i used to run or bike at least 5k everyday, usually morning bike to work and day run while picking up my son from his school. my city, raleigh, was runners and bikers friendly with integrated parks and greenway system.
Returning to Indonesia, I can't compare the well established system I experienced in the USA with the one we're trying to build here.
I am happy enough to live next to Taman Gas and Taman Honda at Tebet area in the south Jakarta. Nothing fancy in these two parks. Both of these parks are equipped with jogging tracks, small playground, public toilet that sometimes has no water in it (and this is a serious matter), and very limited parking space. I don't mean to whine about this situation. Really, i'm happy enough to see greens in Jakarta, i can walk from where i live to reach the park, and to be able to breath fresh air in Jakarta? I really cannot complain.
However, if i could add something to the park, maybe i would add appropriate rest room (dry, clean, has water in it), grow more grass and fix the drainage system so the park doesn't feel like wet and soggy all the time.
Back in the usa, i rode bike to work (except when it's snowing and freezing and black ice), the idea was simple: I wanted to exercise without having to cough more dollar bills just to get in shape. Somehow here i still cannot find a perfect place to bike. I don't dare to bike on the Jakarta road because I can't stand the pollution and the traffic is horrid.
Talking about the traffic. Jakarta traffic is something you need to deal with when you live here. So horrible that even the government keeps testing the water to get the right solution for this problem. Jakarta is establishing an integrated MRT system by now, construction is everywhere and the traffic has become crazier. I hope when the MRT is done, it will be a great solution for this traffic. This traffic is also one of the reason why i do not have any cars here!
I do not have any cars in Indonesia. I did not have any TVs back there in the USA. 😎
Yes. We are anything but ordinary 😜
Since the MRT completion might still need to wait until 2018, for now the available public mass transportation are commuter-line train, and transjakarta busway. I happen to learn to love them. I think this is a big step for mass transport in Jakarta, I don't need to bring cash, all i need is a card that I can refill the credit amount in it and i can use it in any transjakarta stations, train stations and some merchants. Pretty cool, considering it was not like this 3 years ago when i letf Jakarta. The best part: they're cheap!!! To hop on a transjakarta bus you will be charged 3,500 rupiah, and for the commuter-line train is 2,000 rupiah. Even tuk-tuk in Thailand is not as cheap as this!!!
With 3,500 rupiah charged on my card, i can go from my place (the closest station from my place is the BUMD cawang, i can go almost anywhere in Jakarta. Few days ago i went to senayan to kuningan, to Universitas Indonesia, and many more places. That was awesome!
Next i will try to go to some museums, to the beach, bookshops and library by transjakarta. It's different everytime you come places, new experience and new things to learn, even in your own old city.
