If I feed it, will it follow me home?

I have been eyeballing some of the things that are part of my life in Jakarta that would be outstanding additions to life back in the ol' US of A. Some are things for the public good and some would be for just me, myself and I. *Disclaimer - I know that some of these things may be part of other people's lives somewhere else, they just haven't been part of mine.

First up. Stoplights at major intersections have LED displays above them that count off the time the light will remain either green or red. I think it is an excellent traffic accessory and would help cut down on folks running lights and keep people from getting so impatient for the light to turn green. It also is good for allowing the driver and passengers know how long they can relax before all the chaos begins again.

Next, I like the public buses that slow down just long enough for you to jump on or off. It is a really efficient system. The buses don't have door on them and people kind of use a version of the magic hand (discussed earlier)to signal the bus they need their services. The bus slows down and people jump on board. They may board from the middle of the street or the side of the road and from either side of the bus. The idea is you come to the bus, the bus doesn't necessarily come to you. There is a man who wanders up and down the aisle and collects a fare once you are on board, a conductor of sorts. Then, when you want to get off, you just step off when the bus slows down. Since I haven't ridden on a bus yet, not sure if you shout out or wave or pull a rope to have the bus slow to an easy roll to disembark. It works surprisingly well.

Here is a "I want this for me" candidate. Electric curtains in your bedroom. The hotel has sheers (day curtains) and draperies (night curtains) that will open and close at the push of a button. Even better, this button is right next to your bed. I know of people who have window shades that are remote controlled, but they only go up and down. I am sure there are those who are reading this that may have these electric curtains in your home already. I have not. And I like them a lot and I want to take them home.

Next up are the two story grocery stores that are a great use of small plots of land. I went into a grocery store the other day and came around the end of the aisle; low and behold there was an escalator to take you and your cart to the second floor. These are not the style of escalators that you have at the mall or a department store. No, they are kind of like a cross between an escalator and a conveyor belt. The same grooved metal steps, mind you, but flattened out. The incline and decline are pretty steep and scary looking. You push your cart on and it kind of grabs it and holds it in place by magnetic force or something. Must inquire about that. You hold on to the cart until you get to the top and then you are free to roll it off. Coming down, you do the same thing in reverse and just kind of brace yourself to keep from sliding down. A little odd, but I think I am going to like it.

Handy too are the self-appointed traffic control officers. It is wonderful when things get really nasty out on the Jakarta streets with traffic; guys will just step out and start trying to unclog the mess. They motion cars here and there. Hold up their hands and have people stop so others can take a turn and get everyone around a round-about in pretty much one piece. They are not paid police men. Their ages run from young boys (who seem to love to have a shiny whistle to blow on while directing) to older chaps who must have a bit of a death wish (my mother told me not to stand out in traffic, but maybe the rules are different in North Carolina) and/or they are enjoying the opportunity of being in charge of things since much of life just happens without you getting much say.

Along the same lines, since parking is almost always an issue and streets are narrow in a lot of places, there is always someone to help you get in and out of the lot. Well, calling some of these areas to park a parking lot is just wrong. The spot in front of the store may be a car or two wide and you have to pull in nose first. It is kind of like trying to land a plane on an aircraft carrier, except the parking space is not moving unless there is an earthquake going on. Conversely, when you back out of the lot, you are backing directly into traffic. Some nice chap will motion you along and stop other cars so you can get out. They also will tell you how close you are to a wall to keep you from ripping off some valuable part of the car. They get cars so close to each other and the wall that you think they are going to collide or be seriously mangled. Have yet to see that happen. Miracle in my book. Sometimes there is money exchanged for these services,sometimes not. I have had many occasions in my own driving experience that I could have used this kind of help and paid a lot more for it than what I see exchanged.

Finally, and this is the number one thing on my list, some of the biggest, warmest smiles I have ever seen. They have some of the most adorable young woman who stand by the front door of the hotel and greet you with a huge smile, gloves that kind of dwarf their small hands, spiffy little hats and uniforms. They always say good morning or good afternoon or good evening and open the door for you. They inquire how you are. They make you feel happy no matter how hot and sweaty you are from being out all day in the heat and begin your day with such a contagious smile you can't help but smile back. As not to appear sexist, the valets who help you get in to or out of the car, the young men operating the scanner you have to run you bags through, the bell hops.....all greet you with a smile and an inquiry as to your disposition. WalMart - PAY ATTENTION - you are not even close.

As time goes on, I know I will find many other things that I will come to treasure and would like to bring home to improve life in my country. It doesn't seem quite fair that all I have to offer Jakarta is me and my snazzy little accent. In fact, the other day someone asked if I was from Spain. Well, for those of you who know and love me, you know there is no reason for this to be even a remote possibility.

After thinking about it, maybe while I am here I should just agree with whatever their guess is and become a seasoned world traveler without having to spend additional money for airfare. What a bargain.........Ole!