For The First Time

Yang pertama selalu berkesan. Selamat jalan, selamat meliput, semoga lancar, selamat, Allah memudahkan urusanmu selama peliputan, berkesan dan memperoleh informasi yang bernas

That was part of email sent from my senior at my office. Right a day before I go to Surabaya-Banyuwangi-Malang for a week by my ownself, alone. Place that I have never been go to. Well, before too far let me take you how the atmosphere at editorial room. Maybe POSITIVE is fit in. Everyone is supported each other. 100% of trust. High dedication. Timeless. What else? it's not an office for me, some like a study group. Almost 5 months, and I learn a lot! From well-structured writing into how taking good photograph. Many thanks to my seniors who give me trust and always support me, show the right thing when I was wrong. So many mistakes done to learn. Some understand....some not... :'( but it's okay..

New World

Some positive impact I had since I was here... First is interact with other. This was a big big problem for me. I have no gut to talk with stranger, even less extract more information of him/her. I'd rather have an eye on him/her to get information than ask directly. But today must be better, at least I can speak with, but I have to be more critical and detail. hehehehee.. my bad. Story behind? ahahaa...some sources taking picture of me when I had interview, it happen 3 or 4 times for different person. I don't know what for... but I feel being apriciated, thank you...

Second, hemmm... I have DSLR but I just can't explore more, both technique and object. Now, as a multitasking-journalist, I got some trick and technique taking picture. indoor and outdoor. I like taking picture at studio, as well as outdoor. Story behind? Mico, is my bike (see on my previous post). Since I go everywhere by bike, I have to take picture of traffic and public transportation. Oneday, I found my self on bike with DSLR hanging on my neck. Stop by. Taking picture. Smile and say, "Hey, I used to think this was cool!"

Third, traveling to another big city, alone. It has so many story behind. Maybe the others had travel here before or even more away to abroad. Well, I don't care, since it's my first time, it should be a lot to tell and become precious memory to remember;

#Bandung

This was my first 3-day-duty to Bandung with Isti. Just two main informaton needed, first reporting exhibition at ITB (Bandung Technology Institute) and second, taking picture of transportation means. ahhh...almost forget, had interview with inspiring-breast-cancer-patient. Wait, It's like de javu, have I told you about this? that support from others and the willingness to get better form patient takes 80% to heal. So many inspiring stories I've heard. and this person is so positive.

Since we were using public transportation, to get another place in Bandung, we often get wrong direction to get someplace. but it's okay, I enjoyed it anyway.

#Surabaya

Just landed from Surabaya, check in at hotel, then get to Surabaya Supermall--Pakuwon, where the 7th all young koi show takes place. I have no idea where it is. Then the adventure just started at hotel lobby.

I asked the bellboy how to get there by public car. It took a minute for him to get an answer by asking the other. Most of people describe that place is far far away from my hotel (guess I wrong take a hotel ) and the public transportation access is rare. Okay it's becoming too much, I got almost half hour to discuss how can I get there. My thought is since it is a SUPERmall it sould be easy to access, it is a public area where everybody can go to, plus there is a show takes place. So I must go to bus station first. Anyway thanks to bellboy to worry, and suggest me to take taxi.

Well, another problem is I don't know how to get bus station from hotel too. Ahhh..this sunny noon take becak and in opposite direction as I get to this hotel for 7000 IDR is too much. Thanks to cak (I usually call abang, but my friend said, in surabaya I should call cak ;-) becak recomend me to take public car. Finally I get puroboyo bus station in 45 minutes (by becak only 10 minute---because you don't have to follow the route, just go in opposite direction, fufufufu ).

I started to ask which car I can go to Pakuwon, thanks God there's public car directly go to pakuwon and it one seat left (fyi, on the second day I get the public car is not full, and it can't go no matter how long you wait.. rrrr...and this is is more funny: if you insist to go, you have to pay the as musch as unfilled-passenger).

Misunderestimate

I know, my bad. I underestimate this city, it is awful anyhow. I get this huge mall about 10 am, and there's not much activity. The show held at Pakuwon Convention Center, get interview, takes picture, and keep an eye of contest activity. Then someone approached me. Someone that I don't know who he is. Just have a chat with him, about who I am, what I am doing here, with who...etc, once he know that I'm alone here by public car (place that most people say it is far far away, so did he) then he started to worry about me, he started tell some criminal of this city. In the end he give me advice : first, If I want to go to hotel from here, get taxi. Second, be careful at bus station keep my goods like wallet or cellphone, and third don't talk with stranger. Anyway I have talked with you, Mr stranger haaa...

At first day my report is not at maximum, maybe I exhausted. So, on the second day I decided to get there before I get to Banyuwangi, to have an interview with judges of contest. All of them is native judge. The worst, most of them are Japanesse whose their english is bad as mine. Finally translantor help me to interview with them all, one judged that don't need translator is Mr Philips from South Africa, nyahahahaa.. he is so kind and excited about koi and..everyone, he is so respectfull with others.

You can see my article about koi show here

#Banyuwangi

Weww..at the same day I have to go to Banyuwangi, at 3 pm, pak Yayan from Banyuwangi called me, he asked where I am and when do I get to banyuwangi, by what, etc. I said that I still in Surabaya and (to be honest I don't know how to get Banyuwangi too) get to Banyuwangi by bus this afternoon. He said it's okay by bus, but it's more comfortable to take 7-hours-trip by train. Aha! so I decided to get there by train. "But the train just go on by now, 3 pm" he said. Noooooo~~~

But don't worry, the train go 2 times a day, 3 pm and 10 pm. Maybe the night trip is good for me to take a rest while in journey. Actually I'm on my way to hotel to get my luggage and go to bus station. Since the schedule change, but I already checked out from hotel, at 4 pm I go to railway station, and waiting for train coming at 10 pm.

Actually there is a chance for me to looking around surabaya untill 10 pm. but there are so many thing consider that First, I bring quite big lugage, there's no way I leave precious goods inside to deposit center except bring it everywhere. Second, I don't know about Surabaya too much, don't say I get lost and the train left me, it's a superb silly, I won't do that. Haaahh maybe those two reason is not as strong as third one : it's raining.

So here I am, alone, sitting on the bench of railway station, watching train come and go, from busy station into quite station. Thanks God, Gubeng is good, clean and safe station. Once again someone approached me to have a chat, asking who I am, where do I go and with who. He didn't asked about me too much, but he tell his stories more...like what he has been doin' then show me ALL of picture folder on his cellphone about his activity. ahahaa... thank you pak, your strory as interesting as the eat pray love, the book that I read before he approached me.

Finally my-10 pm-train come. We separated, actually, it is my first time long journey by train, the seat number every coach is same, but in ticket it's not written where coach I supposed to be. I pretend know everything and try to match my seat number. Once again I met the man who has talked with me before. He make sure that I'm on the right seat. Thank you pak...It said a bussiness class train, but why it looks like economy train, I can't imagine if I travel by this train at noon. It will get extra service : sauna. hihiiii....

At 6 am, I just arrived at Karang Asem station. I almost pass this statition anyway, I thougt Banyuwangi is the last station, ihihiiii... If it so I will be at Bali in 15 minutes. Pak Yayan's wife, come to pick me. Heuuu... she is so kind, this early morning pick and waiting for me at train station by motorcycle (In Surabaya motorcycle called sepeda that I thought it was bike). I can't imagine the big me with big lugage on passenger saddle.I can't sleep well in the train. So there must be something wrong at my face that time. And I didn't have good dinner too.

The first time I met pak Yayan, I see durians, small one. I just wondering what kind it is. Pak Yayan tell me that he bought it special for me. Banyuwangi's local durian, has red flesh of fruit. Ahhh... while he talk about, he open the sharp shell. "hooo...it's trully red, beautiful" I said so... not only look, but he asked me to taste it. Haahh...this early, it 7 am, so this will be my first durian in any case....

After durian breakfast and take a bath. Pak Yayan asked me to explore more about Banyuwangi's durian. With his wife and pak Roni, four of us take to Ijen by hardtop. Stop by to taste one of durian of pak Roni's farm (that was 2nd durian huh) playing around mundung tree. He's good at climbing anyway and driving hardtop at hard field too. Then up and stop by to taste durian cuwut (squirrel) because some part of durian was eaten by squirrel and that was an indicator that it has good taste. Yes it is! durian cuwut is the most delicious durian I ever taste. Hemmmm that was 3rd durian.

I sit at backseat passenger, my another-first time traveling offroad

Pak Roni is good at climbing, at mundung tree. It has fresh and sour fruit

Taken from backseat, road to Ijen is beautiful, isn't it?

We almost get to the mountan but unfortunatelly pak Yayan get problem with his gastric. Maybe the temperature is quite cold and it was raining. On my way down to Karangente, pak Yayan getting better and (again) buy local durian to taste. That was the 4th durian. Indulge by durian I back to hotel and prepare for tommorow exploration. You can read the article here or buy the magazine

On the next day, by motorcycle, pak Yayan take me to durian farm at Glagah, had interview, take picture, looking around, and eat nasi tempong. Nasi tempong had tremendous delicious portion. It's enough to fulfill lunch and dinner anyway. Pak Yayan's wife is so kind, she take me wherever I want by sepeda hihihi...include to bookstore. Because that day I will have long journey to Surabaya, I need something to read. I thought I will take night train to surabaya but pak Yayan's wife told me to take travel. That was 4 pm, and travel come 8 pm and again, I already checked out from hotel at 8 am before exploration. Hemmm.... gratefully, the owner is so kind, I can take a bath in public bathroom and watching TV at lobby for free.

The tiny red durians package cost 350.000 IDR

Nasi tempong with ikan weder hemmm...where is the rice? you can't see it...

#Banyuwangi-Surabaya

Take a deep breath, I know it's a long long story... but in this route I met special person with his special story too , ehhehehe...

So, from Banyuwangi I take travel to Surabaya. This travel is more more more comfortable than train or bus. I had good sleep and the driver, pak Ipul, is nice to me. Like usual, along the journey near Surabaya we have a smalltalk, then he asked me which hotel he will drop by, then where will I go from hotel.

I said I will stay at hotel at Darmokali and will search address at kapasan (I will take report there).

"It's a long distance between Darmokali and Kapasan, I'll help you to find hotel near kapasan" he said so, eheheee...to be honest I don't know where Kapasan, what public transportation to get there, etc. Since pak Ipul know that I'm traveling alone and don't know anything but my former hotel in Surabaya, he have to make sure that I don't get lost. I just know pak Ipul last night, how can he being so nice to me, may Allah always bless you pak...

After all passenger drop by, we looking around Surabaya. As well as travel guide, pak Ipul take me to the land mark of Surabaya like tugu pahlawan, jembatan merah, bambu runcing, suro dan buaya, even to all university at Surabaya. sometimes he stop by and made me take those picture. He is so excited to show everything at Surabaya. After had breakfast he drop me to hotel near Kapasan. Make sure that the distance is not far away. After say so much thank you to pak Ipul, I enter the hotel, and it said that room is full. Haaa.. what to do? in five minutes pak Ipul called me, he remember that I will go to Malang after this, he want to give the number contact of travel to Malang. "How is the hotel?" he asked. "it's fully booked ;'(" I said. "Wait, in a minute I will get there" he said. Ha? okay...he appeared in a minute.

Now it's become his trouble too, to choose : find hotel near Kapasan or homestay of his travel. He suggest to stay at travel's homestay, he said I need to take a rest for a while and go on through my report. He promise to take me to address at Kapasan this noon. I said "You don't have to, I can go there by my self, you need extra sleep after 9-hours-driving and for tonight's driving to Banyuwangi again".

After take a rest for a while, Haya, my college friend come to travel's homestay. She wants to accompany me at Surabaya and Malang. So kind she is. Now I prepare to go to Kapasan with Haya, but pak Ipul, insist to take me there... ah, I though he needs more sleep. As I had my 2 hours-interview for report he waiting for me. I said to him that I will get to Malang tonight. "But not all of Surabaya you had discovered" he said. I know..."Is your friend know surabaya, then go with her tonight, have fun" hemmmm...but I said I already booked for travel to malang tonight. "I handle it" he said. So that night, me, Haya, and Haya's friend looking around Surabaya. Go to Malang by tommorow morning. When I get travel's homestay that night, pak Ipul already leave to banyuwangi. Thanks a lot pak..I hope I can see you again.

Jembatan Merah

7 am at Jembatan merah the activity getting busy

kya kya? just like Surabaya's china town, isn't it?

ahhh... I love old building, so historical (taken from pak Ipul's car)

#Malang

Last destination, Malang. With Haya I arrived at Malang about 7 am. We'll stay at Haya's brother's boarding house. Sorry to bother both of you, stay at boy boarding house gives new experience to me, fuffufuu...Haya's brother give us full service to us, by leaving his room for us and lend us motorcycle. So, by motorcycle I explore malang (without driving license for motorcycle) hihihii...too bad, the weather that day is not good : heavy rain.

Consider I finished my report and hungry, we ride motorcycle in the haevy rain. We soaked up by water, totally wet. But it paid because we eat superb delicious meatball. Go back to boarding house, I just realized that the only clothes left is the one I wear. So, with Haya's brother I buy clothe at Malang Townsqare. (fyi; the last clothes I wear is bought in Surabaya before I go to malang too.) rrrrr....I thought my huge suitcase is useless anyway, how can I lack my clothes?

So on the next noon, I go to Surabaya, fly to Jakarta and go home safe and sound. See?! traveling to the place you never go to is much fun (talk to my self, ikikikkk). Thank you for my mom and dad for worrying me too much. Thank for my seniors for your advices. Big-big thank for Pak ipul, Haya & brother, and everyone who helped me on the journey...