Rainy Trip

   

   Last week I went to Ciwidey area, Southern Bandung - West Java for a relaxation with some of my friends. We decided to use night train and rent a car with driver to pick us on the train station and take us to the cottage that we have been booked before. It only cost IDR 500.000 or US$ 50 per person. That all include return train tickets, snacks (instant noodles, frozen french fries, sausages and eggs) return pick up and drop off car, accommodation for 3 days and 2 night but exclude tourist object tickets and activities also meals. It is been raining a lot but I think it still great and cold since I need kind of refreshing and there won't be many people around.

Left to right: Lisna, Me, Rusma, Sari, Adis and Tika

   Those day Friday evening well rain again with all my backpacks I went to the mini market to buy bread and milk as an early dinner and take cash money. I only take IDR 300.000 (US$ 30). I took the train from Citayem station to Gondangdia station that only cost IDR 3.500 ( US$ less than half), then I continue to go to Gambir station (one of the station for outer city train) by Bajaj, it cost IDR 15.000 (US$ 1,5) quite expensive actually since the route is not too far but since I am in hurry and it was rain so it doesn't matter (this time haha). It still 6 PM while our train was at 8 PM so I decided to charge my phone on the station facility but poor me my charger isn't fit properly so I need to HOLD the charger for about 1,5 hours. We started to move when we heard that our train would be arrive in 10 minutes. Thankfully I got the window seat even its all dark but yeah still like it anyway. I choose to listen to my music and close my eyes for a bit. Chatting around and sell my stuff to my friend  well yea good for extra cash during the holiday :). We arrived around 11.30 PM on Bandung station. The car that we have rent was waiting on the gate, I went to the mini market again to buy crackers and drinks been so hungry on the train. It took about 2 hours from Bandung city to reach Ciwidey area. I was sitting in the front and I decided not to sleep so I can enjoy the night view, still interesting really. Especially the way at Ciwidey area. When we entered the rubber plantation it was so so dark and winding. Finally we arrived on Cimanggu cottage the freezing weather cover my body when I open my door and it makes me want to pee so bad. We took the key and drop our stuff inside the cottage and start tidy up our stuff, change clothes and sleep immediately. 

   The next morning after breakfast we straightly went to Kawah Putih (White Crater). We took the public car to get there from our cottage since it was near it's only cost IDR 2.000 per person (US$ less than half). We need to pay the entrance ticket that cost IDR 30.000 (US$ 3) but it's include

The mist came down

Ontang-Anting return tickets (a public car that take us to the crater). The distance between the main gate to the crater is about 6 Kilometer (Km). Small rain started to fall there are some umbrella renting men and mask seller. If you have those thing better use yours to cut the expenses. Because I thought it wasn't necessary to use the umbrella and mask since it wasn't rain at all and the sulfur wasn't smell that bad. The umbrella rent cost IDR 10.000 (US$ 1) and the mask cost IDR 5.000 (US$ half). We spent about 2 hours taking pictures and enjoying the views. We need to wait for the Ontang-Anting again to take us down. We stop at the local restaurant (couldn't say it as proper restaurant actually, just a small food stall with some tables and floor seats as we called as Lesehan, but if you want to feel how some traditional people in Indonesia eat you should eat there and that way. We don't use any spoon, fork even knife just our hand hoho). The rain getting bigger while we eating. I decided to lay down for a bit while looking at the camera pictures. That situation made us doubt to continue that day schedule since all of the activities that we have been planning are outdoors. Finally we decided to go back to the cottage for free leisure time. I choose to take a nap then finally soak on the private hot spring under the small rain HEAVEN !! After that we went to the local restaurant it's better than the first one for the prices and taste. Went back to the cottage start to packed our stuff again and close the day.

Strawberry farm

   After breakfast we decided to split up. Some of my friends want to see the Situ Patenggang (Patenggang Lake) while me and my friend are keen to go to the strawberry farm. We couldn't go to the both of the places because we got limited time before the car pick us up again. The strawberry farm was OK I couldn't say it was pretty great. Maybe it because a lot of rain and wasn't the harvest season so the strawberry wasn't that good as I got before. After got some the strawberry we went back to the cottage and drive down again to Bandung station. While waiting to our train we decided to go to the near by shop to buy thing for our family that we called Oleh-oleh. I bought 3 dunkin donut and ate it on the way back home. So tired but feel so fresh! Can't wait for my next trip :)

Here some more photos:

The cottage "Good morning sunshine"

Way to the cottage from Ciwidey area

Ontang-Anting terminal

Private hot spring

Bonus

Nostalgia Hiking Trip

  

 I have spent my uni internship on a National Park with some of my classmates. We learnt how to become interpreter, ticket officer, eco-tourism and tour planner. We spent about 40 days living inside the national park, mostly without electricity and far from houses. I might write about the internship later on other post :) .

   Last August when my sister was home she told me that she needs refreshing. We've been planning to go to the national park before so we decided to go there. Me, her and her friend took public transportation, such as train and public cars. Well it's quite crowded and we're having a long traffic since it Lebaran (Idul Fitri) for Moslem people. But when we entered the hills area the air became fresher and the driver takes another small road to get there. Oh yea before it we bough KFC for lunch, there will be no shop along the way up. 

   The ticket price is higher than the last time I was staying there, but still OK. It's only IDR 5.000 for local (around  half of US$). We took our lunch before hiking, honesty we are a little worried and weren't sure to continue our walk because it's kept raining and it's already 3 PM when we reach the main gate. But it would be waste if we just staying on the gate. So we packed our stuff back and continue hike the stair by stair. 

   There are not many people on the way up, just couple groups from other cities. I could recognize by their accent that sounds so different with mine. Since it's been long time that I haven't go on hiking again it's quite tiring actually feel so old at that moment LOL. We decided to take a rest on the first shelter. Having chit chat and get some drink. After 10 minutes we continue our walks again. It still raining when we reach the waterfall. Pretty sad that we've ate our lunch down there and we only have snack and fruits to be eaten, bah still alright! I jumped on the waterfall to take some pictures and feel the water. We spent around an hour before we walk down the stairs.

   We don't have anybody else than us on the way back. Getting pretty scary after we heard some strange noises and some shadow ah let say it's the voice of mother nature (well need to calm down myself too) haha. My sister walk and run so fast when its getting darker, I just tried to relax by singing on each step. It was so heaven when we saw the light and the last stair. We kept walking and stop a bit on the main gate. Suddenly the hard rain poured out. We open our umbrella but it was too hard and windy. With soaked body we finally found a public car to take us to the main road. We stopped on a Padangnese restaurant to get our dinner. I choose grilled chicken (ayam bakar) with rice and warm jasmine tea. After that we took a bus to bring us home. End of journey :)

 Here's some of the pictures: