Posts Tagged ‘travel’
Makassar – Revisited
Posted by Tatter in Indonesia, Photoblog Monday, 15 February 2010 21:14 4 Comments
Knowing that I was born and still have families in Makassar, South Sulawesi, DH decided to took us along with him for one of the outstation audit program. Since my mom and bothers couldn’t make it, I took my aunt with us.
We suppose to leave Jakarta at 4:30 PM but around 10:00 AM, DH called and told me an accident had happened with one of their fleet so he will have to stay behind and took care of things but he will try to hop on the last flight to Makassar that night or the first flight out in the morning. Thanks God my aunt was there! Our flight was delayed for almost an hour and it’s really hard keeping a plane crazed little boy to stay put at the gate. I was in a bit of a foul mood after knowing DH can’t come with us and I was worried that he won’t be able to make it after all, so when a guy cut me right in front of the cashier in a small café I really can’t help but asking him “Are you in a hurry, Sir?” he looked puzzled and said “No…” then I snapped at him “Then why are you cutting me off? I think it’s pretty obvious that I’m waiting in line here before you came out of nowhere?!!!” Gosh, I hate people like this and I don’t care if you’re way older than me, if you can’t wait in line and cut me off I’ll voice my objections! Same thing happened when we were called for boarding, my Aunt was holding Little A’ when a woman just cut right in front of her and pushed them aside. “Hey! Pushing your way to the plane won’t make you get to Makassar any faster, won’t it????!!!” I yelled at that inconsiderate woman! Good Lord!
We had to do a 15 minutes transit in Surabaya. I never been to Surabaya’s Adiscipto airport before, but OMG that place was filthy! I mean FILTHY with garbage cans overflows and scattered garbage on the floor of their waiting area. We reached Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar after 9:00 PM local time. Someone from the airline was already there at the bottom stairs to pick us up. He handed our luggage tags to another guy and we were ushered inside the arrival terminal where my Aunt Jane, her husband Uncle Ferdy and their daughter Ella greeted us. I was impressed with the new airport, it was modern and big.
After the staff collected our entire luggage, we parted ways with my Aunts. They went to go get dinner then meet me back at the hotel. The staffs drove me and Lil’ A to the hotel, I wasn’t familiar with the roads anymore but I was flabbergasted when we got off the new toll road and passed rows after rows of pubs and clubs with so many ‘chicks’ looking for their ‘job’. Too bad I couldn’t reach my camera from my bag since Lil’ A fell asleep on my lap. Never seen a red light district in Makassar before but then again I haven’t been there for ages.
The staffs took us to Sahid Hotel, it’s an old hotel but it looks pretty nice on the outside and their lobby. Check-in was a breeze but I was greeted by an unpleasant smells when we stepped out of the elevator on the 4th floor. The room smells like old closet that you haven’t open in years! Since Little A and I were obviously too tired after the trip, I didn’t even bother to take any pictures or ask for another room, heck we didn’t even take a shower as tired as we were. The carpet was so dirty (proof showing on Lil’ A’s feet!), the bathroom smells so old and rusty. I couldn’t really sleep that night because the smell was strong but Lil’ A slept the whole night through. In the morning, I found out that the hot water is not running and the old tub was clogged. “We are doing some maintenance work, Ma’am.” explained the receptionist when I called downstairs. DH couldn’t make it that night so I messaged him and told him I want to move to another hotel. So I spent the early part of that morning looking for a new hotel and most of them are full considering it was the weekend and with Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day fell on the same day, I guess most of the hotels are only selling twin rooms. (I should know since I was once a reservationist in a hotel!)
Around 11:00 PM I found a hotel, Mercure’s Royal Regency Hotel and we quickly checked out and I briefly called the station Manager there to informed him of my decision to move. I explained to him, I don’t mind if the room doesn’t have internet access or other little things and it’s not that I want a 5 stars hotel (although I wouldn’t refuse it either!) but if they don’t even have any hot water, I’m out! Lil’ A likes his warm bath/showers. He apologized and asked if we needed a ride to the new hotel and when I told him no thank you, my uncle will take us there he said he will personally drive DH to the new hotel.
DH didn’t showed up to the new hotel until after 2:00 PM. Then we all went out for a late lunch, the best Coto Makassar in town! A driver picked DH up back at the hotel at around 5:00 PM; it is after all a business trip. After DH left back for work, the rest of us went to the nursing home to visit my Grandmother.
From the nursing home, we all went to my other Grandmother’s house, which is now owned by Aunt Jane and her family. There, I got to meet some old childhood friends, I had spent 1 year living in Makassar to finish elementary school before we moved to Borneo. It’s quite amusing to watch Little A ran around with the other kids, on the very same little street where I used to do the same thing many years ago.
When we returned to the hotel, DH was already there and he was done with his audit but he still have to do some more work on the phone and computer. We decided not to go out for dinner with the family because Little A was already so tired from the long day. After he fell asleep, I decided to ventured out and find us some late dinner. Took a becak ride down to the beach side, an area called Pantai Losari. The place had changed a lot and all the street food sellers that used to line up the beach side has been temporarily moved to one spot while the government is building a manmade island to place them in the future. All these information came from the becak driver who happily fills me in on how much the area had changed.
On Sunday, our last day in Makassar, after we checked out and left all our stuffs at the concierge, we went out to find some food & souvenirs but unfortunately because it was the Chinese New Year’s most stores and restaurants were closed. My Aunt Jane teased us that we couldn’t picked the worst timing to come there LOL! Fortunately, we did found one souvenirs store that’s open. Boy, DH went overboard with the stuffs there! Too bad we couldn’t bring home the famous pork bakpao (Chinese buns) or the delicious Makassar’s fried noodles. DH asked if we could eat seafood so Uncle Ferdy took us to this seafood restaurant, I forgot the name of the area. That place was packed! It’s two stories and seems like since most restaurants were closed, people went there instead. The seafood’s were fantastic and super fresh!
We stopped by at the nursing home after lunch so I can see Grandma one last time before we left and to introduce DH to her, they never met before. From there we found Pisang Epe (grilled press banana served with durian and brown sugar sauce) seller on the side of a road and we ordered some to bring back to Jakarta. At 3:30 PM a driver from the office were already waiting at the hotel to take us to the airport to catch our 5:25 PM flight. We said goodbye to Aunt Jane, Uncle Ferdy and Ella.
By the time we reached the airport, it was raining so hard you could barely see the road. Oh and since they changed our flights to the later time, we doesn’t have any tickets whatsoever, fortunately DH’s badges works like charm! We checked in, and went upstairs.
The new airport kind of remind me of the Baiyun airport in Guangzhou, China, and I like the new design, way better than how it used to be. The bathrooms were pretty decent and clean. Unfortunately, I saw some spots where it leaks! I was told that they built the airport in such a hurry to finish it up alongside the new toll road that connects it to the city. Things were a little chaotic by the designated Gate for our flight because the passengers were not allowed to go inside. Some people were already complaining and the flight was obviously delayed again. DH immediately got busy. I can’t write too much about that here but let’s just say that I too gave a piece of my mind to one of the airline’s staff.
Our flight finally left for Jakarta after 6:00 PM. An hour delay! A weekend is definitely not enough to enjoy Makassar!
10 Tips To Survive International Flight With Toddler
Posted by Tatter in Blogging, Toddlerhood Sunday, 24 January 2010 23:33 9 Comments
From the age of less than 9 months old, Little A and I has been flying internationally. After a lot of researched on my part and from personal experience I decided to share you this list.
10 Tips To Survive International Flight(s) with Baby/Toddler
- Snacks & Food: Pack enough snacks/foods to last you for 7 days on a boat from Alaska!
- Change of clothes: Bring extras for your baby/toddler and also for you. You never know when you’ll get soaked with spit ups or worst vomits.
- Bring a Tylenol/Benadryl: I’m not advising you to drug your child but some had sworn it works, better consult your doctor first. Benadryl never works for mine tho’ it makes him hyper!
- Ipods: or other movie player that’s not too bulky. Make sure you get some covers at least to prevent those curious fingers from playing with it and just focusing on watching. This is useful especially if you’re on-board flights with no personal entertainment units (those little TV behind the seats). Portable DVD player is also favorable but it can be quiet bulky. I found this cute little movieplayer from Walmart and had put our portable DVD at home instead. They’re cheap but my son have a kick out of it.
- Toys: If you can afford new toys for the kiddos on by all means go ahead and get some new toys but don’t give it all at once. One at a time whenever boredom strikes. Sometimes I ‘recycle’ my son’s toys by going through some of the toys that he haven’t played with in awhile and hide them, wrap them with colorful wrapping papers. Believe me, toddler get a kick out of unwrapping their presents. Doodle board, sticker books, crayons and coloring books are some of my son’s all time favorite. If you’re flying a really long haul flights with an overnight transit, put some more toys in your luggage that you can take out for the next leg of flights.
- Plastic bags: Just carry some plastic bags from your groceries, folded them up and put in in your carry on. From stinky poopy diapers to wet clothes (if your child/baby vomit), this will comes in handy!
- Sponge: Yes, wet the sponge, soak it with dish soap and let it dry. Once dried, cut it up into small peaces. Put these in a zip lock bag and use them one by one, throwing each away after use. Comes in handy when you have to take an overnight layover in a hotel inside (or outside the airport) so you can wash those sippy cups! This could be used for any trips away from home and not just flying.
- Ear plugs: When your child started to throw a tantrum, kindly offer the ear plugs to other passengers closer to you or you can use it yourself!
- Small treats: Like small chocolates, candies, etc. This one is especially for other passenger if your baby/toddler did have a meltdown and inconsolable. Handed them out to the nearest passengers before your flight end and maybe that will make them smile.
- Pack your patience and prepare for the worst. If and when your child got a tantrum (mine cried for almost 6 hours from Korea – Jakarta because he was teething and I was clueless!) do put up a brave face, most people will understand and to your surprise will even go out of their way to help cheer up your child. If you got one of those ‘you’re-a-bad-mommy’ stares just ignore them, chances are you will never see these people again.
No matter how well prepared you are things can still goes very wrong when it comes to flying internationally with a minor. Try not to stress out too much because your child will pick up on that, I know it is easier to said than done especially if you are flying solo but believe me it can be done. It would be great if you can grab your spouse/parents/uncles/or other relatives to come along but sometimes you will have to just go solo. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help and if someone offer a help, by all means take it!
Beirut, Lebanon in Pictures
Posted by Tatter in Photoblog Friday, 8 January 2010 23:46 2 Comments
Since I’ve been having a blogging-block and can’t seem to put anything in words, I thought I’d share these pictures that DH took in Beirut, Lebanon.
He took a day off to venture out to the town of Byblos located on the Mediterranean coast of present-day Lebanon, about 26 miles (42 kilometers) north of Beirut. I was in total awe of the pictures he took and his descriptions of the Crusader Castle, he said “I literally got goosebumps walking inside that place, thinking of those people who built it and use it in their era.” Did you know the word Bible that we know today came from the name of this town? Well, I didn’t!
Although Beirut is still considered unsafe especially for Americans, DH was impressed with the city and it’s mixed cultures of middle eastern heritage and the French influence, considering the country was occupied for approximately 27 years. Thus, most people speaks Arabic (the official language of the country), English and France. Wish I could come with him like we planned to, I know I’d go crazy taking pictures of one of the oldest civilized place on earth.
PS: He took the pictures with a point & shoot camera and wifey edited them 
Balikpapan, Revisited
Posted by Tatter in Indonesia, Photoblog Tuesday, 24 November 2009 13:31 No Comments
On Friday, November 20th, we had a chance to tag DH along for his business trip to Balikpapan.
Knowing that I spent some years living in Borneo before, made him wanting to take all of us there for the short trip. Last time I went there was in October 2007 with Lil’ A when he was only 7 months old to visit my parents who were still living in that city so I was excited to visit the oil city.
We took the first flight out of Jakarta, scheduled for 6:40 AM. Poor DH still had to finish up some works the night before and stayed up till 2:00 AM. Sure enough I had a hard time waking him up at a quarter before 5. We didn’t leave for the airport until around 5:40 AM and I started to get nervous that we’ll miss our flight. The very long queue line outside the terminal brought a knot in my stomach lol. Luckily, we saw one of the airline’s staff outside and DH quickly showed his badge then the staff ushered us in through the air crew door. Inside, DH just went to one of the open check in counters, again flashed his badge and we got everything taken care of lol. By the time we reached the gate they were already boarding.
We were the last ones boarding that plane because DH had to checked the plane thoroughly while Lil’ A and I waited by the stairs to board. I find it kind of amusing seeing the airline staffs looks puzzled as DH starts to inspects everything and although I’ve been at his job sites a lot before, I never seen him physically check a plane and boy, he didn’t miss a thing! Being part of the airline for only a few months, granted not everyone knows who he is and to him that is an advantage because he got to check on everything first handedly. Something like a ‘surprise inspection’.
Even after we boarded, DH didn’t immediately took his seat. He went to the cockpit, and checks everything from the inside too. One of the flight attendant gave him such a dirty look when he opened one of the two small overhead compartments designated for the plane’s documents and found a blanket stowed inside when the sign clearly said “Flight Documents. No Stowage.” She tried to argue with DH but he firmly told her NO.
Flying with DH and knowing that he ensured everything is in working orders surely gives me a comforting assurance lol. Lil’ A did so well on his flight even though we haven’t fly anywhere in errr 10 months lol. He wanted to fly again right after we landed.
We reached Balikpapan and someone from the airline were already there picking us up and even took care of our 1 suitcase while we waited for the car.
They took us the hotel, we had lunch then DH was picked up to go back to the airport and work. So Lil’ A and I decided to take a stroll around the hotel after we both took a nap. The city looks a little different to me since there are more new buildings and malls around but what I love about that city is its cleanliness, no wonder they won a lot of trophy for the cleanest city in Indonesia. We walked for almost an hour before heading back to the hotel, DH came back around 6:00 PM and we all went out for dinner. Too bad I didn’t bring my camera.
That night my father’s best friend and his wife, who’s been like my own uncle & aunt came by to drop something for my mother. They came with their granddaughter who’s about the same age as Lil’ A and they had met the last time I was in town in 2007. It’s amazing watching them two because she was such a calm lil’ girl while our boy is well…all boy lol.
The next day, my mom’s friend came over to pick us up with her son, again who’s in the same age as Lil’ A. She took us to Kebun Sayur market, a traditional market that sells gemstones, handicrafts and Borneo’s souvenirs. That place is a tiny heaven for jeweleries lovers, not only that the gems are real but they are way cheaper than if you buy them here in Jakarta. Highly recommended to visit that place! Unfortunately, we cannot stay too long as our boys’ starts to get antsy from the heat.
She then took me to this new mall called the E-center (I think), a brand spanking new mall in Balikpapan. Lunch, then it’s time to call it a day for Lil’ A starts to get too tired.
DH came home but he still had tons of stuffs to work on his computer while Lil’ A nap. We decided to check out Melawai area close to the port because I remembered there used to be lots of street food vendors there. Unfortunately, on our way there, it started raining and my aunt called. Well, technically she’s not really my aunt but her husband and our family has been very close since when I was little too. She invited us to dinner at a seafood restaurant. It was fun meeting them again after several years.
That pretty much wrapped up our very short visit to Balikpapan. DH mentioned that he wanted to visit the small town where I went to Junior High and spent a great deals of school breaks from high school, but there’s just not enough time to do all that since we were in Balikpapan for 3 days and 2 nights. Hopefully, in the future we all can go back there and visit Sangatta oh and try that famous Kenari Crab!
It was a fun getaway from Jakarta but now that we’re back I have to focus on preparing our little boy’s 3rd Birthday Party coming up next month. 
