Left Home For 1 week (oct 22-27, 2007)

Another long trip for me.
I would be visiting to cities: Surabaya and Makassar.

The first city is Surabaya, Oct 22 to 24 where I’d help Susan for her GreenLight training at the hospital which bought GL laser.
Peter Robertson, AMS trainer from Australia, joined us. He was the one who gave the training to nurses and the surgeons.

On Oct 22 morning, we flew to Surabaya. I and Susan were in different flights. She accompanied Peter, flew on Garuda. I and Hansen flew on Batavia Airlines. Bad thing happened! The radio transmission was broken, they had to delay the flight. Can you imagine, our plan was ruined. The money for the trip was with me, while Susan must arrange everything there with only Irwan (our local rep.) supporting her. Hansen, our engineer, must be there to record the training and attend the training too.
I requested Batavia to find other flights or provided us a replacement plane. This was ridiculous. Finally, on 10.10 AM, we flew to Surabaya. Two hours behind original schedule.

On that day, we conducted training for nurses and presented laser safety and case movies to the surgeons. I acted as a translator to the nurses. Cool huh?
We had dinner with Peter in Bumbu Desa restaurant, served West Java cuisine.

On Oct 23, we had two live cases. We must wear goggle to protect our eyes.
It was an interesting experience. The O.R. was a bit hot due to the machine. On last March, I attended the the same training and live case in Singapore, and now it’s Indonesia’s turn! I’m proud of Susan.
Dinner was in Ria Galleria, Indonesian traditional food.

We rode the same taxi like yesterday.

After dinner, we took 1 hour rest and went to Peter’s place to study more about GreenLight.
It was quite embarrassing because I fell asleep. But Peter understood my condition.

I left to Jakarta the next day because I’ll go to Makassar with Arie, Olivia, and Tony for Annual Scientific Meeting of Indonesian Neurosurgeons.
Susan and Hansen stayed, they have one more case and a press conference.

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I stayed at the airport, waiting for the three of them. I was lucky because my flights from Surabaya and to Makassar were using Garuda Airlines. Woo hoo…..

We brought so many things for the exhibition. My luggage weighed 20 kg, and we had 67 kg overweight. Total overweight charge was around 1.4 million! We went to customer service and received around 50% reduction. Thank you Ma’m.

We were on the same plane with several neurosurgeons. When we arrived, the travel agent picked us up, but due to the baggages we brought, they changed the vehicle, from minibus, to a bus! There were only four of us, and two neurosurgeons with us. Some part of the road was being fixed.

We had dinner at Konro restaurant. After that, we checked out the venue. It was a small area. Our booth faced our microscope’s competitor. While at the far right, we have two aspirators’ competitors.
Tony let us store the stuffs in his room. I can’t imagine if he wasn’t here, then we have to carry the stuffs back and forth to our hotel across the venue. They are heavy things.

On the third day, I felt my vertigo recurrent after 2 years. I took a 3 hours break to sleep. After that, Tony treated us dinner at Black Canyon Coffee, at the mall next to venue.

The last day, Oct 27, was quiet. Only half day. Tony has flown back early morning. We had reflexology treatment, I had a snack, then we went to the beach. Spent our last night visiting interesting places and bought souvenirs.

My dirty laundry awaited me.

Special Singapore Trip (October 17-18, 2007)

After waiting for sometime, I finally received confirmation from Sunil (my future boss) that we needed to meet in Singapore on Oct 17.

At the beginning, I planned to visit Singapore only for the meeting, so I’d be gone back on the same day cos Oct 18 we started working again after Eid holiday. But then I felt it would be tiresome. Not to mention that I planned to hand carry the shunts from Transmedic and no flight back to Jakarta on Oct 17.

So, while Sunil was paying for me, better I took 1 day early and spend the night at budget hostel and enjoy my time in Singapore. Found a place at The InnCrowd Hostel. It’s located in Little India. A mosque is near to the location.

It was a very very interesting experience for me, staying at a hostel. I didn't know that at a budget hostel, we shared room with other sex, we shared bathroom with them too. I asked the receptionist if I can change room, as I read all the names on the bunk beds were boys'. Unfortunately, the hostel was having high occupancy rate so I had to stick with my "room".

One thing for sure, I shopped and shopped, LOL. I have promised not to spend money, but I couldn’t help it! I found a nice pair of shoes at Lucky Plaza, made in Italy. Fit my feet, perfect height….. It was my most expensive shoes!

The weather was unpredictable. It was humid and rained. I had to buy umbrella. Susan asked me to find a lady handbag at Charles & Keith.

I was glad when I moved to the hotel where I and Sunil planned to meet. The next day, I checked out from the hostel and moved to our meeting location. I met his boss. We discussed lots of things. I must prepare a business plan for the new office. They will send me an offer letter in a week time, I must reply back as a confirmation. Then they will send appointment letter.

I bought chocolates for colleagues at work. I flew back to Jakarta on Oct 18 morning.

New Eating Experience in Bandung (August 25, 2007)

Last Thursday, I went to Bandung after long time. I had meetings with two clients, at different places of course…………
The first one was at Raja Melayu Restaurant.
It was my first time there. The interior is modern look, but the waiter and waitress wear Malay traditional outfit. Lots of people had lunch there at that time.
And when I went to see the dishes they are serving…WOW!!!!!!!!!
Many varieties of Sumatera foods. It’s like Padang food resto, but they have more…. Cos they serve food from Aceh to Lampung, from the west of Sumatera to the East end of Sumatera.
Yum….Yum……They reminded me of my hometown. Unfortunately, most of them were cooked in coconut milk, or vegetable oil.
I didn’t know what to pick because any food I chose wasn’t allowed in my diet.

Oh well………….I went naughty that day, I had to forget my diet program just for 1 day.
I chose Pajri Nenas, Sambal Goreng Udang, Kangkung Masak Belacan, and Ayam Goreng Pandan.
Alam picked Rendang Daging and Gulai Kambing.
My clients picked Gulai Ikan Patin, Asam Iga, Sambal Ganja (!), Udang Goreng on a stick, and many other things.

I chose Ketan Hitam Float. It’s sweet fermented black sticky rice, grounded by blender, and they add one scoop of vanilla ice cream. Slurrrppp…….

Another place I went was Paris Van Java. Place to hang out with friends, to relax. They have lots of cafe there.
I met my client at Black Canyon Coffee. I think this cafe was originally from Thailand. They serve Thai dishes, and lots of varieties coffee drinks. When I finished, they said thank you in Thai.
Because the meeting was at 2 PM, we only ordered drinks. I order Blended Green Tea Ice with milk, and my client ordered Green Tea Ice with no milk.

Hmmm….Another new eating experience in Bandung.

Raining in Medan (May 15-19, 2007)

I have been in Medan since May 15, 2007.
Prof. A has another tumor surgery, so I’m bringing Selector with me.
The flight was alright, I used Sriwijaya Air.
This time I went alone. Boss wouldn’t permit Arie to come along, well…it’s OK, I can manage. I’m always the strong girl

MAY 15, 2007

The work:

Delivered Selector to hospital and explained to O.R. nurses how to assemble and disassemble the handpiece. It’s important because I won’t have a colleague to help me. I needed them to be my help.

The pleasure:

Went to my auntie’s house after finished the work at hospital. I have much spare time to spent. She’s just done Umrah last month. She and her youngest daughter went to Jakarta for 2 months but I couldn’t meet them due to travel schedule.

With Tia, my cousin, we went to Fountaine ice cream cafe at Carrefour. I had burger (cos I haven’t had my lunch yet, it was 3 pm!) and 5-flavor ice cream. I bought some fruits for my auntie and donuts for my grandma.

I was so curious of Medan’s es campur (mixed ice drink). It’s different from what we have in Jakarta. So I asked Tia if she knew the good place of es campur. She brought me to this place. We ordered Mie Kocok and Es Campur, quite expensive: Rp 19,000 total. Power suddenly off when we were having them, but only for 3 minutes, then power was on again. We took becak to get home, it started to rain, 7 pm.

MAY 16, 2007

The work:

Arrived in the hospital at 10 am because the nurse informed me surgery will be at 11 am. Then I found out, schedule has changed, it would be at 1 pm. Waited for 3 hours. Surgery started at 2 pm, finished 5.30 pm.

Meningioma was so big, it was 1/4 of the brain. It was very big, Prof. A used his finger to separate it from the brain. No need Selector!

The tumor!

Wow, that was my first experience seeing that kind of procedure.

Hmmm, a request from him: I to stay with Selector because he’d have another tumor surgery on Friday. Oh God! How should I tell Ms. S from MK Hospital? Damn!

Asked my boss’ approval for this. I needed his help to contact Dr.J!

This also meant I had to re-schedule my flight.

The pleasure:

Started raining when I was on the taxi, on my way back home. Then I suddenly had the thought. Decided to go to this place: a food stall "Ojo Lali Boiled Muscle", near Advent Hospital. You can’t miss these: a portion of boiled muscles with peanut and pineapple sauce, a portion of squid fried kwe tiaw, and a glass of terong belanda juice. Yummeeee…………

I went home with a full stomach. Still raining. I didn’t bring my sweater, weather was cold.

MAY 17, 2007

Ahh, the public holiday. What would my plan be?

I went to tomb workshop, I ordered a tomb set for my dad’s grave.
Then I had to exchange my airplane ticket with the new one due to my extended stay.

I needed to check my emails and do some other things with internet. I was in internet cafe from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm, LOL. When I set up to go to my auntie’s house, it has rained! (God, I washed my clothes this morning. I hope Auntie Win didn’t let them wet. I didn’t have anything to wear anymore)
Took becak to go there. Met my mother’s youngest brother. Wow, been a long time, he looked so old! I had late lunch at 3 pm. I and Tia waited for sometime until rain stopped so we can go to Sun Plaza.

At Sun Plaza, Sogo was having sale! Then we tried ice cream from Taiwan: Charmy Snow Ice. One portion of it was very expensive: Rp 29,000 ( we ordered Dead by Chocolate). Unique, but expensive!!!! I was glad my order (Gold Digger, Rp 25,000) wasn’t served due to the waiter negligence!

Went to drug store and bread store, then we went home. Tia ordered Fried Mie Aceh for dinner. I went home late. Grandma was still awake.
I felt my stomach was aching, gosh, maybe because of the weather and the late lunch I had.

MAY 18, 2007

The work:

Stomach was still in pain and I had to poop several times. Taxi picked me up at 6.30 am. I wanted to be ready before Prof.A came.
Surgery was planned to start at 8 am, but we started late: 9 am.
The tumor was soft, cystic. Patient was female, again. Surgery finished at 10.30 am. Prof.A was happy and referred to one more hospital for the prospect.

Faisal, my Medan colleague, arrived and helped me to pack the equipments.
Took pictures with nurses. They were so nice and cooperative.

Wow, amazing, I can go home very early and would be able to get some rest.

The pleasure:
Had lunch, and rest for the rest of the day!!!!
My auntie brought my grandma to see the doctor. She’s been not well.

MAY 19, 2007

Home, home finally. I miss my niece and sister. No delays on the flight.

The work:
Deliver Selector to MK hospital again.
Checked emails in the office.

Some airlines suck! (April 28, 2007)

OK, you probably have read my previous postings about what my experience with some local airlines.

I’m now sitting in the lounge of Polonia Airport, Medan. I take Air Asia to go back to Jakarta. It was supposed to depart at 14.35 but last night I had a phone call, telling me that my flight would be delayed and the new schedule was 20.30. The person offered me another early flight, 19.05. So I chose it, cause I didn’t want to get home late.

What happened just now, they told me that it was also delayed. I will depart from Medan at 21.55. Arrghhhh, can u imagine? It was 17.30, that means I had to wait another 4 hours, and I will get home at mid nite.

Not to mention they charged high cost for the extra weight, Rp 20,000/kg

I’m bringing my Selector system, the transit case and the system weighs 32 kg, plus my baggage 13 kg. The limit is only 15 kg. You can calculate how much I paid!

A week ago, I flied on Lion Air to Surabaya. The seat was small and no space for my legs. I practically couldn’t move my body. But when I came home, I flied on Batavia Air. I love it. The seat is bigger.

Also when I went to Medan on Wednesday, I also flew with Batavia Air. So far, schedule was on time………..Fantastic. Although you couldn’t ask too much about the food.

No complaints!

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2.38 AM, April 29, 2007:

Arrived at home almost 2 AM. My rating for Air Asia improved 1 point. They gave out a complimentary dinner box. Not too bad.