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 :)

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..............

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.

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!

2011 Kick off meeting in Pattaya, Day 2

Day 2, November 2, 2010



Totem near swimming pool



Lady Managers

After meeting

Indonesia team

We had dinner in the hotel. We just took a quick one cos we didn't want to miss the Tiffany Show, yup the shemale show. There were me, Ida, and Tenny.
The event organizer helped us to get the ticket and provided transportation hotel-show-hotel. Cost: THB 700.

Inside Tiffany building, announcement of Miss International Queen Competition

Ticket

Photo session after the show

At the lounge

Photo session

The sign

2011 Kick off meeting in Pattaya, Day 1

The Kick Off Meeting was held on November 1 - 4, 2010 in Pattaya.

Day 1, Nov 1, 2010
The hotel we stayed in was soooooo wonderful!
Eco living style. Just take a look of our room.

Behind me is the bath room

My room balcon view

View from my room

Hotel lobby

In the bus heading to restaurant

In the bus, going back to hotel

Tom Yam Goong Soup

Dinner time

Continue to Day 2.......

Trip to Penang, Aug 20-22, 2010

Another business trip done during fasting month. This time was for ASEAN O.R. Nurse conference.

I'm glad the location was in Penang, Malaysia. So early breakfast for our fasting was not a problem. The hotel provided the breakfast at the restaurant.

We stayed at BayView hotel, Penang

We flew on Air Asia.. I was the first in our group to arrive at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, but alas! I was the last person boarded, because lots of our nurses moved soooooo slow :(

The first day was a free day for us, because we arrived very early in Penang.

Arrival in the hotel

In a bus to go sightseeing

Taken at Fort Cornwallis

Below picture were taken at Wat Chayamangkalaram where Reclining Buddha located.

A small Malaysian-Thai community lives around this temple. Right opposite Wat Chayamangkalaram is the Dharmikarama Burmese Temple.

The tile of the temple

Dragon head

Wat Chayamangkalaram

We had our dinner and fasting break together with other contingent outdoor, at the back of hotel. It was very nice. To spend time before Maghrib, we can get Henna painting.

my henna painting

 The second evening, we had dinner at this rotating restaurant. Nice food, nice place.

At the top of the building

Here are Penang food I bought home:

Cookies and dried squid

Dried Squid

Coffee Tree products: Tea Tarik, Mochachino, Candy