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Nov 28, 2009

Busy Weekend From Malang To Surabaya

Happy Eid Mubarak, people (I know it's late but bear with me)! Managed to wake up with only 2hours of sleep to pray at the main field in campus. Couldn't hear the Imam because of bad sound system (hope God accept my Sholat)

And long weekend had begun. It started with failing my goal (nothing new there) and that means losing a lot of money *sucks* and then today travelled to and fro Malang - Surabaya - Malang because I forgot (not forgot but stupidly misplaced) my ATM card and CC. It takes 2 hours or about to get to Surabaya from here by bus, longer by train. The day started fine, good news had lighten the doom hovering on one of my most stressing matter and then I was planning to watch a movie or two (New Moon is still NOT out in Malang) and then do a check for ISC which would make me have to stay over night in Surabaya. Don't mind whatsoever, need the distraction.


Arriving at Delta Plaza, the smell of J.Co's doughnuts teasing the nostrils and teasing the mind with the delight I was about to partake. Went directly to ATM machines and looked for ATM card and voila of course it's not there. I literally turn the bag inside out, but no ATM card in sight and no CC either. As I poured everything out of the bag, I remembered that last night just before turned in to sleep, the ATM and CC were lying next to lappie and talked to self to put them away in the bag, just in case I forgot in the morning.

Because of the plan to go (not stay, that plan was made in Surabaya), I chose a bigger bag (courtesy of Maya) and moved everything to that bag. Apparently, when I put in the cards, I put them in the smaller bag, another show of stupidity from moi.

So, with heart's thudding hard and sweating  like a pig (thank you, God for inventing deodorant), counted all the money I had left. Only enough to go back to Malang. Dejectedly, I left Delta Plaza and tried to find cheap way back. Delta Plaza is 5 minutes walk from one of the main train station, so I went there thinking of preserving as much money as possible by taking train. The train was in 2 hours and it was ECONOMIC, the horror! As much as I love my country, economic trains are not advisable to take if you can afford better transport. This is a view inside an economic train people and more people.

So, feeling more depressed, I took a small angkot (public transport: angkot). Angkot is from the word Angkutan Kota or City Transport. The angkot that I took was yellowish orange or brown. Not really sure what colour, it is. The driver and other passengers were really helpful in directing me to Bungur Station. Bungur Station is the bus station for all buses from out of Surabaya and link them with the buses to various destinations in Surabaya.

On the bus, feeling stupid, the passenger next to me started asking me question. Turned out, he's the manager of a karaoke place that I usually visit with friends whenever we're in mood to sing our hearts out and deaden our ears and what do you know, he wants to have a speaking class. I offered to call him after I ask the part time colleagues whether they are interested or not.

On and on, he talked. So when he got distracted, in the middle of traffic in Serpong (the mud area) I shut my eyes and promptly fell asleep. Woken up not too far from Malang area but it felt like forever. Another traffic jam right before entering Lawang which was pretty odd to have a traffic jam there. A tiny city car and a humongous truck were parked at one of the lane, hence the traffic. Everything went swell, had chicken porridge this afternoon and just now some bakso (one of the worst bakso ever but beggars cant be choosers).

So full and so tired. Guess what I'm doing tomorrow. Off back to Surabaya and this time, I have made sure the cards are in place. Have booked the hotel almost right across Delta Plaza, when I stayed there previously it was clean and really cheap. Now, it's Rp. 88.000,- (US$ 9.5) a night with a TV, aircon, two spring beds, two towels and breakfast in the morning. No bathroom or shower, have to use the communal outside. A bedroom with shower cost Rp. 132.000,- (US$ 14.5). The name of the hotel is Sparkling Backpackers Hotel. A truly backpackers' paradise in the middle of Surabaya.

The other plan is to watch New Moon and Ninja Assassin back to back before I have to go to a McDonald to do the check for ISC. The McDonald is pretty far from Delta but a promise is a promise, besides I screwed it up so might as well try to make it better. While there, I want to try Tony Jack's Restaurant as I heard TJ (a reincarnation of McD) boasts that it's better than "that one" (referring to McD). So far haven't read anything saying it IS better than "that one". Will post here tomorrow to tell you about Tony Jack's quality in food and service.

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