Monday

This is the last day of 2012. What I do tonight? Hmm. Working. But, I've just finished it.

This year was so beautiful to me. Alhamdulillah, finally, I've finished my college and officially become a dentist. And tonight is the first time for me, hang out with my whole little family on December 31st. I've been spending my time in surabaya, this past 6 years.

This masehi's new year is not something to celebrate. It just a memorable time to do some life evaluation.

Btw, I failed my reading challenge this year. I only read 12,5 of the 20 books. Yeah, of course next week must be better.

See you next year.. ^^

My First Solo Trip (part 3)

The last post was about my 1st day in Bandung and I'll sill continue the story. Staying at my brother's boarding house didn't mean that he could take me everywhere I want to go. Because he was so busy, at night I went to one big mall in Bandung, Paris Van Java (PVJ), alone. He said it's okay to walk there, because it's not too far from his place. Then, I walked, walked, walked and walked. Yeah, of course it's not too far to walked there alone at night. -_-'

Actually, my purpose of going there is only to buy this 'wannabuysincealongtime' pretzel. Hehe. It's because, in Indonesia, so far I only found it here, in PVJ.

PRETZEL.. Yeaah.. Finally we meet again..

Luckily, when I arrived, there's a music performance from Kahitna. Then I spend a little time to watch their performance. They are good. I love when the musician do their live performance. I determine a good and bad musician by watching their live performance. And this group is a good one.

Kahitna live in action

Next day, I make an appointment with my friend, Sinta. She is my junior at college, but we're quite close and often hang out together. She is pregnant, on her 2nd going to 3rd trimester. It was really nice meeting a friend who has not been encoutered for a quite long time.

After lunch, with Sinta

Yeah, the meeting was quite short because I should take an afternoon train and continue my trip to Bojonggede, at 02.30 PM.

My first solo trip was quite fun. But, I think I prefer to go with at least one person to accompany me. Yeah, I think duet or trio trip will be better.

For you who want to try a solo trip there are some things that you should prepare.
First, you should decide which place you want to visit and make a little research by collecting informations about that place. 'Mbah' google makes it so much easier to do. Reading a blog which talk about the place also very helpful.
Second, make a simple itinerary. It will help to manage your time efficiently. And you won't get confuse, because you've plan your trip.
Third, don't bring too many stuff with you. Only brings the things you need. Money and a pocket camera is a must.

Maybe, it was the basic things. The most important thing is you should enjoy your trip and don't forget to pray everywhere you go.

Happy holiday, have a nice trip.

My First Solo Trip (part 2)

So, yesterday I've told you a part of my first solo trip. Let's move to the next destination.

After spending about 8 hours in Solo, I continued my trip. I took the night train, Lodaya Malam, from Solo Balapan Station to Bandung. It will take about 8 hours to go there. Because it was a night train, I can't see anything outside the train's windows. It's better to sleep. Just sleep.

And, I woke up at 4 am and preparing to do Subuh prayer. It was good that the train has a lot of water, so I can take wudhu. It was still too early to enjoy the scenery, because it still dark outside.

I arrived at Bandung around 6 am. My 1st younger brother, who is now live in Bandung to finish his study, pick me up on the station. I was planning to stay a night in Bandung, then I'll go to Bogor on the next day. Bandung is cold in the morning. After arriving at my brother's place, it takes me quite long time before deciding to take a bath (it was cold.. really..! the water make me shiver). And then I realized why Surabaya people always said that Bandung and Bogor are cold. Yeah, maybe it's been too long for me to live in Surabaya. :)

This day, I was preparing to visit some places, which is ITB, Museum Pos Indonesia, Museum Geologi, Gedung Sate, and going around the city. Yeah, living in Bogor since being an elementary student didn't make me know Bandung very well, alhough it only take a few hours to get there. So, on this opportunity, I ask my brother to take me around.

ITB

This is my first time visited ITB ever since. Haha. ITB has a unique design, it quite modern. I call it modern because it was really different from my college which building state as cultural heritage. Yeah, mine was an old building. What makes ITB looks cool was it has an underground building. Haha. I was really impressed with the underground part. :D

Lunch

It's the lunch time. After pray at Masjid Salman ITB (I always want to visit this Masjid, I'm just curious), me and my brother eat lunch at a little cafe, called Black Romantic. This cafe is unique. It was black and romantic. Haha. No, each menu have a unique name. The price also quite affordable. You can get iga bakar (grill ribs) for about 19.000 rupiah, it quite cheap for a ribs menu which usually cost 25.000 rupiah or more.




After lunch we were going to Gedung Sate. We almost rent a bike on Dago street to get there and suddenly, the rain was fall. Great. It's okay to ride a bike under the rain, but I realized that I didn't bring many clothes, so we decided not to. After the rain stopped we walk from Dago to Gedung Sate. Hmm. I've been to Bandung few times, and one thing that I hate about this city is the traffic. When we walk, the traffic was so crowded, luckily we walk and not taking a public transportation at that time.


Unfortunatelly, the Gedung Sate and Museum Pos Indonesia were closed. But, we still can take a picture in front of the building. :D

Gedung Sate n Museum Pos

Then, we walk to Museum Geology. It also near the Gedung Sate. Here you can learn more about planet, earth, prehistory things, etc. It was quite interesting, but it must be better if there is a guide who can explain about the museum. The most interesting part of this museum are the big fossil (hmm.. I think those are replica) of dinosaur and elephant also the things on a second floor. The 2nd floor is not fully finished, but, compare with the first floor, the things upstairs are more sophisticated in technology.

(to be continued..)

Quotes of The Day

another thing taken from my old-shouldhavebeendeletedbutnot-blog. posted on October 30, 2009. Seems like I was preparing for an exam at that time.

"Terkadang lebih baik tidur di lantai yang keras dibanding kasur yang empuk, karena kasur yang empuk membuat kita enggan untuk bangun dan kembali beraktifitas"

*terinspirasi kejadian 2 malem yang lalu. Ketika gw harus tidur di lantai gara2 kasur penuh dan ternyata gw bisa bangun lebih pagi dari biasanya

pretty good quote, right? hehe. ;p

5cm.

Berhubung filmnya baru launching, novel yang satu ini jadi in lagi sekarang. Saya baca buku ini pertama kali sudah beberapa tahun yang lalu, jadi detailnya juga sudah lupa. Saya belum nonton filmnya. Penasaran sih, but it's not that urgent to watch it. Postingan ini saya ambil dari blog lama saya di tahun 2009. Sebenernya blog ini sudah didelete sejak lama, tapi entah kenapa ternyata masih beredar di dunia maya sampai detik ini. So, this is my favourite part of the book.

“ semua keyakinan, keinginan, dan harapan kamu… taruh di depan kening, jangan menempel di kening… biarkan dia menggantung … mengambang… 5 cm di depan kening kamu.. jadi dia gak akan pernah lepas dari mata kamu. Dan kamu bawa mimpi dan keyakinan kamu itu setiap hari, kamu lihat setiap hari, dan percaya bahwa KAMU BISA! Apapun hambatannya, bilang sama diri kamu sendiri, kalo kamu percaya sama keinginan itu dan KAMU GAK BISA MENYERAH. Bahwa kamu berdiri lagi setiap kamu jatuh, bahwa kamu akan mengejarnya sampai dapat, apapun itu, segala keinginan, mimpi, cita-cita, keyakinan diri.. biarkan keyakinan kamu, 5 cm menggantung, mengambang di depan kening kamu. Dan sehabis itu yang kamu perlu Cuma.. kaki yang akan berjalan lebih jauh dari biasanya, tangan yang akan berbuat lebih banyak dari biasanya, mata yang akan menatap lebih laa dari biasanya, leher yang akan lebih sering melihat keatas, lapisan tekad yang seribu kali lebih keras dari baja.. dan hati yang akan berkerja ebih keras dari biasanya.. serta mulut yang akan selalu berdoa..

Dan kamu akan selalu dikenang sebagai seseorang yang masih punya mimpi dan keyakinan, bukan Cuma seonggok daging yang hanya punya nama. Kamu akan dikenang sebagai seorang yang percaya pada kekuatan mimpi dan mengejarnya, bukan seorang pemimpi saja, bukan orang biasa-biasa saja tanpa tujuan, mengikuti arus dan kalah oleh keadaan. Tapi seorang yang selalu percaya akan keajaiban mimpi, keajaiban cita-cita, dan keajaiban keyakinan manusia yang tak terkalkulasikan dengan angka berapapun.. dan kamu gak perlu bukti apakah mimpi-mimpi itu akan terwujud nantinya karena kamu akan hanya harus mempercayainya.. percaya pada 5cm di depan kening kamu.. “
Suka banget sama buku ini..!!!

My First Solo Trip (part 1)

Heiho.. I'm home..

Actually, I've been here for about 17 days. This trip is quite special for me, because I was visiting some places before really being home, alone. Yeah, this is my first official solo trip.

It has been a long time since my last trip using a train. So, I decided to go home by train. But, It's not a straight route as the usual. I decided to make some transits, in Solo and Bandung. And in the morning, on December 1st, the trip begin.

at Gubeng Station Surabaya, before departing

I went to Gubeng Station Surabaya to take a morning train, Sancaka Pagi, to Solo. Why Solo? There are several reasons. First, I don't know Solo. I've been there before, but it when I was very very young, so, I totally forget about that. Second, there's someone who keeps talking about how comfortable Solo is. And, he wants to live there on the future. Three, this city is quite famous nowadays because of its former mayor who is now being Jakarta mayor. And, the last, I want to ride a double-decker bus. Yeah, those are some reason why I want to visit Solo.

ariving at Solo Balapan Station

 So, I was arrived at Solo on 11 am. At first I a doubt whether Solo is really a city or not. Because, when I going outside the station, I just found a small street in front of me. And, when I was going to double-decker bus terminal, I don't find any big street with big building. It just confusing at that time, and I wonder why Solo is called a city. Hehe. Then, The time has come to ride this red double-decker bus. \(^o^)/

We can find the double-decker bus (Bus Werkudara) at kantor Dinas Perhubungan Solo, it is near the Manahan Stadion. I've been booked for the seat 1 day before departing. You can read more information about Bus Werkudara here. It'll take about 2 hours if you choose to join the full route. But, I get off the bus near the Keraton, and start my own trip. I didn't visit many places in Solo, it because I just have about 8 hours there, and I didn't do enough research about this city. So, that's it.

I think, Solo is quite good city. But, I think Surabaya is still better than that. I love Surabaya. Bogor? I love it, too. :)

(to be continued..)

The Book and Its Cover

"Don't judge the book from its cover". Who's never heard that before?
What? Seriously? That was one of the famous quote in the world, guys.

Me. I'm a person who always judge the book from it's cover. Yeah, I mean a real book. Every time I browse for book in a bookstore, the first step of finding a book to read is I always looking for a book which has an attractive cover. After that, I read the resume on the back cover of the book. If it sounds good, I look at the price. Affordable enough? Then, I'll buy it. Maybe that what makes me often missed a lot of good books to read.

For me, the book cover is always be an important part of the book, although not all books with good looking cover means good books to read, vice versa.

In life, of course we can't deny that the first thing that we look from a person is her/his appearance, right? Although not all people with a good appearance is always a good person, vice versa, the first impression always matter. Hmm, I think I'm a person who is quite careless with my looks, and maybe I should make myself more concern about it. But, the most important thing is I should always try to make myself better day by day. Because, instead of the appearance, quality means the most. Be a good person, and people will respect you.

Have a nice day, everyone! \(^o^)/

Smile

Do you smile because you are happy?

I do.

But, most of the time, I smile because it makes me happy.

:)