Medan Kota

some 3 years back… for each Idul Fitri comes, and with each holidays being longer than the next… I was telling my hubby how we should take the time to explore more of Indonesia.. i.e visiting other cities…  like Yogjakarta, Lombok,  Java, Manado, Sabang etc..  well.. it ended with nothing…

apart from Jakarta, Padang and Bali.. thats just about it for Indonesia with me…. I know that I should explore more… BUT I bet I am not alone to feel the reason behind… Idul Fitri holidays will probably be the only time that best suit me to travel within the country… but with Hari Raya (the New Year for the muslims) being the most important date for the locals…. where shops are closed, airport are jammed packed with locals trying to get home ( just imagine the queues and delays… the squeezing and queue jumping…), and that hotels charging high season rates and that air tickets are like double the price… honestly…. I simply can’t bare to part with my money.. coz.. adding it all up… I can easy take a trip to Hong Kong..  plus the fact that my dearest just not into local sightseeing.. (a typical local who dont see what’s the point of seeing all things local…aiii)..

with Indonesia being such a big country and that the infrastructure is not well developed… it’s really not easy… unlike Thailand, Malaysia, US, UK etc.. the locals can choose to drive.. and go cities hopping… while here.. all you can do is take Plane rides… and living in Medan makes it even more unfeasible…

being here in Medan means that where ever we go… we need to take a flight out to the nearest cities before we get to our next destination.. i.e plane connections.. and that simple 1 hour plane ride.. to either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore or even Jakarta… will cost an extra of at least US$ 150 per person.. so for my family.. it will add up to like US$ 600!!

well.. my current travelling wish lists are Lombok and Yogjakarta… each time that I look up Lombok…. my brain will say….. let’s do it the next time.. I need 4 planes connection – Medan-Jakarta-Bali-Lombok.. and imagine waiting for flight connection in Jakarta airport!!!… I don’t even want to go explaining it… even with lounge access… its kind of not the place I want to be… anyway…. assuming I am taking the earliest flight like 6 am… I will only get to Lombok like 2/3pm and will cost me about US$ 350 for air ticket… so with that… we never get round to doing it..

the time that we were enrouting to Bali.. Jadon being his first time to Jakarta Airport… (we were only transiting…).. was real excited about the whole trip… the moment that he stepped off plane and walked into the terminal… he turned back and said “mama,… are you sure we are in Jakarta?? …. it smells so bad.. and very dirty”.. and he never mentioned about going back there again…

and when I asked some of the local friends….. apart from Business trips to cities like Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya as well as holiday destination, Bali… many of them don’t really explore much of their own country too… well.. I guess I am not alone…

Popularity: 3% [?]

Medan Polonia Airport, the one airport, a definite one that you just want to scream each time you stepped off the plane… it’s like the beginning of a nightmare once I am back in Medan… for someone like me living in this town…

First, we still need to walk down the stairs to get off plane… it’s particularly difficult for old people and especially for parents with young kids…

Second, the immigration, being a foreigner, they tend to ask silly questions… anyway, for newbies, make sure you have the completed immigration card and a copy of the return tickets so that the process will be smoother..

Third, the trolleys, it will probably be taken up and none left for use by the time we are waiting for our bags, … so help the society and the people in need by using the porter service…

Forth, you just pray hard that there is no ‘white chalk cross out‘ shown on the bags… if so, you will be asked to open the bag for inspection.. I still don’t quite get what exactly they are looking for though, I know that they saw something from the x-ray machine but am still curious with it till today… some said that it’s the weights of the bag, but I don’t think so.. coz I am one person who uses big bag and being heavy and yet I am still ok… then some said it’s the books… and again, no, coz I dragged back 20 kg of books and still ok…

But I saw something at the inspection counter once that made me laughed each time I landed at the Medan Polonia Airport ….

A chinese girl, may be like 17 years old… she looked like she was coming back to Medan from studying in Singapore… she had one huge luggage, a reasonable size push bag and an extra plastic bags full of stuff… her big bag got crossed out and was told to stop and have it opened for inspection… I was standing nearby waiting for the porter to get my bags, so I was seeing this quite clearly…

The inspector was an old male guard, the girl being young and a teenager was of course not looking pleased… but she obliged and didn’t slip in any small money (like many typical Medanese would do), she opened her luggage, with her face looking emotionless, …. and in there lay a big old grandma underwear !!!!  Its not those size 10 or 12 that belongs to her, but one that is like XXXL, old and worn out, with fade colour, neatly placed right on top of the stuff….  my head was like …. hahhaah, laughed, shocked, surprised but curious at the same time… remembering we are in a Muslim world…

The old guard gave her a look, and she, gave him the shrugged shoulders, 2 palms opened and on her face, with her tongue sticked out signaling like I don’t know, my mum packed the bag for me.. …and having that pretend innocent look…  my god,.. I have to turn myself away in another direction to laugh it all off…

And yes, NO word was exchanged, the old guard didn’t touch a single stuff and let her close her bag off and walked away…

Not sure if it’s a trick that some of you may want to take note of….

Popularity: 9% [?]

I received several questions regarding the mystery shopper’s job that I posted sometimes back….   today.. the company approached me again and its kind of funny.. coz…. many Indonesian esp the office workers whose salary in the range of Rp 1-3 jt and always seems to be complaining of money not enough… then I believe this is the right job for them…. the pay is very very OK…  although this time the job is in Jakarta.. but still!!!….  usually they will allow a maximum of 4 jobs per company… so by doing the max of 4 where avg pay is about EUR 15…. thats total EUR 60 = Rp 850.000 for max 3 hrs job!!!

 and for this month, 2 companies are doing it in Indonesia… Chanel pay is Euro 15 while the Harley Davidson is Euro 17….

take for example, the Chanel job, 2 of the shops are located within the Plaza Senayan and thats so easy already… u just have to pick 2 more locations nearby.. its takes like some 10 mins per store… and come home fill in questionnaire that takes another 10 mins.. and with that you get Euro 15!!!

if you knows of friends who wants to earn the extra pocket money, I believe this is the easiest so far for what I have seen…  if you go as a couple… apply for 2 seperate accounts and you are earning double…^0^

the jobs pay the same in Singapore too…. spread the words people….. spread the words….

Popularity: 50% [?]

Let us see, if any of the point below can be seriously executed in Indonesia…

From theJakartapost.com

Governor Sutiyoso said: “It is true we’re still weak in enforcing laws. But we need to realize that law enforcement will not succeed if the people are undisciplined.”

He said the law would be enacted “very soon”.

The ordinance lays out punishments of a maximum of 180 days of imprisonment and a maximum of Rp 50 million (US$5,300) in fines for offenders.

Selected points in the new bylaw:

* No unauthorized persons may manage traffic at intersections in return for money.
* No unauthorized persons may collect money from public transportation drivers or cargo shipment drivers.
* Public transportation passengers are not to litter, to throw chewing gum, to spit or to smoke inside the vehicle they are traveling in.
* No individual or institution may squat or stand on benches in public parks, unless it is for city agency purposes. No individual or institution is to leave chewing gum on park benches.
* All individuals and institutions must register any animals they own with the city administration.
* No individual or institution may make, sell or possess fireworks or similar items.
* All food stalls and restaurants must have a halal certificate displayed in an easily seen area.
* All individuals and institutions are prohibited from soliciting donations in the street, markets, housing complexes, hospitals, schools, offices and on public transportation without the permission of the governor.
* No individual or institution may force another individual to become a beggar, busker, street vendor or car windshield cleaner.
* No individual or institution may become a beggar, busker, street vendor or car windshield cleaner.
* No individual or institution may trade with street vendors or give money or goods to beggars, buskers or car windshield cleaners.

very interesting…

Popularity: 9% [?]

I was checking on the Jakarta stock market and surprised to see that it has hit the 2300 pt… I dont know what to think… is Indonesia economy so positive?… most banker around the world are already advicing the clients to hold cash and get out of this bull stock market…  if you look at the trading volume, it is relative low and still what is pushing it up, i have no clue.  Its been on the run since sept 2005 and hasn’t stop… although we are expecting BI to reduce the interest rate to 7.25% by year end.

Popularity: 6% [?]