Food here can be pretty challenging depending on your background – and even more challenging if you start getting picky on hygiene.

Some examples (for those with queasy stomachs – avoid the second example) :-

  • A few weeks ago, stuck in traffic, a motorbike snuck down the side of the car. On the back of the bike was a huge bag of cooked rice – with a nice little tear in the side of the bag, some rice leaking out. After a food poisoning experience a few weeks ago – all I could think about was the bacteria growing on the rice as it warmed to the 31 degree temperature, festering while the bike moved slowly through the traffic.
  • A colleague in the car today related to his time in Africa, and being in a market with a butcher who he consistently bypassed – as the meat was always black. One day he wandered up close, trying to work out what animal had black meat. The answer? The meat was covered in flies.
  • Another Jakarta motorbike this time in teaming, Noah like rain. Gutters weren’t coping and the road had 3-4 inches of water on it. Water splashed up from the road soaking everyone on bikes – and there luggage. This bike had a contraption on the back with hooks. Hanging on the hooks were in excess of 30 fully feathered and gutted fresh chickens – getting soaking wet in 25 degree rain, some splashed coming up from the gutter.

Of course, hygiene isn’t the only issue. You have local interpretations of food. My colleague was after some less challenging food last night, so down to the hotel bar it was. Having had a snack before dinner I wasn’t after much, so the nachos appetiser seemed ideal. My mind visualised a small plate of corn chips, some cheese melted over the top, some jalapenos, guacamole and sour cream which I asked for on the side. At the “on the side” comment I got a quizzical look – I should have known. What turned up was some dry corn chips, a white, liquid bowl of fat (I’m guessing cheese), a small bowl of tomato, guacamole and sour cream. Yep, that’s right – the hotels version of nachos was a corn chip dip – with the dips being a pretty flavourless. Sigh – oh well – one to avoid.