Back in Jakarta

Wonderful holiday with family is over and I returned to Jakarta a few hours ago. Bali & Lombok are nice, so exciting, but I'll deliver the travel stories a bit later. Mostly it was lovely to see mum, Jasmine and Pauliina. I've only been away for 2 months, but it feels like eternity.

My room back in Jakarta was locked for the 11 days I was away and therefore there hasn't been any cleaning either. When I opened the door, I discovered hundreds of little dead flies covering the floor. Extremely disgusting and strange! I have no idea how the flies appeared there (aircon has been off all the time I've been away) and how come they are dead. Someone from my residence's staff came to witness the mystery, and then the cleaner cleaned the whole floor. I then sprayed super strong insect repellent in every corner and the fumes were even about to make me pass out. The worst is over so to say, but I have now learned that here in the tropics I have to order room cleaning for all the times I'll be away.

I went to buy food and water and Jakarta seems different. No "hello misters", nobody harassing me in any way except for just one guy offering an ojek ride, in vain of course. On my home street, two elderly Chinese gentlemen were sitting by the streetside, and when I passed they smiled and nodded. Even a little step of progress was discovered on my way to the food store: a little wooden "bridge" helping to cross a roadside dirt dike has been replaced with proper concrete. I found a "hair fall solution"-shampoo in the supermarket which will hopefully do something against my extreme hair loss situation, which is caused by the tap water and also is a concern of some other westerners I know here. Jakarta doesn't feel so hot either, even if it's supposed to be 34 degrees. When I came back from shopping, the room was spotless and I decorated my wall of memories with autumn leaves from Finland, while watching Sex and the City-movie on TV. I'm ready for the coming two months before it's time for the next holiday, and decided that Jakarta is not such a terrible place after all. :)