I wrote the ramblings below at the end of my crazy round of field trips back in April/May/June meaning to clean it up and post it, but never did.
At the moment I'm getting ready for a 2-week trip -- half in and around Mataram, NTB and half in and around Semarang, Central Java (Mom if you look these places up and find any helpful links pass them on) -- I have an incredible amount to do to feel ready for the trip, and am incredibly pressed for time, and have my usual travel/performance jitters mixed in with that. In other words, I'm a mess, and lists calm me, so I revisited this and found myself incredibly glad I wrote it all down, and thought that you might find it an amusing insight into what I call work these days.
More later when I'm back from The Field.
Love you all, miss you
M
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For the field, wear Chaco flip flops but bring an extra pair of Rp.10,000 ones too. (You’ll want them for the bathrooms.) Cheap black ballet flats that squish easily, in case of any government office visits. (But otherwise – Chaco flip flops. You’ll take them off at the door anyway.)
Bring your sarong, always. Usually it serves as a sheet, but if you end up with time for the beach, or need to wander out and aren’t quite covered enough in your pj’s, you’re ready. A towel; there won’t be one provided (or if there is, in a million years, you don’t want it anywhere near your body.)
Headlamp.
Eye mask.
A Kindle and more specifically, a cover for it with a built in light is one of the more brilliant purchases you’ve made.
Mosquito repellent wipes and stick sunblock are nice if you aren’t going for long, otherwise bring the big bottles - Indonesian airports don't limit liquid carry on and you will go through that stuff.
TP in a ziplock bag, with the cardboard removed (packs down, plus you can stuff money in the middle); plus a small plastic bag you can use for the used TP --- put that in the ziplock with the TP.
You’ll need to bring a lot of cash, credit cards are not an option, and ATM’s often aren’t either, so get creative about splitting it up – stuffed in the TP roll, folded into underwear, etc.
Enough button up shirts and undies to make it a couple days without laundry (but plan to do laundry. Factor in laundry when figuring out what size shampoo to bring.) A tank with a shelf bra is good for after your nighttime bath as long as you have something to wear over it. Your usual selection of dress-up dress-down practical boring linen and cotton pants. You will not look cute at any point in the trip. The goal is not to offend anyone and have half a chance of sitting on floors in rooms without fans for hours on end without fainting. Have a specific outfit for evenings...post-sundown post-afternoon bath lower-sweat-ratio casual interactions... no govt officials to be seen.
Soap in a little self-draining case is a nice idea, pack it up in a ziplock with your shampoo-slash-laundry soap, and pack all your toiltries into one plastic shopping bag to cart to and from the bathroom where you can hang it on the door (just make sure that you can hang it over a door hook as you won’t always have someplace to rest it. the floor is usually questionable and always wet.) Don’t bother with conditioner, or, if you can find it, bring 2-in-1 shampoo.
Hand sanitizer. Hand wipes.
Don’t bother with the water bottle, most of the time you’ll have to grit your teeth and buy small bottles of drinking water anyway.
Sweat rag (ie bandana).
More notebook space than you think you need and plenty of back-up pens, and of course markers and tape and butcher paper. Blank receipts and an envelope for anything you might possibly need to submit with your expense report. Plenty of business cards, and just in case you have to register with the police, an official(-looking) letter of introduction and some passport photos. A copy or 2 of your passport and visa (leave your actual passport and visa safe at home in Jkt).
Pack your swimsuit and goggles and have things in mind to wear over it, preferably of the knee and elbow length variety, on the off chance you do get a chance to go to the beach.
Some dried fruit, almonds, oatmeal, snack bars are good to have but can get cut if there’s no room. A small packet of Indonesian-style coffee (think Turkish) is a good idea (chocolate-covered espresso beans might be something to consider importing in the future. Non-instant non-disgustingly weak and sweet coffee is sadly hard to find, considering.)
Lots and lots and lots and lots of Pepto Bismol plus something stronger for just in case.
Tear the relevant pages out of Lonely Planet in case you find yourself with an extra night somewhere and get a chance to actually look around and/or find a beer and non-rice based meal (plus the background information and maps are a decent overview).
Do not bother with jewlry (other than a watch, a watch is good) and definitely not with make up.
Bring a nail … what are those things called? that help you dig dirt out of you toenails? You’ll need that.
Recommended to pack it all in a backpack and to keep it small as you may have to ride an ojek around with all your possessions. With that in mind – dry bags or plastic bags for your electronics and your notebooks. Yes, bring a computer. And your camera, maybe your voice recorder, cell phone, and thumb drive modem. But don't count on regular electricity or cell signal.
