The past few days have been really really busy, finishing everything for the semester and getting things ready to go home. On Saturday I met up with some of the other few students still in Yogya for what was meant to be a Becak race, where foreign students decorate becaks and then ride them. But unfortuntely there were no other entrants so we were invited to be part of a parade down the main street of Malioboro. It was heaps of fun, but it got a bit intense at times, with heaps of people taking photos and laughing at us. We were wearing things like rubbish bags on our heads and riding a becak so it was warranted. Steve and the others came up with an environmental theme on the bike, with a sign saying “Reduce CO2 emissions, ride a becak”. I was meant to be helping them decorate things that morning but couldn’t make it until the time of the race. What happened was that I went to the post office to send some things back home. I went to the atm to get money out to pay for it, but the atm ate my card. I then used my backup Travelex card but that had insufficient funds. I was going to get some travellers cheques but then I remembered that immigration has my passport so I can get the right stamps to go home. So after hours of running around trying to find some money I eventually did so and was able to post my things. It was a huge day, which ended with a taxi driver trying to kiss me (girls - never ever sit in the front seat of a taxi! I did so by accident).
A lot of busy-ness, a lot of adventures still unfolding even right up to the end. I don’t think my experiences here will really sink in until I’m home and have a chance to sit down and think about everything.
