1 post tagged “indonesia”
I just finished my trip with Richie and Eric yesterday. One thing I can feel now….sad that I must say goodbye again. It was really sweet and sour trip with a lot of stories. I was ill when we start the trip. I have fever and bad flu but I know that I already arranged this trip long time back and I can’t let them alone to complete the schedule I made for the trip.
Except the fact that they are my best friend (and I miss them and want to join the trip with them) I also want to visit the place that I put in schedule plan together with them.
Sunday 19 April 2009
They arrived in Jakarta. I help them to check in to the hotel since I booked the hotel under my name. Normally I always pick them up in the airport and sent them to the hotel, but since my condition wasn’t that well, so I just went to the hotel to check in and put their snorkel equipment I bought for them then went back home. I put the note for Richie to call me once he reached the hotel. I gave him the Indonesian phone card so he can call me cheaper than if he must use his France number. Anyway, that will be cheaper also for me to call them and to easy to contact them anytime I need.
Monday 20 April 2009
I can’t sleep well this night. Knowing the fact that I must left home early and also Richie called me at 11 pm the night before and my nose was plug made me felt like a roast chicken on my bed. I called blue bird before I went to bed just to make sure that they will pick me up at 4 am. I set my alarm at 3.30 am. After took my shower and took bit hot tea, I left home. Long trip still to made before I can reach Bromo.
This time was the 1st time for me to take the flight from terminal 3. I knew from the email Airasia sent me that since 15 of April AirAsia move to terminal 3. But luckily the sign to go to the new terminal is clear enough. That help the taxi driver sent us there. The new terminal quite fascinated me. I took photos of it and one of the stewardesses of Airasia asked me to take her photo and her friend with her Blackberry phone. Then I offer her to take their photos with my camera (Nikon D80), they are happy enough with the result I made.
I knew already if this day will be long day for us. And also will become on of the tiring day in the entire trip. I feel my body already falling apart since we jump fast from one place to another. What I afraid bout was happened. I felt my right ear extremely painful when I was on board just before landing. I tried to take and non stop took Fishermanfriends candy just to help me to heal the pain and also make me breath easily. Little bit helpful, but still, need time to cure my temporary deaf.
We reach Surabaya at 8 am. My friend Tiwi sent me short message to my mobile phone for the driver who going to pick up us. I saw my name there….wow…easy to find.
I asked the driver to bring us to Tiwi’s office. I want to meet my friend and say hi to her before we were going to Bromo.
I was completely starving and suffering when we reached Tiwi’s office. Difficulties to breath, can’t heard properly and hungry! Tiwi is so kind, she gave me traditional cake to eat…hmmm yummy…and absolutely help a lot of my poor dragon inside my stomach. We got a lot of information also in Tiwi office about how to go to Bromo. I decided to buy take a way Mc. Donald just eat on the road to go to Bromos. Since I knew Richie doesn’t like spicy food, I though Mc. D was a good option for us rather than if we eat nothing. Oh gosh…what a looong day this day.
We were heading to Bromo by Panajakan. Difficult road and quite scary coz almost no body passed by. But what the view around offer, it was worth enough with the difficulties we met.
At 4 o’clock we reach Bromo from Pananjakan. Unfortunately our hotel area is in different side of it (Bromo Permai Hotel I in Cemoro Lawang). After talking with the guardian guard who take care of entrance area of Bromo in Pananjakan side, we decided to hire guide to go to our hotel trough the sand of ocean. Lucky I can speak Javanese language…help me enough to bargain for the rate of the guide. Of course, I didn’t allow Richie to come out from the car!! With his face, he will just break the bargaining effort I tried to do.
Even the road was difficult; somehow, I did really grateful
we can pass this road. Except the view is spectacular with thick cloud above us
the signed if the rain will come soon, I can see wonderful view sand of the
ocean which is seldom seen by tourist. In this area living the Tenger people.
And mostly of them is Hindu, so we can see some small temple on the road to
make them remember and praying before thronging the road which might be able to
be danger.
We reached hotel about 6 pm. Starving, tired and cold! Honestly speaking, the hotel wasn’t like our expectation. But what we had, I though was better rather than if we must sleep in the tent. I put my jacket; sock, glove and cap…help enough. Richie told me that I look like a yeti. What ever…I feel warm. We just took the dinner at the hotel. Not really good food, but we hadn’t choices. We tried to sleep at 8 pm just to collect enough energy for the next day coz we need to wake up early.
But…hmmmm seem this day was the day to test my nerve! There were group from I don’t know where who stayed in the room beside my room. They spoke all night long like talking machine….laugh and very noisy! And the weather really cold made me think that maybe I will die coz of cold and fever alone. Almost I can’t take it and I was thinking maybe I can knock Richie and Eric door and just to sleep between them to make me warm. Well…I didn’t do it…anyway; the bed isn’t big enough for the three of us. Next time I won’t go to Bromo alone!!!! Ok…ok…alone is ok…but my client needed to pay good price for that!!!
Tuesday 21 April 2009
The hotel guy woke us up at 3.15 am. PERFECT!! Really it was tough for me to wake up that early with my health problem. We must ready in the jeep which will brought us to saw sunrise in Bromo. In cold, quite dark early morning, we left the hotel. It was some people already there. The closest to the sunrise come, the more people there. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t good…we can’t capture good sunrise…pity.
After the sunrise point we went to go to the famous Bromo which have sulfur crater. Imagining that I will ride the horse made me worry but also exited enough. The jeep stops us to the nearest point and I saw a lot of men offering the horse raiding there. They gave jeep driver the card and we choose one of the cards we want, we need to keep this card till they bring back us from Bromo to the jeep again. Well…that what the jeep driver told me…sometime I think it’s quite useful to be able to speak some language.
It was the 1st time experience in my life riding the horse. Gosh…mix feeling…scary and better rather than I must walk. Also in other hand, I feel grateful with the life God to me…with my condition that I don’t need to work that hard just to be able to living in this world and to eat.
We must past the stair (bout 200 more steps) to go to the top. I can’t breathe properly….was weak…but Richie pull my hand….well…that’s better rather than if he push my ass hehehe….
We just stayed on the top for a while then back to hotel and left back to Surabaya. We arrive in Surabaya noon time. After check in at Somerset hotel, we took our lunch in the restaurant near by. This afternoon we just spent time near swimming pool.
Tiwi came to the hotel at 6 pm. Actually, since in Jakarta we (Tiwi and I) plan to find the girl from gang Dolly and bring her to the hotel just to take picture of her. But unfortunately the driver said it wasn’t save…what to do…I bring back nothing…
Wednesday 22 April 2009
Tiwi came to my hotel at 8 am. We took breakfast together (Richie, Eric, Tiwi and me) and after we just stay in hotel room till the check out time came.
We took flight with Airasia again in Juanda airport at 3 pm. Arrived on time in Jakarta. We were starving….and the bus which going to bring us to Lampung will just depart at 9 PM. Then I decided to take lunch and dinner while waiting for the bus in Pisa Kafe. That day was the 16th anniversary of Pisa Kafe. This café full of peoples. I was so worry that I can’t have the seat coz it was full! I meet the girl who arranges for the table there…with the big luggage we brought and my backpack and ugly face dirty and tired…I’m sure that I didn’t look well at all. I met one of the artist (Lilo Kla Project) in this restaurant…seem he think I was quite funny or feel pity for me…he smile on me or maybe that grim ?? hmm….mamamia…
After our wonderful meal…we went to bust station in Gambir…ready for the trip again to Lampung…Bandar Lampung.
Thursday 23 April 2009
3 am we arrived in Lampung. Lucky my mom’s hourse just 10 minutes walk from the bus stop. We walk in this dark morning and caring our luggage.
This day we went to Muthun beach. My driver came at 9 am and we left the house at 10 am. I called Bang Rapi, the person who always brings me to go to the Tangkil island if I back to Lampung. After snorkel around the island we went back home to take the lunch.
I ordered pizza from Pizza hut just to made fast lunch. Unfortunately, I didn’t know the address of my mom house hehehe…so finally it took bit longer time for them to send the pizza to us.
After we took our lunch, we went to Pasir Putih beach…pity the waves are to big for us to sail…so we just stayed there for 10 minutes then back home.
Friday 24 April 2009
I told Richie that I want to go to my little village in
Sekampung just to visit my papa grave. He wants to follow…so we went together
there. It was harvesting time for the rice in my area. All of that took his
attention…well, actually mine too…we took the photos of the people who work in
paddy field.
We back to Bandar Lampung at 1 noon, took our lunch in Sony food stall which sell the noodle. Then I pick up the guy who going to guide us to see the dolphin tour. Good guy…recommended by my uncles. Sometime I think it’s really good to have family with the great position hehehe…
My mom was quite worried before I left home to go to Kiluan bay to see the dolphin and stay one night there. What she heard from my uncles and from her friends….the road to go there is really bad….ok…I know I’m stubborn…I believe, where ever we are…even on the bed, if we must die, we will die. Anyway, I want to see that place for the good reason….I do really want to promote my area…my Lampung…I know a lot of beautiful places there which is not known enough to the world.
I took my car to go to Kiluan bay…it is Toyota Inova…well…it’s mine…I think its better to take my own car rather than if I borrow my brother car (Toyota Avanza) coz anything happened…that will be my car…my own risk…my own responsible. The 1st road to go to this place was ok…but after bout one hour drive….we found very bad road!! What I mean bad mean really bad!! Lucky I have great driver who can drove us safely to the destination.
We reach the place late…can’t see the sunset kissing the sea anymore. But still I can remember that I saw wonderful colors on the sky the sun left to decorate the nature.
It was dark already when we took the boat and start to sail….feeling close to the nature like this, bring my soul flying to the sky and make me feel close to the God more. A lot of thing come to my mind…happy…exited…grateful….all…not to forget me to thanks to the God for all of thing I see…I feel…everything…
On the boat I saw the shadow of several islands on that bay. That the 1st time I went to that place….I didn’t know in which island we going to stayed. I saw the light…I thought it was there…but I was wrong. Then slightly I saw small little light spot….bit far away from the main island…then I know that our destination. We were only 6 peoples on that small traditional boat….floating on the sea….I felt so small…I saw wonderful sky which is full of stars…It was really…WOW.
I heard the little voice when I reached the island….kid voice…with little lighting spot the rest I almost see nothing. Honestly speaking, I was quite shock when I reached the place. I know that we will just have home stay with the people who live in that island…but what made me shock was the reality…that only one family who live there…and they only 5 people in this family (they live there for 14 years already). Grand pa (he is stroke and not able to move much), grand ma, husband and wife and one little girl 4 years old. They tried to give the best hospitality as they can. I’m not really worry with my self and Eric, but yes…I do really bit worry with Richie coz he can’t eat spicy at all. They serve us dinner…it was rice with any kind of fish…The fish was great and delicious even they just cooked with simple way…BBQ, fried and spicy soup…but really tasty…maybe coz the fish absolutely fresh. Slept without taken my shower that day…except coz of no light (just solar power for temporary and conventional lighting) I also not really in good mood to be in stranger place.
It was really hot that night! The toilet is bit far apart from the main house, even Richie not allowed me to drink a lot (water) coz that will be complicated just to send me to toilet hehehe…what a nice buddy!!!! This night I want to take photo of the little girl (name is Destiana) but she was scared someone took her photo and started to cried hehehe…funny…
I can’t sleep well that night…hot and dark prevent me from fall to sleep. I heard Richie and Eric left their room at 11 pm to go to toilet…well…good time…so I can pee too…with the light from Eric iPod I went to toilet…well…Richie waited for me on the stair…he is nice indeed…
Saturday 25 April 2009
I woke up at 5 am and just lay down. 5.30 am Yeyek (the guide) woke up us. We had tea and preparing to sail to see the dolphin. This time, I can see the view clearly….slowly the day start to bright. I saw the place surround by the hill…the sound of the wave…gosh…I just though that I must be in heaven after all night long unknowing in hell or somewhere else. We went to the middle of the sea…we took two boats and each boat occupied by 3 peoples. After 20 minutes on the sea…I saw the group of dolphin come to us…wow!!!! They are a lot!!! They swam toward and backward…gosh….so beautiful with that formation. With this natural show and the wonderful view this area have, I’m sure it suppose to be easy to make this place as the holiday destination. It’s not only dolphin we can see from this bay, we can see the Krakatoa also. Only one world always comes from my mouth…WONDERFUL!
After the dolphin tour, we back to the island by. Yeyek show us and bring us trekking around the island. He saw us a lot of beautiful spot…and yes…it is beautiful!!
2 pm we left the island. After reached area with a lot of peoples, my mobile phone beep…well…my mom sent me message…stayed one night in that hotel made me feel fresh but also made me isolated from the world coz there is no way to communicate. No signal at all…
Sunday 26 April 2009
We were heading back to Jakarta. Took bus again at 10 am…Damri again…but this time, I can’t manage to got executive ticket…well…no problem as long as they have air-condition.
The boat from Bakauheni – Merak was full…Richie and I just stay in the room (of the boat) and Eric went around. I played game in Richie’s iPhone….
We reached Jakarta at 6.30 pm…after check in to the hotel (yes…Grand Melia again) we went to take dinner in Louwie after I went back home.
Monday 27 April 2009
We went to Bandung…But before we stop in Cilember waterfall. This time Richie had problem with his feet already…so he can’t walked properly. I didn’t book any hotel yet in Bandung since honestly I don’t really know the road in Bandung and I don’t want to waste my time just to find the hotel. So on the way there…I started to find hotel and finally we stayed in Grand Serela. But that time there wasn’t superior or deluxe room, it was only family room left. Ok…so we were pretending as a good family. Stay in one double storey room…I slept on the top (mezzanine), Richie and Eric on the 1st floor.
Bandung…what else I can do except shopping….hehehehe…when we reach Bandung we just took dinner…then shopping till drops.
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Richie’s feet worst than the day before. I planed to go to White Crater in Ciwidey before, but looking at his condition, I didn’t think that possible. So before we check out at 12…and also hoping maybe have good significant change happened with Richie’s feet I did one last round shopping with Eric. We just left Richie in the room hehehe…After we back, unfortunately Richie’s feet didn’t felt better even he took medicine already.
So sadly we went back to Jakarta and canceled our trip to White Crater.
We reach Jakarta at 2 pm. I brought Richie and Eric to my house 1st….cooking for them…made pasta, salad and water Mellon juice. Well…Richie knew already if I cook well…hmm…they said all of that were good….yuppy…
After lunch, I sent them back to the hotel…yes…Grand Melia again….
Wednesday 29 April 2009
Sad moment…I must say goodbye. I pick up them at 12 noon and sent them to airport. Richie’s friend was waiting in the airport. After chit chat for a while with his friend….I left and went back home.
I hope one day we can meet again…maybe next February…or before…we never know. But I want to meet them again….speak French again…allor…mon chéri honey…au revoir
