On Wednesday July 14th, I went to Bandung with my family (2 aunts and 5 cousins)! After lunch and prayers at ITB (Institute Teknologi Bandung), we checked in into Nirmala Hotel and then set off for shopping and walkaround Bandung. The 6 cousins (including me) split into 2 and I followed Verni, with Zora and Rifal. We first went to CiWalk, a shopping complex and then to a long stretch of road with lots of stalls and factory outlets at the roadside. At night, we went to Cibaduyut and I bought myself a sandal and a pair of shoes. =p
Dinner was at Ragi Bakar. It was something like hotplate, but the recipe was slightly different. And that night, we all slept soundly, tired (or at least I did).
The next morning (Thurs July 15th), after breakfast, we checked out and headed to Tangkuban Parahu. My my, I LOVE that place! It was very cold and when we reached there, it was all foggy. When I breathe out, I can smoke (what should I call that?) coming out from my mouth. The scenery was breathtaking and the atmosphere really calmed me. There are no words that I can use to really describe the feeling I had up there. It's just simply, amazing. SubhanAllah (Glorious to God).
.jpg)
After Tangkuban Parahu, we went down to Kolam Air Panas Ciater (Hot Water Pool?). But before that, eheh...we stopped by a tea farm for picture taking session. =p
We bathed at Kolam Air Panas Ciater but the water was really not like normal river water. The taste was horrible (I didn't purposely swallow it, I accidentally did) and it also caused discomfort to my eyes. People say it was because of the sulphur in the water, and sulphur was supposed to be good for skin, since it is the main ingredient in most cosmetics. But still, I enjoyed myself there. =)
We ended the 2 day trip with a meal at a restaurant serving Sunda food. I believe this restaurant was called "Nasi Bancakan", I wasn't really sure of the name.
The next day; Friday July 16th 2010, was the first day I rested at home for the first half a day. Verni brought me out after Asar to Buaran Plaza for a Hoka Hoka Bento treat. I've never seen a Hoka Hoka Bento outlet in Malaysia, or perhaps I was just too blinded by other resto that I missed HHB. We went out by Metro Mini, Mikrolet and bus. Basically, I tried most of the public transports in Jakarta that evening. =) And we dropped by a night market on our way back home that night.
On Saturday July 17th 2010, I followed Mamayang (my first aunt, Verni's mother) to Tanah Abang, but this time, a different part from what I've been to on last Friday. Mamayang sells clothes and she gets her stock from Tanah Abang. Verni and I tailed her along and did our own mini shopping at the same time. But really, it wasn't that mini to me. I spent quite a lot, buying for me and people back in Malaysia as gifts and presents. And oh! We went there by bajaj! Another form of public transport in Jakarta. Being in a bajaj put me on vibrating mode all the way. It was almost like sitting on vibration exercise machine.
Coming back from Tanah Abang, after Asar, another cousin of mine, Uda Ramon came and brought me and Verni to Grand Indonesia. And it was like a Pavillion for us here in KL, or maybe KLCC. It's huge, and elite, and of course expensive. We spent most of the time in Gramedia Bookstore and I received a novel from Uda Ramon as a gift. =) After Maghrib, went out to the waterfall for some photo session. =)
That night, dinner was on Uda Ramon and we went to Restaurant Mas Miskun. I ate Nasi Bebek which is simply Duck Rice. It's very
hard to find halal duck dishes in Malaysia but there are plenty around here. It was a nice, and spicy dinner. And we went back by bajaj again that night. =p
I started the next day, Sunday July 18th 2010, my last full day in Indonesia by following Ibu Tety (my second aunt) to her shop in Pasar Enjok. She rented a corner shop lot and sold clothes and tudung, almost the same like mamayang. Then Abg Tedi fetched me to Verni's hse and the 4 of us (Abg Tedi, Zora, Verni and me) went to Mangga Dua. We walked to the nearest busway station and took a busway to somewhere near ITC Mangga Dua. Busway is basically a bus, which has it's own way (lane) that no other vehicle can use. The interior of a busway looked like a Putra LRT coach, just that it's a bus. And some buses have two coaches, with a connector in the middle.
After some more shopping in ITC Mangga Dua, we went to Atrium Plaza for lunch at Rice Bowl . I spent that last night of mine, packing my luggages and I was worried sick that I might exceed my 30kg luggage limit. I even called my mum to ask if she can make some more phone calls to AirAsia to increase my luggage weight limit but she said 30kg is already max.
On my last day in Jakarta July 19th 2010, Verni and her dad sent me to the airport and after checked-in, I was left on my own again, to bid farewell to Indonesian land and hello to Malaysia. When I walked through the scanner gate at the airport security, the alarm went off. So the security asked me to take off my belt and shoes and put them under the bag scanner. Auwwww, so embarassing to have to take my belt off in the public. And I needed to walk bare footed, just because of that alarm. And still the alarm went off again. So the security performed a body check on me. Of course, they found nothing and they let me off. I had a hard time putting up my belt again, since there was no toilet in the waiting room.
And guess what, my luggages weren't even 30kg! Ugh, I was actually preparing to pay for an extra of 2 or 3kg. Suddenly I regretted not buying more things, because I've been restricting myself telling myself not to buy that or this because I fear going over the luggage limit. Duh! I didn't even get to buy some of the things ppl in Malaysia asked me to buy for them. =(
Although this marks the end of my 12 days journey to Indonesia, I'll still write a Part 3. =p
Stay tuned!
-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com
July 23rd 2010
9.47am
Post a Comment