Ramadan Watch, updated 23 September

The fasting month approaches, and is scheduled to start on or about the 24th of September. Depending as it does on the sighting of the moon, the actual starting date is a moveable feast. Indeed, on one infamous occasion a few years ago two conflicting dates were announced here in Jakarta by rival Islamic groups.

The old hands know the Ramadan ropes and adjust their lifestyle, work schedules and social life accordingly. Newbies and visitors to Jakarta, on the other hand, go into paroxysms of anguish at the thought of their revelling activities being cruelly curtailed for a whole month. Ever thoughtful of the pastoral care of his errant flock, the Reveller has been asking the bar owners what the scene is likely to be this time round.

The Bars will be allowed to trade under their restaurant licence, and alcohol may be served discretely. Music may be allowed in moderation (to the chagrin of the My Bar DJ), and opening hours will be limited. The usual pattern is for the month to kick off with strict observance of the city bye-laws, but for these to be relaxed as the month progresses.

Here’s the official timetable. All places of entertainment will be closed for the eve of Ramadan (23rd) and the first night of the month (24th). From Monday 25th the bars will open from 7 pm to 2 am. At the end of the month the bars will be closed for at least three days, possibly four, for the Id Ul-Fitri celebrations.

The big question, of course, is what action there’ll be on the Blok. Local Jakarta girls, and those from the far-flung regions of Indonesia, will for the most part be staying in town. The girls who pulang kampong en masse will be the Java contingent, which includes – alas – the Sweet Young Things from Indramayu, who make up the bulk of the Blok M fauna. One important factor in who goes and who stays is the high price of transport, which has increased dramatically over the last couple of years. The regular bus fare to one of the Indramayu kampongs is about 50k one way, but in Ramadan this can soar to a dompet-crippling 100k or more. Those who live further afield in Java may be looking at up to 500k for the return journey. This is serious money for the Blok M girls.

An important question for many of the guys – and especially those who live and work outside Jakarta, but make the pilgrimage to enjoy the R & R facilities of the legendary 5+1 at the Melawai Hotel – is will the place be open during Ramadan? This will depend on how draconian the city regulations are, and there’s not been any announcement as yet. Another factor is that the 5+1 management may be a bit jittery after the last police shakedown, which was a real fiasco as it pitched a new and perhaps over-zealous senior police officer against some very high ranking army chaps, for whom the place is a lucrative supplement to their pension funds. I’ll get the official word via Deep Throat, my inside source down in Buncit, and pass it on via the Blog.

Ramadan does, of course, affect the revelling scene at a different level – that of the availability, and the financial ambitions, of the Sweet Young Things. Ramadan is a bit like Christmas, New Year and birthdays all rolled into one. It’s a time when families bankrupt themselves to throw lavish parties, buy new clothes for the entire family, and travel long miles for a family reunion. The kampong girls are expected to return home laden with money and gifts for the family, which makes them doubly anxious to generate as much income as the can in the weeks before they make the homeward trek. So the girls are pulled by two contrary forces – get as much business as possible, whilst charging the highest rate they think they can get away with.

Many of the girls do fast diligently, and this of course includes Naughties as well as food and drink. It can also mean that a lot of them won’t be up for an all-nighter during Ramadan, so make sure you establish how long she’ll be at your disposal before whisking her away to slake your carnal impulses.

Another phenomenon that we regulars know will soon be upon us is the request for a little Ramadan gift from the Sweet Young Things of our acquaintance. Where you draw the line is entirely up to you, but if you’ve got a regular girl (or an ex-regular with whom you’re still pally) it’s the done thing to help her out with a bit of cash to see her through the festive season. And of course, she’ll be eternally grateful to you for quite some time after the Id!

So there you have it – Ramadan in a nutshell for the anxious reveller.