Dusty Passport

 

It has been a year since I last traveled. I don't even remember where I kept my passport. 

The last country I visited was Indonesia - Jakarta to be specific. Our intention was to buy souvenirs for my sister's wedding, and apart from that, I thought I could go to a festival and then catch a play. When we were there, neither Brunei nor Indonesia had recorded any case of COVID-19, so we felt generally confident with flying there. However, I got very anxious about my parents. I got them enough face masks and hand sanitiser to make sure we're taking precautions. I would constantly remind my mom to take care of hygiene especially when we were in more crowded places. 

Luckily, my parents left just before the first case was reported in Jakarta. I stayed for a bit longer because I wanted to make the most out of my leave. Sadly, at some moments I felt regretful spending it on completing my work. Here's just a recap of my week in Jakarta. 

Uuuhf nothing but a good meal always. Perks of staying at an Airbnb is the freedom to cook whenever and whatever you want to. Also, a year without Richeese has been so hard. Missing those crunchy, finger-licking, spicy wings! 

I loveee to refer to JKTGO for places to visit and restaurants to try out. Since my parents are sambal lovers, I had to bring them here. My parents did end up bringing some sambals home (to Brunei) too! 

Each time I'm in Jakarta, there's always something new to see, something new to learn, and something new to appreciate. The first apartment we stayed in was always buzzing with noise, and the azan was always so loud since there were probably 6 to 7 mosques within close proximity. I just miss watching all the scenic views from a high-rise apartment. 

Java Jazz Festival was something that we had in mind, but because we were so cautious and wanted to avoid as many crowded places as possible, we put this item at the bottom of our list. However, our friend was able to convince us when she said she could get us free tickets for one of the JJF days. Fortunately, JJF was not as crowded as WTF, and it felt more relaxing. Perhaps the artist line-up really makes a difference in the audience. 

Wheuw. I could never get tired of watching Tulus live. His energy was just so beautiful, and his performance never disappoints. Did I also mention his smile was so contagious? *fangirl emoji* Here, let me belanja one video:

Moving on, I also managed to catch Marissa's play called Musikal Belakang Panggung. This was not an easy play to watch; it was a musical play that followed Rani - the up-and-coming artist, as the main character, who was a victim of sexual harassment and violence. Personally, this could easily trigger past trauma for me, and I was shaken in my seat but unable to leave since I was so immersed by the whole storyline. Throughout the show, I saw people tearing up and leaving the room especially during the "scene". The organiser also provided counseling at the lobby in case anyone needed it. 

After watching the show, we made our way to the Big Bad Wolf Books Fair. This fair normally runs for about a week and is opened for 24 hours. Books were on 60%-80% discounts. 

I guess I was a little sleepy to be browsing books at 2-3 a.m, and the selections were so massive that I couldn't narrow down on what I wanted to get. Plus, I haven't been reading much over the last two years and it really made me feel bad to buy more books and leaving them to dust. I did manage to grab two books that I felt were a really good bargain. Have I read it though? Haha nope, balum until now. 

Oh ya, not to forget. I totally enjoyed this Toto Toilet Experience in Grand Indonesia. Was there to watch a movie, and with this toilet, the experience was 10/10. Lol.

My Jakarta's travel would not be complete without at least a cup from Common Grounds, and then a bowl of good ramen! 

Last but not least, I end this post with my top favourite part of that trip:

This beautiful Airbnb that we rented during our last few days in Jakarta. Although it doesn't come with a laundry facility like the previous apartment did, but the aesthetic was 11/10! I've also never been to a loft with that many air-conditioners. My host was also very responsive and kind. 

It's a little sad to reminisce and knowing things are never going to be the same again. One year without traveling did take a toll on my mental health, and I get so burned out and demotivated very quickly. I didn't know how important it was for me to take some time off and unwind in another country. It always felt nice to be detached from your day-to-day responsibilities once in a while. Allow some room to breathe. I also honestly enjoyed going to music festivals (but only specific ones like WTF and Java Jazz), it's always fun to dance it out and sing on top of your lungs. 

Things were not easy when I returned to Brunei that month. A few days after coming home and resuming my boring life, Brunei recorded its first case. It was uncomfortable. Friends and colleagues weren't being so nice and kept avoiding me. Some covered their mouth when they saw me, some were completely disrespectful and inappropriate, and some were already judging my decision of flying to Jakarta at that time. I wanted to put my mind at ease and decided to go to the clinic asking if my parents and I could get swabbed just in case. We weren't showing any symptoms, and the clinic rejected us because Indonesia did not fall under the top categories. I even called the centre to obtain more information and opinion, and yet again, we were told to simply observe ourselves. Alhamdulillah, we remained healthy and free of covid. 

I know that others are mostly opting for staycations but the experience can never be the same. It's really just about disconnecting from your world, and letting yourself rest. It's also about meeting friends and new people, and getting new experiences. Man,  I really do miss my friends overseas. I really miss traveling and shopping till I get no more money left. Lol. Nowadays, you just lose money on things that are triple times cheaper in Miri. Sigh. 

If things do get better, and we can travel safely again - where would you go first?