Welcome to Indo-Toyota Land!

The last time I was here was 9 years ago. It was right before the Hyatt was bombed destroying partial of the hotel building. It was an alien place to me, but then again, tell me one person who doesn't feel like an alien on the first visit anywhere! Heck, I felt like an alien the first time I was in Langkawi! :P

Anyway, after 9 years, Jakarta has definitely changed so much! There are now modern buildings everywhere on the stretch of its main roads. What used to be squatter areas are now turned into high class shopping malls. It's like Tinkerbell's magic wand has been working for the past 9 years, turning everything in its path into something of the latest architectural design and of higher cost than the previous.

But the one thing so glaring that I can't help but notice is - Toyota has dominated the city! Toyota Avanza is undeniably one of the most favorable model here, paired by Xenia - a model carrying the Daihatsu emblem. One shouldn't be too surprised on the similarity between Toyota Avanza and Daihatsu Xenia; the two automotive companies are, after all, sister companies. Then there's Vios, obviously being the top choice for taxis. Rush and Fortuner also roam the city like ghosts in ghost towns.

A friend commented "Oh, you own one and now you're proud la your car is everywhere there!". Hmmm... the very least actually... Makes me feel like a conformer, despite the fact that Blue is one of the first 1000 Avanza in Malaysia. But hey, no one cares about that fact!

Don't get me wrong, I love Blue to bits.

But hey, better than having Blue's siblings as taxis! :P

Anyway, that particular observation have had me coined the term 'the Indo-Toyota land' for Jakarta. No offence, Toyota! I know you profit well here. Bravo!

:D

(And as a Toyota owner, I too know the reason why Avanza and Vios are abundance in Jakarta. Just so you don't go and give me a lengthy explanation. :P)