We moved out from Aston Rasuna apartment today, and in to the Cibubur residence, on the edge of Jakarta.
My bicycle also arrived today. It was sent by cargo ship from Balikpapan last month.
I will probably make a trip to Yogyakarta soon, to my “oasis” Mercury guesthouse. A great place to just hang out and do nothing.
Garden, Cibubur residence.
I took a taxi to the East Jakarta immigration office this morning to have a visa extension. I went here last Thursday too, but in vain, since they demanded the signature on the sponsor letter to be written across a stamp duty (Rp 6000 tax stamp).
The immigration office is located next to the large Cipinang prison.
I noticed that the immigration office is renovated since last time I set foot here, which was in March 2003, and the visa extension process was quicker this time. Just submit application and some passport photocopies, pay the fee of Rp 250k, and that’s it. Oh, and by the way, back in 2003 the fee was Rp 200k.
Afterwards I took a taxi to Mall Ambassador, where I am sitting right now, enjoying a coffee at Dunkin Donuts.
Cipinang prison.
Kantor Imigrasi Jakarta Timur.
Yesterday we drove to the Cibubur residence, East Jakarta, for the Idul Fitri holiday, and will be staying here until Wednesday.
Here’s a video clip of one of the birds in the garden. I found the bird to be quite funny, look at the way it’s waving its head.
Video clip.
This is the last day of Tour Europe 2009 for the Gang of Four.
The Laughing Taxi Driver, still laughing, picked us up around 04:00, and drove us to the airport, terminal 3.
We took a Mandala flight (Rp 500k) at 06:00 to Balikpapan, arriving in Balikpapan around 09:00.
Saras took a taxi to her residence, while I, Astrid, and Caecil took another taxi to our residence.
Tour Europe 2009 is officially over. It has for sure been a memorable experience for all members of the Gang of Four.
After a long and exhausting flight (the Gang of Four was unfortunately not upgraded this time), the Gang finally touched Indonesian soil again at 17:40, when the Luftwaffe plane landed in Jakarta (after a short stop-over in Singapore).
We collected our baggage, and I was responsible for finding a taxi for the Gang. So I did, and our taxi driver was of the laughing type; he will be remembered as The Laughing Taxi Driver. He took us to the usual residence in Cibubur, a Jakarta suburb, where we stayed for the night. Since The Laughing Taxi Driver was such an admirable man, we agreed with him to pick us up at 04:00 the next morning, when we would catch a plane on our last leg back to Balikpapan.
Tour Europe 2009 was coming to an end.
Saras in Jakarta: Leaving Luftwaffe plane.