Thanks to Air Asia, now literally - everyone can fly....The fares are so affordable that friends of mine are flocking to Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, Ho Chin Minh, Bali - you name it!
So that was how it began....an old friend - from my home town mentioned about the cheap air fare - and that we should plan a getaway together. Before I know it - the 5 of us were on our way to our selected destination - Bandung!
It was my first trip together with friends. I used to travel to Bahamas, US, China, Singapore - but those are all alone - and for work purposes (though I have to admit - I have squeezed a lot of shopping in between the various meetings, audits or conferences).
Leaving my children with dear hubby was not something I that I look forward to. Now that the kids are grown up - they were a lot of questions to be asked. Hence my promise to buy them stuff = more shopping!
Due to some delays here and there - I ended up in LCCT around 8am - with a flight for Bandung scheduled for 3.30pm ! Luckily my younger sister in Kajang is able to pick me up from there and I had some time to wind up in her place. I met up with the 4 others there and thanks to another friend - we were safely in LCCT - on time for our flight.
It was a generally smooth flight - except for that one turbulent - that left almost half the passengers screaming in shock - I believe the plane hit a clould - but for some reason dropped a bit - as I could feel that sudden surge down!
When we reached there - the weather was perfect...slightly chilly - just as I expected it would be - Bandung being a highland. One thing I did not expect was the immigration procedure - palm print, thumb print, retina print - reminded me of my US journey. And for some unknown reason - I was (the only one!) asked to open my luggage. The young immigration officer noted that my bag is empty and playfully asked whether I am planning to shop - which I replied with a smile. Anyway, a thorough check was done - with them looking at the seams, stitching and what not....hmmm....I wonder....
The hotel driver was already there and we were whisked to our hotel in no time. It was not that far from the airport - but I was quite bewildered at the roads taken. It looked like we were driving on someone's backyard - and the road condition - was horrible! But to my amazement - our driver (supir) managed to maneuver splendidly!
Our designated tour guide is Malaysian student - Haikal - who happens to be a relative of my friend - who is doing his medical degree there. He picked us up around 6.30pm which was already dark (7.30pm M'sian time).
The traffic was horrendous. It seemed that the weekend is the last day before school opens for the year in Indonesia. So you got parents scrambling to do last minute shopping. It also meant that a lot of people especially from Jakarta were down there. But I have to say, I am impressed with the driving skills of those people. Somehow they can maneuver in tight spaces and have lots of tolerances towards each others. The horns are blaring everywhere - not so loudly - and not done in anger - but just enough to alert other drivers. Same goes to the numerous 'kapchai' seen on the road.
The kapchai are using full faced helmet...nice looking ones....and most of them with leather jackets. Probably owing a kapchai in this city is already considered as another status quo.
Anyway, off we went to Paris Van Java - the so-called hip mall of Bandung - which was supposed to hold a midnight sale. The mall looks like any other slightly upper class mall - something like Gurney Plaza (albeit smaller) - but not as upscale as Pavilion or Gardens.
Nothing much there. We have a quick bite at J.Co and then queued like forever to pay for some of the stuff bought at Sogo. I bought a few shirts for the girls there....reasonable - and something that I could not find in Penang - at that price! The queue at the counter was hardly moving - the culprit? A few dissatisfied customer hogging there....arggghhh....
It was already 11 and we were extremely hungry! Haikal asked us to wait at the car park - saying that the supir had parked at the roof top. After waiting for about 20 mins in the hot and stuffy car park area - we decided to go back in the mall and waited near the exit door. The clock ticking - and still no hint of Haikal not the supir. After about an hour and a half...we met Haikal who told us that we need to walk to the entrance of the mall.
But still the supir was nowhere to be found. The traffic was a nightmare. Scores of cars coming out of the mall - making traffic almost to a stand still. With the 6 of us, waiting by the roadside...inhaling the sweet smell of fumes - in an empty stomach. All of us are getting irritated (mostly due to lethargy and off course hunger). We were then told to walk to Sukajadi Hotel...since the supir will be waiting there!
What the ****....it was a good 10 mins walk...not something that you want to do at midnight and with aching feet and hungry stomach! Finally we found that stupid supir...and had to drive for another 20 mins before we finally arrived at the restaurant (which was thankfully still open!)
There you go...after lunch at 10 am, I finally had my dinner....in Bandung...at 1am Malaysian time.....
The traffic was horrendous. It seemed that the weekend is the last day before school opens for the year in Indonesia. So you got parents scrambling to do last minute shopping. It also meant that a lot of people especially from Jakarta were down there. But I have to say, I am impressed with the driving skills of those people. Somehow they can maneuver in tight spaces and have lots of tolerances towards each others. The horns are blaring everywhere - not so loudly - and not done in anger - but just enough to alert other drivers. Same goes to the numerous 'kapchai' seen on the road.
The kapchai are using full faced helmet...nice looking ones....and most of them with leather jackets. Probably owing a kapchai in this city is already considered as another status quo.
Anyway, off we went to Paris Van Java - the so-called hip mall of Bandung - which was supposed to hold a midnight sale. The mall looks like any other slightly upper class mall - something like Gurney Plaza (albeit smaller) - but not as upscale as Pavilion or Gardens.
Nothing much there. We have a quick bite at J.Co and then queued like forever to pay for some of the stuff bought at Sogo. I bought a few shirts for the girls there....reasonable - and something that I could not find in Penang - at that price! The queue at the counter was hardly moving - the culprit? A few dissatisfied customer hogging there....arggghhh....
It was already 11 and we were extremely hungry! Haikal asked us to wait at the car park - saying that the supir had parked at the roof top. After waiting for about 20 mins in the hot and stuffy car park area - we decided to go back in the mall and waited near the exit door. The clock ticking - and still no hint of Haikal not the supir. After about an hour and a half...we met Haikal who told us that we need to walk to the entrance of the mall.
But still the supir was nowhere to be found. The traffic was a nightmare. Scores of cars coming out of the mall - making traffic almost to a stand still. With the 6 of us, waiting by the roadside...inhaling the sweet smell of fumes - in an empty stomach. All of us are getting irritated (mostly due to lethargy and off course hunger). We were then told to walk to Sukajadi Hotel...since the supir will be waiting there!
What the ****....it was a good 10 mins walk...not something that you want to do at midnight and with aching feet and hungry stomach! Finally we found that stupid supir...and had to drive for another 20 mins before we finally arrived at the restaurant (which was thankfully still open!)
There you go...after lunch at 10 am, I finally had my dinner....in Bandung...at 1am Malaysian time.....
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