With Vacation Done, We Decided to Return to Indo

[cup1981]

So, My family and I just got back a few days ago from our three-week vacation. We checked out Bandung, Bali, and My wife's hometown (Tasikmalaya) for a week each and one day in Jakarta. We did this as an exploratory look into whether we want to return. Well, after coming back home and getting situated, we decided we will return for a permanent stay in Tasik.

We were impressed with how much Tasikmalaya has changed and now has all the things we missed most when we were there before -- besides open alcohol sales lol . And now with there being a daily 45-minute Wings flight to Jakarta and a toll road to Bandung coming in late-2018, we feel most of our key stresses from our last trip will be solved. We also love how easy Go Car and Grab make it to get around.

And now that the prenup law is gone, we can buy land and build a home before property in Tasik skyrockets without fears of losing it.

I will continue to work my U.S. job, which allows me to work from wherever the hell I want to, though I do have to fly to Detroit every few months. I will use that as my chance to spend time in the U.S. with family.

We're not too sure when this will all happen, as we have to sell our stuff in the U.S. and get our home here ready to rent out. We're probably looking at mid-January (hopefully earlier).

On top of all that, my two sons LOVED it there. In the U.S., kids are so stuck in their own asses or on their video games and never want to play In Indo, my kids got dragged everywhere to play, and they got a kick out of it.

Can't wait to get this all started.

I will update this post as things progress.

 

[waarmstrong]

I think you are fine right where you are. Keep us posted as things develop and good luck with the move.

 

[William King]

All the best.

 

[Puspawarna]

Don't mind Gratilla, cup1981! Here's why he's wrong:

Your posts on the old forum provided an invaluable resource for people considering a move to Indonesia, and covered vital issues like how to work legally(ish) as a foreigner with an Indonesian wife; implications of working over the internet; mixed marriage matters; having a child in Indonesia; and making the decision to go back to your home country.

And moreover, unlike the majority of posters who come in with a question, you didn't "ask and run" - you stuck around to share your experiences and tell us how everything worked out, what went well, what frustrated you, and so on. By doing so you provided a roadmap for others considering going down a similar path.

Along the way, you became a "cyberfriend" to many of us long-term posters: someone whose adventures we cheered on and who we always wanted the best for. So, the fact that you intend to return to Indonesia, and are continuing to share your experiences with us in our little neighborhood-coffee-shop-of-a-message-board, is welcome news indeed.

Gratilla, you really are a grouch, aren't you? Sorry someone pissed in your cornflakes.

 

[Bad_azz]

Just a thought re the Wings flights... their schedule versus reality is not always compatible.
Don't put too much faith in getting where you need to be.

The link is for a different route but shows interesting info re delays.
https://www.flightera.net/flight/Wings+Air/IW1897?offset=20180225

edit- tasik route shows more promise & delays seem to be fewer- better for you
But this one has me stumped

Landed Thu, 07. Jun
IW1719 WON1719
Wings Air IW / WON
PK-WHQ ATR 76-600
Tasikmalaya (TSY)
to Jakarta (HLP)
192km (119mi.)
Scheduled:

11:55 (04:55 UTC)

12:50 (05:50 UTC)
Duration: 0h 55m

Actual:

07:06 (23:59 UTC)
Departed 153722867 min early [ 2.92471208143 centuries early ]

13:57 (06:57 UTC)
Landed 67 min delayed

https://www.flightera.net/flight/Wings+Air/IW1719?offset=20180617#flight_list

 

[nosox]

my neighbour takes that Tasik-Bandung flight from time to time and tells me there are very often delays
Welcome back to the area Cup

 

[steveandpenny]

So, My family and I just got back a few days ago from our three-week vacation. We checked out Bandung, Bali, and My wife's hometown (Tasikmalaya) for a week each and one day in Jakarta. We did this as an exploratory look into whether we want to return. Well, after coming back home and getting situated, we decided we will return for a permanent stay in Tasik.

We were impressed with how much Tasikmalaya has changed and now has all the things we missed most when we were there before -- besides open alcohol sales lol . And now with there being a daily 45-minute Wings flight to Jakarta and a toll road to Bandung coming in late-2018, we feel most of our key stresses from our last trip will be solved. We also love how easy Go Car and Grab make it to get around.

And now that the prenup law is gone, we can buy land and build a home before property in Tasik skyrockets without fears of losing it.

I will continue to work my U.S. job, which allows me to work from wherever the hell I want to, though I do have to fly to Detroit every few months. I will use that as my chance to spend time in the U.S. with family.

We're not too sure when this will all happen, as we have to sell our stuff in the U.S. and get our home here ready to rent out. We're probably looking at mid-January (hopefully earlier).

On top of all that, my two sons LOVED it there. In the U.S., kids are so stuck in their own asses or on their video games and never want to play In Indo, my kids got dragged everywhere to play, and they got a kick out of it.

Can't wait to get this all started.

I will update this post as things progress.

I love hearing about people making the jump . It was alot like that for us minus the famliy stuff lol. It was so liberating getting rid of years and years of stuff before we moved. I guess with trips back and forth you wont have to get rid of everything like we did.
One word of advice though ...with renting your house in the states are you going to use a property management company ? If so do alot of research into the company. Make sure they will email a complete report every month and no repairs are done without your consent. The reason I say that is we have had trouble with ours where they would deduct money from the rent without telling us why ...then we would go back and forth about it. Also check who gets the late fees . It's good if you have someone you trust to check on your house every so often. But all and all it does save a lot of headache having a company take care of the place even if it cost a bit more.
Good luck

 

[jstar]

The link is for a different route but shows interesting info re delays.
https://www.flightera.net/flight/Wings+Air/IW1897?offset=20180225

edit- tasik route shows more promise & delays seem to be fewer- better for you
But this one has me stumped

Landed Thu, 07. Jun
IW1719 WON1719
Wings Air IW / WON
PK-WHQ ATR 76-600
Tasikmalaya (TSY)
to Jakarta (HLP)
192km (119mi.)
Scheduled:

11:55 (04:55 UTC)

12:50 (05:50 UTC)
Duration: 0h 55m

Actual:

07:06 (23:59 UTC)
Departed 153722867 min early [ 2.92471208143 centuries early ]

13:57 (06:57 UTC)
Landed 67 min delayed

https://www.flightera.net/flight/Wings+Air/IW1719?offset=20180617#flight_list

Yes, you can't really trust any info. This flight you also mentioned is more convenient and cheaper, but leaving from Halim. And that's quite a drive if you arrive at Soekarno Hatta...

This we took once and then continued (distance from Cilacap was similar) :

 

[Anglian]

Yes good advice from Stevesndpenny, rent first in case the particular area doesn’t work, also done ever sell your house, I’ve known expats end up returning early and no home to go too, plus the house prices have got up so much they cannot afford to buy a house, but good luck on your move anyway

 

[waarmstrong]

Our flight from Malang to Denpasar was only 3 hours late on Lying Air's Wings group. Par for the course.

 

[brian@bekasi]

And now that the prenup law is gone, we can buy land and build a home before property in Tasik skyrockets without fears of losing it.

Sorry but have I missed something about pre and post nups when I was on holidays. My understanding is that a foreigner and their Indonesian wife/husband cannot own land as everything bought in the marriage is joint property and foreigner can't own property. The only way to get around this is with pre and post nups.

I certainly would welcome news that my understanding is not correct.

 

[Jamu]

Sorry but have I missed something about pre and post nups when I was on holidays. My understanding is that a foreigner and their Indonesian wife/husband cannot own land as everything bought in the marriage is joint property and foreigner can't own property. The only way to get around this is with pre and post nups.

I certainly would welcome news that my understanding is not correct.

And I'm still not convinced that the post-nup is airtight...

 

[cup1981]

Thanks all! We are super-excited to return. It's strange how much of a 180-degree turn I made since our last trip. I was miserable on the first one (mostly culture shock and the stress if just launching my online business), but now I was the driving force on returning. .

@waarmstrong @William King Thanks! I look forward to keeping this thread alive and outlining our process so it may help people in the future with their decision to move to Indo!

@Puspawarna no worries there. I took it mostly as just a jestful jab. I appreciate your comments on my past posts in the other space. I am glad my trek through the craziness was a help. I am excited to share my experiences this time around and see what has changed in the process, particularly in Tasik where everything was about 10 years behind Jakarta and Bandung,

@Bad_azz Yeah, generally, the Tasik-Jakarta sector is good, as that flight only leaves Tasik once a day, I believe. And that is the only flight out of that tiny airport (I believe). But the Jakarta-Tasik return trip is delayed often, according to my sister-in-law. At least it will provide some relief from the 8-hour mountain journey in a car until the Tasik-Bandung Jalan Toll is complete.

@steveandpenny Yeah, we plan to use a property management company we used when we rented out our old house, They were great and never overcharged us a penny. Great points, though.

@Anglian We debated selling the house, as we have a lot of equity, but with my ties to the U.S. with my work and my son's schooling (he will go to school online in Indo but must keep a U.S. address and return for testing), we decided renting is best. Plus, as you say, if things go sour, we still have a home here. Great advice!

@brian@bekasi @Jamu My wife and I are on a mixed-marriage Facebook group in Indo, and plenty of people have gone through the post-nup process without issue for 1.5 to 5 jt in legal fees, depending on the area. Some notaries still don't realize the laws have changed, so you need to go to a few to get through it. Fortunately, we have avenues to take to make sure we're not taken advantage of or fed incorrect info . But the key is not stopping at the first "no." Of course, in Indonesia, the old "your mileage may vary" statement always plays a role when talking about changes to the law.

@dafluff pleasure to meet you! I chalk Gratillas comment as just a bit of ribbing. Hence my jab back . Thanks for keeping this space clean!

I look forward to getting back into the process and getting to reknow all my cyberfriends here! You were instrumental in my getting through my first two years in Indo eight years ago, and I am sure you will do the same this time around,, I just hope this time we may get a chance to grab a cup of real coffee.

 

[waarmstrong]

I am planning to sell my stateside house when we move back in a few years, once our daughter graduates from high school. That is not to say that we are planning to dump all the baggage. We could very well buy a small condo in the college town where our daughter continues her education.

 

[cup1981]

I am planning to sell my stateside house when we move back in a few years, once our daughter graduates from high school. That is not to say that we are planning to dump all the baggage. We could very well buy a small condo in the college town where our daughter continues her education.

That seems like a solid idea, especially with your daughter graduating and likely becoming more independent.

We debated selling the house and buying land just to mitigate against a potential property boom that would price us out of the market, but we got our house brand-new at an awesome price, so we figured best to just hang on to it and watch it (hopefully) appreciate. Plus, with our kiddos being just 7 and 3, we need the space for a longer term should we come back to the states. Once the kiddos are out of the house, though, we may offload it and buy a condo as well for vacations back to the states.

 

[Jaime C]

Wings really does suck. Hopefully you won’t count on it too much. Even coming in from Bandung to fly out of CGK, I come in at least a day ahead.

I recall 5 years ago, I’d often drive to the airport the same day, just 4 hours before flying out. If I did the same today, I’d miss my flight most of the time.

Hopefully the toll road opens soon for you.

 

[dafluff]

@Gratilla the thread is now boring because you derailed it from what it was about... thanks. Nice one. Well done. Slow hand clap.

The thread was indeed derailed from it's original intent. Therefore, the off-topic stuff has been moved to this thread:

https://forum.expatindo.org/threads...ation-done-we-decided-to-return-to-indo.3918/

 

[waarmstrong]

Wings really does suck. Hopefully you won’t count on it too much. Even coming in from Bandung to fly out of CGK, I come in at least a day ahead.

I recall 5 years ago, I’d often drive to the airport the same day, just 4 hours before flying out. If I did the same today, I’d miss my flight most of the time.

Hopefully the toll road opens soon for you.

Speaking of toll roads, I am never taking the toll between Jakarta and Bandung again. Or at least until all the construction is done in 10 years (my unofficial estimate of project duration); its either KAI or Citilink from Halim for the foreseeable future.

 

[Jaime C]

Speaking of toll roads, I am never taking the toll between Jakarta and Bandung again. Or at least until all the construction is done in 10 years (my unofficial estimate of project duration); its either KAI or Citilink from Halim for the foreseeable future.

It is quite horrible, especially at the toll rd chokepoint. I can’t think of a worse toll checkpoint in a road flow view...

 

[Bad_azz]

Speaking of toll roads, I am never taking the toll between Jakarta and Bandung again. Or at least until all the construction is done in 10 years (my unofficial estimate of project duration); its either KAI or Citilink from Halim for the foreseeable future.

Ahh if only I had that choice. Back to the grind soon, my coping strategy is to sit & read or sleep.