Half-day in Jakarta

Have you ever imagined to visit Jakarta, the famous capital very crowded  city in Indonesia, less than 24 hours? If you are a student who lives in a small city like me, the answer is probably nooo. But something’s different and the story changed last year. I won a business report writing competition by famous Japan companies that gave me a chance to attend the final contest in Japan. (Whatta lucky me!) It means I need a visa before my departure, in the middle of December. For Indonesian, we can apply Japan visa in the Japan embassy that are located in some big cities in Indonesia like Medan, Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, and Denpasar. And for me as Yogyakartan, I need to apply my visa in Jakarta. The process of making visa is about four days office hours. I made a business visa for temporary visit. It can be used for three months and maximum days of visit is 15 days. All my needs  were already prepared by the committee. I just needed to print out my invitation and flight ticket, complete my data in registration form, and meet the committee in Jakarta to give me the rest, like hotel, company, and guarantor data. If you want to apply Japan visa, you can check here.

I never come to Jakarta by train and without parents, it’s kinda scared me somehow. Before came there, I asked the committee to give me contact number of other participant from Yogyakarta who also needs to make Japan visa in Jakarta. His name is Azhar. He helped me to look for the train tickets and complete the registration form. It was Monday afternoon, and we arranged meeting in the railway station at 8 pm. Actually my train was at 9 pm, and I was already in the station since 7.30 pm. My parents was still in my grandpa’s house, so I was alone. After half hour waiting, my friend came with his parents, his gf, small suitcase and also a fully back pack. It’s kinda awkward because I only brought my back pack. Hahaha :|

The journey was about 8 hours something. We arrived in Gambir railway station at about 4 am. Then we looked for a rest room  and mosque to pray. We spent at least an hour to have very early breakfast in Hoka-hoka bento. Arghh, I hate ebi katsu! The meeting with Mr. Edo, the committee of the company was in McDonals Sarinah. We chose to go there by busway. Actually that’s my idea. Just want to see the different between TransJogja and TransJakarta. Anyway, Gambir is not like what I imagine, not that bad. At least, if you want to transfer from Gambir to Soetta airport, you don’t need to be too confuse. You can use taxi or Damri bus (about 25.000-35.000 IDR). It’s also near Monas, and harmony busway station. But still, just be careful to always pay attention in your bag.

Busway in Jakarta is bigger than in Jogja and it has its line. The busway that drove us to Sarinah is a female driver. I never meet female busway driver in my city. Everyone seemed to hurry that morning. There were beautiful ladies officer, students, tidy workers, etc. Luckily, we only needed less than 30 minutes to Sarinah. We’re going to upstair and ordered drinks, going to rest room to change clothes, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Hahaha, the time of waiting always seems longer than it’s supposed to be, doesn’t it?

Mr Edo is a committee who helped the participants to prepare all things they need. He has graduated from Waseda Univ and now became a freelancer for Japanese companies when they wanted to hold an event in Indonesia. He came at about 9 am then explained us many things we should know. Me and my friend then walked to Japan embassy, leaving our bags with Mr Edo. It’s only took 10 minutes walk, so close. It’s not like what I’ve ever imagined to apply for Japan visa, not that difficult. We just need to explain our purpose to go, leave the documents, and keep the resi number. The visa will be done in Friday. I asked the officer if only my friend can take my passport. She said that’s okay, as long as the resi number is brought by my friend. The problem solved! I don’t need to come back on Friday, leaving my campus and my students to take the passport. Really thank to my friend for that!

We were going back to McD Sarinah, having chit-chat with Mr. Edo and waiting for the lunch time. Me and my friend went to FX mall, in Fish and Co. He had an appointment with his friend there. Her name is Mizuo-san, a Japanese girl who works in Japan embassy. She can also speak Indonesian, but never leaves her dialect. Japanese are awesome. Most of Japanese I’ve ever met never leave their dialect.

After having lunch with Mizuo-san, my mom called me and ask me to visit one of her friend in Pancoran. My friend escorted me to the nearest busway station, he would come back to Sarinah and waited his cousin to pick him up. He’d stay there for a week. And my solo trip began! Hahaha, sorry kinda hyperbolic :p

In the busway station, I ask a man how to get to Bidakara building in Pancoran. He expalined me blablablabla, because kinda confuse I just took the very beginning busway that came. It was a grey busway. The condectur told me to stop in Pluit to transfer to another busway. I was so lazy to be confused by busway line, so I preferd to take a taxi. Hahaha I only need to pay 8800 IDR. So cheap! It means I only spent less than 15.000 IDR from Sarinah to Pancoran. In Bidakara building, I met Mr. Heru. He worked for big telecommunication company in Indonesia and Pancasila Univ as a lecturer. We talked a lot about the people and condition of Jakartan, also my visa application. He supposed to escort me to Pasar Senen railway station at about 6 pm. Unfortunately he needed to accompany lord mayor that time. He asked me to take a taxi. It started to drizzle, and I was nearly hopeless to get a taxi. My train would depart at 7.30 p.m, and it was 6.30 pm I still looked for a transportation to get there. Finally I gave up and walked to the who we called ‘ojek motor’ (that I ignored before), and started to bargain the cost to go to Pasar Senen. I needed to pay 40.000 IDR. The man who escorted me to the railway station was friendly. He still tried to make me not to be panic even when we trapped in the traffic jam on the way to the station. At least that was a new experience, lol.

I arrived in Pasar Senen railway station and waited to my train. It was soo messy railway station. There are a lot of people, talking in the high volume (if we can’t say shouting), sitting on the floor, etc. Well, it is a railway station for economy and business class. I have a business train ticket (it was only 140.000 IDR). It’s more economical absolutely. And the point is, I want to feel how to travel with the business train. I’ll never regret this experience. I had a chit chat with an old woman who wanted to go to Jogja by economy train (35.000 IDR, see? Sooo cheap!)

When the train started to walk, it was my time for sightseeing outside the window. I saw a very bad view, that some family live under the fly over, build their home there. I have no idea why they chose to stay in that condition. If they are people from outside Jakarta, it’s better for them to come back to their village, their small town, to start a new life, to live better. Unemployment and poverty in Indonesia is so bad problem but it’s still can be repaired somehow. I know, there are a lot of arguments that can break my point of view. Okay let’s move.. Overall, I only spent half day in Jakarta. It was so yah, unpredictable day. My trip to Jakarta that time really gave me something, new experience, new friend, new knowledge, and new thought. But it was soo tiring! No good sleep in the business train! Every time the train stopped in the railway station along the journey, there were many merchantmen asked the passengers to buy their stuffs or food. Hahahaha whatta day.

See you for another half-day trip, hey Jakarta!