{"id":5706,"date":"2014-12-03T07:44:12","date_gmt":"2014-12-03T07:44:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rswproductions.net\/travels\/?p=5706"},"modified":"2019-03-26T10:28:56","modified_gmt":"2019-03-26T15:28:56","slug":"day-4-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travels.wohu.us\/?p=5706","title":{"rendered":"Day 4"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today it was time to move on from Jakarta to Bandung for emJay\u2019s conference.<\/p>\n

For the last several days before I have got out of bed I\u2019ve made mental note of how nice it is to stretch out COMPLETELY! Having spent 22 hours sitting upright in a plane or in a semi-prone position (three open seats = about 60 inches) + (one six foot, two inch person = about 74 inches) = Uncomfortable scrunched sleeping. Don\u2019t take things for granted, enjoy the little pleasures of life!!!<\/p>\n

Time to take inventory. A money count showed we didn’t need to hit the ATM machine. We are of course dealing in the Indonesia currency, the Rupiah. About 11, 000 to 12,000 = $1.00USD. As they say on the literature, when you buy something over $100.00USD you will become a millionaire as you need just over the equivalent of $1,000,000RP for the transaction!<\/p>\n

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This wad from my pocket was worth about $100USD!!!<\/p>\n

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Like Cuba last month, we are not drinking the water on this trip. The plumbing can evidently be iffy and there is a problem with heavy metals in some of the water supplies . . . so got to make sure we have enough to brush teeth and drink along the way.<\/p>\n

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As previously noted, The Nature Conservancy office was right around the corner and we headed over about 9:30am for our bus ride to Bandung.<\/p>\n

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A tour of the office looked very similar to the offices of WDNR and other state offices back home, cube land . . .<\/p>\n

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. . . and what self respecting office wouldn\u2019t have a nice break room for their employees. Although I didn’t see any donuts around. At several meals, when it came time at the buffet for dessert, I saw Indonesian’s reach for fruit instead of cake. That\u2019s a habit I should pick up from this trip!!!<\/p>\n

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emJay and Rizal, the TNC country director for Indonesia, and Charles, the country director from Kenya, Africa. Although from three different continents, they all spoke English and \u2018TNC speak\u2019!<\/p>\n

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Our wheels that will haul 60 of us to the 3 day TNC, country wide, staff meeting held every 2 years. The meeting would also included about 10 folks from the Australian and United State’s programs.<\/p>\n

We had read about the traffic issues in Jakarta and it is best to avoid renting a car and trying to drive yourself. One needs to leave PLENTY of time to get where you are going within the city. Our 20 mile ride from the airport had only taken 25 minutes, but that of course was at 3:00AM Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

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When Charles, the country director from\u00a0 Kenya, arrived Sunday night at 7:00pm, the same ride on the highway took 3 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!<\/p>\n

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Getting out of Jakarta was a chore! The city is in the process of finishing a subway system that should be completed in 2020, which will not be a minute too soon. The traffic in this city of 12 million UNBELIEVABLE!! At every stoplight the motorbikes work their way up the sides of the lanes, and between the cars, forming a large contingent at the front. When the light changes it\u2019s like the Indy 500.<\/p>\n