Our first weekend in Jakarta

I have had my first Margarita, at 30+++++++++ years old!
We went to a popular Mexican restaurant on Friday night and there was a happy hour on Margaritas‘, strawberry or lime flavor. GJ and I realized that we don’t have to drive home (Mr Amin is kind enough to do it for us) and we ordered a pitcher!
Margaritas match Mexican food PERFECTLY !
GJ and I are just starting to realize the implications of how big a luxury it is to have a driver in Jakarta.

Dinner was wonderful, we met the owner (I think), a lovely lady called Paris. Everyone is so nice and friendly. We had a very early dinner and as we left, the place was really filling up. The restaurant has music and shows on from 7.30 at night.
Georgia wanted to stay and get up and boot-scoot!

We have seen so many amazing sights. I want a small, cheap digital camera to put in my bag for all the amazing things I see.

Unfortunately we saw a horrible thing on Thursday, a child was knocked over by a car. I was so relived to see that the car served at the last moment and the child only bounced off the car and was not seriously hurt. The poor little boy was very upset but alright. Thankfully there was so many people around to help him and the distraught driver. It was horrible watching it all unfold yet being unable to stop it or help.

Another thing I want photos of to put on my blog is the traffic. The traffic is indescribable. The noise is constant with all these different horns. When the traffic comes to a standstill, the motor bikes just get up and drive along the FOOTPATHS!
There is no regards to line marking on the roads and the cars edge up to each other so close. You could shake hands with the person in the next car with out extending your arm. We are in a hire car at the moment and it does not have tinted windows. We are like fish in a bowl, a very interesting sight! Ben thinks it is great fun when the hawkers come up to the window and wave things at us. I look away but Ben waves and starts chattering at them. I have requested dark tinted windows for the company car.

We managed to ask Mr Amin to take us for a drive through the city yesterday. I find all the appropriate Bahasa words in my phrase book and write them in a list and hope the Mr Amin can work out where we want to go.

We drove through two distinct areas of the city. The first area was green and lush with wide roads and beautiful gardens. The buildings were large and grand. We think it was the government area. We saw what we think is the Botanical gardens and the large national monument. We will go back for a walk around in the next few weeks and also go to the near by museum. The road continued and the area changed dramatically. The buildings were much older and grottier. The traffic was much worse and it was crowded with people. The river was very brown and murky. I do not know the names of the places we went as yet. I will have to describe it to an English speaking local to find out and get back to the blog.

Shopping must be an expats main occupation. Our driver automatically assumes we want to go shopping when we get in the car. Before Mr Amin understood we wanted a tour he took us to a place called Electronic City. We had a look anyway…
We have been using Chelsea’s 12” TV as our main family TV since the big accident and the subsequent child induced de-programming of the loan TV. The choice is amazing. The prices are only slightly cheaper than Australia, but I think that there is definitely much more choice. We will have to do a lot of research before we fork out so much money.

We have been doing a bit of shopping in the last week. The kids needed to be fitted out with school bags, shoes etc and GJ need another light weight suit and some business shoes. I have bought NOTHING and not even entered a ladies wear shop. Today we need to get the kids hair cut and then they need an afternoon rest. The events and change of the past week have caught up with them and they are all a bit cranky. GJ has offered to take them back to the hotel and let them rest before having a swim, While I stay at the shops!!! Yippee. I have posted before about how wandering aimless through crowded shops is relaxing for me. I don’t need to spend any money, just looking is fun enough. I just like looking at the variety and different things available in Indonesia.