📅 28th/29th October 2025 📍Jakarta, Indonesia

Arrival in Jakarta: Press, Colonial Echoes and City Drives

After twenty days at sea, our twenty-foot container carrying the ID. Buzz finally reached Jakarta. The process of unloading and customs clearance went smoothly—a relief after so much anticipation. I was especially excited for the first major press conference of this leg, hosted by Indomobil, Volkswagen’s importer in Indonesia. Heartfelt thanks go out to Andrew and Stefan for their excellent support throughout the stay, as well as to the teams from Indomobil and Giti Tire for their warm hospitality.

The press conference itself was nothing short of impressive, drawing over one hundred participants. It was a privilege to present my project and recount the journey via the tour webpage, sharing stories and discoveries with this vibrant audience.

Afterwards, our itinerary took us to the German Embassy, and then on to the old Dutch colonial quarter of Batavia—a district steeped in history and architectural charm. As ever in Southeast Asia, but particularly in Jakarta, the traffic was dense with motorbikes weaving through every available space. Determined to make the most of our evening, we managed to reach some of Jakarta’s key landmarks by car, avoiding the usual gridlock and capturing the city’s pulse as night fell. A highlight was the stop at the iconic National Monument—Monas—its spire gleaming against the Indonesian sky.

Next stop: Semarang!