Ivana Atmojo

I just realised one thing: the distance from my place to my fashion design school (Fatmawati to Cikini) is 20 kilometres. Then comes the question: (With the dreadful traffic of Jakarta) Do you know how long it takes me to get there? 2 hours!!!

Can you believe it? That is my regular jogging speed! I can do 20K in 2 hours.

The traffic in Jakarta has gone very much cou-cou! Incroyable! Isn’t it ironic? I mean human beings invented their own transportation system (roads & cars) to cut travelling time, and then at some point it gets too saturated (hence the horrible jam). And where does that lead us? Back to ground zero!

Had I been born a thousand years ago, I imagine I would have been in a wild jungle, with only one means of transportation: my very own feet (let’s assume I had not befriended any horse or donkey for that matter). I would need to run for 2 hours with my medium speed to reach a place 20K away. Good enough exercise for the day, guaranteed.

But look at me today. I spent tedious 4 hours for a round trip just slightly switching my feet  between the brake & the accelerator. No sport. Same travelling time. Possible road rage. Plus the cost of environmental damage I’m causing: more combustion of fuels to our already heavily poluted air. HAIL Global Warming!

Seriously, what am I doing? You tell me.