After initially missing my first flight outta Jakarta on March 3rd by 5 minutes! (sorry Frieda!) I figured I would bite the bullet, overstay my visa and have more time to get things ready for the Roots show... So I booked my next flight without really thinking and wondered how I would sort out the visa situation... Now, I dont know how much trouble I can get in to for writing about this but to all travellers out there this one's for you! Indonesia has always been known as a lnad of opportunity where anything is possible... This just goes to prove that a little suggestion can go a long way... So, I get off the plane and and am headed over to the visa on arrival desk to get my 7 day visa. I realize that I forgot to print my ticket out so when they asked me for proof of leaving the country I was like... Uhhhh... I forgot... So to get to the point, they were like, so how can you help us out? My Indonesian is pretty good I must confess and the fact that there was another "bule" or tourist there didnt stop them from being pretty forward about asking me for money to sort it all out. All I actually had was RM30, so I forked it over... Got to the immigration counter and buddy asks me the same questions... I'm like... Hmmmm... I forgot to print my ticket, sorry I cant help you out, I sorted it all with the guys back there so you prolly wanna go there and get your cut! He giggled and told me that he didnt have to let me in the country but this time he'd let me through. Oh the relief!
*Masia One with one of Jakarta's security forces finest! Gotta love the hat...
So, the story continues... It turned out that the total for overstaying my visa for 8 days would work out to 1.6 million (rupiah hehehe...) which is still a good 200 bucks. With the mentality that anything is possible I set out to prove myself right. Unfortunately in the process I missed yet another flight, for reasons I am embarrassed to say, and now realizing all the money I had made is going into new flights I had to do something about my overstay... i walk straight into the immigration office, tell the guy I have overstayed by 8 days and straight up asked him if I could help him out... He was like... How much. I told him and he pushed my price up a bit but in the end I saved money and was promptly moved through the immigration que and happily onto the plane! I wouldnt advise just anyone to do what I did because I dont condone corruption. But as a reality in this world it just goes to prove that anything is possible!
