to the date of 12 November 2012 yesterday, I wanted to make a
confession that I have never set foot on the island of Sumatra in my
life. Yeah, I’ve been 24 years old and will be 25 years old next year, and
nearly a quarter of a century, I have never been to the island of
Sumatra, where the Srivijaya kingdom once controlled nearly half the
archipelago.
Do not Forget Packing H-1!My trip to Padang on 12 to 13 November 2012 was preceded by riots, in the form of (a) wake up late and (b) has not packing. Tinggalah
intention intention to wake up at 3 am for packing and actually I was
not woken up by the alarm on my mobile phone but by calling Mr. Taxi
Driver, “Mr. Bok taxi?” and I immediately jump, seloncat-loncatnya from the bed.
The time when it showed street vendors. 4:50 and my flight using Garuda Indonesia is the street vendors. 6:20. This means, check in last are street vendors. 5:50. I was immediately nervous, put the clothes that need to be included for a two-day trip, without even checking, match or not. Bath and VOILA! Twenty minutes later, I was sitting pretty in a silver bird that is
expected to bring me to the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport within
20 minutes.Depart Early on MondayInitially, I was quite confident that I would not be late check in because my house was close to the airport. However,
along the way, I tried to keep the facility checked in via mobile
Garuda Indonesia, but for some reason, can not use the excuse “sorry,
this mobile check-in facility is only for domestic”. I immediately thought, since when Padang including overseas? It felt as Garuda Indonesia must improve facilities in its mobile check.I’m a little breathing space at that time, when knowing the condition of expressway to the airport. Not so crowded and dear, alas, nothing is eternal in this world. I started to panic when knowing the congestion in Terminal 2 of Soekarno-Hatta. Garuda
Indonesia is located in Terminal 2F it feels so far away, and when the
taxi arrived at Terminal 2D, the show time street vendors. 5:35. Like it or not, like it or not, I have to come down and train my cardio by running from Terminal 2D to 2F.I lay my taxi is right in front of Terminal 2D and raced straight to Terminal 2F. As a result of this incident is, I became the center of the spectacle
of the airport visitors who seemed silently giggling, saw I exercise in
the morning carrying a briefcase.So,
should indeed, leaving the way early to the airport rather than having
missed the plane, especially on Mondays, when everybody feels like to go
out of Indonesia.
Baggage The BriefWell, fortunately, I did not include people who rempong when traveling. This
is important because when we could have taken up quite a lot when
passing through security screening and its metal detector that often
makes us go back and forth to release or remove the items in the bag. So it is important to put all the goods into bags to be passed through the security screening machine.Next
tip is do not bring too much luggage so as not to be overwhelmed
collect them after they finish passing through the security check. When a panic like this, yes there may be rusted stuff to carry because it must quickly check in is not it? And to avoid that possibility, yes I usually only carry two bags, one
bag to put the luggage suitcase and one backpack or bag can also
postman.I also learned, if up budget airline, such as Mandala, Tiger or Jetstar, yes if bringing cabin 7 kilogram bag should fit. Never enter into a laptop bag because it will add to the weight of the cabin bag itself. If possible, be issued when weighed. Well, the weigh-weighing process is quite time consuming, especially
if cabin bag must be reorganized in order to meet the quota of 7
kilograms signaled by airline regulations.Okay, so the tips, so do not be late check in and luckily, I was allowed to check in.Bana smart Padang!The trip to Padang takes about 1 hour 40 minutes with Garuda Indonesia. As
I recall, there were 35 times for flights to Jakarta – Padang and costs
once leave around Rp.2.600.000 for economy class tickets. To be sure, it can be eaten on the plane and not only get my bread. My
flight in the morning is filled and the return is the same, to the
extent that I had to set his own cabin bag me to get into the shelf in
the cabin filled with souvenirs typical of West Sumatra, especially if
not chips Balado Christine Hakim or Shirley famous make mules that.Arrived
in Padang, the distance from the airport to the city can be taken about
30-40 minutes and there is no congestion is so meaningful in Padang. To my knowledge, from the airport to Padang can only be reached by car or taxi indeed. Oh yes, the taxi in Padang did not use the meter and its main provision is a bargain! To
that end, before the bidding price, should know the price of a standard
distance from one place to another and this information could be
obtained by asking the information center at the airport, hotel or local
people. Fortunately,
because this again is a business trip, my friends and I use a car
rental service and driver that can take anywhere. I do not know clearly, what the price of this car rental, but reportedly, about Rp.75.000 up to 100,000 for the one-way.For two days saty tonight, I stay at Pangeran Beach Hotel, its location, right on the edge of Padang Beach. This hotel is one of the oldest hotels in Padang and cost approximately USD per night. 600 000 thousand for a single room with queen size bed (includes breakfast). Yes standard amenities. One
advantage of this hotel is the view directly facing Padang Beach but
unfortunately, the beach is not so well cared for by the hotel so a lot
of trash everywhere.
For me, it’s Padang city were deserted yes, no hubbub going on in the evenings. If
indeed the ultimate goal is for a tour of nature and see the sights,
West Sumatra is the champion, I was amazed when the journey to London
and looked at Bukit Barisan which is very much in rows yes. Halah. I’m
a little shiver when looking at the beauty of West Sumatra, even if
only briefly, let alone listening Kampuang Nan Jauah in Mato which
diaranseme orchestral version by Addie MS, it seems, the Creator is so
good at Indonesia so as to give a touch of nature are so wonderful for
the country. Gak, so melancholy way.Martabak Malabar and Seagrass WaveIn Padang, there is absolutely no Paris restaurant and there was the house to eat. Ha ha ha. For
two days in a row, I was invited to eat to one restaurant that seemed
to open branches across Padang, name Eating Seagrass Ombak. Ate
there pretty cheap-rousing yes, we eat together twelve, just about
Rp.450.000 (includes juice, coffee, milk, iced coffee after a meal). Unfortunately, I did not try the famous spicy nasi kapau it and I felt, why Padang food is not spicy so ya? Haha, what a feeling it just me?Later
that night, after doing some office work that had left having to “go to
the field”, my friend and I chose to look for a midnight snack and the
choice fell to Martabak Malabar located in Pondok, Padang. Martabak are martabak mixture of Malay and India because of its shape a bit like bread cane. I chose to eat Planta, ie thin dry martabak watered by sweetened condensed milk! Amazingly tasty and definitely cheap. One portion Rp.6.000 Planta just appreciated it and I had been able to eat until you are full!I
also tried martabak Istambul is martabak Planta but slightly thicker
version and given yolk in it, so there is the impression savory but
still sweet because it was given powdered sugar and sweetened condensed
milk. The price is also just 10,000. Me
and my friend spent 35,000 for a midnight snack with coffee pull two
orders, one serving Planta, one portion of Istanbul and one portion of
fried rice. Cheap? Amazingly cheap.I infer, turned out to regions outside Java is the price of food is
much cheaper than the price in Java itself (or rather price in Jakarta).Padang
is a city which for me is nice to visit, not to see the splendor of the
city but to see the simplicity of the population-the population. How could we see them maintain village traditions, local knowledge and local food in this era of social media. The city is not a mega city where many cafes or places young people hang out there at each end of the street. I feel back to the “old days” when in Padang because modernization is
not so pronounced blaring like in Jakarta, Bandung or Surabaya.I
learned in a short trip this time, to respect for local knowledge, how
exactly, tradition must be maintained when talking to a gentlemen aged
60 years who continue working without remuneration for Nagari or Korong
(Hamlet). The trip to Padang it makes me a lot to think about how to serve this
nation, without ever looking at remuneration to be obtained.Is not, it should be, every walk into a new place, always tucked a valuable lesson for us to tell when they returned?
