S.E. Asia 2004

Jakarta, Island of Java, Indonesia (August 2004)

Once saddled with a reputation as a poverty-ridden hell hole, Jakarta mutated into an Asian boom town in not much more than a decade. Reduced by the 1998 riots to a burnt-out shell, it remains very much at the centre of political events re-shaping Indonesia.  At first glance, this hot, smoggy city feels like nothing more than a waiting lounge for the millions queuing up to make their fortune. Jakarta’s infamous macet (gridlock) chokes its freeways, town planning is anathema and all attempts to forge a central focal point for the city have stuttered and ultimately failed.  Beneath the veneer of glass fascias, concrete slabs and shabby slums, however, this is a city of surprises. From the steamy, richly scented streets of Chinatown, to excellent shopping, to the city’s thumping, decadent nightlife, Jakarta is a Pandora’s box, filled with all the good and bad of Indonesian life (Lonely Planet). Definitely a change from the more modern cities of KL and Singapore, Jakarta is a city of 9+ million with great potential.  Smog and pollution still dominate the city (from both automobile exhaust and burning of wood to make fertilizer), though to the south and west lie the countryside.  As a side note, the islands of Indonesia (consisting of over 18,000 islands, 6,000 inhabited making it the world's largest) are located in the southern hemisphere, making this my first trip south of the equator.  Woohoo!  ABOVE, Photo taken from a mountaintop restaurant in West Java.

Taman Safari: Casey chillin with the elephants in this drive through safari and amusement park

Mountaintop Restaurant: Loads of great, cheap food and a spectacular view

Julia's House: Home sweet home for a few days

The girls styling with their handmade bags from Bali

Totally wicked house in Julia's development (look at the size of those window's).  Mind you, we saw one of these guy's cruising in his Ferrari.

Outside the house