Map of Batam

I live at the far east of Batam Centre and I work in Tanjung Uncang. It is quite a haul to travel every day!

Quick bit of weirdity

I had taken a nap after work to dispose of a headache, and when I got up to make some food, I sat down to a bit of telly, I noticed my drink glass.

 

He is still sat there even now I have photographed him and am writing about him.

I don't know what it is, but it isn't a fish

Went out yesterday to buy a new bass amp for Harry, so he could upset his neighbours by turning it up very loudly in the back garden, which is, of course, what we did. But to the point, on the way to the music shop, I was driving in and out of the motorbikes who were weaving all over the road, and one of them was calmly shaking a fish at me with previously unregarded nonchalance. It is a common gesture from motorbike pillions, who lazily flap their arms when they are basically cutting you up or pulling out into a stream of traffic that is moving at a good 80 mph, as this stops anyone from hitting them!?! Why this is, I have yet to discover, although it does seem to work, after a fashion. Pedestrians also use this amazing life-saving trick, and I was no slouch at using it myself when in Surabaya. In fact I got so used to just stepping out into moving traffic and just waving my hand a little to protect myself, that when I got back to the UK I walked out onto St George’s Street in Winch attempting the same procedure, and was luckily dragged back out of the road before I was mown down. But I have to say, that I never felt the need to add a fish to my repertoire to maintain my road safety.

I wish I could have got a picture of the guy, but I nearly ran myself off the road where I was laughing so much.

 

Ok not the most interesting  item in the entire world, but you had to be there.

 

J

 

More excuses

I know I haven’t posted for ages, but I have had a dose of terminal bird flu, and have been dead for a while. Well, not exactly dead, more high as a bastard on the anti-cold medication I have been taking. Sort of a cross between heroin and Benylin. I thoroughly recommend the stuff. Have been swapping between night shifts and day shifts and both shifts, so a bit dazed and confused, just for a change. Have included a vid of how weird and noisy the yard is at night.

Came in this morning to the site office, just in time to see one of our guys leading the workers, who were arranged in rank and file, through calisthenics! I always thought that morning exercises were an urban myth, but I am obviously mistaken. I have a new car, but whilst picking people up this morning, we discovered that the passenger door handle fall off, and the back seat won’t stay up. But it is big enough to cope with the shitty roads here, rather than keep grounding itself like the last car did.

I have a new house as well, apparently, although I haven’t been inside it or held the keys or anything that normally indicates the handing over off cash for property. Want to get a look at it so I know what work has to be done on it. Probably won’t have any air conditioners and certainly won’t have hot water. I will stay in the little house for the time being until the new one is prepped and ready for habitation. May have to get an HD telly for the place, although may wait until next month, and put up with the projector.

 

Ooh, ooh, while I was in KFC a couple of days ago, watched an indo guy, who was obviously loving himself, don his dark reflective sunglasses driving gloves with a flourish, only to completely miss the top step and tumble like a fallen log down the whole flight of concrete stairs. It’s moments like that one that make life so much more bearable.

 

Incidentally, the second picture is of a wad of indocash. Just over one of those bundles has sorted out getting me the new BIG house, and the rest is for fitting it out. Can’t wait until the Jacuzzi arrives! 13mill for a corner Jacuzzi bath. Maybe I ought to concentrate on getting hot water first though. About the same cost to fit solar water heating, so may have to wait until next month for the bathtub!

 

Anyway, I will try and post more regularly, but very busy and may be starting yet another blog, so it is all a bit weeiirrr, a bit woooeerrrr, a bit waaaoooeeiiirrrr.

 

Peace out

 

J

 

More pix

My house and car and shit

 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.526 / Virus Database: 270.4.3/1529 - Release Date: 01/07/2008 19:23

Just a little disconcerting

This morning whilst engaging in the ritual bathing (it involves standing in my bathroom throwing saucepans of tepid water over myself and thinking clean thoughts) when I discovered the corpse of the biggest earwig that you have seen in your life. Very disturbing indeed.
I am writing this from my mobile phone at a mate's house. The housemaids are watching a VCD of Allah's greatest hit records. Ummi, ummi, ummi is an unmitigated classic. This makes you realise exactly how cool and up to date christian rock is.
Have bought an LCD projector for my house, so now I can watch a screen the size of one of my walls, about 90 inches now. When I got back home this afternoon, I went back to the car to get a packet of smokes, and as I walked out of the door, a bird shat on my hand! What are the chances? It's supposed to be lucky so will do my lottery tonight.