Travel for Friendship: East Java

"Siapa yang suka dilapangkan rizkinya dan dipanjangkan umurnya hendaklah dia menyambung silaturrahmi." (HR. Bukhari no. 5985 dan Muslim no. 2557)

This sentence is hadith of Bukhari told the benefit of “silaturahmi” keep in touch with people. And since I have many friends in scattered places, cities and countries, talking to them daily through the internet made me want to see them face to face.

In early 2013, I start to think about this trip. Usually trips is intended to visit tourist destination, but not mine, I intended to visit my friends. If I go to tourist destination, that is a bonus.

Here it is, for start, I will visit friends in East Java area!

Saturday afternoon, 02:10 PM from Pasar Senen Train Station, by Kertajaya Train, I go to my first destination.

Bojonegoro

It took 12 hours from Jakarta to Bojonegoro by economy class train, so I arrive on 2 am.

When I arrived at Bojonegoro Station off course almost nobody there except officers, and when I wait for my friend to pick me up, a police officer who must be worried about me ask me about where I want to go. And I realize that I don’t know the exact address where my friend’s house located. But it was OK for the officer when I told him that my friend is on the way to the station.

Then he came, we go directly to his hospital, not his house, well he is a hospital officer who took night shift. Then I took a rest in his office, sleeping until morning.

Night shift is over, we go to his house, take a shower, chit chat with his family, and get ready for our trip to Tuban.

Before leaving this small town Bojonegoro, we – me, my friend and his wife and kids- have breakfast first at Soto Lamongan. With full tummy, we’re ready to depart to Tuban by car. Yep I didn’t visit any tourist destination here, but to know where my friend’s place for work and his house is enough.
So long Bojonegoro, till we meet again.

Tuban

It took 2 hours trip by car to Tuban. Our first destination is going to a beach! It was about 10.30 am, so it was a hot day, but a bit cooler when we touch the water. Not much wave since it is North Sea, different from South Sea beach. After 1 hour playing with sands, we think it enough, well we adult who think it was enough, not the kids, they just want to play and play.

Time to eat, we eat seafood there, I hope fresh seafood since we’re just meters away from the sea. We eat while waiting another friend came.
And here it is he came with his wife and his youngest kid. 2 yo but so big kid huh?

After a while, we’re still waiting for another friend, but then we decided to go to my friend house and wait there.
Chit chat, playing, laughing, and since we are friends from plant forum, so off course we had to see his yard, his collection of bonsai. Have some discussion.

Finally my other friend is arrived, we go immediately to his house.
First destination at his house is his roof top garden. Full of plants: sanseviera, some flowers, many fruits like Putsa, Sawo, Kelengkeng, Jambu, Tin, etc which we can pick the fruit. I brought many putsa to my next destination.

Then since this friend like to fishing in game center, so he has sooo many dolls and toys! He can actually start bathing with dolls! So I take some dolls and toys as gift for my next destination. I had enough with dolls at my room, which came from same source, this friend.


It is time to say goodbye to Tuban, leaving at 4 pm go to Pandaan. This time I go alone, I take bus, it cost 17K IDR to Surabaya, from Surabaya I take another bus to Pandaan, and it cost 23K. Actually I can go cheaper, but my friend forgot to remind me earlier to take economy bus instead of “PATAS” bus to Pandaan.

Pandaan

Arrive about 8 pm at Pandaan, another friend - this time a woman - pick me up then we go for a dinner. Then go to her house.
After clean up and small talks with her husband, time for off to bed.

Good morning Pandaan. Lazy time. At first we don’t have any plan. Well actually we have, but drop it already cause another friend who came up with the idea had to go off the country. But voila, she offers for the same trip just me and her without her kids. So we went to Taman Safari! Yeay!

About 10 am we arrive, then go around the park with bus service. I go crazy like a kid who never saw wild animals before ha ha. But yes there is 1 animal species that I have never seen before, penguin. Took so many pictures there. Zip the story. Around 2.30 pm we go home and arrived about 3 pm, clean up and take a nap, say yes to lazy!

In the afternoon, my other friends came, a girl, so officially we will have many girl talks until the next day.
No special thing we did except eating, girls talking, laughing until the next day I had to leave Pandaan.

Around 1 pm go by bus to Surabaya, cost 7K. Less than 1 hour, I arrive at Bungur bus station, and then go by ojek/motor taxi to another destination, cost 20K to Tropodo

Tropodo

My other friend lives in Tropodo, Sidoarjo. Tropodo is area in Surabaya, near to airport, perfect distance because I will leave to Jakarta by plane.

Enter her house, I stunned by her cloth in bedroom. Cause it has same pattern I already have! Funny to realize that we attract to the same pattern.

It has been almost 2 years since we met the last time. So we just chatting (and eating) for about 3 hours.
Time to go home, she deliver me by her motorcycle to airport, took only 15 minutes trip.

Finally boarding the plane, and adding the excitement for the entire trip, the guy next to me in the plane is my friend to! What a coincidence HE gave to me.

Arrived home safely with the happy feeling. This is one of the happiest trips I have. Can’t wait to have another “Travel for Friendship” to another place and different friends.


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Trivia: How many “friend” word in this entry? More than 20! Ah I love my friends

Catatan Perjalanan Jogja-Dieng 3-4 Des 2012

Disepakati kumpul di terminal Jombor jam 8 pagi max jam 9 pagi. jam 8 saya dan deli sudah sampai di terminal, berturut2 kemudian datang sabi dan husnay. eka datang terahir karena kelamaan mandi haha.

Kemudian naik bis jurusan semarang dan turun d terminal magelang, ongkos 7 ribu (atau 8rb?)Sambil menunggu teman2 deli meluncur dari jogja, husnay pun sarapan.
Setelah rombongan kedua datang, segera mengarah naik ke bis mikro jurusan wonosobo. ongkos 15 ribu. Dalam perjalanan, bis menjemput jack item yang menunggu di armada, (dekat) RSJ. hampir terlewat karena kondekturnya lupa.

Perjalanan panjang menuju wonosobo penuh dinamika, dari penuh nya angkot maka beragam tingkah dan "bau" pun menyeruak disini. Dari bau anyir darah (sepertinya ada penumpang yg lagi "datang bulan") lalu bau keringat
Hujan turun dengan lumayan deras dan menambah dingin bis tanpa ac tersebut. apalagi nasib teman2 yang duduk d bangku belakang cukup terkena efek angin semilir


Akhirnya sampai di terminal wonosobo dengan derai hujan. sebagian rombongan setor dulu ke toilet, anggota rombongan lain ngemil gorengan, lontong , kelaparan ceritanya.

Untuk naik ke dieng ada alternatif sewa angkot, dan jumlah personil rombongan 10 orang dan harga dibuka oleh "calo" angkot dg ongkos 150rb. Tawar menawar terjadi dengan sengit, dan disepakati di angka 125ribu (so 1 orang 12.5 ribu). Sembari terguncang2 di angkot, kegiatan lainnya adalah ngemil dan becanda :D

Sekitar pukul 2 siang, sampailah kami di penginapan bu djono yaitu meeting point yg disepakati dan bingung karena tak satupun temen-temen berada di sana. Sambil berusaha menghubungi temen2 lain (sinyal susah & banyaknya nomor tdk aktif dari teman-teman) kamipun pesan makanan.

Akhirnya husnay sukses menghubungi garayy (cmiiw). setelah tenang, kami pun makan dg lahap,indomie rebus, setengah porsinya adalah kol!


Lanjut menuju penginapan, disana temen2 sudah duduk manis main PS hahaha



nampak penjaga homestay berfoto. eh salah, itu kadal :p
Lantai 1 homestay adalah toko pupuk dan sejenisnya, jadi pengen beli pupuk buat taneman tin dan bunga wijaya kusuma ku

Next, mulai jalan-jalan...





Sampai di komplek candi Gatotkaca, kemudian around around komplek candi.

Kemudian perjalanan pulang, beli martabak dulu, saya pesan 3 loyang martabak manis alias terang bulan. Kemudian teman lain pesan 2 atau 3 porsi juga. dan ludes dalam sekejab! Saat makan malam saat yang dinanti, dengan semangat kita memandang lauk ayam dll. tapi ternyata? ayamnya super alot hahaha. Oke bed time, buat yang mau tidur.sebagian main PS atau curhat haha

Pagi hari disepakati akan menikmati sunrise, perjanjian awal yang ikut harus bangun jam 4, lalu jam 4.15 brangkut. tapi itu teori saja, prakteknya baru berangkat sekitar jam 4.45,

Sekitar 12 orang berada di pick up, dan terguncang-guncang dalam keremangan pagi.
ketika trekking, awalnya saya berjalan tepat di belakang pemandu yang adalah mas-mas yang akan berjualan di atas.
sekitar 10 menit berjalan masih bisa mengikuti ritme kecepatannya. tapi kemudian tumbang juga. satu demi satu rombongan menyusul saya.

Nafas tersengal-sengal, disertai betis dan tumit yang mulai menegang adalah bayaran untuk mencapai puncak bukit. Setelah puas,puas foto-foto maksudnya, kita lalu menuruni bukit, perjalanan cukup ramai dengan kegiatan snap a picture, beda dengan pas naik bukitnya :D



Sampailah kami di kaki bukit, markipi, mari kita ngopi. Kopi, pop mie, energen dan sagon adalah menu kami.

Lanjut ke sasaran selanjutnya, telaga sikunir.

Lalu kembali k homestay untuk makan. thx to the girls yang udah masak nasi goreng

Setelah energi terisi, lanjut jalan kaki ke telaga warna

Naik ke bukit, kata si kukuh si ga tinggi kok, landai tapi aga jauh. ternyata mah sama aja tinggi haha. sesi foto-foto donk lanjut. Setelah turun bukit kemudian ke tepi telaga warna. Saat pulang rombongan terpisah, sebagian ingin makan mie ongklok, sebagian pulang ke homestay. Lanjut beli oleh-oleh khas Dieng, beli Purwoceng yaitu sejenis obat penambah stamina yang adalah titipan teman dan manisan buah Carica.

Sekitar jam 2 siang, temen2 rombongan jakarta pulang, 1 jam kemudian rombongan jogja.
So long dieng....I will be back

Ziarah I

Berikut catatan perjalanan ziarah di bulan Maret 2010.
copas dari postingan di forum dari tret:

1. [FR] Wisata Ziarah ForSup KasKus “SAUNG BANDUNG”
2. [FR] Ziarah Ke Pamijahan, Ciung Wanara dan Candi Cangkuang

Tujuan Ziarah adalah ke Cinunuk, Godog Suci,Pamijahan, area Garut-Tasikmalaya.

sekitar 1 minggu seblm hari H sudah mulai pematangan rencana, mendekati hari H semakin yakin kalo bakal jadi cewe sendiri, but its ok, sapa takut?

ketika diumumkan meeting time adalah jam 9 di GBA Bandung dan sudah dapet wanti2 tidak boleh telat boleh telat, maka diputuskan naik travel yg jam 6 berangkat dari jakarta. sekitar 8.15 sudah mendarat d MTC, menunggu jemputan yang ternyata terjadi missunderstanding

sekitar jam 9 meluncur ke lokasi meeting point, yang ternyata macet karen ada sedikit banjir .
then saya liat ada gerbang sebuah kompleks, lalu ada indomaret,pengen mampir beli sesuatu, tapi karena sbnrnya sudah penuh perbekalan, jadi tidakjadi mampir krn juga macet *jadi cuma hasrat belanja aja sbnrnya

lanjut ngobrol2 hot dg mas 'na sang penjemput, kemudian dia berkata
"padahal tempat bram ga jauh dr sini, cuma 200 meter, di depan ada indomaret ga mbak?"
(so, petunjuk lokasi adalah indomaret)
viwi tengok2 ke depan dan jawab, "ga ada mas"
then saya mulai mikir
"ga mungkin ada indomaret yang berdekatan hanya berjarak 200meter saja"
lalu menengok ke belakang memastikan yg dah dilewati tadi adalah indomaret

dan setelah ngakak2 kami berdua mulai yakin klo belokan itu sudah terlewati!
padahal jarak tadi hanya beberapa meter saja, namun sudah 30menit kami disitu
intinya KELEWATAN BO!!!! and wasting 30minutes!! arghhhh

*moral of the story, pay attention to the road, jangan keasyikan ngobrol hihihi

akhirnya memasuki tempat bram yg asri ijo royo-royo sebagai meeting point.
sambil nunggu, saya makan yellow rice yang tidak lebih enak dr yellow rice nya pak tarna STT Telkom, temen2 berkontak2 ria dg tmn2 yg blm nyampe d meeting point.

singkat cerita akhirnya kami kumpul di dekat gerbang tol trus karena harus nganter 1 mobil yg ga jadi dipake, saya ikut mas 'na jalan2 menyusuri jalanan di bandung sambil menghabiskan yellow rice tadi.

ohya, viwi tanya salah satu peserta dia berangkat jam brp k meeting point?
and guess what?dia berangkat jam 10 dr kos!
padahal meeting time aja jam 9! saya aja bela2in tuh jam 6 dr jkt biar ga telat. Payahh...

ok, sekitar jam 12 berangkat!!!!!

Sekitar jam 2 lapar mulai mendera, cemilan tak cukup mengganjal perut kosong,
akhirnya makan d warung padang, laper tapi ga napsu makan.

1. Cinunuk



sampai di cinunuk,segera melangkah ke tempat pancuran sekaligus tempat mandi, Sebelum masuk ke makam, mandi sumur tujuh cinunuk dulu… mata air yang sangat segar ini dipercaya memiliki khasiat2 tertentu… biasanya para peziarah sebelum masuk ke makam Pangeran Papak mandi dulu disini… atau mungkin sekedar wudlu…

setelah peristiwa lempar koin dan berdoa, mulai ngintip tempat mandi
dari luar diliat, bikin sedikit lega karena terlihat sekat2 tembok sebagai pembatas tempat mandi.

tapi setelah dicek ternyata ga da penutup! dan saya yang cewe sendiri juga jiper,
kalo sama tmn sendiri si yakin mereka ga brani usil, tp klo ada org lain yg nyelonong masuk kan berabe hihi

Tips:
buat cewe, next time bawa perlengkapan tempur yang lebih save biar ga deg2an hihi
klo bisa jgn sendiri, biar saling jaga klo pas ganti baju


Kemudian naik ke kompleks makam Pangeran Wangsa Muhammad.


2. Godog Suci Keramat Sunan Rohmat Kian Santang

Godog terletak 10 km di sebelah timur kota Garut , di Desa Lebak Agung Kecamatan Karangpawitan. Di Godog Suci ini, bersemayam salah satu karuhun sunda yang memeluk agama Islam, yaitu Kian Santang Galantrang Setra… beliau adalah putera Sri Baduga Maharaja Prabu Siliwangi.. setelah masuk Islam beliau berganti nama menjadi Sunan Rohmat
Sampai lokasi, istirahat ngopi2 dulu, then siap2 jalan2 ke makam, pendakian dimalam gelap pun dimulai. Makam berada di bukit, jadi untuk menuju kompleks makam melalui jalan beraspal dan tangga.

gerbang makam


Tips:
-bawa cukup penerangan (klo ziarah malam) atur nafas dan minimalkan bawaan biar ga berat,
-ohya, bawa receh dalam jumlah cukup, banyak bgt yang meminta sedekah

3. Pamijahan

gerbang kompleks ziarah


berfoto di gerbang, yang menyatakan apa saja larangan selama di area tertentu kompleks ini.



setelah melewati gerbang, kami pun berjalan melwati lorong panjang dan sedikit mendaki yang dipenuhi toko yang menjual beragam barang dari baju, cemilan, souvenier, senjata,macem2 dah kuatkan niat, bukan buat belanja setelah ziarah boleh deh belanja hihihi

akhirnya sampai di masjid kecil,tempat transit sebelum naik ke komplek makam
wajah keletihan, mengantuk, sudah sangat terlihat. setelah packing memasukkan sandal sepatu ke dalam tas kresek, mulailah pendakian ke komplek makam setelah sampai di makam teratas, begitu banyak orang yang tidur d t4 itu *kami sampai d lokasi sekitar jam 1 pagi*.

kemudian berdoa diawali oleh juru kunci, dan dilanjutkan masing2
godaan besar datang, NGANTUK!!! harus konsentrasi penuh buat berdoa dan tawasulan
satu per satu bergelimpangan hiihi tapi perjalanan harus dilanjutkan, menuju gua Saparwadi!


Tips:
-tas kresek yang tadi di pakai buat tempat alas kaki, jgn dibuang klo masih mau k gua saparwadi,
soalnya di gua kan lepas alas kaki lagi (kecuali yakin alas kakinya cukup aman dan nyaman dipakai di area gua) jadi tas nya masih dipakai


perjalanan panjang kami lalui lagi....masih dengan pamandangan warung souvenier

eh ditengah suasana gelap dan lingkungan warung td, ada terlihat beberapa rumah,
saya dan seorang teman ngakak bareng stelah liat ada antena parabola disitu, setelah pulang, baru terlihat bnyk antena serupa d tempat itu,lolasi yang cukup sulit dijangkau frekuensi televisi, jadi haru spakaii antena parabola.

akhirnya sampai d gerbang gua, setelah putu2, masuk lah kami dengan menggulung celana tinggi2.

diawali dengan adzan, kami memasuki gua, seruan kebesaran Tuhan terus kami lantunkan selama di gua.

kesan pertama liat gua ini adalah Subhanallah, KEREN ABIS!!!



Nama Safarwadi berasal dari bahasa Arab, yaitu
"safar" (jalan) ...dan
"wadi" (lembah/jurang).

Jadi, Safarwadi adalah :
jalan yang berada di atas jurang, sesuai dengan letaknya di antara dua bukit di pinggir kali.

Goa saparwadi memiliki pintu masuk dan pintu keluar yang berbeda… tetapi secara tradisional, jalur yang dianggap pintu masuk terletak di sebelah tenggara (Kampung Pamijahan) dan pintu keluar di sebelah barat laut (Kampung Panyalahan). Diukur dari kedua pintu itu, panjang gua mencapai sekitar 284 m dan bagian terlebar mencapai 24,50 m. Menurut perhitungan juru pelihara, ruang dalam gua tersebut mempunyai keluasan 6.950 m2, yang tertutup bukit terjal seluas 26.568 m2. goa ini terletak di bukit gunung mujarrod yang dalam bahasa sunda berarti tempat menenangkan hati…

Goanya tidak pengap, malah cenderung sejuk dan segar… mungkin karena ventilasinya bagus… bebatuan didalamnya cenderung licin, karena sepanjang goa dialiri mata air yang tidak pernah kering… stalaktit dan stalagmite menghiasi atap dan dinding goa.

Penjelajahan saat itu berlangsung sekitar 3.5 jam, namun kalau kita hanya berjalan sambil lalu, cukup 20 menit waktu untuk melintasi gua ini.

Di kompleks Pamijahan ini terdapat beberapa kompleks makam.

Saya ke kompleks ini 2 x, pada bulan Maret dan bulan April. dan rasanya kepingin lagi, terutama ke gua Saparwadi :)

Wrap up of My Trips (1) :Museums

Long time i didn't update this blog.
Here is some of my activities.....

Visits to museums
Sometime in February, me, accompany 2 members of working team from Japan to visit several museums in Jakarta, along with their secretary.

Start on 8.30 from my place, to pick up the team on their hotels, then because that day is the Car Free Day -every Sunday the last/fourt week of the month, the Sudirman and Thamrin street are closed for cars and other vehicle- so we couldn't take cab to the destination, coz it will take detour and cost more time. So we take the Transjakarta bus.

*transport info: take the transjakarta bus on 1st coridor or Blok M-Kota, you getting off on "Monumen nasional" stop. then you cross left.

About 9.45 we arrive at National Museum, known as "Museum Gajah" or elephant museum, because there is an elephant statue in front of the museum.
while we were waiting for the secretary to arrive, we look at the front yard, where they located elephant statue and some cannons.



the elephant statue was given by Siam King, some time in 1800s

on 10, we enter the museum, very cheap, only 1,000 IDR. there are so so so many collection here.
in the main building, the old one there are ancient statue comes from all over Indonesia, also ceramics made of several countries like china, japan and others. Then collection about tribes in Indonesia, their traditional homes, cloths, jeweleries, musical instruments.

Going north to the new building, there are 4 floors of museums section, if you looking for the toilet, it is in the basement. the small canteen and souvenier shop are in ground floor. in the ground floor, you can find some fossils that found in Indonesia.
Going up to 2nd and 3rd floor, there are more collection about Indonesia.
on 4th, you can find collection about gold.

MOVE ON to the next destination, Bank Mandiri Museum
Again, we take the transjakarta bus, get off on the last stop, Kota, we walk trough basement to across the street.

This building was the real bank in Dutch Colonialism, to enter this museum you need to pay, just 5,000 IDR, but if you are the Bank Mandiri's customer, it is free.
in here, you can find old things related to the bank activities like bonds, utensils, office equipment, and my favorites place is the basement, where the safe deposit is located.

This place is very safe, even when the building itself is destroyed, fall down, this part is safe because separately made of concrete. The strong box here beside to keep belonging of the Dutch mans, also used to keep their dead body before taken to Nederland because ship is not always ready to take it there, this story added with the quiteness scare me sometime.

On the stairway to second floor, you can find window of glass work, show several things:
- 4 season in Nederland
- Picture of Cornelis de Houtman, former Governor in the colonialism
- 4 ship of Cornelis, along with their names, sorry I couldn't remember it

On the second floor, there is several meeting room, and the board of directors room. hey there is toilet on this floor too.

Next: Bank Indonesia Museum

This museum is quite good and modern, free of charge but you have to ask for the ticket, and no food or drink and even bag allowed to bring in. For girls, don't worry to get bother with carry your purse and other small things in your hand, they provide small plastic bag to carry it, very nice service.

This museum provide you with knowledge of economics and Indonesian economy history with its display. Several spot also nice for taking pictures.



My favorite spot is the wall of falling coins, on this dynamic wall, you can try to catch the coins, if you succeed, there is a pop up information about the coins, or just simply play with this coins to catch or bounce it with your hand he he.
Other is a board of word, same like the coins, you catch the alphabet to arrange into word.

If you haven't ever see a gold bar in life,here you can see the fake one but has the same sizse and weight,it is very heavy for one single bar.

If you want to learn about currency, either Indonesian or other countries, you can find it here. there is a special room contains coin and money from all over the world, and remember NO PHOTOGRAPH is allowed in this section.

BTW, the toilet is in the back section.

Hmm, there is a section too, but sometime it is restricted to visitors, it is the rooms for the board of directors. A little freaky for me. The room complete with room for their secretary, wardrobe closet and also the bathroom.

If you want to see ancient brick, go to theback of the building, you can find it in glass, near to this place is the place to pray for moslems.

Next, find place to eat he he
Actually I want to visit the Fatahillah Museum, but we were exhausted and hungry, so end of the journey that day is here.

........