This is my first trip vacation out of Malaysia for 2015.
Everything is out of sudden, an offer comes at last minute, asked me either I wanna go to Medan, Indonesia or not at total cost RM880 for 4 days and 3 nights. Honestly, I have another plan to Vietnam, to give my visit to my close friend in Saigon.
Roughly, tentative of my visit should be :-
10- Dec - Arrive Kota Namu Airport, academic visit to Politeknik Negeri Medan
11- Dec - Visit to Batek Production house, Pasar Ikan for shopping, community services at Rumah Anak Yatim, earlier it should be house for old folks.
12-Dec - Danau Toba
13-Dec - Berastagi, back to Medan City...
Since I am from Melaka, and my flight was on 10th Dec at 7.30am. Majority decided for leaving at 00.00am on 10 Dec from Politeknik Port Dickson, heading to Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2). Normally the journey will take almost 1.30 - 2 hours and maybe longer depends on traffic.
We arrived at KLIA2 almost at 2.30 am. Nothing to do. We hang around, had some coffee and fried chicken at KFC while waiting for check in baggage counter opened. Then I do realize, flying with Air Asia actually will toll you more and more patience and queue time especially for check in baggage. Even though, we had being queued from 4.00 am, some peoples with less patience will easily broke into your queue without saying any words. It could be a reason why I shouldn't fly with Air Asia in future unless I have to prepare for any uncomfortable consequence.
I have experience fly with MAS and Vietnam Airlines, queue time for checked in baggage actually just take around half an hour.
Waiting for queuing for checked in baggage. . Tired face but still able give a smile. No sleep for entire night, just close eye for some relaxation. Maybe because of excitement to explore new place on the earth.
With one my best friend, Eja @ Jamaliah Ahmad. Selfie and keep selfie.
Done checked in our baggage. We were rushing to prayer room, to have our Subh prayer. Leaving all the members.
Apply some basic make up. Since this trip not only for vacation, but also for academic visit, to create a education link between 2 different organization from 2 different countries. Therefore, I have to be look more fresh and confident.
I love to wear my traditional attire especially for formal visit. For me, this is one of my way to bring Malaysia out.
Yeay, on flight. So now, we may have some nap. The flight duration is almost 45 minutes.
Around 8.30 am we touch the land in Medan.
"Welcomed to Indonesia."
Waiting for our baggage. So frustrating.... Handle of my baggage was broken. Air Asia already well known for their bad treat of passengers checked in baggage.
Can you imagined, I have to carry my baggage for every single moments because I couldn't used its trolley anymore. It is heavy but what else options I have?
At Kuala Namu Airport, we were welcomed by Pak Ono Prayetno, a very famous tour guide for local and also international, very humble and rich with ideas to burst the silence to laugh.
From airport we directly heading to Polimed at Medan City. On our way, we stopped at Nasi Ayam Penyek Cindalaras Restaurant for our breakfast. My first meal in Medan, Nasi Ayam Penyek Cindalaras with black coffee. My friends were enjoying the same meal too but with Jus Jeruk. Jus Jeruk is awesome and very famous, you should try it when you come to Medan. I tasted it from my friend.
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POLITEKNIK NEGERI MEDAN, POLIMED - 10 Dec 2015
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We arrived PoliMed almost at noon, around 10.00 am local time (11.00am Malaysia Time). I was told that Indonesia have 3 difference time zones; Western Indonesian Time - seven hour in advance (GMT+7), Central Indonesian Time - GMT + 8, and Eastern Indonesian Time - GMT + 9. So since, we were in North Sumatra, Western Indonesia, we just minus 1 hour from Malaysia local time, no need to change our time zone setting.
At PoliMed, we were entertained by top management of institution. We were treated by really good food maybe as for our breakfast replacement, and shortly after we finished our first meal, our lunch box was coming. No time for space in our stomach.
We prayed and took some rest. At around 2.00pm local time, we went around the institution to visit the process of transferring knowledge and have a look on facilities provided.
Academic visit at Mechanical Departments. This is one of their workshop for practical purpose. Welding machine.
Since I'm from mathematics department, I was joined them visit almost all facilities provided for mechanical students. Being here, I feel so much grateful, I told myself that I'm lucky to be a Malaysian and in an education field, our facilities in my opinion is better.
While we were visiting mechanical department, the others went to commerce department. Share the knowledge and experience with secretary students especially typing skills.
Our academic visit was ended in the evening. Thank you so much for Sindikalang Black coffee and awesome Nasi Kotak.
From PoliMed we went to hotel for checked in. Everyone was so excited, expecting for some nap and relaxation. Fresh up and the most important, able to stay away from any formalization.
At night, we were treated for a wonderful dinner at Ayam Bakar Wong Solo. Wong Solo provided us Javanese food. Tonight I was drinking Jus Sirsak (Soursop Juice). While else enjoyed their Jus Jeruk, Jus Terung Belanda (I found this fruit at Cameron Highlands, and Malaysian recognize it as Buah Cinta).
Its tomyam soup is very delicious. But I did not like its sweet sour fish, it have too much ketchup paste.
Whatever, in general, I fully satisfied with their food. Amazing and its taste excellent. Its juices also awesome, if you wanna take away, it will cost you IDR18,000 per cup.
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SECOND DAY - 11 Dec 2015
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At Medan City, we stayed overnight at Grand Kanaya Hotel, package included breakfast. What I love so much is their Rice Porridge. It is very tasty.Done checked out, we went to Batek Production House. This traditional batik production was running at a small house. This is block printed design. For every design, it may take 3 days to complete. 1 piece with 2 meters long cost us IDR140,000 for cotton fabric. Honestly, it is expensive. But for a souvenir, I should grab it but only 1 piece, enough.Done chose and shopping batek, we went to have lunch at Restoran Minang for Minang food. After finished our meals, man were going for Jumaat Prayer, while us ladies went for shopping at Pasar Ikan. Seriously, there is no fish there.Pasar Ikan actually a famous place to get local products such telekung, kain sulam and etc. Prices are varies. Not too much bargains can be done since most of shop lot prefer to say their price is fix. Small area but very crowded, be careful of your belongings, be smart and never being too much desperate.At Pasar Ikan, I bought 3 pieces of Kain Sulam which it cost me RM65 each or IDR210,000. For the same material in other shops cost you IDR250,000 and in different area of the city, it cost you IDR300,000.
Ready for checked out. We were waiting for the bus.
We will never returned to the same hotel. 4 days 3 nights trip to Medan make me look alike a traveler for a very very long journey.
Every hotel just became a place for our transit.
For the following night, we will check in at Toba Lake.
After Jumaat prayer, we went to Panti Asuhan, a house to place kids who loss their parents. Especially, for those who none of the close family do not able to take care for them.
The house cannot being access by bus, so bus dropped us by roadside, then we got it by walk. Almost 15 minutes through small path between houses. I love to dress myself in proper Kebaya. Look formal, and for sure Malaysia and Indonesia have a lots of similarity.
We were here for some community services. So everything is done within almost 2 hours
Actually we were rushing, every single minutes is too much valuable. Pak Ono, our tour guide already informed us that we have to move to Danau Toba (Lake Toba) lately at 5pm local time. If not, we will be late.
To go to Danau Toba it will take around 4 hours by bus, maybe less and maybe more, depends on traffic. There is no highway. Narrow road and need to pass few towns. My salute to the bus driver and his assistance, they able to manage it with excellent.
We arrived and checked in at Siantar Hotel around 9.00 pm. Danau Toba is really popular tourism attraction in Indonesia. It was formed by volcano, and now he is in his deep sleep. The size of Danau Toba is almost the size of Singapore land.
Done checked in, I went to the room, snapped some picture of dramatic scenery available around the lake. I able to hear the bell from nearby church. I also can clearly hear the azan. I took some rest by laying down on my bed, opened window for mountain fresh air. No need for air conditioner.
But, I lacked of lucky. In the middle of my bath, water on sudden getting cold as at room temperature at mountain peak. No kidding, the water heater only available in certain hours and it is stated at hotel details. My body shaky look alike my tooth wanna go out.
Time to sleep. My body was so and so tired.
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THIRD DAY - 12 Dec 2015
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At 8.00am local time, we checked out. All of our belongings, we stored in bus compartments. We would not return to the hotel. Hotel just become our transit, for sleep and to refresh our body.
We had simple breakfast, fried rice and fried vermicelli with some vegetables cracker. The cracker is so tasty. I love it.
Exactly at 8.00am, boat already ready for us, to bring us to 2 different area of the Samosir island. No safety jacket.
I like cruising. On cruising, there were two little Batak boys, Sang and played their traditional musical instruments.
That is the right place to sit if you want to enjoy the cruise. Yeah, sunlight will burn your skin, but to experience the breeze, here is the best place.
In the morning, no empty seat. Everyone so enjoyable with this new experience.
Samosir Island from our cruise.
What else we could do except selfie and made jokes.
Still on cruise...
Okay, one piece of picture to portray our visit.
Batak Village.
Just one thing I would like to advise, please bargain when you want to shop here. I have very bad experience when I was being cheated, to buy a similar blouse from different seller which 1 blouse cost me IDR80,000 while another 1 just cost me IDR35,000. So frustrated.
And one more thing, don't compare price exactly, but you should consider the price in range. For RM1 to RM2 differences, it should be okay, we should considered the currency exchange too, right?
At this Batak village, I bought, 3 blouses, 1 t-shirt, 1 set Batak Songket, 1 pashmina shawl, 1 set key chain resembling Batak House and another set key chain of Kecapi (a musical instrument look like a guitar).
On the boat, we decided at very very last minute not to go to another village. Most of us actually feel not happy with the attitude of the seller. But, there is human being, and everywhere in this world, this attitude exist. Some of them, highly honest... some of them, otherwise.
What is good when only go to one place, the journey is shorter and no time was extra dragged. So, we achieved the land earlier than expected. Our stomach also sing the song of hungry.
After lunch we were moving to Berastagi. Beautiful scenery available along the roadside, one side is Toba Lake, while another side is green scenery of forest or farm. Lots of coffee are planting here.
From Danau Toba to Berastagi, the journey may take around 2-2.30 hours. It is very cold. Mountain peak with Pine tree forest, which mainly used to produce high quality paper. On tentative, we would have a stop at a coffee house, then view panorama at Sipisopiso Waterfall before checked in at Berastagi.
View at coffee house, sorry guys I forgot the name of the place. A cup of black with a slice of fried banana cost you IDR20,000.
Panorama at the back of us is Danau Toba from the peak. Beautiful right?
Sometimes, gathering for a coffee with someone who actually it is very hard to meet even though we are working within in the same organization, may bring a different value of memory.
Ngee... Sorry ya.... It is a proof how do I actually mad with the scenery.
We stopped there just for around 20 minutes. It is enough actually. Sipisopiso waterfall was sticking in my mind since I cannot visualize how it actually in real. I was expecting for playing with water, sinking my hand and leg.It was raining, and it was so cold.
In fact, my imaginary and Sipisopiso in reality totally different. Beautiful landscape and spectacularly awesome.
I won't let anything to ruin my trip. Raining also a bless from God right? I tried to ensure everything meet my expectation. Yeah, for sure, I cannot make it for 100% sure, but I tried to fit myself into any of unexpected situation.
Did you see Sipisopiso waterfall at my side? No shopping at waterfall, we just be there to enjoy the greatest of God creatures. Awesome. Me and friends enjoy to snap pictures and also selfie. We spent there around half an hour. Then, from there, we directly went to Berastagi to check in.
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FOURTH DAY - 123 Dec 2015
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Selfie with background of swimming pool at Green Garden Hotel, Berastagi. We had our dinner and breakfast at the hotel. I like its meal, the fried brinjal. While for breakfast, nothing special for me.
My room was facing a Sinabung Volcano. Early in the morning, my student told me that it was erupted. But in normal a scalar so it won't cause danger to anyone. The eruption created a giant mushroom covered the peak of the mountain. Small scale eruption is common for local, but for me who never experienced and revealed to the volcano activities, of course, all the facts about volcano impressed me.
Hehe, selfie always become as a must.
After checked out, we went to Pasar Berastagi, to shop local fruits and souvenir. Must buy fruit here is local Pisang Kaki.
I bought 2kgs of "salak", 1 kg avocado, and 2 kgs of "limau madu". T-shirt at regular size also very cheap, only at RM8 per piece. I bought 8 t-shirt short sleeve, 1 big-T and 1 t-shirt with 3/4 sleeve.
And, what I love most is, the rizom of Sundal Malam which costed me RM10. I bought only the white one, and I keep remembering of Red Sundal Malam.
After almost an hour at Berastagi market, we were heading to Medan for final touch of shopping. It stated on trip that we will go to Istana Maimun, but the reality was, I viewed it from the bus. Members of the trip mostly rushed for final shopping, and time allocated for Istana Maimun was spent on them.
At 4.00pm, we went to the Kuala Namu Airport. On the way, we stopped at a shop for local "Kek Lapis" and coffee. We were running out of money. Then, we had dinner at Nasi Ayam Cindelaras once again, so I tried avocado juice. I couldn't finished, so I asked them to pack it for me.
Our flight was at 9.00pm local time, but was delayed an hour due to bad weather in Kuala Lumpur.
See, after 4 days 3 nights in Medan. Tiredness and no words may express how I felt.
Bye-bye Medan.
Malaysia, wait for me... I wanna have enough rest.
With love.
