Posted in Places, Postgraduate Malaysia, Travel

Sedikit tentang Kuala Lumpur

I intend to write in Bahasa, i don’t know whether it will be good enough (for me) or not. But, let’s have a try.

Selama satu setengah tahun tinggal di Malaysia, untuk ukuran full-time student, saya bisa dibilang tergolong ‘malas’ jalan-jalan. Tiap ada libur sebentar, yang dipikirin cuma cari tiket pulang ke Jakarta. Ngga usah libur lama, seminggu libur aja, langsung heboh cari tiket dari jauh-jauh hari.

Tiap pagi buka laptop, semua tab isinya cuma airlines website. Bandingin sana-sini, iya kalo langsung beli dan beres, ini ngga, ditungguin berhari-hari, kepikiran, bikin perasaan ngga enak, baru akhirnya beli. Padahal, kalau dipikir-pikir, uang yang dikeluarin buat bolak-balik Jakarta selama 1,5 tahun ini, bisa buat traveling ke negara tetangga kaya Thailand atau Singapur misalnya. Biarpun Singapur memang sudah pernah, dan ngga terlalu tertarik juga untuk kesana kedua kali.

Mungkin yang paling sering saya kunjungi selama disini adalah, ya, Kuala Lumpur,hehe. Ada beberapa tempat yang hampir saya selalu datengin, buat belanja, atau makan :

1. Sogo KL

Ini favorit banget karena affordable dan barang-barangnya pun oke. Dan yang paling suka, kalo majang tulisan SALE, beneran niat SALE. Ga kaya mal-mal lain yang bilang SALE tapi ya kaya ga SALE. Beli dompet 2x disini, beli kado buat beruang disini, mau beli oleh-oleh biskuit, coklat pun di sini.

Dulu, sebelum ngerti cara yang murah ke sini dr kampus, selalu naik Monorail yang merupakan alat transportasi yang paling mahal di antara moda transportasi lain di KL. Tapi, setelah diperhatikan,ternyata ada yang lebih murah. Naik KTM komuter dari Serdang sampai stasiun Kuala Lumpur (satu stasiun setelah KL sentral), setelah itu jalan sedikit ke belakang Kasturi Walk, disana banyak bus-bus metro yang siap nganterin ke Sogo dengan hanya RM 1 saja.

Bandingin dulu pas cuma tau naik monorail, ongkos yang diperluin buat PP kampus -Sogo itu kalo dijabarin KTM RM 1,7, Monorail RM 2,5, jadi pulang pergi sekitar RM 8,4, itu pun kalo beruntung ke kampusnya pas dapet naik bis kampus yang gratis, kalo ngga tambah RM 2 lagi buat naik bis T 416 dari UPM ke komuter Serdang. Jadi, kalo ditotal bisa RM 10 sendiri, yang mana, mahal lah ya buat ukuran mahasiswa (yang agak pelit kaya saya). Kalo dibeliin makanan, uda banyak bener kan,hehe.

Nah, setelah belajar dari kebodohan kesalahan dan mulai memperhatikan serta mempelajari, ternyata dengan naik bus metro lebih cepet, dan yang terpenting murah! Total biaya transport yang musti dikeluarin buat ke Sogo PP jadi cuma RM 5,6 saja. Lumayan kan bedanya. Buat saya si, jauhhhh,hehe.

2. Mid Valley Shopping Mall

Ini adalah salah satu mal yang paling ramai, menurut pengamatan saya. Hari biasa, apalagi weekend, Mid Valley kayanya ngga pernah sepi. Mal ini juga salah satu yang cukup dekat dari UPM dan lengkap. Makanan bervariasi, departemen store juga ada beberapa pilihan. Merek-mereknya pun beragam, dari yang agak menengah ke atas sampe yang toko pernak pernik kecil di gerobak. Kalo kuat jalan keliling di sini, cari dengan hati-hati, suka ketemu barang-barang fancy dengan harga yang buat saya oke banget. Kalau ROC habis juga biasanya dapet disini, karena ngga semua mal ada ROCnya.

Transport kesini ada dua pilihan. Saya tergantung dari kampusnya dapat bis apa. Kalau bis UPM datang duluan, berarti saya naik komuter, tapi kalau bis T 416 datang duluan, naik bis. Mid Valley punya stasiun komuter sendiri yang terhubung langsung dengan malnya. Jadi, begitu keluar kereta, jalan sedikit di dalam stasiunnya, naik lift, sampe deh di dalem malnya. Makanya, saya hampir selalu naik komuter, karena lebih praktis.

Tiap kali ke Mid Valley atau SOGO, saya merasa kaya lihat peradaban,hehe. Serasa kaya turis yang lagi liburan. Biarpun dikategorikan turis juga terlalu kere. Makanya selalu pilih di akhir bulan, karena musti lihat sisa budget bulan itu ada berapa. Hahaha, kesian bener ya:D.

3. Rumah makan sebelah Hotel Prescott Inn, Jalan Tuanku Ismail

Pertama tau rumah makan ini karena nginep di Prescott Inn pas pertama kali mau daftar ulang, bareng Ibu dan Dian. Masakannya, enaaakkkk. Bawal asam manisnya, kailan, cumi, pokoknya enak deh. Ini kaya warteg versi Malaysia yang nyediain makanan sehari, cuma bentuknya ya kaya restoran, dan yang paling penting, harganya, ck,ck,ck, murah benerr. Oh!Kalau di Malaysia mereka nyebutnya Kedai Mamak.

4. Kedai roti cane di Jalan Tun Sambathan

Ketemu kedai ini ngga sengaja pas lagi jalan berdua ibu yang waktu itu mau cari susu segar, eh, muter-muter tau2 ketemu resto kecil ini yang jual susu segar juga. Pesen susu segar, iseng mau nyobain roti canenya juga. eh, ternyata enak! Terakhir kali pulang, Ibu minta dibawain ke Jakarta, lumayan juga bawanya,hehe. Enaknya lagi, tempatnya bersih. Makanannya kaya Kedai Mamak, cuma tempatnya enak buat duduk-duduk, karena bersih dan ber-AC. Harga pun menurut saya cukup reasonable.

Restoran ini letaknya agak nyempil. Sederet sama stasiun monorail, kalau dari arah KL Sentral berarti sebelum stasiun monorail.

5. Old Town White Coffee Restaurant

Ini restoran tempat kita sarapan kalau nginep di MY Hotel Kuala Lumpur karena emang hotelnya kerja sama dengan Old Town yang letaknya persis di sebelah MY Hotel. Makanannya buat saya, dan keluarga, enak. Nasi lemaknya salah satu yang paling enak yang pernah saya makan selama di sana. Tempatnya pas buat ngopi-ngopi, ada yang outdoor dan indoor. Old Town juga merek kopi yang biasa diminum Ibu. Kalau ke Jakarta, pasti minta dibeliin barang 5 bungkus, dengan rasa yang beda-beda. Restoran ini relatif gampang dicari, karena hampir setiap mal punya ini. Kaya KFC aja lah.

6. Egg Tart KFC

Saya ngga suka junk food. Hampir ngga pernah ke KFC selama di Jakarta. Tapi, di KFC Malaysia, mereka punya Egg Tart!

Egg Tartnya, dua kata aja, : ENAK BANGET. Seriously, enak. Bayanginnnya aja ngiler. No further explanations.

7. Pasar Seni
Tempat ini cocok buat yang mau cari oleh-oleh dari Malaysia. Bangunan dua lantai berisi toko2 souvenir, coklat, dan lain-lain. Souvenir khas kaya magnet, miniatur, kaos, gantungan kunci ada semua disini. Buat coklat ada satu stand khusus coklat jual Beryl’s yang merupakan coklat produksi malaysia. Kalo saya ngga salah ingat, di sini juga ada Tourism Centre.

Sepertinya cuma segitu aja yang paling saya sering datengin selama di KL. Agak kesian sih, Satu setengah tahun di sana taunya itu-itu aja. Tapi, ya, gimana dong. Saya ngga pernah pergi kalau nggak ada kepentingan. I’d rather stay at dorm, watching movie,hehe. Tapi mungkin alesan sebenernya karena ya kere aja, hahaha:))

Sebenarnya, selain Kuala Lumpur, saya juga pernah ke beberapa negara bagian kaya Melaka, Johor Baru, dan Penang. Tapi, ngga bisa cerita banyak.

Melaka udah dua kali. Buat saya ini agak lucu. Pertama tahun 2008, waktu pergi sama Tante Lili. Ke Melaka sendiri, ikut rombongan tur, bayar RM 100 (kalo saya inget pas masih kuliah dulu, ngeluarin RM 100 dalam sehari cuma buat jalan-jalan kok tajir bener yaa,hehe). Berangkat jam 9 pagi, sampe KL lagi jam 5 sore. Waktu itu, pas banget lagi patah hati berat. Ini yang lucu. Empat tahun kemudian, saya ke Melaka lagi, one day trip juga, bukan sama rombongan tur. Tapi, sama orang yang bikin patah hati empat tahun lalu. Orangnya kebetulan lagi liburan. Dan, statusnya pas dateng juga udah pacar-serius-yang-udah-ngelamar-ke orangtua.Life is indeed funny;)

Ke Johor Baru dua kali, itupun karena roomate yang pertama orang Malaysia, a very very nice and kind girl, rumahnya di JB. Pertama kesana karena sepupunya nikah. Yang kedua kesana karena jalan-jalan aja. Ngga kemana-kemana, jadi ngga bisa cerita apa-apa.

Ke Penang one day trip juga sekeluarga, karena dapet tiket murah Air Asia. Tapi, kayanya bisa dianggep liburan gagal, karena kayanya kurang cocok sama peserta liburannya,hehe.

Kangen kesana, tapi, ngga tau kapan lagi bisa kesana. Semoga lebih cepat dari yang bisa saya bayangin. Amin.

Oh, KL also had been mum’s favorite destination after once she’d been there. Being there once more later without her, must be kinda sad..

Posted in Places, Travel

The steps Updated

Blanakan Beach, Subang, 2008

Kampung Bahru Road, SG, 2008 : Fleurette

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Changi Airport, SG, 2010 : Gabor

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Blue Mosque, Turkey, 2010 : Skechers

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Karen’s, Senopati , 2011: Gabor

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FMBK Shelter, UPM, 2012 : Reebok

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FBMK Shelter, UPM, 2011 :L’emotion

Mina, Schol, 2012
Mina, Schol, 2012

Posted in Past learning, Places, Travel

Miles away from home, chapter 1: Manchester

I have been reading so many blogs today, whether those wedding blogs or travel blogs. Travel blogs have been one of my addictions. I don’t know why the idea of going abroad always amuse me.

My family is not an extremely rich one, we had vacation sometimes, but hardly going too far. Puncak was our most frequent visit, since there was my dad’s office villa there. So, going abroad by plane was seemed so far.

My first experience of flying in an aeroplane was back in 1994. I remember the exact date, it was June, 5th, 1994. What was so exciting, is not domestic flight, but an international flight.

I flew with Emirates. One of the newest middle-east airline which now is one of the finest and favorites one.

Where to go?Singapore?Malaysia?Australia?No.

We went to England!:D

It felt so awesome for this 10-years-old little girl. We, I, my mother, my sister, and my brother, were going to visit my father who pursued his master degree in one of the best university in the world, University of Manchester.

We visited him during summer, for 2 months (What a great vacation!). I remembered we took night flight, with Jakarta-Singapore-Colombo-Dubai-Manchester route. It was 18 hours flight, with 5 hours transit in Dubai. The flight was great. The foods were all delicious. All the steward and stewardess were very nice. They kept giving us toys, bags, koala dolls, i loved it all. I still keep the bag from my first flight:)

I still remember clearly that we arrived at the airport and my dad had waited for us,then we went to the apartment by that black taxi cab, as in the movie. I couldn’t help smiling along the road from the airport until we arrived in the apartment. It felt as if your heart is going to explode because the excitement.

In our apartment, my dad had prepared gifts for each of us, yes, each of us, including my mother. He prepared me and my sister with a backpack and small bag. It was red backpack and a very cute small bag, which i still keep it until now.

I enjoying my 2 months there a lot. A lot. We stay in an apartment in granby row room 504 (I really have good memory on this). So, what were we doing during those days?

Let me names several.

We were …

going around the city

eating ice cream in many parks

waiting for bus number 81 to Piccadilly Center

going to precinct Centre by walk and counting steps along the pavement (I loved those pavement) to buy postcards.Oh, I sent the postcards to my best friends, (Almh.) Arum and I didn’t remember who another one, and i got the reply when i was still there!It was so cool receiving a letter with your name in the envelope as if we stayed permanently there,hehe.

The very same building as i remember

Picture taken from University of Manchester

going to University of Manchester and the Museum of Manchester, buying some very nice stickers, shopping in debenhams, my sister and I were very keen of Polly Pocket, we’d been visiting toys r’ us almost every time we went there, and finally buy some of it. (I don’t remember how exactly we paid for it,hehe)

doing groceries shopping in either Tesco or Indian Shop. I remembered how i disliked going to that Indian shop because it was so smelly, so i just waited outside, but going there is compulsory, since my dad had bought us the backpack so it can be filled with those groceries stuff:))

In other way, I loved going to Tesco. It’s quite far from the city, but i enjoyed the trip there. We passed those houses with the maroon brickswall and the chimneys, as Enid Blyton books told me. so, no complaining. Beside, Tesco is smells nice, and we had ice cream there:D

Oh, i remembered one thing that we (me and my siblings) always loved doing daily. We went to the park nearby the apartment. It has big bottle statue and we loved climbing it and playing there, and run-racing with the train passed-by in the railway bridge. We just pretended as if we were chasing the train,hehe. What a silly kids.

I found the picture of the park!!Our apartment just two blocks away

During our 2 month there, we also visited other cities. We went to London, by train!So, before King Cross station is famous because of platform 9 3/4 in Harry Potter, I have been there,in Manchester-London trip. We stayed for 3 days in London. We visited Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, etc.

We saw the guard-changing ceremony in Buckingham Palace also, it was so interesting. I keep wondering what Queen Elizabeth doing inside,hehe. I remembered we couldn’t visit tower of London and Madame Tussaud because it was summer holiday, so the queue was so long. Oh!We were riding on the red double-decker also:D

We also went to several cities like Blackburn (here i bought those blue Clark shoes with only 2 pounds, or Rp 7000,- ,at that time currency)! From then, I love Clark shoes, but it’s quite pricey now:(

Sheffield, Bath, Harrogate, and Buxton were another cities we visited. I didn’t remember clearly, but i remembered of having a-lake-side-picnic with the view of mountain and stone house like one in Little House on The Prairie book:)

Actually, we had also our Benelux visa to visit Netherland, Belgium, and Luxembourg, but, unfortunately, i had chicken pox there, so we cancelled the trip:(

There was also my starting point of learning English. From then, i love English subject and so eager learn by my self, from either books or movie.

Wow, what a long post. I think it is the first time i do really writing something here. It’s always heart-warming, memory traveling to the past:)

Manchester was my first love, which leads me to more places, more journeys, and always keep longing to going back there later, someday, Insya Allah. Amin.

so, I’ll see you later;)