Month withe Wind

Not gonna tell some stories as usual. But i feel like this month goes really fast as the wind. Probably gonna edit this post later, when i have some times to tell something interesting.

Blessed and How It Feels Much More in Bengkulu and Wonosobo

This blog post is very special since i write this with my heart that is full of blessing feeling.

I have heard it said that you will know the meaning of your existence and you will feel blessed, grateful, and feel loved by so many people in 5 situations; the time you were born, the moment you fall, your birthday, your wedding and the day you are dead. It is true, however there is some other moments when it happen to me, personally; Ramadhan Moment, Eid-il Fitr Moment, the moment you do solo traveling, the moment you do something good for others and every time i make other people laugh. Actually everyday i always could find something (little or big) to be thankful for, but it has exception in some times when my heart feels full of loves. By sometimes i meant, it happened precisely when i am with my best friends and families.

There are a lot of happy news coming in this month and before. Alhamdulillah. May it become as an opening for another happiness after. I have always that a kindness we share, will get back to us as kindness and doubled as happiness too. Even sadness sometimes will brings happiness. In my condition, for instance, I have this one full heart that i sincerely share and give fully to my grandma. Whatever I do, i do for the sake of her. Turns out, the more i share it, i receive more love and sincere heart from some sweet creatures. Magic, isn't it?

One thing that I have always believed and become my principle, if we do good, it will surely return goodness to us through things we do not expect. On the contrary, if we do bad (though only intention), then it will lessen the good things of our life by god. Initially, may be removed sensitive, over time a valuable thing. I have been there, done that. Hence, after living the life ups and downs with childish behavior and lot of dramas, Allah guides me. He guides me to just let out of happy and good things from my self to the outside. Alhamdulillah again. 

I am so grateful of my friends who spare their times for celebrating some good and happy times with me. Celebrating my birthday and indeed, my heart was full of loves even i can't hold. A thank you is never enough, i guess. More than that, Eid-il Fitr this year, i decided to spending the precious times with my precious big families. Biggest thankful of all. I finally could pray eid with my grandma, cuddling, snuggling with her, got feeded by her, sleep with her. I love being there with her and my big family. 

In the middle of happy times, there is something that hit my face quite hard. It is when i see my little baby cousins just grow up become pretty and cool teens. Hahaha. Means i am getting older, as well and i kinda hate the idea a lil bit. Seeing them getting grow, it reminded me of how i piggybacked them, cuddle them and ugh, Time indeed Flies fast. Nevertheless, i feel grateful of how they grow. Most importantly is their beautiful hearts, it still feels same. They are still amazingly capable to so much loves in my heart. 

Some times after i spent my times in Bengkulu, i was able spend another precious times in Wonosobo. Another home. Another beautiful place that i will always put my heart to. My Wonosobo family is as big as in Bengkulu, as precious as my family in Bengkulu. And nothing i could feel grateful for but that. 

Questioning Life in Malaysia

You know, you will finally feel that there are really a lot of good people out there precisely when you are alone. Along my trip, I (thankfully) met good people in every places. They helped me, they gave me things for granted, they showed me many of “how to-s”. How to go here and there alone, how to eat like the locals or even How to be a helpful people, for instance.

So, continued from my solo trip, after explored to some places in Spore, I decided to go to Malacca. I actually have planned to go there, and that’s why I bought my flight ticket back home from Kuala Lumpur. The thing was, I had not any plans at all. I had no idea where I should go and explore in Malaysia, or even how to go to Malaysia from Singapore. First time but not prepared, typical of “kurang kerjaan”. Not even did some research or looked for information. So, my last day in Singapore, I decided to wandering around the city by bus, which took me to the Woodlands, the check point when you want to continue your trip to Malaysia. I just thought, well okay, this is the place where i should go for tomorrow. In fact,  the Woodlands I visited before was different to the woodlands I should go to.

Arrived to the check point, i just followed the flow, people went here while bringing their passport, i just followed them. Until, the line that i followed was only for Singaporean. Hahaha. Then i changed to the other line. So, my trip to Malaysia, i had to rode the bus from Queenstown to Woodlands, and i had to pass the imigration check in Woodlands and continue to Johor Baru to get checked. In Johor Baru, i missed my bus after imigration check because... I was going to the left while the right direction was to the right. Haha so i took some bus (In Indonesia, the bus was like kopaja 76). Turned out, the price was way cheaper! And i could see the locals went to school, or went for work or probably to the market because two of them brought a lot of vegetables. It was cool :)

In Kuala Lumpur,  I stayed a night in Backhome hostel. I thought, the name was kind of odd. Until i arrived, the workers greeted me “ Welcome Backhome” . it was like, Welcome Back Home. I was like, ah i see.. Hahaha. The place was good. It provided a lot of entertainment things to do, like mini theater for example. I choosed it because it was close to Masjid Jamek, one of biggest mosques in Malaysia. When i went to masjid Jamek for Pray zuhur, the architecture was cool ! They made rules, and one of them was the visitor (foreigner) had to wear a robe. So cute seeing those foreigner wearing the robe and walking around here and there. Feeling like seeing the real little red riding hood.

Then, i went to Batu Caves. It was preferable place to go, so here i went. I just read a map to go to places i wanted to go (randomly), and asked a lot of people. Many people. Seriously, when i was in doubt, i asked. When i was afraid, i asked. When i thought i was wrong, i observed, then i asked. However, i got not only informations but some new friends.

In a train station to Batu Caves, i was just sitting down waiting for the train, some big families came too. They asked me the direction, which i was not so sure too because it was my first time too. But they just easily trusted in me and followed me around. It felt like i was their tour guide. They were from Philiphine. They came for a holiday, just like me. Their name .... were quite bit hard and they were a lot. So i couldnt memorize it all. We talked a lot, they were curious and asked me about my trip, about Indonesia and suggested me to come to their house for visit (which I WOULD LOVE TO !) hahaha.

So until the Batu Caves, we were wondering around with me pretending as their tour guide. They said i knew more about the place like i was there before. The fact was, i searched on google and instagram before i go. About the story, or just looked for the good spot to take some pictures. It reminded me of something my Papa told me, long time ago when i was in school "There are no smart people in the world. There are only some people who know about a lot of things first before  a lot of people know about it or they found something that haven't been found by other people". By that, i felt superior, lol.

That day, after went to Batu Caves (in the same day i arrived to Kuala Lumpur), i said goodbye to the Philipines family, i continued my trip to.. The Twin Tower. At night, with my energy was in the low mode. It was cool to see the copy-paste buildings. But thing was cooler was seeing a lot of people in front of it taking picture. The KLCC tasted like a play ground or night market. thing was the coolest was, me sat down beside one old man who just smile at his children and grand daughter playing water fountain. He seemed enjoying his life (in full of crowded life). 

Journey (of life) in Singapore

May already. May the force be with you. 

I am going to write about the sequel of my journey before. Continued from the Batam trip, after the wedding ceremony has done, Me and Nesya decided to visit to one of our friend's house in Singapore. So off we went. It has been so long too to ride a ferry to pass the river in between.

It has amazing to finally see the ocean after this long time. We finally arrived at Singapore Harbour after almost 3 hours on the boat. We decided to go directly to our friend's house, since we woke up late and activities afterwards came late as well. There we went to Ang Mo Kio, Iro's house. 

A little story about Iro, she is one of my happy pills back in the University. One of #teamAlto members in choir organization. While in the choir, I kinda have peer-group which accidentally consisted of girls who have the same type of sound, team Alto. It was Me, Nesya, Thata, Atu, Tarling and Ironica. Fun fact, we have our own stage name, back then. Ironica, actually is the stage name. Her original name is Dilla. Mine is Polfon. Since we have mostly spent some times together was in the organization, we usually called each other with our stage names, and i rarely heard they call me  "Uci" ever since. But it's okay, our stage name were so catchy. Anyway, back then we almost spent our, you know, 5 days (or more) per week together. Things that i am very thankful for right now is i have joined the choir organization and met them. They made my hard time easier. Especially back in college. You know, tasks, tests, datelines, they somehow managed all of those anxieties and stresses away. I think each of us did well for each other. Then, after we graduated, thankfully we still keep in touch and spare some times to catch up. But since Iro gave birth, me and Nesya haven't visited her and her baby, Nio. So that's why we forced ourselves to cross the sea to Singapore. Meeting our nephew, baby Nio !

Back to the story, arriving in Singapore, Iro actually has already gave us direction to her house. But with our idea-ass, the journey to her house seemed heavier and longer. Lucky me just brought a backpack and a sling bag. Nesya should push the suitcase wherever we walk. and we went there by walking so it was indeed quite tiring. Something worth it was when we arrived at her house, there was baby Nio, smiling at us and .... some foods that have been cooked by mas Bondan, Iro's husband, special for us. It was delicious! seriously tasty! No kidding. Then, while we ate, we spent some times there, sharing stories about each of us over the years. Talked some deep talks. About how life changed for Iro after got married and having Nio. or how my and nesya's job is, or about my thesis or flashback to how we were, reminiscing our life in several years ago or how our life is and how life should be and supposed to be for us, in the next years. Funny thing is, we've barely met for a year, and when we met, it was not awkward instead praying that one day should be more than 24 hours. I guess. 

As this was a sudden trip, Nesya hasn't been planning to stay longer in Singapore while i have prepared myself to the contrary. So Nesya just spent one day in Spore and went back home at night in the same day we arrived. So it was just me, being Uci the explorer. Anyway, after Nesya flee back, I continued having dinner with Iro at Marina Bay, and played with Nio. It was about 9pm and it was Sunday. So after we finished our dinner and some chit chatted, we separated there because mas Bondan had to go to work the day after. Then, i continued exploring to some places all by myself. Hence, since it was closed to Garden by the bay, i decided to go there (since a lot of people say it was amazing when you came at night). it was tiring, though because before meeting with Iro at the mall, i have been searched my hostel to checked in and put my belonging first. So my feet were already reached its limits to walk. But i still kept forcing it to walk to wondering around. I went to Garden by the bay and along the road, the view was mesmerizing, filled by lighting and lamps. Since i was traveling alone, there were some moments when i had to .. you know, getting close to stranger and ask them to take a picture of me. Most of them were just kindhearted and willing to do that. I thank them. Just so you know, i was wondering at night until 12.30am. alone. yes.

picture taken by a stranger who strangely do workout, which is running, at 11.30 pm

It was my first time tho' to walked here and there alone at midnight. Strangely, I felt save. It was probably because it was Singapore. Like if i did that in Indonesia, i probably surrounded by the fear (of ghost and bad people). Aaaaand, i think it was also because there were still a lot of people who explored the place like me, i didn't think any bad thoughts. at all. Wondering alone in Garden by The Bay, at midnight, made me think about another world. It automatically brought you to some imaginary places like in the movies. Like Avatar for example. I was exhausted and decided to just sit and saw the trees with those lamp around me. There was a moon. It was a good night tho'.

After scrolled around the south of the city, i went back to the hostel. I stayed a night in The Little Red Dot in Lavender Road. The concept is capsule bed bunk. The price was quite cheap as well, so that's why i choose to sleep there. At first, i was quite bit afraid since the place was on the roadside, the atmosphere of the hostel was dark and the walls are black. Like less light. I am so negative thinking because of it. moreover, many men stay there. and I got there already at night when cheked in. but, you know, do not ever judge a book from its cover. seriously. do not. It may sounds overly exaggerate, but i reeeeaaaaalllyyyy had a good sleep there. I even woke up at 10am. Felt like my own bed. The owner also was so kind to me. Things that quite annoying (at first) was.. I got the upper bed which was not accordance to my request before (because i have never slept on upper bed bunk before, so that was my first time tho'). But turned out, upper bed was the best. I had not listen people pass over and couldn't hear any noisy. So, my staying there was 9,5 of 10 (this is not endorsement post :p).

After i cleaned up myself, i directly went to eat breakfast. I looked right and left to look for empty chair and there i met a man, 19 years old, from Finland, ate his breads. This is why i love solo traveling. You know, you can meet anyone, talk to anyone, try to understand anyone and be that anyone without feeling any burden. Even if you can't speak, just be you is the key. We started talking about a lot of things. Mostly about traveling. He, whom i forgot the name, saved his money for four years to travel. He supposed to continue his study last year but instead he spare one year to travel. He still is going to continue his study starting this year. Along one year, he has visited Japan, Australia, USA, and even Indonesia. The last place he was going to explore was Thailand. Amazing how he could make a decision like that and he said it was for fulfilling his curiosity. To enjoy the life. To look for happy moments so when he is down, memories about his journey will motivate him again in doing whatever that is. Also, it probably could help his study later by his experiences. That is one of the benefits i could get when i do solo traveling. When i did the journey, i observe my interlocutors (which were mostly foreigners), they are so open to something new. New people, new stories, new experience, new ideas, new opinion, new mindset and they rarely using their phone to spend their spare time. They rather talk. They like to talk. About anything. I don't know if it is true, but people who i have met along my trip were mostly big talker. And i reaaalyyy love that. I got new information, experience, stories and even new friends. Because of that experience, I have my own mantra.

"Life is all about collecting. Collect the things that make you happy. Collect the laughs. Collect the moment. Collect the stories. Collect the memories."

By that, i always feel grateful and happily do what i am doing without any burden. Because when i start getting stressed, i tell myself... This is for your memories. Make it good, and enjoy it. Kind of trashy mantra but somehow it works with me.

After that, i continued strolling around. Because the day before was exhausting, i decided to just enjoy whatever my eyes spotted on. I have never made itinerary whenever i go, so just go wherever my feet brought me to. I went to Merlion first and met some tourists from Germany and you know, talk a bit with one or two of them. Taking and asking for taking of the picture too. Then going to little india. In this place i just realized that there were a lot of artsy things. I even randomly went to Rafless hospital (just go in and immediately out), eating halal noodle in woodlands, and it surprisingly brought me to Bukit Panjang (which i have no idea why) and just back to Clark Quay then to Bugis. I was randomly went to the art science museum as well. It was good, just in this place i have finally wished someone was there with me, talking about how the arts could be that amazing. Then, for the last was back to where i belong, Ang Mo Kio, meeting baby Nio :).

picture taken by a stranger indian man who just passed the street while sipping his milo (not so sure)

picture taken by a stranger mother with her friend who just walked around with their groceries

People may see me weird but since the concept just enjoy unplanned place and random things, I was very happy. I took bus instead train. It made me think again. Going here and there by bus probably was not as fast as the train. was not as clear as by train. and probably looked  confusing and no specific destination, not like by train. But.. turned out, it brought new viewpoint for me. You look your phone a lot when you are in train. Because all around was just black (since the railway was underground). But by bus, you can see a lot of things. Real things. Buildings, People, Trees, Grass, Road, and even funny things that is very possible to be seen. It may be slower but it teaches you to appreciate the process. To enjoy way from one place to another place and everything in between. Just like life. It may look slow and long heavy bumpy road, but change the perspective, and we will appreciate every bit of process and everything in it. We are not hurry in reaching or getting things. Eventually, we will get what we need. I have always believed that do solo traveling could make a person grow. I just couldn't believe it happened to me. I am moved.

Anyway, just counting some days to the new me. to the new journey of life. It is gonna be Epic, self. It's gonna be epic. I promise. :)

picture taken by a stranger young girl with her friend beside, after asking me for taking their picture. you know, an apple for an apple. 

High Hopes and Time Machine in Batam

I have read an article about how passion works. Speaking of that, there is no rule in doing with passion. In my point of view, generally, passion is about things you love to do and repeat doing it as long as you like it and it helps you fulfill your soul and desires. Passion makes you happy. So, whatever makes you happy, it probably could be yours. By that, there also is not any rules about the amount of it. No. If there are some things, whether one two three and even hundred things, that make you happy to do that and you repeat doing that with heart and it can fulfill your desires and make you alive, that could be passion. I agree with that. No rules that passion could be just one. As small creature in this wide world, we have chance to explore so many things. As human being that has sense of taste, we have chance to feel so many things too. By that, it sometimes confuse us what is our passion. In this case, it is me. 

I actually have visited Batam before, for vacation. It was for a week, so it made us have explored all around. From the north to the south, west to the east. It was memorable for me and my friends each days. I have never thought that i could visit there again after this long time. Restu (or we call her "Bat"), who lived in Batam and was being tour guide in Batam in 2011, surprised us about her getting married. So we were asking her this and that, and of course in a rush looked for some plane ticket. We were that excited and devastated at the same time. Since she is one of our friends that has thoughts as random as us. Like really random. I mean it's like we are in different places right this moment, but 4 hours later by our random thought and action, we probably could be arrive in Bandung or any places together. Going to Karaoke or you know, climbing a hill at night just to see the lighting around the village. And we end up sleep over together, talking about all the things that we may talk in one place that we probably have never visited. She is that kind of girl. I mean, we were that random. We are going to miss that.

So, i have never thought that i would go back to Batam, 7 years later. Batam has always had a special place in my heart. I have good memories when in Batam, and i have found my time machine to happy times in there. As i told before, we were that random, so there were full of surprises when i was in Batam, several years ago. And that made me happy and the imagination about that place is just, you know, exciting (eventhough i somehow forgot what exactly was making me happy). So (FUN FACT) we supposed to have a flight in the early morning with Thata's family as well. But since me and Nesya are overslept, we just missed the flight. yes. We have missed the flight. In fact, we were running as fast as we could and just arrived in the waiting room exactly 2 minutes after the door has closed. The next flight was 6 hours later and we just in a hurry to look for another plan ticket. We ran from one counter to another, looking for any earlier flight but still the most likely was the flight at 12 pm. We called Restu and just could laugh, while she got headache thinking how could we possibly miss the flight. hahahahah. We calmed her and told her that we were going to arrive soon. So this was my first time having flight missed. I just could laugh and you know trying to find the positive side. HAHA. but it was fun, actually. Since i was going to collect the story and moment wherever i go, so we enjoyed the time.

Having time wondering with Nesya has always brought new stories. Funny stories. Indonesian says : "Ada aja ya kalau kalian lagi berdua". Like our life just meant to make some funny stories to be told. Our life just meant to make other people laugh. But we proud of that ( I think?) hahaha. So, for the 6 hours, we decided to ate first. You know, after running here and there, got tired, eating was the best choice to get some rest. Then, while we ate, we talked. A lot. We joked. A lot. We laughed. A lot. I saw some of people at the restaurant laughing at us, too. We did video call too with Sandra and Mizan, telling them our flight-missed-stories. By that, time just flew. We finally on board.

Stomp my feet on the land, we met the make up artist with some big luggages and off we went to the hotel. My first thought was, nothing much different after these years. Just there are more good people i know here. One thing that stay in our mind is, we was just going nowhere, passing the empty road with some hills as our view on the right and left side, and listening to Bruno Mars - Nothing on you, and we were going far just like that for some hours. Talking, Laughing, Munching, and sometimes there was silence, and repeat it again. That was what i remember the most, so when i heard that Bruno Mars song, it automatically brought me to Batam.

7 years ago, we had a chance to visit to some places in Batam. But, this year, since we were going to Batam to help the bride, we had no chance to explore more. Thankfully, we still had a chance to taste the delicious foods. Yong-kee the fish soup is one of a kind. Well, Batam has a lot of good delicious foods. If i have stayed in there for a long time, i probably could gain weight. Other is like cake villa, the banana cake. Ugh it is good. Or Mie lendir and my long lost friend, Prata. Not to mention, Restu's mom's cooks. Tante Noven's food are the bomb! Like Semarang, Batam has my taste too!

Since we could not explore more in there like several years ago, we were just hanging around the city, tasting food, visit the "Hollywood-like-sign" and went to Ocarina. There were some places i actually was dying to go back again. Jembatan Barelang, the nighty hills (I don't know the name), Kampung Vietnam, and others. If you would come there, check that places out. It was good places to go.

What i learned when i came back here again, there are still so many good people in the world. I am touched. Bat's family are one of them. All of them were very kind-hearted. They helped us in every second time, sincerely. They took us as part of their family. It made me wanna cry since they did a lot of good things for me and Nesya. We were treated in the very best way. We were very grateful. Well, nothing change much there. We were slept over with the bride there, as it used to be. Chatting until my eyes were heavy, laughing until my voice were husky, but we love doing that. I do. So there was a message for us from the bride that touch my heart.

"You know, my life is always full of love drama. Boys easily come and go very often. Then there is a big point where I was tired and prayed with God, surrender. My praying was if it's the way I can not get married, at least please help me to make my mom happy, to make my family proud of me. You know, when we surrender to the One who has us, magic things happened. Trust me, Allah has the best plan for us, after all. And this is based on true story, bat."

Then i just remembered the moment me and Nesya up above the sky, on the way to meeting her, we talked about how the life is. Funny that we can not imagine what would life bring to us. There, above the sky, we did the deep talks that realize me our age may be get old but the road is still so long for us. We talked various and random things. From our zodiac, our personality, how to take things by our personality, how it related to psychology that we have been studied before (haha). Then talked about family, passions that we keep searching for, things surround us and most of all about ourselves. By that, we talked about our dreams, what we want to reach, about the futures, and got the conclusion that though the road will be bumpy, hard, or confusing, our road is still long. There are so many things that we could do, about the future that we want to reach, about the things that we want to change, about what has been wronged with us for this time and how to fix things.

Never crossed in my mind to have such a deep discussion like that above the sky with the blue sky and white clouds as view. The High Hopes. We planned the dreams, talked about that and prayed for that. The higher place we talk, the closer we get, i said. Aamiin. But then, we realize that Allah has the best plan, after all. Laa Hawla Wala Quwwata Illla Billah. :")