I wanted to start you off with a Sunday Special, but this new development with Miss World 2013 is too hardline to be considered special. A breaking pageant news perhaps?
I’m sure some people with planned/booked Jakarta trips won’t like this.
Looks like Miss World 2013 will be stuck with Bali till the end.
According to a news item on the Straits Times of Singapore, the Indonesian Government has decided to forego all Jakarta-scheduled activities for the pageant in order to avoid the anti-pageant militant rallies, religious demonstrations and the like. And since Bali is practically a foreign tourist’s destination, such exercises will be kept at a good distance from the candidates and the organizers as well. Security in full check.
So where does this development leave those who already have paid airline e-tickets and confirmed hotel bookings in the capital? Back to the drawing boards for cancellation and re-booking requests. This is simply not the way to go, but there seems to be no other option left. Good thing there is still manageable time to make changes, albeit bothersome to the max. What’s more irksome, though, is that Balinese accomodations tend to be more pricey, unless you’re willing to stay in spartan inns or lodges.
And Julia Morley must be discretely nodding her head in disappointment. She loves Bali for Miss World, but more as a pre-final destination than the venue of the big night. Attendance of the coronation will most likely be affected as a result, especially with the thousands of Jakarta residents who may opt out of traveling to Bali given the sudden changes.
And the organizing committee must be in the middle of a lot of meetings to adjust the activities that will now be tailored to the logistics and infrastructure of the tropical paradise. Oh well…
