Mudik!

It's been almost a year, passed the days missing Banda Neira. 

Now the time finally come. Time to go back to the sweet paradise once again, a time for "mudik". Mudik is a term Indonesian use for go back to their hometown after 1 year struggling in the big city. Not really our hometown, but somehow it felt like one. Banda Neira, located at Banda Ocean, Moluccas. 45 minutes flight or 8 hours ferry ride from the city of Ambon. The island of spices, they said. Heaven on earth we said :)

Oh, November, please come soon... Can't wait to go back to our home town :)

Banda Neira, my home in another life :) - Part two -

This is the second part from my previous post, story of my days in Banda Neira.

It was a beautiful morning in Banda Neira. Abba told us about good spot nearby the airport that has a great sunrise view from top. We all so anxious on see the view, yet we love the bed even more (lol). Though we were too late to catch the sunrise, most of us still wants to see the "view from above". Hop we go, 12 of us, with our pillow face, on.

Off we go

The pillow faces :p - Photo courtesy +danny ramadhan 

Gigantic Abbey Road - Photo courtesy +danny ramadhan 

Banda Neira, my home in another life :) - Part One -

It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
(Feels like home - Chantal Kreviazuk)

The song is really suite this trip I had. A memorable trip, a trip to this tiny piece of heaven on earth, called Banda Neira. The view, the people, the experience, it was definitely a full package of happiness.

Banda map. Photo courtesy @sofyanard

There were 13 of us, head filled with the image of a beautiful island. We've been planning this paradise trip for quite sometimes, 6 months to be exact. Idea of going to this island was popped out during our joyful trip to Komodo island, well not all of us. This trip can be considered as a though one, as there's no direct flight whatsoever. The easiest way to reach Banda Neira is via Ambon, either by a small plane (pioneer aviation by NBA) or ferry crossing (by Pelni). It took only 45 minutes for flight and about 8 hours for ferry crossing. NBA fly 3 days (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) each week, and as for Pelni, only God know their fix schedule. I, personally have this "small plane paranoia" prefer to go there using the ferry crossing. Unfortunately, until 1-2 months before departure, I still can't get the fix schedule. I started to gather the courage and went there by flight. And since it's only a small plane, there's only limited seat available on each flight, so we have to be divided into 2 groups. I joined the first group.

This is how much I love Indonesia

I think, most of people love their country, their hometown. For me, I fell deeply in love with this crazy, almost-ruin yet beloved country, Indonesia.

About 4 years ago, with no skill whatsoever in a travel industry, i started working in a travel company. Back then i felt so enthusiast on learning about new things. In a first couple of month i struggle my as* out to learn about the system, the route and whatever that is. I begin to feel used to after the sixth month. The idea of working in a travel company never once crossed my mind, why? because i am a Japanese language graduate! Well, it turned out that Japanese are fond of traveling, so they do need a Japanese speaker to help them make itinerary :p

What's in a name

"What's in a name" or in Bahasa Indonesia "Apalah arti sebuah nama", ever heard that kind of statement? Lots, of course. 

For me, name means everything. It might be the first words we say if we want to start a conversation with a stranger, or perhaps we can categories the friendship level with our friends by how the called us. For me, since i was a kid until now, i have several nicknames. Start with Ucu/Ima, Kinoy, Bollie, Neng, Kair, or even dimples. I would know who am I speaking with or where/when i met them just by the way the called me. For example, Ucu or Ima is how my parent use to call me. Why ucu? Well, it's kinda long story that related with my family ethnic group, while Ima it's because when i was just a little girl, i can't pronounce "R" correctly (maybe).

And then Kinoy. Who is Kinoy anyway and why whould someone call me Kinoy? Well, back then, there's a puppet show called Unyil, Kinoy was Unyil's little brother. Kinoy has a bad habbit, he often cries whenever something bad happened, and so am I. Yes, i cried A LOT of times when i was just a little girl. That's the main reason most of my siblings and cousins called me with Kinoy. Oh, and yes, I was the youngest at that time.

Tidungers goes to Lombok!

Do you have friends whom you know from a trip? Well, I have, loads of them and I love each every one.

Me, and my fellow Tidungers

As you all might know, I fall deeply in love with travel thingy, backpacker, flashpacker, whatever you all name it. About 3 years ago, I joined a trip to Tidung Island, a tiny part of the awesome Thousand Island (Pulau Seribu). From the trip I've met a very chaotic group (in a good way) and we all became mates, until now. Tidungers, that's how we call our group. Though we don't have a routine meeting agenda, but somehow we manage to keep in touch, whether it's through FB, twitter or recently, by WhatsApp. Last September Me, 5 others Tidungers and 1 additional pax went on a silly trip to Lombok, and surprise surprise, I'm the EO. 

Started with Me passing info about Garuda Indonesia's flight promo during our meeting at Pisa Cafe, and voila at that moment 5 of us bought bought a return ticket CGK - LOP for 850K per person. Cheap? Hell it is! Excited, we informed it in to group messenger, one of our friend interested in join our trip, so he also bought the ticket.

See you again Jakarta!

The trip start from 05 September 12, flight schedule 1810. Traffic made us (Me, Kiki and Oom Bekti) reach the airport quite late. Because of it, one of us, Oom Bekti got an upgrade to Executive Class, Lucky ba*tard! But he was nice and gave the seat to me, so i can taste the "front seat". The flight run smoothly, the meal was delicious, the flight attendants were nice, what an enjoyable flight. We arrived at Lombok's new International Airport in Praya around 2130 local time. A friend of Ombek (that's how we called him) pick us up at the airport and drove us to our guest house for the night. We stayed at Ressa Guesthouse, located in Senggigi. The place is quite nice, and the most important, cheap! We met one additional member on our trip, Emmy, there. She already arrived in Lombok this afternoon.

Hello there Lombok!

Afternoon stroll

To Sendang Gileeee

The following day I woke up early as the itinerary for this day was tight. We're planning on visit the famous Tiu Kelep, which located in North part of Lombok then heading to Gili Trawangan from Bangsal. There were we, 6 adventurer from Jakarta and 1 annoying person from Semarang (LOL) try to conquer Lombok by ourselves! We rent an APV with no driver for couple of days, and none of us are locals. So we depended on Gmap and ask the locals for direction. First destination of the day, Tiu Kelep, that's the plan,   yet we ended up in Sendang Gile waterfall *LOL*. This is when my friends start to call me "EO Brengsek", hahaha. FYI, though "EO brengsek" has a rude meaning, but it was only for fun, so no hard feeling!