TiMeZoNe: ID: Jakarta Trip Day 1

Since I just completed my MBA, I decided to give myself a treat. Spending few hours on airlines website, I managed to secure RM245 per pax return trip to Jakarta on MH. After being in the country for quite a long time, I am venturing out again.

Before I continue on, I want to thank my good friend, BH for sponsoring this trip (inclusive of the hotel stay :-)) thanks a lot!!!

Our flight is to depart at 6.05pm from Gate G4. This time, it is 9M-MMS, one of MH's Boeing 737-4H6 fleet. Since we checked in from home, we only reached KLIA about 4.30pm for endorsement of our boarding passes. No bags to check in.

Since I have not visited KLIA's airside for so long, we decided to take the aerotrain to the Satellite terminal - just to get the view :-) Noticed quite few changes. Now, there is a Jungle Walk (I think that is what it is called) where passengers can experience tropical forests at the airport. The entrance is behind the Information Counter in the aerotrain station vicinity. Also, more shops are opened, but still these initiatives, in my opinion fail to attract more passengers or airlines to utilize the airport. M4HB may ned to be more creative :-))

Strolling around the Satellite terminal, I managed to spot few foreign airlines i.e., Air Astana (I remember this airline that I took to Almaty, Kazakhstan - however, it was via Bangkok), Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Emirates, Silk Air, KLM, Qatar Airways and Xiamen Airlines.

30 minutes prior to ETD, we took the aerotrain back to Main Terminal pier for our boarding. After security formality, we took an escalator down to holding lounge. Wow! Looks like this is to be a near full flight. Our seat were 8E and 8F with 8D was occupied by a guy going to Jakarta for business with the oil company there.

Since this is MH, we do not have to buy food :-) we were served dinner with a choice of beef rendang with white rice or kuzi chicken with tomato rice. This is served with fruit cake, Ferrero Roche chocolates and Spritzer mineral water. BH chose chicken, so I decided to taste the beef. (Not that I wanted the beef, but I took chicken as well, there will be no photo on the beef :-)).

After the two-hour flight, the 737 landed at CGK terminal 2 via runway 07L and decked at D4 at 7pm local time. Within 30 minutes, we were out at the arrival hall looking for Bluebird taxi.

There are many touts inside the arrival hall, so the advice is to find the Bluebird taxi logo outside the terminal and approached one of the staff. They are recognizable with their blue Bluebird vest.

The fare started at Rph6,000 and to reach our hotel at Senayan the fare costs Rph90,000. This excludes toll charges and the additional fare from the airport (which is set according to zone where Senayan is in Zone I). The toll is Rph11,000 and the additional charge for Zone I is Rph10,500. For information, Zone II is Rph9,000 and Zone III is set at Rph7,500.

The hotel looks decent with run-out facade and 1970s lobby design. More detail of my review on the hotel can be viewed here and here.

Our room was at Executive Level overlooking Gelora Bung Karno sports area (consists of stadium, softball field) and have a nice view of Jakarta.

After shower, around 9pm ++, we walked to FXtainment Centre around 100m away from the hotel (at the intersection of Jln Jenderal Sudirman and Jln Pintu Satu Senayan) for a quick bite and to buy some drinks. It is always my policy to request for the hotel to clear the mini bar so I can utilize the mini fridge).

Came back to the hotel an hour later, watched tv and said goodbye to Day 1 around midnight!