Almost exactly 30 years ago I arrived at the Jakarta airport at midnight, all alone with my art easel and a backpack. I needed to find an inexpensive place to stay and sat thinking about how to accomplish this. I had my travel books of course but…
I looked across the baggage claim area and saw a Canadian flag on someone’s pack. Sitting with the flag carrying man were two young women. I approached them and learned they also were looking for cheap accommodations and wanted a fourth to share their ride. YEAH!!!!
We set off in a taxi to the area of Jakarta where these cheap lodgings were located and we found a couple of lizard (gecko) infested rooms. On the way we exchanged our basic information. Ian was from Montreal and the two young women were cousins from Nanaimo. These three people would come in and out of my travel experience over the next couple of months.
We ate, we slept and next morning on a tiny balcony overlooking the street I gave Ian a haircut. He said he’d needed one for some time. Then we headed for the train station to travel east on the island of Java. You all know me pretty well and will not be surprised that I was sure how to get to the train station. It was hot, humid and noisy. Traffic was many lanes of traffic with no opportunity to cross the roads – too busy and too chaotic. I led my foolishly compliant companions, all lugging heavy backpacks, around in circles until by accident we arrived at the train station. It was sheer good luck. ~Radiance
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