:: 14 January 2010 - 17 January 2010 ::
::Day 1::
Took a taxi @ 6 a.m in the morning to LCCT. RM80 from Sunway. Call this taxi if you need transport to anywhere at all! He is good! Introduced by my friend. 0132600385 Fauzi.
Landed in Jogja at 845a.m. 2 hours flight and one hour late from Malaysia time(+7).
FYI, landing in Jogja is much cheaper than landing in Bali :p
Jogjakarta or Yogyakarta is a city with many names.
When it comes to Indonesia, view of people selling newspapers or beggars asking for money or people doing performance when the traffic lights are red is normal :) Better than robbing or snatching I guess.
We took a private taxi because I didn't saw the public taxi sign at the airport. And it costs Rp70,000.
Not bad, because its kinda far. After researching online for the best guest house available in town we settled for guest house along Sosrowijayan rd. When you take cab and plan to stay along this road just tell them Jl.Sosro (It sounded as if you have been in Jogja few times :P)
We stayed at Setia Kawan for 3 nights. You can check the rates on their website. Never try to send them email because they never reply. I tried. Call them @ +62274512452. While for me and my friend, we walk in and lucky to get the last twin room with air conditioning but without heater. If you can take cold water I suggest you to take up this room! Very refreshing water :p We stayed in room no.6 Right beside the living room. Kinda noisy sometimes. But no worries because during the day you will be out. To get to Setia Kawan, when you are along Sosrowijayan Rd. look out for Bedhots (red and black) sign. It is located in a very small road.
If you prefer something more spacious you can try their new guest house. But the price range kinda higher Rp.170,000 and above. If you want cheaper one, do ask :) They are friendly:) Even I got a crushed with their cute driver :p Hahaha!
(Left) Breakfast table. (Right) Living room. Where you can sit and hang around.
(Right) Cyber room. Rp7,500 per hour
Tadaa!!! Our room. Rp.120,000 per night. Love the painting on the walls!
Painted by the artist Bedot. He even have a showroom and tattoo shop.
Btw, we bought all the tours before hand :) They even have their own tour agency. Check their website for all tours available.. If you are student do bring along your student card!! You will get discount for Prambanan and Borobudur entrance ticket :) Around Rp20,000 off.
I recommend you to rent a car and hire the driver. It is not that expensive too.
Itinerary for Day 1
Kraton.(1hr 30 mins)
Prambanan Temple & Ramayana Show.
(approx. 9hrs) Rp.80,00 per pax excludes entrance.
Mt. Merapi Sunrise trip.
(approx. 14hrs) Rp.200,000 per pax with snacks.
Itinerary for Day 2
Continuation from Mt Merapi.
Free and easy
(Important if u travel like we do on the first day! )
Itinerary for Day 3
Borobudur sunrise and Dieng Plateau
(12 hrs) Rp.200,000 excludes entrance with snacks.
Free and easy
Itinerary for Day 4
Airport (6am)
Firstly, we went to Kraton or Grand Palace. If you have been to Bangkok Grand Palace. Do skip this one. It is really a waste of time ( to be honest). Unless you love Batik. They do have some awesome collection by their Princess and Queens. Entrance is Rp.12500 plus camera charged Rp1000. For trishaw it will be Rp20,000 to and from Kraton to Sosro Rd and a little touring. Do leave some tips ya :) Pity the uncle :)
We do ask for personal tour guide. They do not have fixed price so we gave her Rp20000. Wanted to give more but I just couldn't understand her English!
(Left) Bus stop in Jogja. (Right) Statues of ????
(Right) Gamelan practice.
(Right) Statues of demon. Both side, left and right have the same statues. Left represent bad and right is good.
(Left) Circumcision and wedding hall.
We went back early to have our lunch. It is part of Setia Kawan guest house too. You can check the pictures here. The food is normal. Depending on what food you ordered I guess.
(Right) Alpukat coklat (Avocado juice with chocolate swirl)
(Left) My rendang beef. Yucky!!! To tender! (Right) Ashy's grilled chicken. Not bad!
Prambanan
Then at 2 p.m, We head off to Prambanan Temple (Hindu).
(Left) "our" car :p Journey to Prambanan took almost 1hr Entrance are Rp100,000 per head. No point hiring a tour guide for Rp60,000. The site kinda small. Want to know more about Prambanan? Click here.
Boobies!
(Left) The trams! Rp 5000 per head.
Before the Ramayana Show we head for dinner. Padang food. Better than what I had this morning. Ordered Es Jeruk.
Ramayana theatre. If you know nothing about Ramayana and Sitha, not to worry they have synopsis in various languages. But you gonna be dizzy because they have so many weird names in the synopsis! Better synopsis before watching read here. Don't we just love Wikipedia!
Btw, the performance are awesome! Seriously! If you like those sorts of thing. The only cons is it is kinda too long. 2 hrs ++ Pretty costumes and nice touch of Gamelan music! What is Gamelan? Click here.
When the show finish it started to rain! And my cute crush brought umbrellas for us.. Awwww~~ Such a good and thoughtful service!
Mt. Merapi
We head off to Mt Merapi around 1030p.m To reach New Selo village. It will take Approximately 2 hours drive as the roads are very small and sucky! If you get dizzy easily sleep the whole journey please!
For first timer, do note FIRST TIMER be sure to ask your travel agencies on what to expect and what to wear! Not like us! We do not even bring our own jacket, socks,torchlight,etc!!!! For me, Wearing my oh so thin gym pants, my crocs sandals, sling bag, racerback singlet, and cardigan!!!
We end up renting jacket for Rp15000, torchlight Rp10000, buying gloves Rp10000, socks Rp10000.
First mistake, we wear wrong clothing. I assumed it will be like trecking Niah caves! Warm and humid. I never thought it will be FUCKING very cold and strong wind up there!!
Secondly, I never asked how high we have to climb! I did not go gym for freaking 3 months! Imagined how my stamina was! Horrible!
Third, NO PROPER TOOLS for climbing! Heck imagined other people with those stick specially design to climb mountain while I have to use my hand to grab the roots and in the end wet my gloves and make me damn fucking cold!
Want to know about Merapi? Click here.
Happy! Before the climbing. We hike up 1 am in the morning. The tour guide say it will take around 4 hrs to reach the peak.
By the way, my friend Ash stopped after 1km hiking the tar road! :p Hahaha( sorry Ash!)
(Left) Freaking cold!!! The guide say its almost 5C. (Right) No sunrise and no crates!!!
Not only we did not reach the peak, we took approximately 5hrs 30 mins.We end up stop at the height of 1700m (approx.) above the sea level after climbing 7km. 2km more to reach the peak but because of the strong wind and rain we stopped. Even though, 1km before we reached the cave, me and the other Malay girl begged want to go back! :p It was really tough!! Even as I breathe I can feel the pain in my lung. Ash say I could have caught pneumonia up there!!! Thank God the Malay girl have extra shawl. I borowed from her. If not I would have died!!!!
Funny story! Wanted to send SMS to Ash to ask her to tell my mum that I love her in case I turn into angel up there. But there were no cell coverage!!! : p HAHAHAHA! But I feel kinda proud coz we are the first Malaysian climbed until that stop!!! YAY!!
Very very very steeped! During the night it was very dark I couldn't see a thing. I was surprised I climbed that high!!
Strong wind!
(Left) Imagined these people carry fertilizer on their head while climbing! Insanely strong!! (Right) My crocs sandals!! Through thick and thin! :P
(Left) The villager nice enough to give us a ride back. Actually, at the back of the lorry was filled with worms that came with the fertilizer. But because my feet were aching, I DO NOT CARE!
Banana pancake for breakfast!
Went back to Jogja, Clean up and went for lunch. Bakso. I prefer the one in Tarakan.
Went back for a nap. I slept from 1.30p.m til 8p.m!! During the sleep asked for massage. Rp70000 for an hour.
At night we had KFC :p Need to eat something extra heavy! :p Then wen to Malioboro mall.
Another relaxing massage at the mall 20 mins for Rp15000.
:: Day 3::
Went to Borobudur the next day! This is a very scenic place to take pictures! But make sure you are there before the locals arrive! They love to loiter around and spoil your picture! Hate it!!!!
Entrance is Rp100,000. From Jogja it took 2 hrs to reach Borobudur. Located at Magelang, Middle Java.
Name engraving outside the temple. At first I thought they will use those machine you normally see in Malaysia. But unfortunately, it was handmade. I thought it was cool.
But the end result make me cursed the guy! He cheated Rp10,000 from me by giving old Rp10,000 note as a change! I hope he burnt in hell!
Had Nasi Gudeg for lunch. Nasi Gudeg is a traditional signature dish for Jogja. Sweet and spicy.
Ordered Es Buah for drink. Nice! but a bit too sweet. They have watermelons, bananas and avocado in it!
Dieng
Next stop will be Dieng.
Located at Kabupaten Wonosobo.
I personally love this place too! My cute driver says he got a friend that work as a tour guide. At first we were doubtful because he asked for quite high Rp150000 per person including entrance. The entrance is actually Rp40000 for 4 places. But in the end we enjoy his company! :)
You can contact this tour guide at tafik_enenti@yahoo.com or +685227587841 (Tafik). Seriously, coming to this place you need a guide to fully enjoy it! Sometimes the volcano crates can be dangerous too because the soil are soft.
(Left) Our first stop the view point. View looking over at Mt Merbabu. Cool windy place. Temperature perfect! With a bit of sun, enought to keep you warm.
Since the temperature here a bit cooler than normal, they have many kinds of pretty flowers! They even have sheep! Feel like in Italy, Ash said :p
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(Left ) Some Hindu temples left after hundreds of years! He said there used to be more than 800 temples around but now the most visible one only 8.
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Trumpet flower.
The crate.
That is not the foggy. It is the sulphuric gases. Smell like fart!
(Left) Collecting mud mask. Fresh from the source. But after carrying it from Jogja to Sunway I throw it away. Very smelly. Impossible for me to put that thing on my face!
Me and the cute guy crossing mini river :p Missed him!!
The biggest crate so far. He said the most interesting thing about the crates here are they moved. Every now and then new crate will appear and grow larger and larger.
Baby crate! :p
(Right) Ash covered with sulphuric gases. As far as i concern sulphuric gases can caused cancer. Correct me if I'm wrong. But our tour guide says, a doctor from Japan said a minimal about of this gas can cure cancer.. WEIRD.
Telaga Warna.
Can you see the color differences?
The guide said sometimes if you are lucky, you can see up to 5 colors on the lake. Dark green, light green, white, blue, and yellow. There are no fish here. Because this lake is sulphuric too. Used to be a volcano crate. To get to the best view of the colors and the 2 lake we have to hike 20 more mins!
Hike and hike and hike again! :p
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The other lake at the back is a fresh water lake. A lot of fishes swimming inside! :p
He also told us that a lot of monk come here to meditate in the small hut. Even the Prime Minister of Indonesia himself. To get some kind of sign I guess.
Piano bridge :p (Right) View from the Piano bridge.
Then we head off to the hot spring.
Even chicken wanna take a dip :p
Don't ask me why they didn't treat the water or why I dare to swim inside :p
Signature dish of Kabupaten Wonosobo
(Left) Mee Ongklok. Basically handmade noodles with peanut sauce and ground pepper. For sweet tooth.
BYE BYE JOGJA! GONNA MISS THE FOOD AND THE DRIVER :P HEHEHE.
