Nightmare

Rain + vehicles + Jakarta = NIGHTMARE

Oh no, I am not going to discuss about heavy rain that hit Jakarta for 3 hours nonstop on 25 October 2010... What's to talk about since I was not on the road at that time...

 But I do still remember when the first time I experienced that nightmare in the beginning of 2010. I forget the exact time but it was probably around January. The situation was more or less the same... Nonstop heavy rain for hours. I knew it already that there would be heavy traffic jam and rather I just pondering and wondering on the road waiting for bus more than 1 hour...better just go to the mall. It was Friday and so I contacted my friend to meet me at Grand Indonesia near Hotel Indonesia. We talked for hours and decided to end it at 10.00 PM. And I thought, the traffic jam surely over by now based on years of my experience.

And once I got out of the mall with my friend we were stunned... Why on earth this queuing for taxi still like this with so many people? We then go further near Hotel Nikko Jakarta and wait for taxi. Not bad for a night walk along with the workers from the mall (mall close around 10 PM)

We wait and wait for taxi... My friend who rented and stayed around Setia Budi (still near) loyally wait with me to get a cab. We waited for about half an hour and almost tempted to walk to Sarinah to intercept taxi there. It was almost 11 PM before finally I found one cab so I say farewell to my friend. I figure I could arrive at home within approximately 20 minutes... It was soo late already...

WRONG...

STILL TRAFFIC JAM at Imam Bonjol street along to Diponegoro... The driver then take initiative to find another road avoiding traffic jam. We circle around here and there and end up at the street near Tugu Proklamasi... And just stay there. STUCK. The driver sighing and me was beyond sighing. I was almost screaming when I looked at the fare meter... SHould I just walk? Seriously? Then finally we were able to move and the driver decided to take the road to Bukit Duri to escape from another traffic jam at Matraman Raya. That was the moment I saw that BUSWAY was still around with lots of passengers inside. All look tired and upset. That day was on Friday while heavy rain yesterday was on Monday 25 October 2010. I could imagine how pissed everybody were who arrive late at night at their home, sleep for few hours and already have to get up early in the morning. Then go to work with fear they have to deal with another nightmare.

Wondering why this thing keeps on happening? Things like this are going to make people passed away sooner due to stress and upset. They are tired from work and to go home they have to fight their way through rain, flood, traffic jam and worst...no transportation at all...

Maybe we should move to another town? Or change nationality?