A long (to put it mildly), killer journey to Indonesia. Read and weep — On United Airlines from Chicago to Tokyo’s Narita Airport took close to 12 air hours followed by four hours in the lounge until the next flight to Singapore, a little less than 7 air hours away. We left on a Friday and it was now almost midnight on Saturday. Into the Singapore Airlines Lounge to collapse for the next seven hours (they give you pillows and blankets if asked) until the Sunday morning flight to Jakarta on Garuda Airlines left at 7:50 a.m. Grueling, yes? But…we’re still not there!

Landing in Jakarta, Indonesia, both pieces of luggage there and, once again, a cinch to get Visas on Arrival. TRAVEL TIP: They just raised the rates from $20 to $25 US. All you need are passports, two photographs, money, get in line, they slap a visa in your passport and done. Just one more flight to Semarang… Walked over to the Domestic Terminal, Garuda e-tickets issued by Borneo Discovery worked fine, paid the domestic departure tax of 40,000 Rupiah/person and sat for another five hours until this hour flight took off.

To answer the question, what do we do for 20+ air hours, 16+ hours of sitting, stretching out on couches and benches in airports? Watch movies on planes and, what else, eat! From wake-up in Chicago to touch down in Semarang, Indonesia, 48-hours of compulsive, non-stop, and over-the-top eating. McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches; Obento boxes (small amounts of Japanese foods) on the Chicago-Tokyo leg; sushi and cookies in the Narita Lounge; Chicken with chutney and salad on the Narita-Singapore flight; sweet and sour pork, szechuan chicken, chicken tikka, stir fried mushrooms with pea pods, and more sushi in the new Singapore Airlines Terminal 3 lounge (I was ready to puke by now but kept forcing food down my gullet); barbecued pork dim sum dumplings, yogurt and coffee for breakfast, still in Singapore Airlines Lounge; noodles with chicken satay and fresh squeezed orange juice on the Singapore Airlines flight to Jakarta; and called it quits on the Jakarta to Semarang flight. Couldn’t possibly squeeze in one more bite or we’d be forced to use the airsick bags.

TIP: There must be a minimum of 20 ATM machines at the Jakarta Airport and rows of money changers if that’s your preference. You can bring water on airplanes in Indonesia.

The Hotel Ciputra***** courtesy van was waiting with a sign when we landed at Semarang. The hotel is run by Swiss-Belhotel International and very nice, crowded with Indonesians and next to the biggest mall in Semarang along with a KFC. Go YUM foods. Rates range from $66 a night including huge buffet breakfast for two, and that’s for a five-star hotel. Just imagine how far your budget can stretch in Indonesia.

Nice reception, our plane tickets for tomorrow’s flight to Kalimantan were there, Linda, from Borneo Discovery called the room to say she was going to pick up our unneeded suitcase until we return to Semarang, Saturday, and we’re in business! All that worrying about Borneo Discovery has been for naught. A 10:10 a.m. flight tomorrow to Pangkalan Bun on IAT (Indonesian Air Transport), the Hotel Ciputra will take us to the airport at 9:00 a.m., breakfast is served from 6:00 a.m. and I think we’ve got it covered.

driving through Semarang, Indonesia
By the way, when was the last time you saw individual cigarette packages displayed next to candy for purchase in a hotel room? Think about it…

buy chips, candy and Marlboro’s in your room
Sunday is Malaria pill night, sleeping pills, and crash into bed. Night, night…or is it day…day…