1 day only? GAWD!

Oh dear! It seems that everytime I update my blog nowadays, I start with apologizing for the infrequent update nowadays. Simply too lazy to do it. Sometimes, I do have the sudden inkling to want to share my current life with everyone but somehow, the urge just passed by. It seems to be much simpler to just type a few words in the facebook to let friends and families know what I been up to nowadays. But once in awhile, mind you, very occassionally, I do just am able to sit my butt down in front of a laptop or PC to type one of my super duper long posting.

So, let me what has been happening first. After the trip to Jakarta, my next trip was actually to the Batam Island for a day trip via Singapore! Yah, you read right, DAY TRIP. Basically, what this means is me waking up at ungodly hour of 5am and left the house on a taxi at 5.30am to go to LCCT. Catch my flight to Singapore and from Changi Airport, fight my way (err..not really fight la but it does feel like a battle when venturing into unknown alone)..fight my way to the Habourway Jetty to take my ferry across to Batam Island.

I, of course, thinking to safe company some money (and with great sense of adventure), decided to take the train from the airport to the jetty! Thank god at the airport, there is the traveller center where there are friendly people to provide maps and precise instruction which train to get on, station to get off and reboard on another train and where the final stop. I had to change train twice (!!) before finally on the right train bound for the jetty.

At the jetty, unknown to me, the counters are actually in a shopping mall and so is the departure counter AND custom since I am basically going out of Singapore into Indonesia. Anyway, I landed at Singapore airport at around 9.30am and only finally reached the jetty departure hall at 11am, i.e. 1/5hours later. (Later, I found out that if I have taken the taxi, I would have been at the place in 30min!!)

Jetty took 1hour to reach Batam Island(Left at 11.30am Singapore time, reached at 11.30am Indonesia-time. Cool huh? But my bodyclock all screwed up!! HAHA!). Despite the heavy downpour, the ferry was relatively smooth ride. Reached Batam jetty, my colleague and customer picked me up and we went for lunch before going to the customer office (NOTE: Lunch in Indonesia). The meeting was until 2.30pm and we race back to the jetty so that I can catch the 3.30pm ferry back to Singapore so that I can get to the airport on time to catch my flight back to KL.

I reached Singapore jetty at 5.30pm (I lost 1 hour due to time zone difference) and decided to walk around the shopping center for awhile to see if anything interesting. Then feeling super tired, follow the sign to the taxi stand at 6pm. I finally reached the airport at 6.45pm because it is the traffic peak time in Singapore and traffic jam (but trust me, the jam is nothing compared to the one in Jakarta!)

Checked in and then my silly stomach complained rather loudly. I remember a sign pointing to foodcourt when I was walking around like an idiot this morning looking for help to get to the jetty. Anyway, I found it and am super duper happy! Why? Because it is non-halal!! And I also found pork bun in a bakery! WAHAHAHAHA! A big big big happy thing for non-muslim Malaysian because basically almost EVERYWHERE here is halal food!

I finally home at around 11.30pm that day. And as I described my trip to hubby, I suddenly realised that I had my breakfast in Malaysia, lunch in Indonesia and dinner in Singapore. All in less than 20hours! This is definitely something that I wont ever forget.

Next trip? 29-30 Jun will be in Pekanbaru, Indonesia. 17-21 Jul will be in Kuching (Yeahhh!!!). 5 Jul on leave because want to clear the leave in lieu (we are awarded 1 day off for public holidays that fall on Saturday but we need to clear it within 1 month from the holiday date or else burn). 9-11 Jul will be at a camp half way up Genting for teambuilding. 2 Jul will be having dinner at KLCC for the customer appreciation nite organise by Sales and Marketing. 7 Jul is dad's birthday. And I think I am suppose to arrange a trip to either Surabaya or Medan (or both!) in Jul too. 

Not sure if I can survive it but I sure hope my new staff will be on board soon. I am up to my brain with all the work. DROWNING DROWNING!!!! Ashame to say that lots of work behind schedule but I just cant find the time. I mean, at the end of day, by 8pm, after having worked for more than 10hours, how the hell want to think and concentrate ah?? 

MY GAWD! The long posting and it is only talking about 1 day trip! Wait till y about I post my 2 or 3 days trips! HAHAHAHA!!

p/s: They finally remembered not yet give me my confirmation letter and I am expecting to receive it from HR anytime soon. Frankly, I dont know if this is good news or not because it means that once receiving the confirmation letter, I will need to provide 3 months notice if I ever got a better offer elsewhere vs the 2 weeks now :P

My weekend.......

AIYEHH!! The Jakarta air must really not ngam with me la. Been sick since I was back. My flight delayed 2hrs and I only finally reached home at 3am on Friday morning. And the very next morning, I start to feel unwell and sms my boss and tell him I dont think I can come in today. Went to the doctor that evening with running nose, sorethroat and slight fever. Oh, and sweating like crazy. Was worried that it could be H1N1 but the doctor take one look down my throat and told me my tonsils are both swollen and red!

Infection! PHEW! That mean just need to take antibiotics and lots of rest. Hopefully it will go away in a day or 2. The doctor did say in case fever continue after finishing the antibiotic, go straight to the hospital to be tested. Glad that it was not H1N1 (and even happier I got my MC), went home, took the medicine and within 5min, I was dozing on the living room floor. The flu medication was super super strong.

Next day, not feeling much better but not worse either. That evening, babe was planning for a catch up Gawai BBQ gathering at our place. So, we woke up around 9.30am to go market (Actually, babe woke me up instead of the other way round. that was my body telling me to slow down?). Anyway, bought 4kg of three layer pork slab and 3 pcs of pork knuckle. Went home, marinate the three layer pork and left it in the fridge to dry the skin slightly. And start cooking the soya sauce pork leg soup with bitter gourd.

By the time everything is done, its already 4pm-ish. Watch movie and some astro. Then went out to look for ice cube for the drinks in the coolerbox. Feeling abit sad because my geng cant make it. Hence, just babe's geng. Being Gawai, they brought some tuak (rice wine). One of the rice wine was 12years old and it is FANTASTIC! Super smooth and delicious.

The other is from Taee and was informed that there were no sugar added to it. Could have fooled me because it is really nice and smooth. Was informed the sweetness comes from the special yeast that is available only in Taee. Hhmm...I wonder if the next time I go back and purchase the yeast, can I make my own tuak here? HAHA!

Anyway, by around 12.30am, I decided to go for a shower. After shower, suddenly, I just feel extremely tired and exhausted. Again, I guess my body is telling something huh? Anyway, lay in bed for awhile and decided to go down. Told babe I need to sleep and he asked me 'The things how to keep'...can slap him or not? I ask him he cannot keep meh? He must have realised I am ready to collapse and say okay, go sleep. SHEESH! Still want to slap him or not?

So, I went up and guess what? I CANT SLEEP! I just lie in bed and just wouldnt fall asleep! Eventually, at around 3am, I decided to get up and check if everyone has gone home. It seems that I got up just in time to see the last of our guest left. And pleasantly surprised to see the leftover food and kept properly. Just a few last things to keep. Apparently, babe told me the next day that fren's mother help to keep most of the stuff.

By then babe is already tipsy and decided to crash in the living room floor, drunk! Kept the last of the leftovers and managed to pursuade babe to wake up to go sleep upstairs. Suddenly, after going upstairs, babe went to the toilet outside and start to VOMIT! EWWWWWW!!!!!! All the 'cocktail' liquor that goes into his not so young body is making him pay. It is disgusting to see him vomit but kinda funny because he keep telling me to go away because smelly! He even wanted to sleep in the toilet or the spare bedroom because he say he is smelly.Hehe!

Sunday, both of us only woke up around 12noon. Went out for brunch and then came back. Watch a movie and then babe sleep from 3pm till 7pm. Then we went out to ss15 for dinner with his friend and family because they plan to go I-city after that. Both want to play with their camera and was told that the light display at I-city is really pretty.

When we got there, the jam was at least 1.5km away and we had to park at least 1km away because the parking space are all full. All I can say is it is DISSAPPOINTING! Nothing much. Just a place the size of football field with trees made out of lights and some other animal shape made out of lights. Totally boring!! Not worth going and definitely wont go there again! But at least we got 2km walk out of it! HAHA!

P/s: Today is Thursday and I am still have some running nose and cough. My voice is still different but getting more myself. AND dont go to Klinik Araa at Setia Alam, SUPER EXPENSIVE. Just antibiotic, flu medicine and lorenzo cost RM65! CRAZY!

Day 1 & 2 in Jakarta, Indonesia

(WARNING: This is a loooooooooooooooong post. Dont say I didnt warn you yar!)

Today is 2nd day in Jakarta. Arrived yesterday at around 12noon Malaysia time, or rather to be exact, my plane landed at 12noon and I finally step outside the airport at 1.30pm! Yah, took almost 1.5hrs to get thru the custom! I guess it is really my luck for the day because a few planes from different countries landed at the same time as mine. So, of cos, everyone of us need to go thru the custom.

Imagine hundreds and hundreds of people of different color and language queue at 8 custom counters waiting to be scanned through. Well, okay, not exactly scanned but did had my face taken. So, the Jakarta/Indonesia custom have my face in their database somewhere.

Pity my colleague that is meeting me at the airport to go customer together though. He waited for almost an hour! Anyway, once we got me out of there, went straight for our appointment with the customer. That is where I was informed that everywhere in Jakarta, takes an hour if there is no traffic jam.

I tell you, after seeing the jam in Jakarta, I will never again complaint about our Malaysian jam. Gosh! I take my hat off (if I have one) to all the Jakarta driver! It really amaze me that there is hardly any accident at all! I mean, the way they drive, you would have thought something really seriously bad would have happen right in front of your eyes. I come to the conclusion that Jakarta driver are actually more skilled than us in Malaysia...better drivers!

Let me give you some examples:
1. A small mini van without any door but with small wooden seats inside, suddenly stopped in the middle of the street with cars in all direction and people start coming out from the mini van onto the middle of wherever the mini van parked and casually walked to the side. Again, let me emphasize, MIDDLE of a three lane road! Right where I dont know how many motorbikes and cars are trying to squeeze through.

2. A big huge truck in front of me, painted yellow stopped on the right side of the three lane road, and I see 3 primary school boys climb down and proceed to cross the road to the sidewalk! Again, with lots of cars and bikes squeezing thru each other.

3. Stopped at a traffic light, suddenly see a man with a plastic bottle (like the cola bottle la) going to a big truck in front of us and proceed to open the side gas cover of the truck. I was innocently thinking that the fella is cleaning the gas cover in hope of getting some payment from the driver. Guess what he is actually doing? Stealing gas from the big truck!! The area we are at is actually just a few km from the port. So, imagine how many of those trucks that goes up and down a day. Just a liter from each truck....wah lau. By the way, not much the driver can do because it will turn ugly if he tries to stop them..

4. Parking are hard to come by in Jakarta. So, there is basically not much choice but to park in such a way that the car will blocked other cars that is parked in the parking space. Guess what you are suppose to do if you parked your cars blocking others? Leave your phone number on the windshield so the people will call you to move car? WRONG!! Leave the car in neutral so that if you blocked anyone that wants to leave, they will just push your car away!! HAHA! I heard about it but seeing it in action was really something.

5. At every other traffic light especially those under a flyover, you would see really 'pretty' ladies shaking a small containers filled with coins going from car to car to collect coins. I understand from my colleague that it is better to just give the few rupiah than trying to do anything..

6. At almost every traffic light, there will be people selling something, mineral water, newspaper, magazine, keropok and so on. Also, really pitiful to see, at one traffic light, pregnant mother and a little boy (I think no more than 10y.o) carrying a baby walking from car to car begging for money.

7. Understand that kids/children also sit on top of the train (no need to pay bah) to get from place to place. Previously, some of them were really badly injured but there is not much can be done because even after the security tried to stop them, they will climb on the train the moment their backs are turned.

Really eye opener and makes me appreciate what I have more. I understand those lower income group earn only around RM300-400 per month. If I only earn that, I really dont know how to survive. I must be thankful for what I have and dont grumble too much about difficulties at work. (But that does not mean that I will not look for better opportunities la)

Of cos, there are wonder things to say about Jakarta as well. The people that I have met so far, really really polite, gentle and friendly. The place I am staying now, people are super polite. I dont know whether it is because I am a foreign gal travelling alone and hence, they try to make my stay as pleasant as possible. Or maybe it is just how the service of this hotel is. It is a 3-star hotel but the service I got, it felt much better.

Food...gosh...let me tell you about the food. I kinda regret not having thicker skin and just whip out the camera and snap the food! Lunch yesterday was simple noodles with wantan but (and I am sure its difficult to get this in Malaysia), the noodles so so so so delicious because it is mixed with pork oil! HAHA!! Yar yar, anything with pork is good? My colleague had mixed rice which turn out to be crispy pork, char siu and a few more pork meat.

Then dinner, my colleague, his wife and daughter brought me to have nasi uduk which is basically rice wrapped in banana leaf and lots of other food that is wrapped in banana leaf parcel and steamed. My most favourite is the tempe here. It really taste super different than the one we have in Malaysia. If I can, I would really like to buy frozen ones and tapau it back!

Breakfast this morning was in the hotel as breakfast was included as part of the room package (by the way, room is about RM200+). That is pretty normal hotel breakfast. So, no comment.

Lunch was nasi padang. Again, the tempe. 3 of us, 2 plates of rice with tempe, vege and fried whole chicken leg. We shared a packet of deep fried beef skin. I had ice water and the other 2 had orange juice. Total damage = Rp45,000 (which is roughly RM18). Ok considering the portion! By the way, the deep fried beef skin is super addictive. Not as oily as pork deep fried skin. In fact, super light, fluffy and crunchy.

Dinner, I decided after 2 long days, the ppor guy, my colleague need a break from me. So, I told him that I would take care of my own dinner. Frankly speaking, I feel paiseh la because they wont let me pay for anything!

So, after much thought either to go out, eat at the coffee house downstairs or room service, I decided to have dinner at the coffee house. I am glad that I did because for RM48 buffet inclusive of tax & service charge, I have a selection of tender super juicy medium rare beef slices with mushroom sauce, bbq chicken, fish kebab & beef sausage, a variety of local dishes, salad spread, fruits and super rich tiramisu and chocolate cake selection. Back home, this would have cost me easily at least RM55 excluding tax!

So, here I am now, contented & full, almost 11pm Msia-time (10pm Indo-time), comtemplating what I want to do next. Watch one of the 30 channels available, read my book in bed, surf internet some more or sleep.... hehehe.. Dont you envy me? :P Haiyaa..dont lar. Exhausting okay business trip. At least, for vacation, the brain dont have to work much. Business trip is exhausting not just physically but mentally......

Ooops..okay, enough. Really long post already. I must develop really thick skin tomorrow and whip out the camera even in the car and snap more photos. Babe will be laughing because I carry his camera around but only capture photos of the hotel room! HAHA! OKEEE.. NITE NITE!!! MUCKS PPL!