Mudik
Unlike in any other Islamic society, in Indonesia we celebrate the end of Ramadan bigger than the Idul Adha (Offer festival). As the end of Ramadan is getting near, people are preparing to mudik, going home. Just like every where in the world around at certain time of the year, people booked that overpriced transportation to see their folks because it's tradition.
When I was little we used to be part of that crowd, traveling more than 1200km from one end of Java to one end of Sumatra where My maternal grandparents lived. I hate the journey. It still takes longer to get there because of the traffic. Very crowded. Not to mention we have to cross the Sunda strait for hours.
Each year, you hear bad news about people who mudik to their villages, especially those who are using motorbikes. Babies/toddlers who died once they arrived at the destination because their parents took them on hours of bike ride. I dont get why people wants to risk something like that just because it's a tradition. The price is too high. Why cant they wait for another time? It's not like they cant share their emotion/feeling at all if they are not mudik. There are technologies to help us connected with our love ones. Almost everyone has a cellphone, even in the tiny village.
On the other hand, I enjoy Jakarta more when people are mudik. The traffic is so much better.
2 comments:
Is Jakarta at mudik time like Amsterdam at the summer holiday peak?
On the other hand the 'mandatory' visiting of relatives is something which reminds of the ritual visits of parents and in-laws at Christmas. Especially boxing day.
It's like komkomer tijd... empty... Amsterdam still has plenty of tourists in the summer peak. The public transportation of mudik is like koninginnedag's trains to Amsterdam only worse.
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