Some things never change….
10 years ago, clients would tell me to take only bluebird taxis when I’m in Jakarta. 10 years later, client still tells me to “walk pass all the other taxi drivers and look for the guy in a white shirt/blue vest and the logo that looks like a phoenix. ”
The first visit to Jakarta was with Mum and brother. All i remembered of that trip was the river was polluted, squatters living their lives next to it and of course, my brother and I puking our guts out in the hotel room ‘coz of food poisoning.
In my first job, ex company sent me to Jakarta during the riots (or rather, despite the riots) to do training session for clients. It was scary for the fresh graduate out of school traveling alone and looking at all the trucks with protesters driving by. It didn’t help to find out there was a protest on the airport highway the night before but the protesters had dispersed due to rain.
Forward to present day, I’m still none the wiser . Walking out of the airport, i totally missed the guy in the white shirt and the blue vest. Yeah, i felt pretty stupid walking up and down looking for the “Bluebird”. Jakarta doesn’t seem to be what i remembered it to be. Building looks bigger and expensive. Malls are filled with the latest IT gadgets. Hey, the telcoms were having an Iphone event today and the best part is, you don’t have to queue to get one. The shops are filled with factory outlets. How about a burberry polo tee for $20?
No shopping for me since it’s only day 1. So i’m off looking for bluebird taxis while i’m in jakarta and pretending to look like i understand bahasa indonesian.