Sooky moods have come out to play as the torrential rains continue to fall in Jakarta. Today we spent the afternoon eating pasta and discussing the first world problems that we face daily in Indonesia… while locals living on the street were smiling despite not having eaten for a week (yes, I am a horrible person).

Here is a list of the top "First World Problems" that you are likely to face if you ever get lost on your way to Europe or America and find yourself in Indonesia.

1. "They don't even have conveyer belts at the supermarket checkouts, you have to move your items forward yourself!"

Hard to believe I know, but conveyer belts at supermarkets in Indonesia are a thing of the future. While many Westerners envisage a future with flying cars and time travel, Indonesian's are still waiting for a time when they can unpack their trolley and have their items move towards the cashier on their own accord.

2. "My GPS broke so I had to read street signs like I'm f***ing Columbus or something!"

This common first world problem is taken to another level in Jakarta with Taxi drivers not having a GPS nor the ability to read maps. Even if you are lucky enough to capture a 3G signal strong enough to load Google Maps, Mr.-Taxi-man will drive around in circles pretending he knows where he is going while obviously just hoping to come across a street sign pointing him in the right direction. It is for this reason that I tend to leave an hour and a half before needing to be somewhere for a taxi ride that should only take 20 minutes.

3. "Toilet paper is so rare over here that I want to cry from happiness when I go to a fancy toilet that has some!"

"God gave you 2 hands, why you need paper?"

In Indonesia toilet paper is a considered a Westerners pipedream. It is a luxury not a necessity.

My handbag is full of napkins stolen from cafes because I refuse to adapt to this cultural difference.

Note to future travelers: When in Indonesia, don't shake hands with your left hand or eat anything someone has passed to you with their left hand...just don't.

4. "I did my washing today. Maybe in about a month it will be dry and I will be able to wear it again."

This is the number one first world problem that has been grinding my gears while I have been over here. There are no clothes dryers in Jakarta! This becomes a major issue during the wet season (now) because clothes that you put out to dry can't dry in the rain! I washed my bath towel at the start of this week and have had to improvise by using a blanket and my sarong to dry myself after I shower since. Neither of these replacements are super absorbent nor effective so I'm desperate for the rain to cease for a minute so that I can have my towel back! I regret being proactive and washing my stuff...a dirty smelly towel is better than no towel at all!

#firstworldproblems