Over the Pot Holes and Through the Mud

"Over the pot holes and through the mud" (sung to "Over the River and Through the Wood)

A Jakarta Adventure

Saturday was one of those busy, over-scheduled days. Church-cleaning, birthday party, soccer tournament, cub scouts, and primary activity. And those were just the "scheduled" events. There was also the Christmas baking to be done, cards to be signed, envelopes to be addressed (don't die of shock - but YES I'm sending Christmas cards this year!!), and normal daily-living responsibilities. 

On days like this, Owen and I have to divide and conquer. We ran together at 6:30AM, then he left at 8AM. I didn't see him again until 9PM. 

One of my responsibilities during the day was to get Amelia to the American Club by 4:30PM so she could catch a ride to the primary activity. Owen had the car at the soccer tournament. It was raining, so I couldn't call a taxi (they are VERY hard to get when it's raining). So I had the grand idea of walking. It is, afterall, only about one mile from our house.

Elise, Charlotte, Amelia and I braved the rain. I made the decision mistake to wear flip flops because I didn't want to ruin any good shoes in the muck. Poor thinking. Sure, I didn't ruin in shoes. But the yuck factor of slogging through mud, grime, and puddles (with all kinds of horrors) reached epic proportions. 

We took the underground walkway from Lippo Mall to Antesari St. Elise got a fume-induced headache in the non-ventilated tunnels. When we emerged, we had to cross the crazy busy street. I nearly slipped on the slimy sidewalks. I actually had a conversation with Elise about "what to do if one of us is hit by a car or motorcycle."

On the return trip, Elise stepped in a puddle that splashed mud (and probably poo) up the front of her shin. She became slightly hysterical (vacillating between laughing and crying), especially when we saw the dead rat sitting in a nearby puddle. It was all a bit too much. Charlotte thought the moment was entirely hilarious. I will never forget the three of us laughing (Elise half-laughing, half-crying) in the rain, jumping in our flip flops, trying to avoid the puddle-pot-holes.

We rewarded ourselves with a rare Baskin Robins ice cream cone ($4 each!) and a triple-scrub down/sterilization of our feet in the bathtub.

Oh the joys of Jakarta!