Arriving to Jakarta

“Maybe in your past life?”

It was already 03:30 in the morning in a musty hotel room in Jakarta and I was ready to start writing. A total of forty hours of plane rides and airport connections to get here had not managed to leave me with a single sleepy bone in my body. The thrill of being in Asia again was burning through my veins like wildfire.

Jakarta Skyline at night. Photo: Yohanes Budiyanto, used under Creative Commons License
Jakarta Skyline at night. Photo: Yohanes Budiyanto, used under Creative Commons License

This particular breed of euphoria is anything but exhausting and I knew the feeling all too well. The moment we left home it felt like we were only coming closer to it.

The first couple of times my feet touched the ground in this, to us, such a far away land, they did so in Jakarta, surrounded immediately by the familiar faces of unbeatable hospitality and perpetual stream of smiles. In an instant, memories of my sacred experiences in Thailand washed over me.

The Chinese New Year in Glodok, a predominantly Chinese Indonesian neighbourhood of Jakarta. Photo used under a Creative Commons license
The Chinese New Year in Glodok, a predominantly Chinese Indonesian neighbourhood of Jakarta. Photo used under a Creative Commons license

Then there was the negotiating. Negotiating everything from taxi fares, gizmos and gadgets on street stands, and even food in local makeshift restaurants. The air, so familiarly hot and humid, quickly glued my clothes to my body and I felt as if I had just showered in them.

Welcome statue roundabout, Jakarta, Indonesia (Creative Commons CC By Cillian Storm)
Welcome statue roundabout, Jakarta, Indonesia (Creative Commons CC By Cillian Storm)

In the taxi ride to our hotel, I hopelessly tried to make some room for my skin to breathe. I did my best to satisfy the curiosity of our taxi driver, โ€œYes – this is my first time in Indonesia,โ€ I replied, โ€œbut it feels like I’ve been here a thousand timesโ€. โ€œMaybe in your past life?โ€ he said. I couldnโ€™t help but wonder whether he was right.

Most of the time I have a way with words but I am at a loss for them in Asia. My thought ran amok in my mind, stuck hopelessly with a feeling of belonging.

The hospitality doesn’t take long to get to me and even in the bustle of Jakartaโ€™s surreal jungle like traffic a sense of serenity loomed over me. Also, if you must know, a tiny corner of my heart was singing with joy and it felt like the sheer strength of the vibe would blow me to pieces. The night was beginning to turn into the early morning, one with a long, exciting day ahead. Jakarta served as the entrance and exit point for what was to be yet another amazing journey through Asia.

Our travels would start in the jungle of Kalimantan, the very next day.

Is Jakarta worth visiting?

Jakarta holds a fascinating and rich history. It is characterized by numerous old colonial Dutch buildings, museums, and captivating streets offering antiques and gemstones. The city is home to a remarkable cathedral and an awe-inspiring Istiqlal Mosque.

JOIN US! WSE Travel Packages

This sounds like quite the adventure, right? We thought so too! Though we realize it can be pretty intimidating to get out there into the world on your own, especially when travelling to some of these off the beaten path locations. We love it when our readers give it a shot and try it for themselves! In fact, please leave us feedback if you do!! If trying something โ€˜thisโ€™ adventurous on your own is just a bit outside of your comfort zone, WSE Travel is here to help!

Click on this link for our โ€˜Choose Your Own Adventureโ€™ Tours โ€“ packages that are highly personalized and tailored at your request.

Jakarta Travel Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

  • Best Flight Deals: Trip.com โ€“ Trip is my favorite flight search engine. It is a flight aggregator that provides travelers with the best rates on airline tickets. Its innovative search finds the best option for specific travel dates by comparing airfares offered by all major airlines and agencies. The aggregator displays final prices, without any hidden fees. They are hands down the number one place to start.
  • Best Hotel Deals: Booking.comย โ€“ Booking is the best all-around hotel booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates because it compares all the other major hotel booking sites. They have the widest selection of comfortable accommodations. In all my tests, theyโ€™ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
  • Best Tour Deals: Where Sidewalks End (of course) โ€“ WSE Travel is a boutique tour operator with specially curated tours, events, and workshops. We have many tour options available in cities in Mexico and worldwide, including cooking classes, walking tours, art workshops, and more!
  • Best Car Rental Deals: Discover Cars – If you want to have mobility freedom, renting a car is an incredible option, but finding the best deal can be a nightmare! Discover Cars scans all the major car rental sites and includes all mandatory fees, taxes, and extras in the quoted price so there wonโ€™t be any unpleasant surprises when you arrive at the rental desk.
  • Best Travel Insurance Deals: SafetyWing – SafetyWing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to all your travel needs. They have cheap plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road. They even have subscriptions if you are planning long-term, without having to re-apply for each segment of your trip.
  • Best E-Sim Provider: Airalo – Airalo is one of the most versatile e-sim providers I’ve ever found, offering e-sim in almost every country on earth! No need to take your home phone provider’s sim card out and risk losing it on your trip! As long as your phone has e-sim capabilities, Airalo has you covered at really good rates too, meaning you can be connected at all times on your trip!
  • Best 100% Pick-pocket Proof Clothing Deals: Clever Companion โ€“ They make clothing specifically for travel, with hidden pockets to hide your valuables. From hoodies to briefs, they cover all your clothing needs – each with hidden pockets to hide your money, wallet, and anything else you want to keep safe!
  • Best Eco-Safe Travel Products: TreeTribe – This company is just awesome! From water bottles to yoga pants, wallets to bikinis, and everything in between – all their products are great quality, and eco-friendly AND they plant a tree for every purchase!
  • Best Outdoor Travel Product: LifeStraw โ€“ My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.

Discover more of Indonesia, hear my thoughts on Kupang and the Kei Islands!

Have you ever been somewhere that immediately felt like coming home again? Where was it, and what made it so familiar? Please feel free to share your stories in the comment section below!

17 Responses

  1. I felt the same when I first came to Argentina. I hope you’re enjoying your trip and I like the jungle idea!

    P.S. Jakarta has the worst traffic in the world, they say. Is that true? I’ve only been to Bali.

  2. Yes! I feel exactly this way when in Asia too! It’s a feeling I haven’t been able to let go of since leaving, and something that I crave every time I plan a trip. I think you described it perfectly, to the point of making me want to book my next flight to Jakarta!

    1. Hi Tracie! I’m so glad you liked the article and that you can relate to it so much as well! Let me know what the going rate for a ticket to Indonesia is is is these days as I might be tempted to book one immediately myself ;)

  3. It amazes me the feelings that travel can inspire inside of us: I felt the same way about the UK the first time I visited there. I knew I hadn’t ever been there before, but something about the culture, the people, the literature, and the history spoke to me in a way that nothing else ever had (and still hasn’t!). I haven’t made it to Asia yet on my travels, but you make it seem so appealing–even with all of the chaos that comes with a big city like Jakarta!

    1. I know what you mean when you talk about UK. I felt and still a big part of me feels the same way about UK. But when it comes to Asia, I think the chaos was the key element for me Natalie. Something about being in the greatest traffic jam of all time, you’d expect it all to simply collapse …then seeing that it doesn’t and that life goes on even when things get this chaotic …well I guess can be very relaxing:)

  4. Isn’t it fascinating how destinations will do that to you? As though you’ve been there before? I’ve not yet been to Asia, and it doesn’t seem to draw me. But like Rachel, I’m happy on any tropical beach you put me on.

    1. It’s amazing how destinations can do that. I guess it’s how we get to find our favorite corner of the world, that one place you just keep wanting to go back to…

  5. Hi Sania!
    Know the feeling, Istanbul is my place, every time I go there I feel that I belong to that place.
    It’s strange because it`s absolutely different from Brazil.
    Safe travels!

    1. Hi Robson! I guess certain places hit certain ‘buttons’ …and it’s amazing when that happens in a place that could not be any more different from home :)

  6. I feel that way pretty much whenever I’m in a tropical place with a warm breeze and palm trees and bougainvillea. I guess I’m just meant to live in the tropics!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.