Rural trek takes in hustle and bustle

Hiring a car at a reasonable price at Jakarta International Airport to take me to Cibodas in West Java, about 100 kilometers away, proved to be a little tricky.

Two car hire companies have offices in the baggage claim area. One offered a return trip to Cibodas for 2.1 million rupiah ($155), which I thought was outlandish. The other company wanted 1 million rupiah for a one-way trip.

However, I soon realized that the woman with the second company misunderstood me, thinking my destination was a hotel near the airport where I would stay the night before flying back to China, and she needlessly arranged a limousine for me.