My mindset when I arrived on Soekarno-Hatta, the Jakarta International Airport, was as follows: I am an experienced globetrotter, having travelled numerous countries in the West and now proceeding to the realm of the oriental to learn its ways and ethos of travelling. I did not have a notion of what was to be expected when I entered Indonesia and I was not mentally prepared for everything that I encountered. In other words, Indonesia struck me down and humbled me, telling me that I knew nothing of travelling in the Third World.
Now that I have spent a month in the country I do have some insights for people who will be entering Indonesia for the first time on their travels.
Firstly, it is recommended to have a reservation at least for the first night or two, so you will have a specific destination when you arrive in the country. Even if you do not have a destination, try not to look lost as this will attract harassers.
Secondly, use the taxis, ojeks and becaks the locals are oh-so-eager to offer at your disposal. The worst that can happen when walking around by foot is to get robbed.
Thirdly, be careful with food and water, tap-water is not safe to drink and Western foods are more likely to carry harmful bacteria than local ones.
Fourthly, have a plan for the harassers that you will encounter. It helps to say that you already have a hotel reservation even if you wouldn't, or that you'll just walk around the corner if somebody's eagerly offering you transportation. Most of the harassers will leave you alone if you do not look at them but the most annoying ones will tag along and demand to know where you're going. Remember to never shout or lose your temper in public because in Asia this means losing your face in the eyes of others.
Fifthly, learn at least the numerals, greetings and how to say thanks in the local language. This way you will get a much more positive reaction from the people you are dealing with and avoid misunderstandings.
All of the previous points come from experience, as during my month in Indonesia I experienced two stomach infections, had my wallet stolen and got ripped off by several harassers. I encountered much poverty, got shaken on bad roads and frustrated by the language barrier, but also saw some of the greatest sights of my entire trip. Not the entirety of my Indonesian experience was thus positive, but it definitely taught me a lot about what travelling in Southeast Asia consists of. The next entry will handle one of the highlights on the Indonesian leg of my trip, the Gili islands.
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| The ubiquitous gecko |
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| A view from Yogyakarta |
