get a call from the internet mob today.
caller:"blah blah blah, you have bill for 417,000 rupiah ?"
me"yes, i know, it's a promotional price for unlimited usage, so it's always that price."
caller"for december bill?"
me"yes i know, it's an automatic debit from my bank account"
caller"yes, but its 417,000rupiah"
me"yes i know but the bill is not due until the 20th, and its a set amount, same every other month, and its automatic debit."
Hmmm, so what was that all about? A sudden out-of-the-blue reminder to make sure I pay my bill? Which I've been doing every month for the last year and a half on the same set price? And actually they collect my bill each and every month anyway....
December 16, 2007
November 26, 2007
MRT - Mass Rapid Transportation system, Jakarta Style! :(
Most Asian countries these days have some sort of Mass Rapid Transportation system, Hong Kong the very efficient subway, Shanghai - the excellent monorail, Bangkok - the MRT subway and the BTS overhead railway...
Jakarta has long had a traffic problem, so the Indonesian solution.......
Busway!
What is a busway i hear you ask?? Well subways and monorails etc are too expensive for Indonesia so we get the busway.
Yes, yes, yes, but what is it?
Well, you cut a major arterial road in half, place some bluestone blocks in the way to keep cars out of it, and then run ordinary 'special' buses along this 'dedicated busway lane'. Mind you at crossroads and the start and end of each busway the said busses still have to fight with the traffic, oh yes and funding to actually provided buses to travel these routes is somewhat limited. But never mind, Sutiyuso, previous major/governer of jakarta allegedly made US$ 8,000,000 in bribes and kickbacks per busway line he signed off on, hence the possible reason he signed off on as many as possible before his term of office expired.
And what do you think the result of cutting roads in half is.....? Yep, worse traffic. :(
Here's some pics of the magnificent busway being built......
I didnt mean to capture a pic of the worker sleeping, but its perhaps rather appropriate of the Indonesian work ethic....
and almost complete busway in Pondok Indah area.... nice innit?
oh sorry didnt realise, the raised concrete thingy next to my (stationary car) is the busway lane!
actually, those pics were taken in Pondok Indah, which is an area of a lot of new money, palatial OTT mansions etc, locals call them Rumah Pembantu, which translates as the maids house, cos most of these people are never there anyway, just the house staff.
Anyway - these people protested the most out of everyone against the busway being built in their area, so last week some important person sat down and negotiated with them, end result, cars can use the busway line in Pondok Indah during peak hours......
Leaving the rest of us confused as to the point in spending all of that money to put in this lane in the first place....
Jakarta has long had a traffic problem, so the Indonesian solution.......
Busway!
What is a busway i hear you ask?? Well subways and monorails etc are too expensive for Indonesia so we get the busway.
Yes, yes, yes, but what is it?
Well, you cut a major arterial road in half, place some bluestone blocks in the way to keep cars out of it, and then run ordinary 'special' buses along this 'dedicated busway lane'. Mind you at crossroads and the start and end of each busway the said busses still have to fight with the traffic, oh yes and funding to actually provided buses to travel these routes is somewhat limited. But never mind, Sutiyuso, previous major/governer of jakarta allegedly made US$ 8,000,000 in bribes and kickbacks per busway line he signed off on, hence the possible reason he signed off on as many as possible before his term of office expired.
And what do you think the result of cutting roads in half is.....? Yep, worse traffic. :(
Here's some pics of the magnificent busway being built......
I didnt mean to capture a pic of the worker sleeping, but its perhaps rather appropriate of the Indonesian work ethic....
and almost complete busway in Pondok Indah area.... nice innit?
oh sorry didnt realise, the raised concrete thingy next to my (stationary car) is the busway lane!
actually, those pics were taken in Pondok Indah, which is an area of a lot of new money, palatial OTT mansions etc, locals call them Rumah Pembantu, which translates as the maids house, cos most of these people are never there anyway, just the house staff.
Anyway - these people protested the most out of everyone against the busway being built in their area, so last week some important person sat down and negotiated with them, end result, cars can use the busway line in Pondok Indah during peak hours......
Leaving the rest of us confused as to the point in spending all of that money to put in this lane in the first place....
November 12, 2007
Jakarta Bintags vs Malaysia Warriors, what a wet day!
We hosted the Malaysian team to come over and play some footy (AFL). There was a game before between 2 under 18's teams; the British International School team and the Depok (locals) team. The sun was belting down, and most of the blokes were busy applying sunscreen, by the time we started our warm up it was beginning to rain a little.
In the third quarter we actually had to cease play for about 10 minutes due to some close hitting lightening, by the end of the game the field was flooding!
And about 40 minutes later the sun come out!
In the third quarter we actually had to cease play for about 10 minutes due to some close hitting lightening, by the end of the game the field was flooding!
And about 40 minutes later the sun come out!
October 30, 2007
Adventures in an ordinary day.
Today started out like any other day, alarm goes off, breakfast, shower dress, travel to work. However, I needed to go into town to pick up some plane tickets, no they couldn't deliver if I wanted to pay by credit card, have to pick up in person!
OK, ok. So after a barrage of calls, emails and sms's I arrange to pick up the tickets Tuesday morning since I have several free hours in the morning. I am to meet this travel agent at a mall near where she works in South Jakarta, and she'll take me there.
Well, I live a good hour away from South Jakarta. So I make my apologies and I leave at work at 7.30am, first mistake, my town/suburb, turns out to be very congested at this time of the morning trying to get out.... grrr. Anways, I send an sms to the agent to say I'm with my driver can you just give me the address and we can meet you there?
Just as we are getting close to the mall in question, I send another sms to this agent since she hadnt replied to my first one that morning. Turns out she is already on the back of a motor bike and headed towards the office already, ok, I hand over the phone to my driver who briefly talks with her while dodgy motorcycles and buses all over the road.
We are still headed North, in fact Jalan Sudirman, a major arterial road has a regulation designed to decrease congestion a ban on all cars carrying fewer than 3 people during peak hours..... and you can bet there will be dozens of police officers on patrol to catch motorists and extort a fine, never mind any criminals that they ignore, car owners obviously have more money that can be extorted.
well this has only served to create a new profession, that of the "street jockey" - hundreds of people line the streets prior to the main roads with their thumbs out as if hitch hiking, however, you have to pay them, they will sit in the car to make up the number, and then get out after the restricted area and travel back to their point of origin to repeat the process. All for a few thousand rupiah (about a dollar).
Since it was only myself and my driver we needed to pick up one, however, this young man and a few others like him didn't really thrill us.
Fortunately we found a well dressed man instead, we were making good time, (relatively speaking, I've been in the car over an hour already) but it was still getting late, turns out this bladdy travel agent is in the North of Jakarta!!!
So we drop him off, of course the cheeky git wants extra money.. "tiga ribu lagi pak!" I suspect because I am 'bule'.
We have arrived at the correct street, we drive in the service lane looking for the travel agent, chinese style shopfronts, numbering not easy to find, looking for numbers here and there.
As we were going through an intersection a disinterested copper waving traffic almost gets knocked over by us, uh oh, we went supposed to be going then he was waving the opposite traffic, that was a red light we went through, uh oh, this street is now one way only, the police man is blowing his whistle and yelling at us to stop, a motorcycle nearly hits us and my driver begins to stop over the otherside of the intersection, I just tell him to go, so he does, at about 80km/hr. still up the wrong way road.
We've definately gone passed the travel agent now anyway, my driver turns down a street and we are now in the back streets, the irate policeman left behind. The traffic is really snarled up down here, cars blocking the road, ignoring red lights all over the place, we spend 15 mins to drive around a block only to find that we cannot turn left to get to where we want to go, so back to do another block again, I get the travel agent back on the phone to speak with my driver again, about the exact location of her office.
He sort of pulls over to speak on the phone.... in front of 3 more police, who gave us a good stare, fortunately they dont seem to be bothered to hassle us for money.
Drive up the same service road as before, this time I get out and walk to almost exactly the same spot we had almost knocked over the irate policeman, lucky he didnt recognize me (well, it was almost an hour later.
The agent in the shop hasnt bothered to print the tickets yet because she was worried the details might be wrong, never mind the 60 million emails we had exchanged already! Its now almost 10.00am
I offer the travel agent a lift back in my care to the original mall she was supposed to pick me up at. I ask her why this office was so far away, and she proudly explains that her office is more expensive and that she has found me the cheapest travel agent in all of jakarta .... by about $10 or $20 ... ! WTF!
So I wasted an entire morning getting a ticket for $1160 instead of $1180???
OK, ok. So after a barrage of calls, emails and sms's I arrange to pick up the tickets Tuesday morning since I have several free hours in the morning. I am to meet this travel agent at a mall near where she works in South Jakarta, and she'll take me there.
Well, I live a good hour away from South Jakarta. So I make my apologies and I leave at work at 7.30am, first mistake, my town/suburb, turns out to be very congested at this time of the morning trying to get out.... grrr. Anways, I send an sms to the agent to say I'm with my driver can you just give me the address and we can meet you there?
Just as we are getting close to the mall in question, I send another sms to this agent since she hadnt replied to my first one that morning. Turns out she is already on the back of a motor bike and headed towards the office already, ok, I hand over the phone to my driver who briefly talks with her while dodgy motorcycles and buses all over the road.
We are still headed North, in fact Jalan Sudirman, a major arterial road has a regulation designed to decrease congestion a ban on all cars carrying fewer than 3 people during peak hours..... and you can bet there will be dozens of police officers on patrol to catch motorists and extort a fine, never mind any criminals that they ignore, car owners obviously have more money that can be extorted.
well this has only served to create a new profession, that of the "street jockey" - hundreds of people line the streets prior to the main roads with their thumbs out as if hitch hiking, however, you have to pay them, they will sit in the car to make up the number, and then get out after the restricted area and travel back to their point of origin to repeat the process. All for a few thousand rupiah (about a dollar).
Since it was only myself and my driver we needed to pick up one, however, this young man and a few others like him didn't really thrill us.Fortunately we found a well dressed man instead, we were making good time, (relatively speaking, I've been in the car over an hour already) but it was still getting late, turns out this bladdy travel agent is in the North of Jakarta!!!
So we drop him off, of course the cheeky git wants extra money.. "tiga ribu lagi pak!" I suspect because I am 'bule'.
We have arrived at the correct street, we drive in the service lane looking for the travel agent, chinese style shopfronts, numbering not easy to find, looking for numbers here and there.
As we were going through an intersection a disinterested copper waving traffic almost gets knocked over by us, uh oh, we went supposed to be going then he was waving the opposite traffic, that was a red light we went through, uh oh, this street is now one way only, the police man is blowing his whistle and yelling at us to stop, a motorcycle nearly hits us and my driver begins to stop over the otherside of the intersection, I just tell him to go, so he does, at about 80km/hr. still up the wrong way road.
We've definately gone passed the travel agent now anyway, my driver turns down a street and we are now in the back streets, the irate policeman left behind. The traffic is really snarled up down here, cars blocking the road, ignoring red lights all over the place, we spend 15 mins to drive around a block only to find that we cannot turn left to get to where we want to go, so back to do another block again, I get the travel agent back on the phone to speak with my driver again, about the exact location of her office.
He sort of pulls over to speak on the phone.... in front of 3 more police, who gave us a good stare, fortunately they dont seem to be bothered to hassle us for money.
Drive up the same service road as before, this time I get out and walk to almost exactly the same spot we had almost knocked over the irate policeman, lucky he didnt recognize me (well, it was almost an hour later.
The agent in the shop hasnt bothered to print the tickets yet because she was worried the details might be wrong, never mind the 60 million emails we had exchanged already! Its now almost 10.00am
I offer the travel agent a lift back in my care to the original mall she was supposed to pick me up at. I ask her why this office was so far away, and she proudly explains that her office is more expensive and that she has found me the cheapest travel agent in all of jakarta .... by about $10 or $20 ... ! WTF!
So I wasted an entire morning getting a ticket for $1160 instead of $1180???
October 20, 2007
September 15, 2007
Birds in Jakarata, a status symbol.
BMW or Merc, Big house in an expensive suburb, plenty of drivers and house staff, after that how else does one show off their wealth??
Well in Indo, caged birds are also a symbol of wealth, they are quite expensive and require constant care, during the day the birds will be placed outside and be gently washed with a house and allowed to dry.
These birds I have seen next door on many occasion, i thought it was about time i took a piccie of them.
August 28, 2007
Match report for rebels cricket club
A Season Opener Shocker
Winning the toss turned out to be the highlight of Rebels new season day opener. Marty calling right, the boys padding up, chompin’ at the bit with the chance to stick it up the Ghandi School League Winners from last year.
The “tui’s” Robbie and Baldy strode to the middle confident they could hand out a batting lesson to the GMIS. The youthful, skillful Ghandi boys drawing first blood in the 5th over, Baldy (13) run out by a direct hit. The next over producing the play of the day. Robbie (9) driving at a well-directed outswinger, snicking it low and hard to first slip. The Ghandi guy taking a superb grab ankle high. Rebels reeling. Marty looked good, one Buster Douglas type upper cut and a couple of text book drives heartening the Rebels fans who’d made the early morning drive to Karawaci. Suresh’s (0) stay in the middle terminated early by a yorker and Rebels were 3 for 30 off not a lot.
The drinks break full with conservations about Evan and how if he doesn’t turn up soon we’ll be short. Early after the restart Marty (26) slashed at a short one only to see it snapped up at gully. Big, bad Bruce walked on the centre stage. Yogi doing a sterling job holding up his end, Bruce punishing anything short or off line. From 4 for 40 Bruce and Yogi looked capable of building a decent total.
It all went pear-shaped with one of those most controversial of all decisions an LBW. Home team umpires had almost taken this most dastardly of dismissals out of the local game but neutral umpires, nah that’s a whole new can of worms. Bruce (34) failing to make contact with “the bat God gave him” and adjudged OUT. The spray from Bruce over the decision could turn into a tidal wave of suspension in the weeks to come – time will tell. Bruce’s main mistake: twiggin’ his calf muscle when turning for a second, rendering himself unable to open the bowling.
Rebels now well and truly in trouble, one short on the team sheet, and the top 5 run getters all out with just 90 on the score board. Yogi (13) the 6th wicket to fall. Amar (3) clipped one to short midwicket, 7 down. Kookie (1) cleaned up by a straight one and Rebels were 120 with just one wicket left and 7 overs to go. Pito and Kapil only able to get Rebels to 133 in the 30th over.
Not a great total but maybe defendable – so the Rebels think tank thought. Amar opening up with venom, producing some nasty bounce from a deteriorating Karawaci track. Unfortunately for Rebs the bounce only produced byes not wickets. One of the Ghandi openers too good, the other too lucky. Pito carted early and GMIS were skipping along at 10 an over. In what was a lackluster bowling and fielding performance Robbie produced the highlight with the unveiling of his much talked about out swinger. A true gem that just missed getting a wicket not once but twice. The Ghandi openers riding their luck, many airborne shots passing or falling just short of hungry Rebs fielders. The one chance that did carry to hand, spilled.
In the 15th over the pain ended. Ghandi 134 for 0. Rebels defeated by 10 wickets.
August 23, 2007
Professional Protesters
i'm sure most countries pay people to protest for them, rent a crowd that sort of thing. But sometimes its just a little too blatant. Jakarta appears to have a crowd of professional protesters that for a small some of money can just turn on the indignant rage, regardless of what they are 'protesting' about.
A good book that has some pics of this is called Jakarta Inside out (they have made one for bangkok now also)
In it this one guy has been photographed 3 times for 3 different protests for different sides, he was even wearing the same shirt.
So imagine my surprise this morning when i'm reading BBC and see the same man's face again!
August 07, 2007
Operation : Cat Rescue
Here i am, watching tv - messy around on the internet and i hear the cat meowing.....
I look around where is he?
sounds like outside somewhere....
i look out towards a corner of my small garden....
aaah - there he is....
Mind you, after I climb up the ladder I refuses to let me grap him, perhaps he realised those bars where gonna be tricky to pull him throw....
so i left him to keep complaining, kasien loo! (in other words pity for him!)
bladdy hell, now there's another cat on the wall and they fighting,
so i climbed up the ladder stuck me arm through the grill managed to get hold of him, got bitten, then got hold of his collar and started to drag him down but the bastard thing broke!
so he still up there fightin!
ok, i'm gonna try climbing out on the roof, there's a funny little staircase and maids drying room on the second floor,
if i dont post back on this blog in the next week or so , yall know i musta fell.....
anyway - up the windy staircase to the second floor and roof!
there he is.....
a cunning plan, i pushed a piece of flattened out cardboard for him to walk over to the roof...
dont think he was all the interested..... hmmmm
I look around where is he?
sounds like outside somewhere....
i look out towards a corner of my small garden....
aaah - there he is....
Mind you, after I climb up the ladder I refuses to let me grap him, perhaps he realised those bars where gonna be tricky to pull him throw....so i left him to keep complaining, kasien loo! (in other words pity for him!)
bladdy hell, now there's another cat on the wall and they fighting,
so i climbed up the ladder stuck me arm through the grill managed to get hold of him, got bitten, then got hold of his collar and started to drag him down but the bastard thing broke!
so he still up there fightin!
ok, i'm gonna try climbing out on the roof, there's a funny little staircase and maids drying room on the second floor,
if i dont post back on this blog in the next week or so , yall know i musta fell.....
anyway - up the windy staircase to the second floor and roof!
there he is.....
a cunning plan, i pushed a piece of flattened out cardboard for him to walk over to the roof...
dont think he was all the interested..... hmmmm
Fun Indo Bureaucracy when running a school
Our school ordered some text books from overseas for the start of the new year (as we always do!). This year we had 220kgs of books sent from Australia from a supplier. After the books had been sent the Indonesian customs made a new regulation, any parcels arriving that weighed more than 100kgs would be liable for a special tax. The official price was 20 million rupiah (about $2000) plus it would take 2 or 3 months to organise.
The school realised it would be cheaper and quicker (8 days) to send the entire parcel back to Australia, repack the books into 3 separate parcels and return them to Indonesia.... crazy.
A few days later customs said 'NO!' we have already stamped the arrival of the package, it cannot leave Indonesia now......
Fortunately for us, the supplier has resent the entire shipment at their cost (properly packed) and I guess we'll leave the original shipment in the customs yard......
The school realised it would be cheaper and quicker (8 days) to send the entire parcel back to Australia, repack the books into 3 separate parcels and return them to Indonesia.... crazy.
A few days later customs said 'NO!' we have already stamped the arrival of the package, it cannot leave Indonesia now......
Fortunately for us, the supplier has resent the entire shipment at their cost (properly packed) and I guess we'll leave the original shipment in the customs yard......
August 05, 2007
Fun games for the cat - or a big assed beetle!
You get some interesting insects in Asia, my cat, Smudge loves playing with small animals - geckos and so on, last night i found this big assed beetle (some sort of Rhino beetle, i think) so I brought it inside for the cat to play with!
he played with it all last night - and is still going this morning, every now and then the beetle flies around house and the cat tries to keep up jumping on furniture and up the walls to keep track of it....
thanks Dad!
he played with it all last night - and is still going this morning, every now and then the beetle flies around house and the cat tries to keep up jumping on furniture and up the walls to keep track of it....thanks Dad!
July 31, 2007
Daily life in Jakarta
Different things one might see in day to day life in Jakarta;
1st up motorbikes, now the indo's use motorbikes for transporting almost everything, this guy is carrying chickens in a specially designed motorbike chicken carrying box i was on my way home from work when i got this bike.
and here is how one keeps sun off your face while travelling in the back of a pick up.
this is how they deliver ice to shops and so on. On the back of a treadly, he then hacks off large chunks for each shop or vendor, i find that i get the squirts every time i drink anything with this ice in it for some reason.
goat satay shop (sate kambing).... just behind my boy in the background were 2 legs of goat hanging .....
1st up motorbikes, now the indo's use motorbikes for transporting almost everything, this guy is carrying chickens in a specially designed motorbike chicken carrying box i was on my way home from work when i got this bike.
and here is how one keeps sun off your face while travelling in the back of a pick up.
this is how they deliver ice to shops and so on. On the back of a treadly, he then hacks off large chunks for each shop or vendor, i find that i get the squirts every time i drink anything with this ice in it for some reason.
goat satay shop (sate kambing).... just behind my boy in the background were 2 legs of goat hanging .....
July 25, 2007
Keystone Cops Situation
In quite a number of countries around the world, particularly Asia, the process of schools and teachers getting all the right approvals and permits can be a lengthy one. Quite often a teacher has to start working before they are strictly 'legal'.
Yesterday a rather comedic situation developed at my school. We have about half dozen new teachers whose work/residence permits, called KITAS in Indonesia, have not been fully processed as yet.
Some officials from one of governement agencies arrived (I don't know which one). A message was sent to the few teachers without the KITAS and they had to go and hide in the staff housing behind the school.
Then the officials found a phone list of various teachers and their internal extension numbers, so wanted to know who the missing teachers were and where they were......
so the office staff have also been running around hiding so they don't have to answer questions!
**someone told me I should video this, speed it up 3x and then play benny hill music in the background! :) **
The officials remained in the reception area for a number of hours, turns out that they wanted to speak to our head principal (for a hand out, no doubt) .
Last year some guys arrived and demanded an amount of money (special tax for foreigners workign at our school) - according to them we had 40 odd foreigners working, we said no, how did you get that number? They had merely counted all the white faces in the department photos on the wall not realising that a number of staff were counted twice because they teach in more than one department......
I guess our white faces all look the same! haha
Yesterday a rather comedic situation developed at my school. We have about half dozen new teachers whose work/residence permits, called KITAS in Indonesia, have not been fully processed as yet.
Some officials from one of governement agencies arrived (I don't know which one). A message was sent to the few teachers without the KITAS and they had to go and hide in the staff housing behind the school.
Then the officials found a phone list of various teachers and their internal extension numbers, so wanted to know who the missing teachers were and where they were......
so the office staff have also been running around hiding so they don't have to answer questions!
**someone told me I should video this, speed it up 3x and then play benny hill music in the background! :) **
The officials remained in the reception area for a number of hours, turns out that they wanted to speak to our head principal (for a hand out, no doubt) .
Last year some guys arrived and demanded an amount of money (special tax for foreigners workign at our school) - according to them we had 40 odd foreigners working, we said no, how did you get that number? They had merely counted all the white faces in the department photos on the wall not realising that a number of staff were counted twice because they teach in more than one department......
I guess our white faces all look the same! haha
July 21, 2007
Need a workman...part 2
As a follow up.
They did come, they looked at it and went "Ooooh"
I suppose that's a bit of a warning sign.
Then they asked me if I had a step ladder? WTF ? Didn't they come prepared? silly me! They arrived on a motorcycle. 2 technicians one motorcyc - I guess not much room for tools to do the job.
anyways, they poked around abit, asked me to sign a report saying they had seen it and they'll check with the owner again .....
and left.
Need a workman...
In general, getting a homehandy man or repairer around in Asia is much easier and quicker, not to say cheaper than in Western countries.
However, it can have some difficulties also, the 2nd floor bathroom has been leaking water through the ceiling into the living room, I discovered this wednesday evening.
So I asked one of the secretaries at work to ring to get it fixed the next day, a numpty came out looked at it and said broken pipe in the wall.
No shit sherlock - fix it will ya?
He decided they'll fix it Monday - no - i need it fixed now.
So eventually we arrange them to arrive 8.00am Saturday morning - cos i'm going out later to watch the rugby.
8.00am I get a call - what time do i want them to come over. NOW, I says, oh umm ok the technicians will be there at 9.00
9.15 i get a call - the technicians will be there after lunch
Not good enough i said come now!
The water is dripping through an electric light. The ceiling has a metre sized wet patch around the light - i don't want it collapsing in.
anyway - they said they'll call back in 10 mins.....
hmmmmmmmmm.
still waiting.
They did call back, 40 minutes later, this time the technicians will be there, umm, err (I'm sure she is just making up a time from the top of her head) maybe about 11.00am
Is this ok?
Now i wanted to scream and shout and say "NO, it is not ok, whatever happened to 8.00am?"
but that would only have a negative effect.
So I politely sigh and say yes.
She apologised about the times.
Lets see what happens now.....
However, it can have some difficulties also, the 2nd floor bathroom has been leaking water through the ceiling into the living room, I discovered this wednesday evening.
So I asked one of the secretaries at work to ring to get it fixed the next day, a numpty came out looked at it and said broken pipe in the wall.
No shit sherlock - fix it will ya?
He decided they'll fix it Monday - no - i need it fixed now.
So eventually we arrange them to arrive 8.00am Saturday morning - cos i'm going out later to watch the rugby.
8.00am I get a call - what time do i want them to come over. NOW, I says, oh umm ok the technicians will be there at 9.00
9.15 i get a call - the technicians will be there after lunch
Not good enough i said come now!
The water is dripping through an electric light. The ceiling has a metre sized wet patch around the light - i don't want it collapsing in.
anyway - they said they'll call back in 10 mins.....
hmmmmmmmmm.
still waiting.
They did call back, 40 minutes later, this time the technicians will be there, umm, err (I'm sure she is just making up a time from the top of her head) maybe about 11.00am
Is this ok?
Now i wanted to scream and shout and say "NO, it is not ok, whatever happened to 8.00am?"
but that would only have a negative effect.
So I politely sigh and say yes.
She apologised about the times.
Lets see what happens now.....
July 18, 2007
Hobbies...
Hobbies.....
Well, more of a project really. As a kid I used to love making plastic model air planes and tanks etc.... I used to always say I'd love to make a wooden model ship one day. And so, one day my wife bought me a kit for my birthday. I have been working on it for years ..... . drilling, hammering, gluing, sculpting etc. I find that I work on it in short bursts.... and other times don't touch it.
Apart from some of the metal pieces, I pretty much need to build, cut to length and shape and generally construct everything.....
Really enjoy it - and it looks good (IMO)
Anyway - last week or two I've been excited again about it - so thought I'd post some piccies. (dont have them all from the beginning tho....)
here is the oldest pic I have - the hull has been completed (internal ribs plus 2 layers of planks) - some pieces on the decking have been built and added.
Building the masts.....
building and adding the spars to the rear-most mast.JPG)
an action shot.... me working on the boat.
I've been working on the rigging and netting .....
will add more as I go, but dont hold your breathe ...haha - this is already a 4 year project!
some updated pics, i've added the sails for the backmast,
and now began to fashion all of the remaining cross mast pieces!
. drilling, hammering, gluing, sculpting etc. I find that I work on it in short bursts.... and other times don't touch it.Apart from some of the metal pieces, I pretty much need to build, cut to length and shape and generally construct everything.....
Really enjoy it - and it looks good (IMO)
Anyway - last week or two I've been excited again about it - so thought I'd post some piccies. (dont have them all from the beginning tho....)
here is the oldest pic I have - the hull has been completed (internal ribs plus 2 layers of planks) - some pieces on the decking have been built and added.
Building the masts.....building and adding the spars to the rear-most mast
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an action shot.... me working on the boat.
I've been working on the rigging and netting .....
will add more as I go, but dont hold your breathe ...haha - this is already a 4 year project!............................................
some updated pics, i've added the sails for the backmast,
and now began to fashion all of the remaining cross mast pieces! 
July 17, 2007
Be careful with Language
My school is currently looking at implementing a new house system and part of that involves naming the various houses. The teachers involved have decided to allow the students to choose the house names eg Indonesian Islands, Indonesian folk heroes, etc.The student bulletin this morning there was a note from said teachers that said some of their best entries so far are related to birds, 'Garuda', 'Cendrawasih' and 'Burung Enggang'.
What they did not realise is that Burung is also Indonesian slang for 'penis' ........
I think that is 1 point to the students and 0 points to the expat teachers.
July 15, 2007
lost in translation or helpful harry
There has been a number of house robberies around these parts lately, in one case a mate had everything in the house taken, including his shoes and the chocolates in the fridge....
So when I went away last week (for 2 weeks) I didnt wanna tell the newspaper guy to cancel my newspaper for 2 weeks, bit like advertising you're gonna be away and for how long.
So I asked the maid to get next doors maid to collect my paper each morning.....the 50 cents for a paper not read each day sounded like good insurance...
turns out she explained the entire story to the delivery guy on his push bike and told him to just push the papers each day under the door instead....
Thanks Pembantu!
PS - but lucky i didnt get robbed , this time.
So when I went away last week (for 2 weeks) I didnt wanna tell the newspaper guy to cancel my newspaper for 2 weeks, bit like advertising you're gonna be away and for how long.
So I asked the maid to get next doors maid to collect my paper each morning.....the 50 cents for a paper not read each day sounded like good insurance...
turns out she explained the entire story to the delivery guy on his push bike and told him to just push the papers each day under the door instead....
Thanks Pembantu!
PS - but lucky i didnt get robbed , this time.
July 13, 2007
A visit to the Dusit zoo in Bangkok
We visited the Dusit Zoo last week, now, despite living in Thailand for a number of years I had never been here before. It is in central bangkok on Rama V road, maybe a 70 baht trip in a taxi. 100 baht for me and 50 baht for Ryan to get in. It was certainly interesting enough, the cages were not too small (for a zoo in the centre of a large Asian city) .It also had a large lake (hire paddle boats, of course), fountains, shady trees etc, so can also be a good escape from the noise and heat of Bangkok.
Enjoying an icecream on a rather hot day!
July 10, 2007
Fried Bananas in an Orange Caramel Desert
Orange Bananas Desert
Here is a real quick and real easy dessert to cook up. All you need is some bananas
Oranges
flour
Butter
Brandy
Dark Sugar
Raw Sugar
Brandy
Ice cream or cream
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Start by grating the zest of 2 oranges, then squeeze the juice outta them also.
Melt a great hunk of butter in a decent pan ( about 50 or 100 grams, I guess)
Lightly dust the bananas in the flour
Place bananas into pan for about 5 mins on a low heat.
Pour the sugar into the pan over the bananas ( about a handful each )
Allow the sugar to melt and then once it starts to caramelize ( you'll see it bubbling ) pour the orange juice into the pan along with the orange peel.
Allow the sauce to thicken - add a splash or too of some cooking brandy, not too early mind, you dont want to evaporate the alcohol all away...
It should take about 15 mins or so.
Add to a pan, pour sauce over top, add icecream to taste and enjoy..JPG)
NB : the maid or wife can clean the mess now.
Oranges
flour
Butter
Brandy
Dark Sugar
Raw Sugar
Brandy
Ice cream or cream
.JPG)
Start by grating the zest of 2 oranges, then squeeze the juice outta them also.
Melt a great hunk of butter in a decent pan ( about 50 or 100 grams, I guess)
Lightly dust the bananas in the flour
Place bananas into pan for about 5 mins on a low heat.
Pour the sugar into the pan over the bananas ( about a handful each )
Allow the sugar to melt and then once it starts to caramelize ( you'll see it bubbling ) pour the orange juice into the pan along with the orange peel.
Allow the sauce to thicken - add a splash or too of some cooking brandy, not too early mind, you dont want to evaporate the alcohol all away...
It should take about 15 mins or so.
Add to a pan, pour sauce over top, add icecream to taste and enjoy.
.JPG)
NB : the maid or wife can clean the mess now.
July 05, 2007
more airport trouble...
travel agent had booked me on a 7pm flight - i arrived that day at about 4ish.... a few days before I emailed him to confirm which airport I flew out of.... Don Muang
- so he then rescheduled my flight to the 9pm flight so as I wouldnt miss it if traffic was bad etc.....
An hour before i was leaving Jakarta he sent me an email to say he had rebooked me for the 7pm flight for some reason.
OK. I arrive, travel directly to DM. get to the check in desk and the girl asks me what time is my flight?
I said 7.00pm, (it was now 6.30) - she replies with "that flight leaves from Suvanamhumi airport not DM."
What??? Oh no. you are kidding!"
fortunately - she managed to rebook me onto the 9.00pm flight which did leave from DM, so a few boring hours at the airport.
PS - and just to make life interesting the ATM swallowed my card, and the hotel had lost my booking!
Welcome to Thailand!
- so he then rescheduled my flight to the 9pm flight so as I wouldnt miss it if traffic was bad etc.....
An hour before i was leaving Jakarta he sent me an email to say he had rebooked me for the 7pm flight for some reason.
OK. I arrive, travel directly to DM. get to the check in desk and the girl asks me what time is my flight?
I said 7.00pm, (it was now 6.30) - she replies with "that flight leaves from Suvanamhumi airport not DM."
What??? Oh no. you are kidding!"
fortunately - she managed to rebook me onto the 9.00pm flight which did leave from DM, so a few boring hours at the airport.
PS - and just to make life interesting the ATM swallowed my card, and the hotel had lost my booking!
Welcome to Thailand!
July 04, 2007
Siam Parrots Chiang Mai Cricket report
Sat. morning and the CM boys pick us up at 9am. Out to Prem school. Weather lovely and cool with rain looking likely. Parrots only had 7 and borrowed 3 CM fellas. Won the toss, Vick suggested batting first and then the rain will come. Good plan. 35 overs each
Badsheila and Sledge to open. BS out first over tryingg to hit the ball to Burma. Sledge takes a pounding on the body, hits a four and is eventualy out in about the 9th over - 9 runs, highest score for the parrots - bloody well batted!. I come in and score bugger all, out off the glove down leg side again! Prez strolls in and looks like he last batted yesterday, not 6 months ago, timing straight drives, flicks off the legs and a glorious back foot cover drive. Can't remember how out but a lovely 25 odd - all class. Nick leaves the first ball and thus attains his best score at Prem. Gets hit flush on the box with a very loud slap of leather on plastic which brought fits of laughter from all. Batted well before being caught behind. Only had 10 players and all out for 145.
Looking at a comfortable defeat I reckoned - well, at least we'd have our work cut out for us anyway
CMCC paid for our lunch - wicked spread
Vick and Nick open the bowling and bowl great lines and toke 2 wickets each including Coombesy and 2 other dangerous "Irishstanis". Bowled their 7 overs straight and we're back in the game.
Who to bowl next? look around and see Badsheila (maybe), Prez (sure), Tom K (told me he doesn't really want to bowl) Ring ins (didn't seem to be too trustworthy, best to go with Parrots), Me (shlt, might have to. Wait there must be someone else...) ...Sledge -
" Prez, you're bowling next and Pete you're taking the gloves!!!"
Prez gets a wicket in the first over and we're running around like a very excited Parrot team does. I buy a couple of wickets and when the Prez's height guidance system packs in and they start reaching Goodchap at head height on the full, we use one of the ring ins to try to get the last 2 wickets for victory while they need 22 runs - very exciting!
History will show that we lost by 2 wickets but it was tempered by the fact that 2 home grown local Thai lads calmly and cleverly got Chiang Mai home (including a massive six off yours truly) and secured the first ever Town and Country Challenge Trophy. The Thai boys did what the others were struggling with. It was very fitting.
Throughout the game I was fantasising about how sweeter this day would have been with the likes of DC, Scully, Justin, Strunky, Slatts, Raja, Princy, Neil - hell all of the Parrots actually. For one we would have had a full 11 and secondly we could have put on a good parrot performance on a beautiful wicket and ground during a rainless day in the mid 20's temperature wise. It was a very entertaining match with a close finish in bloody pleasant conditions. We all want to get back up there in December when the weather is perfect.
Tom K brought some Vodka from Ukraine and the Prez gave the President's award to Deano. Sledge failed to deliver vodka yet again and Wally nearly throttled him when he offered a bottle of 100 pipers instead!!!
Badsheila and Sledge to open. BS out first over tryingg to hit the ball to Burma. Sledge takes a pounding on the body, hits a four and is eventualy out in about the 9th over - 9 runs, highest score for the parrots - bloody well batted!. I come in and score bugger all, out off the glove down leg side again! Prez strolls in and looks like he last batted yesterday, not 6 months ago, timing straight drives, flicks off the legs and a glorious back foot cover drive. Can't remember how out but a lovely 25 odd - all class. Nick leaves the first ball and thus attains his best score at Prem. Gets hit flush on the box with a very loud slap of leather on plastic which brought fits of laughter from all. Batted well before being caught behind. Only had 10 players and all out for 145.
Looking at a comfortable defeat I reckoned - well, at least we'd have our work cut out for us anyway
CMCC paid for our lunch - wicked spread
Vick and Nick open the bowling and bowl great lines and toke 2 wickets each including Coombesy and 2 other dangerous "Irishstanis". Bowled their 7 overs straight and we're back in the game.
Who to bowl next? look around and see Badsheila (maybe), Prez (sure), Tom K (told me he doesn't really want to bowl) Ring ins (didn't seem to be too trustworthy, best to go with Parrots), Me (shlt, might have to. Wait there must be someone else...) ...Sledge -
" Prez, you're bowling next and Pete you're taking the gloves!!!"
Prez gets a wicket in the first over and we're running around like a very excited Parrot team does. I buy a couple of wickets and when the Prez's height guidance system packs in and they start reaching Goodchap at head height on the full, we use one of the ring ins to try to get the last 2 wickets for victory while they need 22 runs - very exciting!
History will show that we lost by 2 wickets but it was tempered by the fact that 2 home grown local Thai lads calmly and cleverly got Chiang Mai home (including a massive six off yours truly) and secured the first ever Town and Country Challenge Trophy. The Thai boys did what the others were struggling with. It was very fitting.
Throughout the game I was fantasising about how sweeter this day would have been with the likes of DC, Scully, Justin, Strunky, Slatts, Raja, Princy, Neil - hell all of the Parrots actually. For one we would have had a full 11 and secondly we could have put on a good parrot performance on a beautiful wicket and ground during a rainless day in the mid 20's temperature wise. It was a very entertaining match with a close finish in bloody pleasant conditions. We all want to get back up there in December when the weather is perfect.
Tom K brought some Vodka from Ukraine and the Prez gave the President's award to Deano. Sledge failed to deliver vodka yet again and Wally nearly throttled him when he offered a bottle of 100 pipers instead!!!
June 27, 2007
Off to Thailand....
Tomorrow....It's gonna be a busy trip, gotta a game of cricket in Chaing Mai, also some golf, catch up with some friends, then return to BKK to catch up with my son, plenty of thai food to be eaten, some shopping, more friends, Essendon vs Melbourne AFL, then Bledisloe Rugby, and also State of Origin.
Oh, and, eat some thai food, of course! moo ping, kao neow, kiteow, the list goes on, but I am going to eat so much pork (since Indonesia does not have much)
Oh, and, eat some thai food, of course! moo ping, kao neow, kiteow, the list goes on, but I am going to eat so much pork (since Indonesia does not have much)
A Thai-Australian Chamber of commerce networking meeting (read a big piss up for men in suits ;) )
Then the grand finale of the trip, the Asian Champs AFL - 10 footy teams about 300 Aussies.
here's my player profile for this tourney....
"Liam “Sledge” Hammer – former Tiger who is champing at the bit to take his much-celebrated tattoo, drinking and martial arts skills back to Bangkok in the red, black and white jersey. Likes to have a chat on the park and, as a former kung fu champion, has the skills to back it up."
This is what I love about Asia - sports, mates, beers, travel.
and a reminder that all these fantastic sports clubs have websites should u wanna have a read... just check out my links to the right....
June 21, 2007
Collecting coconuts
It was a slow day for my driver, so he and his mate climbed a tree outside my house to collect some coconuts.... hmmm, yummy.
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Enjoying.......
.JPG)
The finished product!
.JPG)
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Enjoying.......The finished product!June 20, 2007
Indonesian Bureaucracy
You may recall the fun I had with my wireless internet bill in thailand..... " Thai Bureaucracy .... "
Well I've been having a similar problem with my satellite TV company now.
I've been suscribing for a year now, get a few sports channels, BBC, movies, action and Australian channel. It's about $30 per month, not too bad and Indo TV is totally woeful.
However, last months bill they decided, without any warning, to change the billing method. Previously the maid would take all the months bills and go and pay at the post office (I think..... to be truthful, I gave her the bills and the money and they all got paid each month, I don't really need to know much more about the process)
Anyway, I digress, in last months bill was a letter,
"we have now decided that the methods of payment are via ATM with the following banks, an exhaustive list followed but did not include any of the banks I use ( I have 3, one for aussie $, one for US$ and one for Indo rupiah) or via direct debit, another list and it did include my bank this time."
by now I have been cut off because I was 2 days late on the bill!
So trundle off to the bank to sign up for direct debit, this takes approx 2 hours, costs my a little extra money but, never mind, that's life. However, it will not start until next month.
OK - give the maid some money and ask her to go pay this months bill.....
she returns, sorry mister, cannot!
Hmmm, I had invited some friends around for a BBQ and to watch the State of Origin rugby match on TV - but no satelite, so I get on the phone and begin trying to explain, not having much luck but the guy says he'll send a technician around tomorrow, I try explaining the tomorrow is too late, so he then asks me do I speak bahasa indonesian, I reply in the negative ( i do a little, but i am getting annoyed and didn't want any mis-translations, this is the english helpline after all!)
I finally agree that a technician will come tomorrow and sort everything out. I then ask can I have a discount since I have had no TV for 2 weeks - he replies rapidly, and, I assume crossly, in Indonesian. I hang up.
Technician turns up the next day, 3 hours late. fiddles with the satelitte for an hour or so, and then tells me I need to pay the bill!
Yes, thanks for that, can I pay you? Nope.
A week later, I get a call, blah blah blah, you need to pay your bill, yes i am trying etc. direct debit starts next month etc. OK you can pay you bill at the BCA bank direct into our savigns account there.
OK - I'll do it later today...
And we'll reconnect your satelittle once you do!
OK, sounds ok. So today I head done to BCA bank, wait in que with money and bill in hand......
no prizes for guessing what I was told.....
yep you are correct,
"Sorry sir, have to use the ATM outside for this"
"but, i dont have an ATM card with your bank, can I just deposit money into this account number? "
"Maaf Pak, tidak bisa" (=Sorry sir, cannot!)
So I am still without TV and still have not been able to pay this flaming BILL!
Well I've been having a similar problem with my satellite TV company now.
I've been suscribing for a year now, get a few sports channels, BBC, movies, action and Australian channel. It's about $30 per month, not too bad and Indo TV is totally woeful.
However, last months bill they decided, without any warning, to change the billing method. Previously the maid would take all the months bills and go and pay at the post office (I think..... to be truthful, I gave her the bills and the money and they all got paid each month, I don't really need to know much more about the process)
Anyway, I digress, in last months bill was a letter,
"we have now decided that the methods of payment are via ATM with the following banks, an exhaustive list followed but did not include any of the banks I use ( I have 3, one for aussie $, one for US$ and one for Indo rupiah) or via direct debit, another list and it did include my bank this time."
by now I have been cut off because I was 2 days late on the bill!
So trundle off to the bank to sign up for direct debit, this takes approx 2 hours, costs my a little extra money but, never mind, that's life. However, it will not start until next month.
OK - give the maid some money and ask her to go pay this months bill.....
she returns, sorry mister, cannot!
Hmmm, I had invited some friends around for a BBQ and to watch the State of Origin rugby match on TV - but no satelite, so I get on the phone and begin trying to explain, not having much luck but the guy says he'll send a technician around tomorrow, I try explaining the tomorrow is too late, so he then asks me do I speak bahasa indonesian, I reply in the negative ( i do a little, but i am getting annoyed and didn't want any mis-translations, this is the english helpline after all!)
I finally agree that a technician will come tomorrow and sort everything out. I then ask can I have a discount since I have had no TV for 2 weeks - he replies rapidly, and, I assume crossly, in Indonesian. I hang up.
Technician turns up the next day, 3 hours late. fiddles with the satelitte for an hour or so, and then tells me I need to pay the bill!
Yes, thanks for that, can I pay you? Nope.
A week later, I get a call, blah blah blah, you need to pay your bill, yes i am trying etc. direct debit starts next month etc. OK you can pay you bill at the BCA bank direct into our savigns account there.
OK - I'll do it later today...
And we'll reconnect your satelittle once you do!
OK, sounds ok. So today I head done to BCA bank, wait in que with money and bill in hand......
no prizes for guessing what I was told.....
yep you are correct,
"Sorry sir, have to use the ATM outside for this"
"but, i dont have an ATM card with your bank, can I just deposit money into this account number? "
"Maaf Pak, tidak bisa" (=Sorry sir, cannot!)
So I am still without TV and still have not been able to pay this flaming BILL!
NB - story continued in the comments section....
June 18, 2007
Bandung - a W/E trip
Bandung is Indonesia's forth largest city, as such it tends to suffer from traffic and waste management problems (read - is dirty and gridlocked!) and therefore no longer deserves the previous nickname of "The paris of the East"
However, being only 2 hours or so from Jakarta, it is still a popular tourist spot. So i decided to visit last weekend, (and, coincidently, friend was there thur-sat on a staff trip from work). So we meet up Sat morning, and....... slept, mostly, that'll teach me not have have big nights out before going away on holidays!
You can fly there, catch a train or drive.... the drive goes through a lovely set of hills and volcanoes, called Puncak Pass, covered in tea plantations.
However, being only 2 hours or so from Jakarta, it is still a popular tourist spot. So i decided to visit last weekend, (and, coincidently, friend was there thur-sat on a staff trip from work). So we meet up Sat morning, and....... slept, mostly, that'll teach me not have have big nights out before going away on holidays!
You can fly there, catch a train or drive.... the drive goes through a lovely set of hills and volcanoes, called Puncak Pass, covered in tea plantations.
There is plenty of accommodation options to choose from, from Sheraton and Hyatts to backpacker guest houses but this w/e for some reason was quite busy, we found a slightly tired looking hotel, that may well have once been quite grand. It was ok.
That evening we got into the car to travel to a place called Kampung Daun, which is quite a famous place to eat Sudanese food (specialty of the area) I assumed that it was in town.... haha.... 1.5 hours later, car petrol gauage on empty (and service stations all closed for the evening ...:( ) we finally (10.00pm) arrived, fortunately we also did find an open petrol station.
The place is a collection of open air gazebos serving as diners tables with a dozen kitchens interspaced between streams and gardens.
That evening we got into the car to travel to a place called Kampung Daun, which is quite a famous place to eat Sudanese food (specialty of the area) I assumed that it was in town.... haha.... 1.5 hours later, car petrol gauage on empty (and service stations all closed for the evening ...:( ) we finally (10.00pm) arrived, fortunately we also did find an open petrol station.
The place is a collection of open air gazebos serving as diners tables with a dozen kitchens interspaced between streams and gardens.
Food was good, but nobody bothered to tell me that the Oxtail soup - meant soup, plus a plate of oxtail meat, rice and vegetables, so when that arrived plus the plate of Ribs I ordered i looked like a right greedy bastard.
After that drove back to town and visited 'Embassy' a night club that, as it turned out had DJ Naro (a reasonably well kown Indo DJ) and DJ Missil (French DJ) playing that night. :)
The next day had a bit of a sleep in - funny that! before checking out and travelling to a small mall that had been tarted up to look like a european street, called, strangely enough, Paris van Java ... some good specials on there and I managed to buy some new clothes, had lunch at Black Canyon - dining outside (Bandung is at a high altitude so the temperatures are very pleasant.)
Bandung is also famous for shopping, notably factory outlets for all sorts of name branded clothing, Guess, Pierre Cardin, Hugo Boss etc.
Again spent some money - but at less than $10 per item who's gonna complaign.
After this another travel to the Dago Hills north of the city, and overlooking the city. A coffee shop / art gallery was our destination Selasa Cafe. The coffee was very, very good.
The views were great - though a little overcast.
The art work was not really to my taste. They also do performances there and have a small amphitheatre. This one was called the suffering or something - apprently not supposed to take photos....
Anyway, all in all a nice place to visit, i'll head back there some time again.
a link to a better travel writer than I ... http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/2726
June 17, 2007
golf in asia
One of the pleasant things about living in asia is the quality and availabilty of decent golf courses. .jpg)
Particularly in Asia, its a place to find some greenery, sounds of birds, water and a fresh breeze. Not really all that expensive either.
just done the road from me is a golf course, i visited the other day (since i'm on holidays i've got plenty of spare time :) )
the greens are lovely, the course has food stalls every few holes (including beer), .jpg)
this particular course had a wierd pink and green knickerbocker uniform for the caddies, who are usually quite pleasant and generally reasonably helpful regarding your golf game. .jpg)
this particular course had a wierd pink and green knickerbocker uniform for the caddies, who are usually quite pleasant and generally reasonably helpful regarding your golf game. i wont tell you my score though, it was pretty miserable! haha. and also unfortuanately (for me) when i enquired about membership.... waiting list.....
hmmm - much like the MCC membership list I've been on for the last 15 years, though apparently I should get that sometime this year :) so plenty of cricket and Aussie rules football on its way for me!
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