travel by train

It’s been awhile since I travel by train
I was so excited even though it’s the cheap one.
therefore many things are so inconvenient
First, the seats are not adjustable
so there is no way I can sleep well
Some people started to sleep on the floor
and that made us hard to move around.
The guy in front of me sleep under the seat
It’s kind of ackward but we use his space to straighten our legs
Then there are many street vendor going back and forward
They don’t care to wake us up to buy their stuff
No Air Con but there are fan on the ceiling
when the train in move, there some breeze from the window
but when the train stop it feel like in a sauna, so hot.
The toilet is very poor, just a hole in a small cabin.
I try not too drink too often to avoid going there.
But what I like about the trip is because we travel in group.
we all wear green T-shirt from our previous event.
We talk to each other, tease each other and laugh so hard
There are times I have to warned my friends to be quiet
because other people are starting to sleep.
I like also because the goods that people sale is quite cheap.
We can even bargain if we want it cheaper.
They sell clothes, toys, accessories, but mostly food.
I think they came in on one station and get down at the next.
so all the vendor got the chance to sell their stuff.
I got to buy instant noodle and a batik dress for my niece.
We leave Jakarta at 16.00pm and arrived in Surabaya 6.00am
We stay in Surabaya 2 nights and visit Malang for 1 night
I was excited because on the way back we met some friends
they are a group of married couples with small kids
I feel so bad one of the girl is sick, German pox maybe
But they are so closed and helping each other
we are 2 cart behind them, but we loved to visit them
and have a nice conversation with the ladies
This trip is longer and it’s even more inconvenient
but I thank God for the experience…

b.a.l.i

Bedugul Lake Lotus
Ricefield Nasi Abon Lawar Frangipani Rock Bar Anggrek Ayana Resort Antonio Blanco Museum View From Munduk, North bali Pedicure @ Kuta Beach Tanah Lot
Fave Hotel, Seminyak

too busy too write…

Too many things going on in my life this past 2 weeks and I don’t know where to begin to write them all. But if I don’t I am going to missed them, so I write things that stuck on my mind, they are:

Learn how to cook Ketupat, Sambel Goreng Hati and Opor Ayam. These are the menu for Lebaran Day and I’ve been craving those food during this time.

My kids’ friends came to sleep over at our house. I told them if they can sleep in non AC room and don’t afraid of dog, I don’t mind at all.

Become the MC, photographer and entertained people in my friend’s son birthday party when I feel really-really tired.

Invite some friends to have dinner with us. Thank God the cook turned out well and Niyomee behaved.

Went to Ciawi for my uncle Birthday Party and had a great time. I especially love the singing Ambonese songs together while holding hands.

Happy to meet an old friend I haven’t see for about 30 years, but not happy with the food served by the restaurant we went to. Expensive but nothing special….

My husband’s cousins came from Surabaya for a job test. Glad to have them for 2 nights at our place. But happy that after they go sleeping arrangement can go back to normal.

My  kids went swimming 3X in a week. and they still think it’s not enough.  Lucky we only have to pay the 2nd one.

Feel bad because I can’t help my friend with the translation she need to submit and didn’t got a chance to visit another friend who just got an operation at the hospital.

Visit my sis-in-law new home at Cibubur area. Too bad the other can’t make it, but we had fun talking, eating and Karaokeing.

Can’t go to the airport to say goodbye to my Dad, brother and sisters who are leaving for London. But maybe it’s good for me because I can be jealous to see people traveling.

Exciting to see my kids saved the money they received from people, they aim to buy BB.

Love my husband for buy me Pandan Bali and put some effort to find out about the Baloon Ride on the internet just because I said I want to do it .

 

 

the ups and downs of my trip to Makassar….

the smooth take off and landing of Batavia Air, our flight.

the hospitality of my relative at Palopo, allow us to stay at their place

the great food I have chosen and tasted

the heart to heart talk I had with my aunt

see my dad had such a great time with his old friends

visit our family properties

riding becak (rickshaw)

the great phone connection, I can update my FB status everyday

help my aunt around the house, cleaning, doing dishes

meet and take picture of some kids around the neighbourhood

great weather during our trip

Visit the famous Losari Beach

attended my church service, great sermon by the preacher

accomplished our mission

 

 

squeeze in the back for 3 hours because the public transportation load too many passengers

miscommunication because my husband use another number on his phone without notice me

get a diarrhea on the 3rd day

can’t take picture in some nice places because I forgot to charge my camera bateree

didn’t get to eat some dishes that I want

had some conflicts with my dad

a lot of walking in the sun, not good for my skin

buy something I don’t really need

miss to visit The Rotterdam Fort

didn’t buy anything for my kids

last-minute shopping at the airport make the cheap stuff expensive

visited my childhood memories…

Palopo is a little town in South Sulawesi, and I had an opportunity to visit it last week. Our family used to live there in the year of 1973-1978 when my dad become a branch manager in a government bank there. I can still remember clearly most of the places, from my 7 years old eyes it look much bigger and farther, but now seems smaller and closer. Places changes and people get older (some has pass away) but the memories remained and I want to share it here with you.
This was our old house, but turned into a hotel after we moved.
If I continued practice in this court, I might be a pro Tennis pro by now.
The Church my family used to go. There are classes for sunday school in the back.
The plain where I played soccer with the boys in the afternoon.
I got my tonsil out in this Hospital. I remember many ice cream came after that operation.
This was our 2nd home, right next to my father’s office.
This was the my school before we move out of this town, I attended 2 other schools before this.
A palace of the Luwu’s Sultan, It look much bigger back then.
Kapurung… one of my favorite food made of sagu, fish and vegetable.
My father old office. I got hit by a becak in front of this place when riding a bike.
I like to visit this harbor back then, I still do now.
My dad (tall grey hair) with some people I knew from the past…
I surely enjoy this journey…

visit Malaysia, visit Melaka…

2 years ago my husband and I had plan a vacation to Malaysia for our family. He bought 4 tickets from one airline that always give promo (maybe you know this one). We were so excited at the time, but sadly due to our financial situation, we decided that only my husband and my son are going, so that we’re not totally at lost either. They went and had fun, as my son came back I called him “Upin” the famous character from one of Malaysia children animation.

This year in June, when I heard about a conference that held by our church in Kuala Lumpur, I really feel like going. But I am not sure whether I can do that because we have no budget, so I prayed. Thank God, my friend Mercy, who also wanted to go, got a good rate tickets (from the same airline as above) and my husband got a photo job that the fee just enough to pay for my trip. So I sign up.

The Conference was great, it was on Saturday and Sunday. I got to hear some great lesson, and meet new people. We stay at Taylor University in Ruemz Hotel for 2 nights, and then moved to a friend’s house because we have 2 extra days to stay. Mercy can’t wait to visits the mall for shopping, and we did go to Mega Mall. Our host Angeline and Andrew took us to The Twin Tower (Petronas) and another friend Katie Lee took us to eat Nasi Lemak somewhere in Petaling. But some people suggest us to go to Genting Highland or some other places, but one place stood out in my mind is Melaka.

Some times ago, I saw one serial drama on TV “Little Nyonya” and the story was about a hybrid family in Melaka. For some reason I really wanted to go there, and it happen that a group of people from the church were heading that way on Monday. So Mercy and I join with Hannah, Natasha, George, and Kathy from India. We got to see the ruins of a Portuguese church on the hill, we got to eat the famous Baba Nyonya food at one of the restaurant, we went to visit the old town and went into one of the old house that turn into a hotel, and we got to buy some souvenir at Jonker Walk to bring home.

I really recommend if you go to Malaysia, don’t miss Melaka. The place is full with history, if you want to know more about Melaka visit http://www.tourism-melaka.com