Frustrating Jakarta

Breakfast at the hotel's buffet area.

Bumped into a colleague whom I knew from my very early days in the company but since he's always one band level ahead of me and in a different function, I have not really worked directly with him.

I doubt we even remember each other's names but we said hi, he asked me where I'm working now, I said I'm with xxx and am here for consumer work and he said oh. And then there was a bit of awkward silence and he said, enjoy your breakfast.

And we went to our individual tables and had our breakfast alone.

Is it ok to do that? πŸ˜…

I think so, right? πŸ˜‚

I know people in my company tend to be open and outspoken and friendly, but I just.
Cannot.
πŸ˜…πŸ˜‚

Nothing to do with him or anyone, really. But I thought I could use some me-time during breakfast instead of getting stressed out trying to make conversation.

Whenever I come to Jakarta, I am always awestruck by the sharp contrast outside and inside the hotel.

What I thought would be a business hotel this time turned out to be as 5-star as the previous hotels I have stayed in.

So much space, huge bathroom with separate sections for bathtub, rainshower, wash basin, and a toilet bowl that is warm.

And the service is often immaculate.

At breakfast they would offer you water or juice if they think you might need some.
They will ask you if you enjoyed the food, or wish you a good flight home if they knew you are heading for the airport that day.

Yet it's such a different world outside. Traffic jams, pollution, motorcycles carrying families of four, and 4G doesn't work here.

Why?

When, surely, the hotel staff, from the lady chef serving omelette (who spoke really good English) to the front desk staff are working hard and striving to make a difference.

Whether it's to our stay with them, or to their lives.

I know it's the age old topic of inequality and politics, but it is frustrating.
Especially when I get stuck in a traffic jam with lots of horning and nothing seems to ever move, and yet the minute I step into a hotel, it is as if the past hour of ordeal was but a figment of my imagination.

It's a little hard to stomach.

If you'd been to hotels in Singapore or that of more developed countries, you might find that sometimes the so-called service officers behave like you owe them 5 million bucks, or look like they'd rather be somewhere else, anywhere but here with you to answer your silly question.

It's a pity.
This country, this city could have achieved so much more; its people deserve so much more.

Home!

The flight was supposed to land at 930pm but it was delayed by 30 minutes fml.
I was hoping to be back before her bedtime but it looked like a tall order.

But she actually stayed up to wait for me while Daddy entertained her!

They were in the room when I opened the door and popped my head in to say hi.

She stared at me in wonder for a few seconds as I walked in, trying to determine if I was real. And then, as if she'd realised I was real, she broke into a smile and walked towards me.

I carried her and she smiled.

Lol so calm.
Last night so drama.
Though after sobbing so hard, she went on to watch TV and ignored me for the rest of the Skype session. πŸ˜…

She was clearly tired but tried to wriggle her way out of letting me bring her back to her room to sleep by rolling around our bed or stalling for time by going to Daddy instead.

And very adorably pointing out piggy's eyes, Daddy's eyes, her own eyes and Mommy's eyes to us.

So deh, but I like. 😁

I eventually managed to tuck her in and she fell asleep in less than 5 minutes.

It's good to be back.

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