Revenge of the Rupiah

As I begin this note, I am sitting in the airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, and I am a defeated man.

By way of explanation, I should tell you that Susan always counts up the various national currencies in my pockets when I return from a trip and places them in envelopes for me to use the next time I return to a particular country. Occasionally, she reminds me that I will probably not have a great need for this currency in the future. This quiet (and gentle) reminder has provoked in me the almost pathological desire to end my visits in a country with none of their currency in my pocket.

Nothing. Zippo.

"Don't change what you don't need." This is my traveling motto and I live by it.

I arrived in Jakarta on Thursday to visit with some IT workers in this country. They have been doing a great job continuing to respond to the needs of those hurt in the tsunami of a year ago in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. They are also beginning to build relationships into which they
hope to share Jesus.

Since I was only going to be in Indonesia for a few days, I decided at the airport to only get the equivalent of $50 (U.S.) in the local currency. I figured this would be enough to take my co-workers out for a nice meal or two and make sure that I could pay for all the taxis. It turns out that 50 dollars is worth about 500,000 Rupiah! I can assure you that in a country that still has coins worth less than 500, that is a pocketful of currency.

This morning I thought I was well-positioned to reach my goal. I had to take a taxi to the airport and I still had 104,000 Rupiah burning a hole in my pocket. I knew the taxi to the airport would charge me somewhere around 100,000. I knew that Susan was going to be proud of me. There would be
almost nothing left to put in the dreaded Indonesia currency envelopes.

Unfortunately, I had forgotten that in Indonesia the passenger pays for all the tolls while in a taxi. I have no idea if my driver was circling the airport or not, but I must have paid 7 tolls in route. I was starting to sweat bullets... I didn't think that I would have enough for the fare.

Fortunately, the tolls, taxi and treasure (sorry, I have been listening to Chuck Swindol sermons) all came together at a perfect moment and I walked away from the driver with only 5,000 Rupiah in my pocket. This looked to be the beginning of a wonderful international trip.

Once inside the airport I began to consider the possibility of sending one of my carry-on pieces as checked baggage. It occurred to me that this might save my back and also make the trip easier. The only problem was that this bag has no easy way to secure it. Fortunately, there was one of those places to get your suitcase covered in plastic sandwich wrap. When I asked the price he said, "25,000 Rupiah."

Have no fear. I still had 10 Singaporean dollars in my wallet. So, I changed them and received about 80,000 Rupiah. I was not concerned. I could always buy a soda. Besides, the Singapore envelope would now be empty, as well. Yes, sir. This was shaping up to be a good day.

When I went to the check-in counter I was informed that I would have to pay a 100,000 Rupiah exit fee. If you are doing the math, you realize that I only had 60,000 in my pocket. This meant a return trip to the money changer where I found out that the smallest U.S. bill I could change was a $20. I walked away from the window holding almost 260,000 Rupiah!

I was beginning to feel desperate. The currency situation was slipping out of my control.

Having paid my exit fee, I went through immigration to the international side of the airport. Upon looking around the stores, the solution to my problem became obvious. I would do what people with too much disposable income (a very appropriate term for the infamous Rupiah) do throughout the
world... I decided to buy a coffee at Starbucks.

Unfortunately, after ordering the largest coffee they produced AND a cinnamon role, I STILL had 70,000 Rupiah. They were beginning to call the flight and I was feeling desperate! I could almost hear Susan asking me when I planned my next trip to Indonesia.

Running to my gate, I spied a possible solution. A souvenir shop! Although I almost never buy this type of thing, I spotted something that I knew Susan would appreciate... a finger drum. Susan enjoys playing rhythm when I play guitar. This would be great. In my opinion, it HAD to cost more than 70,000 Rupiah.

To make a long story short, I am now in Singapore waiting for my flight to Hong Kong. I am walking around this elegant airport with a hand-carved Indonesian drum which I am not at all certain the U.S. customs folks will allow into their country. My pockets are full of 1,000 Rupiah notes (the only change the fellow in Indonesia had available). I am hungry and have almost no Singaporean currency. I refuse to change any U.S. cash for fear that I will fill up the Singaporean envelop back in Costa Rica.

All in all, the Euro is starting to make a lot of sense to me.