Updates from my Jakarta business trip

And yes, we paid USD250 for the excess load. We actually did not check in our own luggage to help save like about 20kg. You can imagine how tiring it was. So yes, we were at the check in counter of Silk air when my colleague and I started loading the stuff on the the belt for checking in.

And the lady actually told us to like leave the odd shape ones and load the regular ones first, and since we weren't planning on checking in our own luggage, I told the lady that none of our check-in luggage are regular shape. Anyways. It was nice of her to give away 20kgs to us free. What you get travelling with SQ I presume.

So anyway.

Our first stop was Jakarta. I don't know about others, but I'm always apprehensive about flying to Jakarta. This isn't my first time to the city, but it doesn't make me any less scared about travelling to it.

I have heard several bad experiences about the country, how corrupt it is and of course, the terrorists activities. In fact, someone once told me that Jakarta is the headquarters of the some terrorist group, the name I cannot remember.

So yes, I get nightmares about getting stopped at customs, getting robbed, and getting mugged.

View from the plane window. We were actually flying by Garuda to Jakarta and then switched to Silk air to get to Kuala Lumpur which was the next destination.

I digress.

So yes, I know I'm probably worrying too much, but honestly, if you were in my shoes, carrying almost 100kg worth of baggage, all of which look dodgey, to a city with not that good a reputation like Jakarta, you might worry too.

And to top it off, we were staying at the Ritz Carlton hotel. Yes, the very one that was bombed just last year, and yes, its situated directly opposite from the legendary J.W. Marriott hotel (which is linked to the Ritz Carlton) that was bombed TWICE.

I didn't manage to snap a picture of the Marriott hotel. I tried to on my second night but before I could snap a picture, one of the MANY security guards blew his whistle at me from across the street to stop us from photo taking. That's how uptight things have become, that it's not funny.

Anyways. Fast forward, surprisingly, customs at Jakarta was a breeze, did not get stopped or anything, and we got to the hotel in relatively smooth traffic which was quite a blessing too, considering how Jakarta was also notorious for its massive traffic jams.

So we got to the Ritz and man, was it grand. Of course after the bomb sweeps and bag scans, we got to our rooms. The room was HUGE and beautiful. I honestly have no idea why would anyone want to bomb such a beautiful hotel.

I mean, ain't it good that you country have such a beautiful place? Shouldn't you be proud that your country has got something to show to others? I don't get it.

Anyway. I actually felt that the rooms were too big, especially when you are staying all by yourself. It's actually weird that you have that much space and room to yourself.

The room is so big that it actually had a bit of a walkway towards the main area.

That's the bed area. It's just the regular queen bed. But I have had trouble sleeping in it all by myself as it feels like there is too much space. When I sleep, I pretty much stay in one place and don't move around alot.

I know this sounds silly, but I had a hard time deciding how to sleep in this bed, do I sleep in the middle, closer to the left or to the right. I thought of sleeping closer to my left near the window cos that's where I placed my phone at, but then the room phone was on the right, and I was afraid that I would miss the morning call. Boy, did I waste too much time on that.

The couch area in front of the bed.

The bathroom and it actually links to the walk in wardrobe. Yes, you heard me right. It's a walk-in wardrobe.

This bathtub actually has a electric powered blind by the window. You just need to press the switch on the wall! How cool is that?

The sink.

And a large LCD tv which I did not use at all. Was too tired before, during and after the conference that all I wanted to do was to get to sleep. SO yes, I had all of that to myself. I really think it was a tad too extravagant, and guess what was the room rate for all that awesomeness?

Just SGD140.00. I was told that that is the group rate, so its actually a special price, I couldn't help wondering if that was a special price to encourage people to come stay after the bombing incident last year.

Anyways. The service was also impeccable. My colleague and I had wanted to explore outside the hotel for dinner and so this really nice hotel staff offered us a ride on the hotel's buggy to get to the buildings further down the road. Man I felt like royalty.

That's my colleague on the buggy. It's a little dark I know. Anyways, that's about all, this post is getting a tad too long. Time to get to bed!