Showing posts with label 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011. Show all posts

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Help me to win the IT Travellers go! contest

Dear my Precious Readers! help me to win the IT Traveler contest by voting my profile here! the closing date of this contest is 9 August 2011!

Thanks a lot!

Fk

Friday, August 5, 2011

A tale of a brown skin solo female traveller

...Make your choice, adventurous Stranger;Strike the bell and bide the danger,Or wonder, till it drives you mad,What would have followed if you had...

I wrote this because i know there are thousand people traveling solo in this world every day.

There were times where i said "Lucky me, i'm traveling by my self!!" or when the itchy feeling inside my chest when i see something amazing, like sunrise on a mountain top, or beautiful night city view from a high tower...moment when you think "what the heck am i doing here by my self??"

There are more than once i get my cellphone and dial a number of my family member but then cancel it--errh its very expensive to pay... but i just want to share the experience.. and i really ..really feel sorry because they can not experience what i had while on my trip. Just an sms to someone that i know sometimes help.. like saying "hey finally i see Eiffel tower, its huge!" silly sms that i sent to a friend although can't express how i felt that time.. but sharing the momento is kind of fun.

Grow up in a tiny town in Sumatra, i could count by fingers girls that traveling solo abroad since 2007. Its just our culture not really think a solo female traveler is a good thing. Even a guy in Singapore say it blunt, he will never allow his daughter traveling by her self.

I never meet any Indonesian traveler during my trip for 20 days in Europe. I didn't talk with Indonesia language beside time when i met my old friend Niklas at Stuttgart. Its kind of silly when you missed the small thing at home while youre away and when you back to your country... its kind of..nah.. i want something else (like Germany soft cheese or fresh spargel).

Landed in Charles de Gaulle... i could feel what every what we call "bule" a call for caucasian in Indonesia. Staring eyes. Little children look at you and smile.. very cute. I am not the average asian girls with 173cms height (5.67 ft), i look more like Chinese somehow but my skin darker. Its just the Sumatra girl type of look.

When i say i am from Indonesia, while in Brussels one of the traveler say, can't be! hahah because he went to Java island, and Bali.. but not to Sumatra. We had different ... kind of looks. Most of us more taller, and the skin is more lighter. I think its the ancestor more to mixed of Chinese and Arabic as Sumatra is a trading island, close to the Malacca strait its one of the "silk road" for traders (if you read history). The girls in java more shorter and had darker brown skin.. mine more yellowish/light brown like sunkissed tan (this is what my friend describe hahah).

Ok back to the topic.


I just feel stranded and all alone. Like... oh wow.. i am very different here! even with some asian i met in Europe just once i passes by a young family with malaysian dialect talking out side the ANZ stadium in Munich, must be the Bayern Muenchen fans for sure. But that girl is the only girl that i met with same skin color and dialects that i know :(


And i am not even going to the moon yet! hahaha


I tried not to loose my identity while im traveling.. why? for me this is important.... i stick to the note i am from Indonesia, and i had my own culture.. i try to tell other travelers things about Indonesia. The cultures... the fact that BALI IS PART INDONESIA as one of our 33 province and its a huge country also the majority beliefs is moslem there.


I always proud to say i am from Indonesia, even if at the end they will talk about the Bali Bombing and also the bombing happens in Jakarta, all i could say is so many mean people in this world, you could fiind it in India, UK, and most recent in Norway, a peaceful Nobel country!


Why generalize all Indonesian because one maniacs?? why made any different than things in India, UK, Japan... is that made everyone not like those country? No.


Ok no politics debating here.


How to deal with loneliness while you traveling solo?how do you cope with those?


First i will try to look back why i did it. Reason why i travel solo. Because i want it, for sure! then like my boss said once "suck it up" i did. For better or worse this is what i choice.


I will try to find new connection, new friends on road... which you will find easier to get while you're traveling solo! this is how i met Mr T and loads more my friends on street. We got lost and we share maps and itineraries.

A small "hi" and a smile would help very much! i am a very shy person... especially to people i just met. But hey.. when youre traveling by your self you can't do the shy thing! when you get lost you need to interact with other people to ask directions, dont forget to thank them! and hostels... is also the best place to find new friends.. try to mingle!

I will also try to think nice reason why i travel solo.. i could do things that i like, also no schedule no itineraries... just let loose!

Traveling solo is also a good way to see inside your soul, to think about your life... things that you took for granted like family, friends.. everyone that you wish that could be with you that time. You could only send sms say "thanks for being my friend" its overwhelming feeling to know that back there at home you s till have them, and you being alone just during your travel time only.

Try to made your schedule pretty tight, or do something productive, drawing, taking tons of pictures, i always bring my ipod with me, i could listen to music and play game while on tram. But if you want to friends on road i am not suggesting this hahaha.. last thing i want is to bug someone with earphones stick to their ears. It short of saying "let me by my self would you?!!"

Also i would try to do some sport, running, swimming.. its good after a long trip, to get rid the jet lag.. and btw jet lag i thin is the main cause of the "oh i feel so lonely" depressed feeling!! and i just get rid that away quick.. like while i was in Paris, just go and walk i wont stay in hostel bed and feel sad of being in a strange city! i will explore! (Fika the explorer hahahah!)


Just open your map, your lonely planets your itinerary.. dont let your self not doing anything.. unless if youre having vacation at a small island and youre next to this beach, lying down in white sandy beach under a tree with a book half read on your tummy and youre enjoying the sun, then i am very sure of this, you're doing just fine not doing anything ,...but that!


There are thousand things to do to cope with your loneliness... i know you had your own way on the street.... its sad that you travel by your self.. but hey.. its your choice and you are in place where you want to be!!


Cheer up!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Airasia 2011 Travel Resolution!

I missed the zero fare from Airasia last year... so its really sucks not get some discount flying for my vacation... (thinking about trying my new bikini hehe).


Because work load at end of year i rarely open my mailbox, until this morning i saw this airasia promotion for several destination from Airasia with lower price! Its a great deal for  vacation in April until June (thinking about Phuket and Krabi in April!!)



Booking Period :
27 December 2010 - 2 January 2011

Travel Period : 1 April 2011 - 30 June 2011


Fly from Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Jakarta to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 99.000
Kota Kinabalu Rp 333.000
Singapore
Singapore Rp 155.000
Thailand
Bangkok Rp 333.000
Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City Rp 233.000

 
Fly from Denpasar Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali to:
International All-in-fare from
Australia
Darwin Rp 333.000
Singapore
Singapore Rp 133.000
Thailand
Phuket Rp 333.000

 
Fly from Husein Sastranegara Airport, Bandung to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 233.000

 
Fly from Polonia International Airport, Medan to:
International All-in-fare from
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Rp 277.000
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 33.000
Penang Rp 99.000

 
Fly from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (LCC Terminal), Kuala Lumpur to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Johor Bahru Rp 34.000
Penang Rp 34.000
Alor Setar Rp 100.000
Sibu Rp 167.000
Sandakan Rp 167.000
Tawau Rp 233.000
International All-in-fare from
Bangladesh
Dhaka Rp 336.000
Brunei
Brunei Rp 167.000
India
Tiruchirappalli Rp 402.000
Kochi Rp 402.000
Kolkata Rp 402.000
Bangalore Rp 402.000
Chennai Rp 468.000
Indonesia
Medan Rp 100.000
Banda Aceh Rp 167.000
Jakarta Rp 167.000
Yogyakarta Rp 233.000
Solo Rp 233.000
Surabaya Rp 233.000
Balikpapan Rp 233.000
Bandung Rp 299.000
Laos
Vientiane Rp 299.000
Philippines
Clark (Manila) Rp 233.000
Sri Lanka
Colombo Rp 402.000
Thailand
Hat Yai Rp 100.000
Phuket Rp 167.000
Bangkok Rp 233.000
Krabi Rp 233.000
Chiang Mai Rp 299.000
Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City Rp 233.000
Hanoi Rp 336.000

 
Fly from Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Chiang Mai Rp 173.000
Phuket Rp 173.000
Krabi Rp 173.000
Nakhon Si Thammarat Rp 173.000
Ubon Ratchathani Rp 173.000
Narathiwat Rp 242.000
International All-in-fare from
Cambodia
Phnom Penh Rp 311.000
China
Shenzhen Rp 311.000
Guangzhou Rp 487.000
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Rp 625.000
India
Kolkata Rp 556.000
New Delhi Rp 625.000
Indonesia
Jakarta Rp 625.000
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 349.000
Myanmar
Yangon Rp 311.000
Singapore
Singapore Rp 418.000
Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City Rp 311.000

 
Fly from Changi Airport (Terminal 1), Singapore to:
International All-in-fare from
Indonesia
Bali Rp 361.000
Jakarta Rp 397.000
Yogyakarta Rp 469.000
Malaysia
Langkawi Rp 325.000
Miri Rp 325.000
Thailand
Phuket Rp 433.000
Bangkok Rp 433.000
Chiang Mai Rp 433.000

 
Fly from Kota Kinabalu International Airport (T2), Kota Kinabalu to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Sandakan Rp 34.000
Miri Rp 100.000
Kuching Rp 100.000
Penang Rp 233.000
International All-in-fare from
Indonesia
Jakarta Rp 468.000

 
Fly from Kuching Interntianal Airport, Main Terminal, Kuching to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Bintulu Rp 34.000
Sibu Rp 34.000
Kota Kinabalu Rp 100.000
Miri Rp 100.000

 
Fly from Penang International Airport, Penang to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Langkawi Rp 34.000
Kuala Lumpur Rp 34.000
Kota Kinabalu Rp 233.000
International All-in-fare from
Indonesia
Medan Rp 167.000
Surabaya Rp 299.000

 
Fly from Senai International Airport, Johor Bahru to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Kuala Lumpur Rp 34.000

 
Fly from Phuket International Airport, Phuket to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Udon Thani Rp 104.000
Ubon Ratchathani Rp 104.000
Chiang Mai Rp 173.000
Bangkok Rp 173.000
International All-in-fare from
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Rp 625.000
Indonesia
Bali Rp 556.000
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 311.000
Singapore
Singapore Rp 418.000

 
Fly from Juanda International Airport, Surabaya  to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Penang Rp 133.000
Kuala Lumpur Rp 155.000

 
Fly from Sultan Abdul Halim Airport, Alor Setar to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Kuala Lumpur Rp 100.000

 
Fly from Bengaluru International Airport, Bangalore to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 708.000

 
Fly from Sepinggan Airport , Balikpapan to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 155.000

 
Fly from Sultan Iskandarmuda Airport, Banda Aceh to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 99.000

 
Fly from Bintulu Airport, Bintulu to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Kuching Rp 34.000

 
Fly from Brunei International Airport, Brunei to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 159.000

 
Fly from Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou to:
International All-in-fare from
Thailand
Bangkok Rp 548.000

 
Fly from Netaji Subhash Chandara Bose International Airport, Kolkata to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 496.000
Thailand
Bangkok Rp 496.000

 
Fly from Bandaranayake International Airport, Colombo to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 549.000

 
Fly from Chiang Mai International Airport, Chiang Mai to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Hat Yai Rp 173.000
Bangkok Rp 173.000
Phuket Rp 173.000
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 418.000
Singapore
Singapore Rp 418.000

 
Fly from Cochin International Airport, Kochi to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 496.000

 
Fly from Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, Clark (Manila) to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 215.000

 
Fly from Zia International Airport, Dhaka to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 625.000

 
Fly from Indira Gandhi International Airport, Terminal 3, New Delhi to:
International All-in-fare from
Thailand
Bangkok Rp 848.000

 
Fly from Darwin International Airport, Darwin to:
International All-in-fare from
Indonesia
Bali Rp 894.000

 
Fly from Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 446.000

 
Fly from Hat Yai International Airport, Hat Yai to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Chiang Mai Rp 173.000
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 242.000

 
Fly from Hong Kong International Airport (T2), Hong Kong to:
International All-in-fare from
Indonesia
Medan Rp 528.000
Thailand
Bangkok Rp 648.000
Phuket Rp 648.000

 
Fly from Adi Sucipto Airport, Yogyakarta to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 155.000
Singapore
Singapore Rp 233.000

 
Fly from Krabi International Airport, Krabi to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Bangkok Rp 173.000
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 311.000

 
Fly from Langkawi International Airport, Langkawi to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Penang Rp 34.000
International All-in-fare from
Singapore
Singapore Rp 233.000

 
Fly from Chennai International Airport, Chennai to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 542.000

 
Fly from Miri Airport, Miri to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Kota Kinabalu Rp 100.000
Kuching Rp 100.000
International All-in-fare from
Singapore
Singapore Rp 167.000

 
Fly from Narathiwat Airport, Narathiwat to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Bangkok Rp 242.000

 
Fly from Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport, Nakhon Si Thammarat to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Bangkok Rp 173.000

 
Fly from Phnom Penh International Airport, Phnom Penh to:
International All-in-fare from
Thailand
Bangkok Rp 134.000

 
Fly from Yangon International Airport, Yangon to:
International All-in-fare from
Thailand
Bangkok Rp 134.000

 
Fly from Sibu Airport, Sibu to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Kuching Rp 34.000
Kuala Lumpur Rp 167.000

 
Fly from Sandakan Airport, Sandakan to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Kota Kinabalu Rp 34.000
Kuala Lumpur Rp 167.000

 
Fly from Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City to:
International All-in-fare from
Indonesia
Jakarta Rp 446.000
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 402.000
Thailand
Bangkok Rp 313.000

 
Fly from Adi Sumarmo International Airport, Solo to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 155.000

 
Fly from Bao'an International Airport (International Terminal), Shenzhen to:
International All-in-fare from
Thailand
Bangkok Rp 336.000

 
Fly from Tiruchirappalli Civil Airport, Tiruchirappalli to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 542.000

 
Fly from Tawau Airport, Tawau to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Kuala Lumpur Rp 233.000

 
Fly from Ubon Ratchathani Airport, Ubon Ratchathani to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Phuket Rp 104.000
Bangkok Rp 173.000

 
Fly from Udon Thani International Airport, Udon Thani to:
Domestic All-in-fare from
Phuket Rp 104.000

 
Fly from Wattay International Airport, Vientiane to:
International All-in-fare from
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Rp 357.000