ZjabiStories about day to day life in Indonesia by Gaby2007-04-08T11:41:07+02:00All Rights Reserved blogSpiritblogSpirit.comhttp://zjabi.blogspirit.com/Gaby NLhttp://zjabi.blogspirit.com/about.htmlTraffic was a ^$%#&% todaytag:zjabi.blogspirit.com,2007-04-08:12434602007-04-08T11:41:07+02:002007-04-08T11:41:07+02:00 Traffic was definitely a bitch today.... It started off with a motor bike...
Traffic was definitely a bitch today.... It started off with a motor bike guy driving over my foot this morning.... then the police stopped me for being in the wrong lane but let me go after I gave him my most evil of evil early morning looks . .... I was standing at the traffic light ... behind a pick up truck without working hand break ... on a slight slope ... and as the traffic light turned green, he took off, pushing the accelerator all the way down ... leaving me in such a cloud of black smoke that I had to wait for several minutes for it to clear up to be able to see where I was going ... Other than this and the usual suicidal behaviour of others on the road ... All went well ... Sigh!
Gaby NLhttp://zjabi.blogspirit.com/about.htmlMr. Police officertag:zjabi.blogspirit.com,2005-04-05:931632007-04-08T11:32:50+02:002005-04-05T06:30:00+02:00 Got stopped by the police And it was definitely my fault so had to pay Had...
Got stopped by the police<br /> And it was definitely my fault so had to pay<br /> Had gone over the flyover with my motorbike ... and that is not allowed<br /> But it only took me two minutes to deal with it<br /> Well ... Madam .... you are not allowed to do that<br /> Yes, Mr. police officer<br /> I know that but last week I went under the flyover and someone tried to steal my bag (a lie but worth trying)<br /> But what are you doing out so late<br /> Yes, well, Mr. police officer<br /> I just finished work .... busy, busy, busy<br /> Ok, can I see your papers<br /> Here you are, Mr. Police officer<br /> So I will take your papers and then you can pick them up later at this and this office, paying the fine<br /> No, wait ... don't!<br /> Mr. Police officer, it is already late ... and I would like to go home ... so how much do you want?<br /> Well ... eeeehh .... so ... eeeehh ... I mean ... eeeeeh<br /> You know what we will do, park your motorbike on the side of the road as it is less dangerous. We will sit down on the pavement and we will think about it.<br /> Dear Mr. Police officer, it is already late and I have to get up early tomorrow. I really want to go home so eeeeh ... here you go .... this is for you<br /> Well, ok then<br /> Have a nice evening Mr. Police officer<br /> Don't ever do that again, ok?<br /> Mr Police officer, I have definitely learned my lesson this evening, I will NEEEEVER do it again!
Gaby NLhttp://zjabi.blogspirit.com/about.htmlRing ringtag:zjabi.blogspirit.com,2005-03-26:832402007-04-08T11:34:52+02:002005-03-26T05:30:00+01:00 Good morning, this is Bank X GOOD MORNING, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO MR....
Good morning, this is Bank X<br /> GOOD MORNING, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO MR. EDDY<br /> Mr.Eddy? Do you have an account with our bank?<br /> NO, I DON’T<br /> Oh, then you must have dialed the wrong number<br /> BUT THIS IS BANK X, RIGHT?<br /> Yes, that’s right<br /> OH, OK. THEN I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO MR. EDDY<br /> Mr. Eddy? ... our office doesn’t have a Mr. Eddy<br /> YESTERDAY I DIALED THIS NUMBER AND SPOKE TO MR. EDDY. I WOULD LIKE TO DO THE SAME TODAY.<br /> Which department?<br /> I DON’T KNOW<br /> What is it regarding?<br /> WELL, I EXPLAINED THAT TO MR. EDDY YESTERDAY. IT’S REGARDING MY FRIEND’S LOST CREDIT CARD, FRIEND Y. BUT IT’S QUITE A STORY SO IF I HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT ALL AGAIN .....<br /> Yes, well .... we have someone called Adi and someone else called Hadi here.<br /> OK, THEN MAYBE I GOT THE WRONG NAME, CAN YOU PUT ME THROUGH TO MR. ADI THEN PLEASE?<br /> <br /> ring ring<br /> <br /> hello<br /> HELLO, IS THIS MR. ADI?<br /> Yes, speaking<br /> MY NAME IS GABY AND I’M CALLING REGARDING MY FRIEND Y’S LOST CREDIT CARD. HAVE I SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT THIS TWO DAYS AGO?<br /> A lost credit card, you say? What is your account number with our bank?<br /> NO, IT’S NOT ABOUT MY OWN CREDIT CARD. HAVE I SPOKEN TO YOU TWO DAYS AGO?<br /> Excuse me?<br /> HAVE I SPOKEN TO YOU TWO DAYS AGO ABOUT MY FRIEND Y’S LOST CREDIT CARD?<br /> About what?<br /> ABOUT FRIEND Y’S LOST CREDIT CARD<br /> Can you give me friend Y’s account number?<br /> SO I HAVEN’T SPOKEN TO YOU THEN?<br /> Excuse me?<br /> DO YOU KNOW ANYBODY CALLED MR. EDDY, HE’S SUPPOSED TO WORK AT YOUR OFFICE?<br /> Mr. Eddy? No, we don’t have any Mr. Eddy here.<br /> THEN CAN YOU PLEASE PUT ME THROUGH TO MR. HADI?<br /> Mr. Hadi? Just a moment.<br /> <br /> ring ring<br /> <br /> Hello<br /> GOOD MORNING, IS THIS MR. HADI?<br /> No, this is Mr. Tony. Can i help you?<br /> YOU CAN HELP ME BY PUTTING ME THROUGH TO MR. HADI<br /> May i ask what it is regarding?<br /> I WAS ACTUALLY HOPING MR. HADI WOULD KNOW WHAT IT IS REGARDING<br /> Wait a moment<br /> <br /> ring ring<br /> <br /> Hello<br /> GOOD MORNING, AM I SPEAKING TO MR. HADI?<br /> Yes, speaking<br /> GREAT, MY NAME IS GABY AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU IF I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU TWO DAYS AGO REGARDING MY FRIEND Y’S LOST CREDIT CARD?<br /> What do you mean?<br /> I MEAN THAT I SPOKE TO SOMEONE ABOUT MY FRIEND Y’S LOST CREDIT CARD TWO DAYS AGO AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF IT WAS YOU I SPOKE TO?<br /> Friend who?<br /> MR. HADI, I HAVE SPOKEN TO MORE THAN HALF THE STAFF IN YOUR OFFICE NOW AND ALL I WANT IS SPEAK TO MR. EDDY .....<br /> Mr. Eddy, you want to speak to Mr. Eddy<br /> YES, DO YOU HAVE ONE ON OFFER?<br /> Just a moment, I’ll put you through<br /> <br /> ring ring<br /> <br /> Hello<br /> GOOD MORNING, WHO’S SPEAKING?<br /> This is Farid, can I help you?<br /> I’D LIKE TO SPEAK TO MR. EDDY ... IS HE AROUND BY ANY CHANCE?<br /> Who can I say is calling?<br /> GABY<br /> Mrs. Debby, just a mo .....<br /> NO, NOT DEBBY, GABY<br /> Ok, Mrs. Debby, I’ll put you through<br /> <br /> ring ring<br /> <br /> Hello<br /> HELLO TO YOU TOO, WHO’S SPEAKING PLEASE?<br /> Mr. Eddy speaking here, what can I do for you?<br /> MR. EDDY, ARE YOU SERIOUS. THAT’S JUST GREAT. THIS IS GABY SPEAKING<br /> Right, you are calling about friend Y’s lost credit card<br /> FINALLY!! ................THE THING IS, I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN AN HOUR ON THE PHONE NOW AND HAVE TO LEAVE FOR WORK. BUT I’LL CALL YOU LATER AS NOW I KNOW THE TRAIL I NEED TO FOLLOW TO GET TO SPEAK TO YOU. I’LL TALK TO YOU LATER. BYE NOW<br /> <br /> <br />
Gaby NLhttp://zjabi.blogspirit.com/about.htmlENTERTAINMENTtag:zjabi.blogspirit.com,2005-03-03:627072005-03-03T18:05:42+01:002005-03-03T18:05:42+01:00 One of the nice things here is public transport-it is 100% entertainment. In...
One of the nice things here is public transport-it is 100% entertainment. In my last story, I have explained you about the little bus (Bemo). Well, in the meantime, I have had the pleasure to have some rides on some different ones and I just cannot resist writing another story about it. First of all the price is very special, for not even one dollar you may hobble for 3 long hours in the big bus from Surabaya to Madiun. I have absolutely not got any time to get bored during the journey and the show starts when we get on the bus at the bus station. There are more people selling things than there are passengers and it seems that everybody in this country is selling something. The pathway of our bus is on the route of 99 % of the sellers and the speed of passing lays around 15 persons per minute. Everybody tries to sell his stuff with great ambition; in this country social security does not exist, so selling is simply surviving. An endless parade of products pass us, all kinds of drinks, peanuts, mangos, Indonesian crackers, fried tofu, sweets, tissues, cookies, razor blades and even whole banana trees. Some sellers get in at the front, throw a bag of peanuts on the lap of half the passengers, get out at the back, get in at the front again and pick up the bags of peanuts. During this minute with these peanuts in your lap, you might think, "Actually quite nice, some peanuts!" and they have got you where they want, another bag sold........ Now that's what I call marketing. We leave the bus station when the bus is more than full and the only person who still has some space left around him is the bus driver. I actually expected someone on his lap as nothing surprises me anymore! On the first part, a musician travels with us. A boy with his guitar treats us to some of the hottest Indonesian hits. This live music actually sounds a lot nicer that the singer we met at the bus station of Surabaya last week. A man with a sexier appearance than Julio Iglesias and all his singing sons together, comes and stands next to our little bus with his sound machine and starts singing. Just by the looks on his face, he really likes his own voice but unfortunately.......... we don't. We just think that the volume of his sound machine is way too high and can explode any minute now. Travelling with this man selling earplugs would definitely earn good money. His charming wife passes with the little plastic box and some more passengers and we give some change..... My ears still hurt 2 hours later. Now, let's get back to the bus to Madiun. We have been on the secondary and tourist road for over an hour now and we take over complete truck convoys while blowing our horn. I feel a bit like Sandra Bullock in the movie Speed but I awake from that dream because my left foot has been stuck since the beginning of the trip and my right calve is getting cramp. I suddenly get jealous of the passengers that have the privilege to stand in the pathway, but I also know that it 3 hours standing is not the most pleasant thing so I take my complaints for granted. Every time the bus slows down only a little bit, new sellers jump in through the backdoor and the bus is so full that it takes them at least 10 minutes to get to the front and hop off. This circus continues the whole trip until we finally reach our destination. <br />We have also been to Jakarta by train and because this trip takes around 8 hours, we reserved seats in the executive class. Well, well, very luxurious, we can enjoy reclining seats with (for the first time) enough room for my legs, an evening meal, a television (at 30 meter distance, so we cannot see a thing but anyway) and air-conditioning. Boy, was I happy, this trip was going to be easy. I partied too early because the airco was so damn cold that spontaneous thoughts of the North Pole came to my mind. Then they came to check our tickets and the checking man in charge has more stripes on his uniform that any first pilot of KLM Airlines. Boy, you can see that grin on his face; he is really enjoying wearing that uniform. I want to ask him when we are taking off but my Indonesian is still not good enough for that. Thinking about it afterwards, I was actually happy that we had reserved this train because at the train station in Jakarta, waiting for the train back to Surabaya, a couple of normal trains passed my eyes. They are even more full than already very very full............. so in that case, I'd rather have that damn cold airco!
Gaby NLhttp://zjabi.blogspirit.com/about.htmlDifficult times hit Javatag:zjabi.blogspirit.com,2004-12-07:110232007-04-08T11:22:58+02:002004-12-07T10:50:00+01:00 It is definitely a difficult time for the ladies from the middle and upper...
It is definitely a difficult time for the ladies from the middle and upper class in Java. They are having a hard time this week. The pembantus, drivers, gardeners and all other kinds of staff have gone to celebrate Idul Fitri (the celebrations after the Muslim fasting month) with their family who mostly live in villages far away from the city. What does this mean for the ones who stay at home and normally keep busy managing their staff. They have to do all the work themselves this week and surely this has caused some panic, especially the very first day. Cook themselves, wash up themselves, sweep the floor themselves, water the plants themselves, take care of the kids themselves, iron the clothes themselves, pour drinks themselves, open the door themselves, answer the phone themselves, etc., etc. How were all these things done? I turned on the TV yesterday and found myself in an interview with an Indonesian celebrity who was trying to survive this week,;she did not look very well. If they really get depressed, they can always find refugee in a nearby hotel. Fortunately it will all end next week when everything will be back to normal and the work of the staff will be appreciated again. I would like to write some more but unfortunately cannot, as my pembantu is also away on holiday and I am knackered. I still have to cook, wash up, mop the floor, water the plants, change the sheets, do the shopping etc ... I hope I can do all before the end of the day.