Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Since the wedding, there have been a series of "unfortunate" events, such as the gathering that turned into a housewarming in no day's notice. The CNY running about meaninglessly. and so on and so forth ... then suddenly I realised I'm burnt out and we decided to make use of our voucher from the purchase of our refridgerator to get our butt over to batam, the place we have never been before.

So we went.
I left all the necessary arrangements to Ray, my "new" husband and hoped that the getaway will definately be one I reallllllly need to energise my pathetic state of being.

We left on Sunday, after sleeping in late.
When I reached the pier over at the other end, I was so horrified.
Call me a snob. Perhaps I really have become one.

The place was so run down, the ferry was loaded with "single" men, some of which was seen and heard calling their families in Batam saying in halting Mandarin " papa reached Batam already!" -.-! It irked me so much to be reminded that BAtam is where retired singaporean men housed their 2nd and perhaps 3rd wives and other illegitimate offsprings.

I was appalled when I cleared the custom, seeing money changers outstretched hands, waving at you, demanding you give your dollars to them to be changed into rupees. Our complimentary van from the resort was no where to be seen.

We walked out of the terminal to see gravel roads, puff of dust flying all over, men in dark clothing, dust speckled, dark and sweaty men demanding to know where you are heading to. Needless to say, I was horrified to my bones.

I then asked my equally stunned husband to proceed back into the terminal, to change his money into rupees. so that we may take a cab over to where our resort was. I scarce dare remain in the terminal any longer.

I asked the money changer how much it would require to get our 2 butts off to our resort, which i hope looks much better than what I have witnessed upon my stepping onto this island.

The cab journey costed us 50,000 rupees which loosely translates to about S$10/- . On the way to the resort, we saw dilapidated huts, the zinc and rusty roofs, the haphazard houses hastily nailed and built by unsanded wooden planks, the dismal conditions that people in batam lived in despite it being a tourist spot just screams of poverty.

I was appalled. I was shocked to my toes. I wanted to return home to seek refuge in creature comforts.

It was meant to be a getaway, not something that would stress me out.
I got stressed really.
I got paranoid when someone opened our hotel room door in the middle of the afternoon when we were napping after a swim. I distinctly heard the lock turned and luckily, I "chained" the door, else I wonder what would have happened to us poor souls. The door was not closed even after 5 minutes. I only ran to the peephole after the door was closed to see if I could see the offensive person who opened the door.

I got even more paranoid when someone pressed our doorbell in the middle of the night, I had to awaken ray to look through the peephole, to realise there was nobody at all.

I was worried that we would be victim to those hotel buster gangsters who just run into our room to rob us poor folks. Worse, we did not bring lots of money with us. Perhaps between the 2 of us, we only have about S$150 ? We were intending to settle the rest with Credit CArds if necessary.

I dont think I would be there again even if my trip is going to be paid for. Not only was I bored stiffed to death, I was also shocked beyond words after the 2 incidents, that just left me in a state of serious stress.

It was only when I return to good ol' Singapore, stepped into Harbourfront and at the so familiar DFS, did I stopped my worrying and my apparent prejudice.

Needless to say, I would never go there again. ever.