Jakarta- The Saga Continues...

We’ve been awake for 20 hours so we’re starting to get a bit tired and frazzled. After being told at Bali that our suitcases would be sent straight through to London, we didn’t think we’d have to worry about them, but Ross talked to a girl going to London who’d been told she had to get her suitcase off the baggage carousel in Jakarta so we thought we’d better check to make sure, since nothing we’ve been told has been correct so far! Well, her suitcase didn’t come off and neither did one of ours! Two did though, but after much searching for “lost property”, Ross found a Garuda woman who “seemed” to know what she was talking about. Apparently, “some” of the suitcases got transferred directly, while others, such as our two, got accidentally offloaded at Jakarta. They have no clue what they are doing! By this stage I am hanging out for a “real” coffee as we had seen a Starbucks at Domestic. We asked another Garuda lady where gate E2 was, and she pointed down to the right and mentioned something to Ross about “airport tax”. Ross was almost to the end of his tether by this stage ,as he had been informed by the travel agent that there was no more taxes to pay apart from the Bali one. He had already paid $70US for the “pleasure” of flying via Bali! The cost of this tax was 300,000 rupiah, about $25, but another thing to have to do- find an ATM etc etc. Ross managed to get the dough, and then we headed through customs and found a Starbucks where a large coffee was gratefully consumed, to give me back some human qualities. I am now so tired “zombie” would be a more apt description! 

To get to gate 2, we had to go through another security checkpoint with the most sensitive scanner we’ve yet encountered. I had to take off my bangles, watch, AND sandals, but at least I didn’t have to take my laptop and iPad out of my bag!! So off we went to find gate 1 ( our gate 2 had been changed to gate1!) We trudged along the corridor to gate 1, only to be told it would be another 2 hours before we would be allowed into that area! There were about a hundred empty seats in there, but here we are on the last available seat in the common area.

Ross asked where the chemist/pharmacy was and was told it was down the end of the corridor. I opted to sit with my feet up and wait for him. He just arrived back after walking miles, flopped down on the seat beside me and when I asked how he went (we wanted Tears for Eyes), he replied, ”You’re not going to believe this- there is no effing pharmacy!” at which point, I burst into hysterical laughter! We were still giggling when some soldiers came and told us to move. We feebly tried to argue, but then we realized they were opening the other x-ray machine, so thought we’d have another try to get into gate 1 waiting area. He saw us coming and said we were still too early at which point, I gasped, “I need to use the toilet!” Miraculously I was ushered through and Ross just mumbled and followed. So we are here waiting. Ross just informed me it’s only another 2 hours to go. We cannot wait to get out of this hellhole!