Trip to Padang, Bukit Tinggi and Batusangkar, Nov 12-14, 2012

I had a business trip 2 weeks ago to West Sumatera. I left Jakarta on Nov 11 evening and left Padang on Nov 14 afternoon.
I visited three cities: Padang (the capital city of West Sumatera), Bukit Tinggi and Batusangkar (my mom's home town).


From Jakarta to Padang, I took airplane (1 hour 50 minutes), Garuda Indonesia. From Padang to Bukit Tinggi, it takes 3 hours drive. From Bukit Tinggi to Batusangkar takes 1.5 hours drive. Noooo I didn't drive by myself, I rented a car and a driver included in the fee. It was IDR 500,00 per day, not included petrol, park , and driver's meal allowance.

I stayed at Pangeran Beach Hotel Padang (IDR 700,000 per night). The hotel is 4 star but my room looked so old. The shower head was broken I had to call their house keeping and they changed the shower head with new one.
In Bukit Tinggi, I stayed at Grand Rocky Hotel (IDR 750,000 per night). It was a brand new hotel, around 7 months old. I like it. My room was at the corner.

Room at Grand Rocky Hotel

Fog in the morning, taken at 6.29 AM

The fog picture was taken at 6.29AM. It was view from my hotel room in Bukit Tinggi. At 7.30 AM, I looked out of my window and was very suprised to see how the fog was even thicker, then arpund 8.30 AM it was clear again.

The town is near Mount Singgalang and Mount Merapi and a canyon. I didn't have time to visit Ngarai Sianok, the canyon.

Jam Gadang

The big clock is the landmark of Bukit Tinggi.

This place is located across the Big Clock (Jam Gadang)

And the food is called Padang Satay. Made of beef or sometimes cow's tongue. Eaten with solid rice cake and hot spicy sauce.

We have a heritage family house in Batusangkar. I have an auntie lives there to take care of the old house.

I will do some more posts on day by day activities. Please enjoy this post first :)

Photos reposting

Oh My! I've just found out that my posts in Year 2008 lost their pictures. I linked the pictures from my invalid Friendster blog. Because it's gone, so do the pictures I posted in that blog.

I'm going to re-post the pictures gradually. Stay tune!

Makassar Trip, March 19-22, 2012

It's been quite sometime since my last visit to Makassar. Probably around five years.
I went to Makassar again on March 19-22, 2012.
My flight was in the evening, 16.50 WIB, by Garuda Airlines. Ummph, the meal wasn't good.
When I arrived at the airport and looked for taxi, it was raining heavily with big wind!
I asked taxi driver to take me to local restaurant to get some light food before I get my rest in the hotel.
He took me to Sup Bersaudara. Wow, hot soup during cold night, what a treat! I had half portion of rice and shrimp crackers to eat with the soup, plus sweet hot tea. It was only IDR 22,000!
Sup Bersaudara looks and taste like Cotto Makassar, the broth is thick with spice. Yummmm


I stayed at Imperial Arya Duta Hotel. Arrived in the hotel around 23.30 WITA.
Hotel Aryaduta Makassar (http://www.aryaduta.com/hotels_home_makassar.php)

Jl. Somba Opu No. 297
Makassar 90111, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
T. +62 411 870 555 F. +62 411 870 222

My room was facing the ocean view. What I liked about it was the restaurant opens for 24 hours!


To be continued..............

Grand Antares Hotel, Medan (Trip Dec 2-3, 2011)

Last week I supported my colleagues from other division at a seminar for O.R. nurses. The seminar was held at Grand Antares Hotel (http://grandantares.com/).
I stayed there for one night (Dec 2, 2011) at superior room. The rate was unbelievable: IDR 350,000 breakfast included! The room was booked by organizing committee.
The room was clean, a bit old, and the bathroom curtain needs to change with new onw, but overall, it was OK.
I had a body massage in my room to relieve body pain I've been having due to my cough and flu. It cost IDR 150,000 for one hour.
I liked the dessert menu where they serve various of Es Campur :)
This hotel is owned by an orthopedic surgeon, wow!!

Breakfast menu was so so..... The lunch during seminar was a chaos... Too many people, the restaurant wasn't able to accommodate. The food were quickly empty.....

Overall, it was an OK experience..... The last night, I stayed at grandma's house.

Travel project, starting in 2011

In my new business community, we are taught to have a dream book, to list down our dreams there and learn to visualize. One of my dreams has been travel around the world, that's why I have this blog to record my experience. I'm grateful that God has given me opportunity to work at companies that sent me overseas for trainings.

One of my goals: Travel around the world in 80 days, just like the book written by Jules Verne.... Hmm maybe longer, lol

I will post about the destinations I want to go gradually in this blog.

Shanghai Trip, August 25-28, 2011

I went to Shanghai last week to accompany my customers to attend a workshop. It was near to end of fasting month. My worry was whether the hotel provides us early breakfast.
It was difficult to get flight from Jakarta to Singapore due to peak season of end of Ramadhan where people would prepare to celebrate Eid. We flew by Singapore Airlines. As I know, they serve nice meal, alas, I cannot eat because I was fasting.

We departed from Jakarta to Singapore at 5.50 AM, Aug 25, 2011. It was too early.... We had to transit in Changi Airport for around 4 hours.

I spent the time at entertainment deck and watch movies.

Flight from Singapore to Shanghai was at 12.45 PM. We touched down at 18.05. I've arranged hotel transport to pick us up.

Before going to Shanghai, I checked the weather forecast first on Internet. I didn't want to bring wrong clothing, like I did when I was in Shanghai in 2008

It said that weather will be cool (or cold?? 23 celsius degree). Just in case, I brought a thin coat.

From our Liason Officer, I found out that in that week, the weather is cooler, compare to the week before when they reached the highest temperature in their Summer.

We reached hotel at around 8 PM, had dinner at 9 PM at Cafe Bistro downstairs. What a late one considering we were fasting.

We stayed at Sheraton Hotel HongQiao, room rate RMB 618 per night.

The Desk and TV

The sinc in bathroom, I love that rack on the right

The organizer has arranged for us to get breakfast box for our early breakfast during fasting month. I only had to get it at receptionist every day (3.30 AM). Not the kind I was expected, because the menu was the same every day, but I'm still grateful.



My Room on 16th Floor



The workshop was held on Aug 26-27, 2011. On second night, we had group dinner at Hua Na Hotel... Near Warren Inn hotel....

With Khun Cham, my lovely colleague from Bangkok

On Aug 27 evening, we went to Super Brand Mall, I craved for hot pot but couldn't find the place. I asked to information officer but she pointed out the vegetarian restaurant instead on 5th floor. It cost RMB 471 for three of us. Since the food is vegetarian, everything was safe for us to eat. We had fish with cranberry sauce, seafood curry, steam rice, asparagus, mushroom soup, spicy fried chicken.

For break fasting, we ordered Jelly herb ice and taro cake.

Super Brand Mall, main entrance

I managed to shop for awhile at Sephora and bought some stuffs. I even got Sephora member card. I think this is a sign for me to come back to China again, LOL.

Sephora billboard near the entrance

My Sephora shopping bag, take while waiting for taxi

Pearl Orient Tower in a cloudy night

Yu Yuen Garden

We checked in from hotel on August 28, 2011 at 11AM.

At Pudong International Airport, I bought several souvenirs for family and friends. Bought a box of glutinous cake, I think it's Mochi cake, in green tea flavor.

We broke our fasting in the plane.

I also bought Kiehl's products, but since I would be only transit at Changi, I cannot bring the items in my cabin, so the sales staff had to cancel my purchase.

Good things was, I found a Kiehl's outlet at Changi, and I bought the same item there.

We waited only 1,5 hours at Changi. Not as long as our first flight.

Arrived home safely at 11.30PM.

.

Traveling in fasting month, August 2011

In my whole travel and work experience, this year's fasting month is the most frequent of me going on trips.

Of course, I prefer to stay in Jakarta during fasting month. Lots of consideration why I prefer to stay.

Last year, in August 2010, I traveled to Penang for SEA O.R. Nurse meeting.

This month:

- Went to Yogya on August 2-4, 2011

- Went to Singapore for leadership training, August 17-19, 2011

- Will go to Shanghai on August 25-28, 2011

I pray that I'm given the strength to undergo the trips.

Bangkok, April 26-29, 2011

Went to Bangkok for another training.

I went with my two male colleagues.

My room at Le Meridien Bangkok

View from bathroom

My desk

Complementary chocolate

Dessert sampler tray, so cool!

This layer pancake is sooooooo delicious, so soft

Around the world in 80 days

Here's one of dreams !

New Year Trip to Pelabuhan Ratu

Dec 31, 2010 - Jan 2, 2011

A family trip to Pelabuhan Ratu.
Departed from Jakarta on Dec 31, 2010 dawn, 5.30AM to avoid stuck in traffic jam

Stayed at Bunga Ayu Resort. When we checked the rate a couple of months ago, the family room was only IDR 350,000. But at the beginning of December, it was increased and they only offered New Year package, 3 days 2 nights: IDR 1,500,000 !

Scene at 5.30AM

Dinner on Dec 31, 2010

Happy 2011!

Played on the beach, 01.01.11

At Karang Hawu Beach

Cousin's wedding in Surabaya, Dec 5-7 2010

It was considered a big family gathering when my cousin planned to get married in Surabaya, where his fiance comes from.
We were provided airplane tickets to Surabaya. There were eight of us departed from Jakarta on Dec 5, 2010. We decided to take my niece, Rara, to accompany me. She's just five years old, this will be her good opportunity to travel, away from her mom (my sister).

December 5, 2010



We used Lion Air. What do you know, the plane was delayed for 1 hour. And we experienced bad thing, because the seats were not enough for the passengers. WEIRD!!!!
Most of passengers were not seated accordingly. Even my uncle and my cousin had to go out of the plane, and used another flight!

At Soekarno-Hatta Airport, departing

Our flights were only 10 minutes apart, so we were fine. My uncle rented two Kijang Innovas for us.

Arrived at Juanda Airport

We went to visit the bride family first before we went to hotel. We stayed in Quds Royal Hotel, in Tanjung Perak area.

Checking in

Rara is so excited. She's going to bed

December 6, 2010

The Wedding Ceremony

Morning preparation

With newly weds

Before ceremony

Before ceremony

Happy couple

The Trip

Suramadu Bridge

Raining



Lunch on Dec 6 in Bangkalan-Madura, Bebek Sanjay



Old ice cream parlor

December 7, 2010

Becak, Dec 7, 2010

2011 Kick off meeting in Pattaya, Day 3

Day 3, November 3, 2010

Outdoor activities at the beach after final presentation, followed by fun dinner party.

Beach, by our hotel

Meeting!

Purple team: Indonesia + Philippines

Rope pulling

Thai desserts, yumm

My party look

Sexy ladies

So cute!