Beep Beep!

"Beep-Beep" everyone gives little beeps to indicate their location. 

I sit in the back of the small s.u.v., watching the chaos in front of my driver, fascinated at his calm and casual attitude toward the mayhem in front of him.  Never really stopping, we move forward no matter what is in front of us,  over to the sides of us or behind our vehicle, weaving in, out and around anything that is in our way.  There are trucks, carts, trams, mopeds, dollies, busses and motorcycles as well as pedestrians and bicyclists all thrown together to make the most interesting traffic I have ever seen, and I've been to Jamaica!


We pull over to the side of the road and pick up a pedestrian who sits in the front seat along with the driver.  We travel down the street for about a mile, turn right past the police station and right again and down in front of my hotel where the driver drops the passenger, after paying him a little bit of money and then up the ramp and I am delivered to the doors of my hotel.  Slowly, I swallow my heart back into place, pick up my backpack and exit the vehicle thanking God I am alive for yet one more day.  :)

This man is picked up at a certain spot where we found him holding his index finger out, indicating 1.  We picked him up because the road we wanted to travel on is designated for 3 or more passengers only - during drive-time.  Clever!  I believe the U.S. has its own version of this out East for the toll roads. 

Yesterday, I saw two young parents and a baby riding a motorcycle.  The baby, couldn't have been more than a year old, was standing on mamma's knee (left leg) and she had her arm wrapped around him as they weaved through the traffic.  Everyone seemed comfortable and natural about the whole thing.  This is the norm here.  OH MY GOSH!   I will try to take a picture the next time I see it.  :)

The traffic is a fascination for me because it is the most current example of just going with the flow.  Reminding me to just relax, sit back and move with the flow of life.  Allowing the energy to move me along..to release control.  hmmmmmmmmmm.......

And so, who would ever think I would find harmony while in drive-time traffic on the streets of Jakarta?  The Universe can present its lessons in such a funny way!