Millions join the annual exodus in Indonesia

For more than one week now, millions of people in Indonesia have been on the road. They have only one aim: just to reach their hometowns or villages before Idul Fitri (or Eid-ul-Fitr) , the biggest festival of the year for Muslims.

It doesn't matter what kind of vehicles they use, how crowded it is, how much they pay to sneak into a bus, ship, train, plane or even a bajaj (motorised pedicab). Due to the long holidays, this year more than 16 million people are joining Idul Fitri exodus.

Some people will lose their lives in tragic accidents but the journey must go on. Idul Fitri must be celebrated with loved ones.

So far, it seems this year's exodus has gone relatively smoothly compared to previous years, thanks to long holidays and the government’s efforts to improve the situation.-Asia News Network (August 19, 2012)