way later than people in Surabaya...

A lovely weekend here, all in all. Tomorrow morning class once again, I believe I have a test. Today I mounted the might kereta api, the train, once again, North to the central train stration Gambir, in the heart of downtown Jakarta. The plan was to buy tickets for Suroto and myself, back to his home of Purwokerto. The end of the Islamic fasting month, Ramadan, is fast approaching (though Ramadan has just begun...), and the tradition for the massive Lebaran festival is to pulang kampung, to return to your home town and celebrate with your family.

Imagine Xmas dinner, except it lasts for three or four days straight. Food Food Food, the omnipresent sweet tea, the omnipresent little cousins running around and nosy grandmas asking questions. Javanese hospitality reaches a glorious house, and you are not allowed to enter a new place without getting fed and meeting everyone there.

My plans this afternoon were thwarted however; we may have to find other means of transport to the East. Asking for my tickets at the counter, I was reminded that there were a hundred million people that all wanted to move, all in the same two days. Simply, every ticket was sold out, every seat full for the end of October. I am told that Jakarta, the fourth largest metropolitan region in the world, becomes a virtual ghost town during Lebaran.

I suppose if all else fails, I can help Suroto end his month of fasting, with the city all to ourselves!