Our first steps into Indonesia

Following a three hour flight from Bangkok, we landed in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Right away, we could tell a difference in the overall vibe of the country: the airport was very quiet, in fact silence was required according to signs on the wall. 86% of Indonesians are Muslims and we arrived right towards to last few days of Ramadan.

We chose to skip the busy capital and go to Bogor, which is only a couple of hours away. There is a coach which leaves straight from the airport, so we knew it wouldn’t be too difficult. Indeed, after a short wait, we sat on a big air-con bus with only locals.

After a long while driving quietly, the ticket collector suddenly rose and called out something. We assumed he was announcing an upcoming stop, until all the locals on board took out drinks and food, avidly consuming their meals! Looking at our watches, we noticed that it was 6:00 pm, the sun had set and fasting was over for the day - Ramadan was well and truly present everywhere in this new country.

When we arrived in Bogor, we were tired and ready to get to a hotel. We had our mind set on one place, which was easily accessible after a short taxi ride. Unfortunately, every single taxi driver refused to take us on the meter. After at least 45 minutes of trying different spots in town to flag a taxi down, and even going to the mall and getting the doorman to help us, we had to give up. Instead, we chose to walk to a nearer guesthouse. It took us about 20 minutes on foot, with jay-walking at its best: crossing busy boulevards with our heavy backpacks, but we finally got there. It seems like the way to do things here is to rely on yourself only!

All the restaurants in Bogor adorn curtains to hide the customers eating during fasting hours. As a woman, I definitely feel the need to cover up and be more respectful in the way I dress. I am excited to be in a new country and start exploring!

Restaurants put curtains up during Ramadan, to respect people who are fasting