A Simple Meal Before Departure
On the night of January 2nd, near the railway streets of Jakarta, I felt a little hungry before heading back to my hotel. I stopped by a nearby food stall and decided to order Nasi Goreng Special. It seemed like the perfect choice to end the day.
But I had no idea this meal would create such a serious problem the following day.
Setting Out from Jakarta
The morning of my departure arrived. Despite the challenges of the city, I had enjoyed my stay. The hotel staff had been kind, and people around me made Jakarta feel welcoming. With gratitude in my heart, I set out on my bike.
The roads surprised me—they were wide, well-maintained, and easy to ride on. Small alleys branched off in every direction, and each corner seemed to hold a new secret. It felt like an adventure just to imagine what might be around the next turn.
I passed through places where modernization and unfinished development coexisted side by side. At one crossing, I even saw a gate that had to be raised and lowered by hand. Watching daily life move between old and new gave me a sense of privilege to witness such a moment.
But that feeling didn't last long.
When the Body Gives Up
As I pedaled further, I began to feel unwell. At first, I blamed the foul stench of stagnant water in the city—rotten, polluted smells that made me nauseous. But soon, I realized something was much worse. My stomach twisted, and I started vomiting repeatedly.
Later I would learn it wasn't the smell at all, but food poisoning from the Nasi Goreng Special. Still, at that moment, I couldn't think clearly—I only knew my body was shutting down.
Exhausted, I collapsed in front of a convenience store. The hotel I had booked was only 15 kilometers away. It sounded close, yet with each wave of sickness, it felt impossible. Gathering what little strength I had, I decided to push on. I told myself: Just keep pedaling.
Hour by hour, I inched forward, fighting both my body and the road. Finally, in the late afternoon, I arrived at the hotel. Relief washed over me, but the sickness was far from over.
Help When I Needed It Most
Barely able to stand, I asked the hotel staff at Hotel SM about nearby hospitals. Before I could even finish my request, one staff member stepped forward and said: "I'll drive you there myself."
True to his word, he not only took me but also translated Indonesian for me at the hospital. His kindness was overwhelming. I was diagnosed with food poisoning, almost certainly from the fried rice I had eaten the night before.
It was a painful reminder of how fragile the body can be on the road. Yet in that fragile state, I also found strength in the generosity of strangers. Without his help, I don't know how I would have managed.
For now, I think I'll stay away from rice dishes for a while.
