Work Trip

Junming’s away on a work trip for almost 2 weeks and will be back only end of next week. Although he was away only for this weekend, I was away last weekend. So that makes it two weekends in a row that we’ve not seen each other. However, the last time I saw him was on Monday, when he helped moved one of the painting given by the my client’s auction house to my sis’ place. Thereafter, it was KUL-SIN, SIN-HKG-CAN-HKG-SIN, arriving Singapore on 02 May at 2350hrs. Think it’s a good break from his usual work routine. Hope he gets to brush up some of his Cantonese over there.

Anyway, my work trip started out not too smooth-sailing. It’s over-the-weekend kinda trip, which means I worked literally 7 days a week and 12 days in a row. Upon arriving in Jakarta airport, we lost one of our client’s luggage (hohoho….) and we were sure it came with us on the flight because the ground staff were very efficient and the ground staff immediately came to pick up the bulky frame to be sent to the cargo hole right at our check-in counter. Somehow, the ground staff at Jakarta claimed they didn’t have it and after a few moments of “investigation”, we were told to call them again in the late arvo as the flight we took had departed. Well, was it because the off-loading of the cargo was not thorough, or did it go on another plane, or was it even loaded to our plane in the first place? It’s all a mystery, but I have full faith in our Changi Airport system.

Well, so much so for the start of my first time in Jakarta. My boss and I came out of the immigration and there were two people waiting for us, at different ends: boss’ friend and client’s driver. It was pretty cool because it was the first time I walked out of the airport and someone wrote my name on a paper for identification. We passed the remaining items to the driver and asked the driver to convey to our client that we will reach the hotel around noon time, after we’ve gone for brekky with my boss’ friend. So we were all excited for some real Indonesian food.

He drove us to this market place in the Chinese neighbourhood that he said served rather good local food. We tried their Kuay Teow, Nasi Padang and potato leaves at a place that looked like a typical coffee shop in Singapore, but the “star” of the day has to be pork satay. The look of it is convincing enough to give it a try, especially with two very hungry women. The taste of it is so good that one is not enough. After our breakfast at the coffee shop, we were brought to buy what we would call “goreng pisang” in Singapore, but they call it “Pisang Raja”. “Raja” is prince in Malay, isn’t it? So it’s a Banana Prince? Hahaha…. No idea man, but Goreng Raja has more batter and crispier as compared to Goreng Pisang (which the batter isn’t too much lesser either). The “raja” is much nicer in a way, but it’s CRIMINAL… If not more, it is as CRIMINAL…. Felt like going straight for a 10-km run right after shoving it into my mouth. After that, we went to a complex known as Manga Dua, which means “Two Mangoes”. Not 3, not 4, but “Two Mangoes”, where we shopped for some tidbits and fashion jewellery.

One thing amazed me: the parking system in the city. You can double-park or even triple park at a parking lot. How to get out? You gotta literally push the other cars out of the way in order to get your own car out of the lot. So people there don’t pull their hand brake after parking, except on a hill of course, to be “considerate”. Driving in Jakarta is also stressful, with motorbikes and side mirrors almost knocking each other and they aren’t too bothered even if they really knocked each other gently. The traffic jams in Jakarta is also horrendous. It’s apparently common to be stuck in a jam for an hour to an hour and a half.

We arrived at the hotel 3 plus in the afternoon. Not a very good way to impress our client. After we checked into our rooms, we quickly went down to meet them again for our business discussion. Fortunately the discussion went quite well, which made the trip worth it. Little did we know the trip back was another story…

AND SO IT CONTINUED…

While we tried the whole afternoon trying to contact the airport about the frame that didn’t arrive in Singapore, we were told to try again later, and later, and later. Finally, the client said that they will take over from that point and will follow-up with the airport officials. No call came until early morning at about 6.00am, a call from my boss’ friend came and told us that the frame had finally reached Jakarta. In fact, they had been calling him since 2.00am in the morning. Now, it’s sent to the wrong place and they will be sending it straight to the hotel. Just the morning wake-up call at a time I don’t need it. So tired, but I just couldn’t get to bed anymore, I decided to go for an early morning massage before heading for breakfast

I checked out the rate and it was a very good deal: about SGD$32 for a one hour Javanese massage. Where do you get that kinda rate in Singapore? Not to mentioned that it’s in a 5-star hotel. Since I’m in Java, might as well try their Javanese massage. It was indeed good and the masseuse, though a young lady, was a very strong lady. Had to tell her to be gentle with me. Getting old, I think. I went down to breakfast after that and everyone said I looked fresh. * Ding! * Must be the Javanese massage.

We stayed for the auction till mid afternoon before the client’s chauffer sent us to the airport. Our client gave us some paintings and souvenirs for us and for another of their contact whom they engaged for their Singapore auction. My boss asked the driver to make a detour so she could get some Pisang Raja, but the stall’s closed on Sunday, so we continued our way to the airport. When we reached the airport, another of their chauffer wheeled out the paintings and gosh! They are big! Ok, compared to some other paintings at the auction, they are not awfully big, but they are still considered bulky. Staring at the card boxes, I could almost picture my father saying: People give only you must take meh!

What to do? Just gotta check them in. As we looked at our time, we realized we were really late. The frantic search for the check-in counter began and we walked from one end to almost the other end before we finally found the counter and the check-in for our flight has closed! We pleaded, we begged, almost sobbed and went on our knees. My boss kept saying “tolong, tolong” (means “please, please”), but ground staff just wouldn’t check us in or let us onto the plane no matter what. Well, don’t expect them to practice GEMS (Go the Extra Mile Service) there too. You can picture two desolated women going to the customer service, who then advised us to pay up either USD$60 for a budget airline back to Singapore, which departs only after 10pm, or an earlier flight for USD$140, for Lufthansa, or USD$165, for SQ. We bought the Lufthansa ticket and walked around the airport’s duty-free to pass time. Even when we wanted to buy hard liquor (Bailey’s) back to Singapore, we were told that Lufthansa is the only airline that doesn’t allow duty-free hard liquor on board their aircraft. “Fly Garuda next time!” the lady smiled as she told us. I smiled back and thought to myself if I’d even return to Jakarta again. Ok, never say never, yeah? For I do not know the plans that God have for me.

Anyhow, I was so glad when the plane landed in Singapore. There’s nothing like home and so glad to be back. Called those who are still awake to let them know that I touched down in Singapore. Junming collected the painting from me so he can help me bring it to my sis’ place the next day. Was a tired trip, but it’s still fruitful. Had the pork satay, clinched a deal and most of all, had my Javanese massage!

Now, am just looking forward to Junming’s coming back.