Nona Backpacker

Thanks to Cathay Pacific and Petrochina Intl' (where i work), i got discount for corporate secretary (this sound very lovely) for flight tickets to Jakarta-Hongkong return.

The fare that i have to pay is US$ 250 for return ticket Jakarta-Hongkong. Isn't that cool?

So, October 26, 2010 with Batavia air i fly from Jambi to Jakarta at 5.05 pm and arrive nearly 6pm at Soekarno Hatta-Jakarta. I had some dinner at terminal 1 (for Indonesia domestic flights). 

Arrive at Jakarta Soekarno Hatta at 6.05pm went to luggage claim and took my backpack and get something for my dinner. This time there was no problem like my previous traveling when I cannot find my back pack, and I had less than 3 hours flights to Bangkok!

But that was with Lion Air… this time with Bataviaair heheh… different airlines.

For my dinner I choose Mie Kingkong near the stairs to the mushalla (arrival door right side about 50 meters after A&W). I just want something other than junk food. I order Hot plate noodles with black pepper beef for Rp 30.000,- and I had a mineral water for Rp 8000,- the noodle actually taste nice, but its overcooked… from 1 to 10 (1 is yuck! 10 is have to have it) I will give 5, its better to pick other food.

After dinner I look up for free shuttle bus to terminal 2. The free shuttle bus (yellow mini bus) will come every 20-30 mins. It goes from Terminal 1 (Indonesia Domestic Flights) to Terminal 2 (International flights, including Garuda airways flights domestic and local and Air Asia for International Flights) and the last one is Terminal 3 (Domestic Air Asia Flights-including to Bali and Mandala Airways flights). Terminal 3 is my fave terminal since its new, clean and there are plenty places to eat, like Bakmi GM also J’co doughnuts and Starbucks.

Arrive at Terminal 2D, I sit down in front of China Airways check in desk. I still had few hours to go since my flight Cathay Pacific CX798 departs at 23.55 I still had like 4 hour to kill, so I get my netbook from my backpack and pick a good corner and updating my facebook stat and playing games, etc just to pass the time. One of the secretaries said they already check me in online hours before I leave Jambi. It is a convenient thing that you could do city check in or online check in its ease time, especially for those who live in Jakarta that took like 2 hours even more during this raining season just to get to airport earlier.

At 9pm I look up for Cathay Pacific counter, it was in D1, its quite far from where I sit down, but sure I still got plenty time. I check my huge backpack in and had my flight ticket from the group and find out… grrrrhhhhhh!! Not again!! Its wrong name again!

I had to spent 20 mins to explain that its not my mistake that they write my name differently…. But CX have a very good customer service… as I explain the point is.. its me on the flight ticket they want not other person.. so.. yepp they check my things in.

On check in counter I pass my passport and Rp 150.000,- for airport tax. I got my boarding pass with airport tax sticker on it and a “departure card” from the counter. I went to the Fiscal counter near the immigration check, and pass copy of my NPWP card (tax card) and the officer will give “free fiscal” stamp on my boarding pass. If you don’t have this NPWP card you have to prepare about US$200 or about 2 million rupiahs. If you’re Indonesian below 21 and your parent had NPWP card, you should bring copy of your family card (KK) and copy of your parent NPWP card.

After got my free fiscal stamp, I fill out the departure card and pass the immigration. Still few hours before leaving so I back to my netbook again sit on Starbucks sipping Caramel Latte tall, hmm.. I had cookie with me too…. This is fun.

At 11 pm I go to the gate waiting room. Wash my face and try to relax.. its really feel exciting as even if I travel as group, this will be my solo traveling. I will had my own plan, stay in hostel by myself and doing thing my own… hmm….

Nearly midnight we board to the plane. This is the first time in my life I am on flight aboard and its not budget flights. Hehehehe… usually I go by Air Asia or Tiger Airways or Value Jet… inside.. ofcourse this is a lot bigger plane… there are 2 seat near each window side, and 4 in the middle… they had business class too.. its pretty cool that they gave you blankets and pillow also headset for the small tv on the back of the front seat.. cute!

After having midnight dining with mash potatoes and beef sauce.. and a glass of tea (enough dosage of caffeine actually) I try to sleep. I manage to sleep about 2-3hrs when I think I heard the pilot announce that we’re about to land in Hongkong… errrhh? I see my watch still 3.50 wow…. Its 4.50 already in Hongkong. We landed at 5 am.. bummer….

I get myself an Octopus Card for HK$150. Octopus Card could be use for most of transportation system in Hongkong like MTR, Bus, Tram, and you could use it too in some shop. Its very convenient since you don't have to collect small coins, just need to tap it to the device that provided. There is tourist pass for 3 days… its cheaper considerate that i could use it for 3 days and included 2 times ride with Airport Express train...but I think I pass that since its for 3 days MTR use and 2 airport express train back and forward for HK$300 this would be useful for anyone who stay in Hongkong for 3 days, but I just think I am planning to go to Macau or Shenzen so regular Octopus Card would be ok. Oh, the HK$ 50 is deposit that you could get back if you return your Octopus Card (its included on the HK$ 150 price).

Going to the bus to the town its not far from octopus booth just go to the right (not to the parking-but to the other side) and follow the direction, its pretty simple-not! haha if your flight arrive early morning and you're half awake hahaha!

When the door is open, I can’t forget how freakin’ cold the wind is (aaaaaaaaaaaarrrgghhhhhh!!) sorry.. maybe for someone from 4 weather countries its noting and sounds like exaggerating , as I quote my Canadian boss said “19 degrees is a beautiful day to wear short and had picnic with the family” but its cold… seriously.. if you live in equator lines and your average daily  temp is 30-31 C degrees, 17 degrees is cold.

As I look at the information about the buses, they were many of them... I try to jump and run anything to make me warm, and I even wear my wools gloves hahaha!

I use bus #A21 to get my self to Mongkok Kowloon, it was on the right side of the bus terminal (right side of the information board). It still 6 am the wind blow very strong and its only me on the bus stop freezing. I think about my two short and a flip flop on my back pack, and send sms to my mom about this, she must laugh so hard now (ya..ya mom weather is good-I am freeeeezzziiinggg) yepp she laugh at me. A nice lesson for me, October should check if the country I visit had winter!! (Hongkong apparently does have those 4 seasons ugghh!!)

Get in the bus at 6.05 am, I tap my octopus card on the front, near the driver and I show the driver the print out in Cantonese/mandarin language from my hostel, and he nod saying something with gesture to ask me to sit down. Well.. ok.. he know where I should stop at least… it’s the best thing if you had the print out of where to stop because most of Hongkong people cannot understand English, even the taxi driver!! You have to provide the Chinese written in everything, maps, street, hostels, MRT … fiuhhh.. lost in translation begin!

The view from the airport to the city amazing… why? Because you could see Hongkong have everything beside jungle like Sumatra hahahaha! (im in good mood when write this on my note) they had blue ocean with white gulls and mountains and they had tunnels, street are nice, and I could see path where you could run or hike, its very clean, the air is fresh (compare to Jakarta-hehe unfair due to amount of people who live there) and they had busy container port with big ships, I could see ferries to Macau, and long bridges… wow… I see apartment with hanging clothes… I am in HONGKONG! Yaaayyy!

I kept counting the bus stop as it said 6 bus stop. When I almost close I ask the bus driver again.. and he ask me to go? Hah??? He forgot about where I should go down! Aaarrrggghhh!! TT.TT I don’t even know where I am! Freezing, with huge backpack and day pack on front of my body I walk like giant hot dog… suppose to be a normal view but still they stare… hahaha.. anyway… I stand still there and try to figure out where I am, look at map for the 7th or 8 times… still I cant figure it out. Uhmmm... gave up...

So I ask where the nearest MTR to a passing students.. why students? Because they suppose to be able to speak English these days, hehehe…. If they can’t I will teach them some.. hahaha! (my brain freezing and start to act crazy sometimes). One of them point a direction and I could see where I did wrong, I was only less than 70 meters from MTR You Ma Tei … uhhhh…. He got me down earlier then I should… hahah I should be more confident and not rely on someone else.. duuh… So I go by MTR to Mongkok and go to exit B and…. Wow its straight from exit B about 50 meters and turn left when you see theres 7 eleven across, the first door you could see “AH SAN” hostel sign. I am very close to check in.. fiuhh… Going to 14th floor.. this building consist of several guest house, and it is in the center of Mongkok the shopping heaven! Yaaayyyyyy! Great price and the place was clean, the guest house owner could speak fluent Indonesian (see me with wonder at my back pack).

I cannot check in because the check in time is at 1pm. So I ask her if I could use the bathroom. They are very nice to let me use the bathroom. So I clean myself and had new tshirt and wear my thick socks and I am good to go. I kept my luggage locked at the reception.

Down stairs.. oh my… its soooooo cooooolllld! Hahaha its very different than tropical weather when the wind blow, it will be hot and humid, but this is the contrary.. its cold and its very dry. Its good that I kept my nivea lip care with me, keep me moist all the time. But I could feel my skin getting dry by the wind blow only!