Senin, 29 September 2014

Let's talk about Gili Trawangan trip. The most ridiculous trip I have ever planned in life. I was so dumb in arranging something, sometimes. And that day was the day I tortured my own trip plan.

I went to Poppies Lane I in Kuta to order shuttle bus - fast boat ticket to Gili Trawangan. I personally think that this is the most comfortable way for my self to go. Yes, if you want to, tou can go with another public boat to Gili, or even plane and stop in Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB) airport. But having trip with fast boat is something new. By purchasing this ticket, I didn't have to think about how I can go to Padang Bai port from Kuta. I got easier choice than pushing my self to go with low budget style.  I wasn't that poor at that time. Hahaha...

Marina Srikandi boat would depart at 1 in the afternoon. It takes 2 hrs to go there from Kuta. The trip was quiet nice, the weather is great as expected, and the wave wasn't high.

Gili Trawangan is a small island in the northeast of Bali, part of NTB province. My friend told me, I can roam around this island in two and half hours by riding bicycle. We can rent it there anyway.

My friend recommended me a bungalow to stay there. From the port, I turned left and passed The Art Market. Then, turn right to the street right beside the market. There is a bridge to the beach right in front of that street so you won't get lost to remark the way back to the bungalow.

It's called Bintang Bungalow.  They only have three rooms and the rent price is quiet cute. Everyone offers you 500K IDR for the first time, that's the minimum starting price. I got 350K IDR for the bungalow and I thought it was good enough. It consists of one bed with fine bathroom,  they only have shower water without water heater. This place is super cute since you can feel calm and relax here, again, this is island bro. Hahaha...

Anyway, if you miss Indonesian food, go to the front of the bungalow and get the nice price for all menu.

What was happened to me at that time actually about disorientation of date. I was suggested by my friend's sentence before heading to Gili: you go there,  find the bungalow, have a good eve, and tomorrow you can go to snorkeling spot before going back to Bali.

I obeyed her, without checking my booking plan that actually for two days. Not one day.

So everything was in rush.

Gili was a cute nice quiet calm island un the morning and gone bad in the evening.  There is a pub called Rudy's, one of outdoor cafe, or we can say beach club. The ambience was quiet nice,  one of good place to spend your night in the air of beat.

I packed my bag in the afternoon,  and ran to Marina Srikandi office to confirm my departure to Bali. I said good bye and see you soon to the bungalow officer and move there.
"I confirm my departure," I said nicely to the officer while giving the ticket.
"But Miss, it's for tomorrow, "
"What?!?!?"
God damn stupid!!!
What I was thinking, I won't come back to bungalow and told him I got fucked by the date. That's so embarrassing.
"Really?  But I asked to go today. There must be a mistake while issuing my ticket by your officer! " I told him and blamed their side to secure my face.
"Can I check your payment confirmation?"
"I threw it to the trash bin. I thought you won't need it anymore," another lying drama had been stated.
"Alright,  that is okay as long as you don't switch your schedule, because it's not allowed," he started writing and gave it back to me and let me in to the boat.

Dear Sir, I am sorry for that. I accidentally changed my schedule because of my stupidity.

So Gili welcomed me only for a day. That's quiet sad. Hope to see you again Gili.  I even didn't get chance for snorkeling 😭

Thank God for one more chance to feel the adventure in Bali. The grand theme of this trip was: in the name of experience.

Well it wasn't really about Bali but also Nusa Tenggara Barat trip! Yeyyyy!  Everything was started from Gubeng Railway Station.  I didn't know why i really love to have train trip to Bali. Even it takes super long way to be passed.

I took direct ticket from Surabaya to Denpasar. The Damri bus would pick me up on the station once the train arrived to Banyuwangi,  the last station before accessing ferry in Selat Bali.

But what happened was a bit annoying.  The officer said that the bus would wait in Gilimanuk Port in Bali, so the passanger must moved to the port (it was actually super near, 5 mins on foot) by themselves (the officer took us to the public car with uncomfortable seat to the port). What supposed to be happened was: after arriving station, we ll go to the bus,  and jumped to ferry, and move back to the bus to go to Denpasar.

I was so disappointed by all this thing. Particularly when the officer explained us that there was miscommunication between bus officer and train officer about the amount pf passanger who would go with bus. They thought they won't go to Banyuwangi only for 10 passengers.  Then an old lady angrily shouted him: "So if we just people of 10, you won't pick us up? But how about your service to us? That's what you promised us, so we purchased the ticket. I promise to write this to the newspaper.  You didn't know to whom you speak to!"

Well I guess it represented all pasanger's feeling.  Thank you,  Aunty.

For you guys who wants to go with ferry, as I explained before, you can stop in Banyuwangi station and move to Ketapang port on foot.  Just walk out from the station gate and turn right. Walk along the left side and you ll see very big sign of the port.

Go grab your ferry ticket for 6,500 IDR. After arriving Bali port, Gilimanuk; you can go with small bus in the  bus station after going out from the port for 35,000 IDR. Enjoy 3 hours trip to Ubung Bus Station in Denpasar throughout southern side of Bali. If you go with big bus, you will be dropped in Mengwi bus station and you have to continue to Ubung by other public transportations.

After arriving Ubung, you can go with motorcycle taxi or ojek in our local language for 20-25K IDR to Kuta or somewhere else.

To be continued.