Assalamualaikum :)
So you might have known, bestfriend and I went to Batam during CNY.
We have planned this trip when i was in Korea.
It was my *totally* random idea.
I saw the deal and i quickly called bestfriend asking whether she wanted to come along.
I thought that it will be great to have short getaway with her
so that we can catch up with each other with whatever things that we have missed while i was away
and also, to let bestfriend have a short break from her super hectic schedule.
Let's get rolling...
We were supposed to be at Harbour Front Centre 90 minutes before departure time at 8.20am
but both of us were late. hehh.
I went out from the house right after i prayed suboh.
erm, around 6.05am liddat
veh early i tell you.
Da lama tk klua ruma siang2 gitu -.-
We met at harbour front station and quickly claimed our boarding pass.
it was about 45minute to an hour trip to Batam by Ferry.
borak2 smpi tak sedar da sampai.
We alighted at Sekupang Ferry Terminal around 8.15am (batam time)
(Fun fact: Batam timing is an hour late than Singapore)
We followed a tour.
Quite cool la because I have already went to batam with kade and maya but it was free and easy.
I thought that with tour guide, we tend to know more about batam/indonesia and the places.
gain sikit knowledge.
Furthermore, our tour guide (Kelvin) was so nice and funny and PELAT!
hahahaa!
i can still remember how he pronounced masseuse.
vehhh cutee i tell you! hahaha.
oh, tadaaa. our "tour group" sticker. satu enam lapan!
FIRST STOP: MASSAGE!!
both of us were looking forward to this!!
goood krek krek time.
since both bestfriend and I are malay so we talk ALOT with our masseuse while others were so quiet!
hahaha!
SECOND STOP: KEK LAPIS FACTORY
Their cake lapis is vehh SOFT!
melt in your mouth gitu.
we cant resist but to buy one for our family.
it costs RP190,000 = SGD$27
THIRD STOP: CRACKERS and COFFEE SHOP
not much here.
we just walked around and erm, try most of the samples only. hehe
FORTH STOP: LUNCH
we had 7 courses of meal! enak sungguhh!
and I like the place.
very kampung style.
oh we ate atas air. hehe! :D
should have took the pictures but we were too hungry! -.-
after lunch we walked to this open space to watch a live show.
It showed a man ate glasses and jumped through the fire etc. very ngeri i tell you.
FIFTH STOP: BELALANG ADVENTURE
We are allowed to play all the activities there but both of us chose not to.
some activities are kinda ex whereas the paintball, the price is about the same in SG.
SIXTH STOP: TAMAN MINIATURE HOUSE
just when we alighted from the bus, the cloud decided to "cry"
it was drizzling so we only managed to take a few shoots.
SEVENTH STOP: BIGGEST BUDDHA TEMPLE in SOUTHEAST ASIA
EIGHTH STOP: RALPH LAUREN OUTLET
know why we dont have any pictures for the seventh and eighth stops?
because we were sleeping soundly in the bus!
hahahaa.
we were too shagged!
to think that we woke up early and it was after lunch,
guess sleeping was more syiok then getting down from the bus. hehe!
NINTH STOP: FACTORY OUTLET
all the branded defected goods here.
nothing interest us.
we just look-look see-see only.
but we bought 3 bags along the road.
more prettier than branded goods lor.
TENTH STOP: BATAM CITY SQUARE
shopping time! but only for an hour. bohoo!
but we managed to grab the things we wanna buy.
that include our kfc for dinner! :))
ELEVENTH STOP: NOVOTEL HOTEL
finalllyyy. we checked in!
at about 6pm plus batam time.
**random facts about Novotel Hotel..
it is a 4 star hotel.
well-equip with swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, gym and 2 restaurants.
it is located opposite puteri pacific hotel which is also a 4 star hotel.
The room is quite spacious with bath tub etc.
There is NO wifi. you gotta pay 60000RP for 24hr usage only.
there is a walking distance shopping mall; Mall Jodoh.
around 5 minutes gitu.
more information about the hotel: http://www.novotel.com/gb/hotel-1946-novotel-batam/index.shtml **
the key card ahh, walau, gave us problem only.
we took the video.
zakya has compiled our videos while we were there but it was too long.
just give her time to edit/upload aye :)
once we managed to get into the room,
we prayed zohor/asar and had our kfc for dinner.
catch up time was loved <3
after dinner we went to swim!
i just knew my babe doesnt know how to swim!!
VERY FUNNY when she tried to swim
lolololol :p
had jacuzzi and sauna too.
smpi kene sound dgn pakcik batam cos we went out from the area WET!
hahah.
done with swimming we had supper
and it was bed time.
my babe knocked out ferst while i was happily lepak-ed and watched indonesia shows
my babe knocked out ferst while i was happily lepak-ed and watched indonesia shows
THE NEXT DAY
woke up for suboh and we had breakfast at 8am batam time at..
after breakfast we went back to the room to nap and pack..
and it was time to check out..
The bus fetched us at 11.30am (batam time)
our ferry back to SG will be at 3.30pm (batam time)
once we settled with the ferry tickets,
we still had 3 hours to wait
so we went to the nearby shopping mall;
Batam Centre Shopping Mall.
According to Kelvin that is the most expensive shopping mall in batam
except for its department store and supermarket,
since the shopping mall is VERY near the ferry terminal.
there is even a link bridge.
We did last minute shopping to use all our indonesia money.
I just got to know that Indonesia change their notes once every 3 years.
it depends on their government.
Means, the 10000RP(rupiah), 20000RP, 50000RP notes that u change today might not be the same if you go to Indonesia 3 years from now.
Kira kan duit tu da tkde value.
But you can change your old money at their Central Bank on Indonesia
which i am not too sure where it is.
Probably in Jakarta since its their capital. :)
As what Kelvin told us, Indonesian will be given certain period to change their moolah
but after that period, they too have to change it at the Central Bank.
He told us, their government is going to redesign their notes
and probably by 2014 they will have new notes!
So if you are planning to go indonesia and wont be coming again anytime soon,
spend all your moneyy!!
just like us! hahaha!
i managed to spend till licin the wallet. hehe
we still had 3 hours to wait
so we went to the nearby shopping mall;
Batam Centre Shopping Mall.
According to Kelvin that is the most expensive shopping mall in batam
except for its department store and supermarket,
since the shopping mall is VERY near the ferry terminal.
there is even a link bridge.
We did last minute shopping to use all our indonesia money.
I just got to know that Indonesia change their notes once every 3 years.
it depends on their government.
Means, the 10000RP(rupiah), 20000RP, 50000RP notes that u change today might not be the same if you go to Indonesia 3 years from now.
Kira kan duit tu da tkde value.
But you can change your old money at their Central Bank on Indonesia
which i am not too sure where it is.
Probably in Jakarta since its their capital. :)
As what Kelvin told us, Indonesian will be given certain period to change their moolah
but after that period, they too have to change it at the Central Bank.
He told us, their government is going to redesign their notes
and probably by 2014 they will have new notes!
So if you are planning to go indonesia and wont be coming again anytime soon,
spend all your moneyy!!
just like us! hahaha!
i managed to spend till licin the wallet. hehe
yknow, the ONLY hiccup we had to face was this...
the LONGGG queue to pass thru the custom.
we waited for more than an hr.
luckily i was q-ing with my babe.
but all in all, it was a fun short(est) getaway.
i love this kinda short random getaway.
shall plan for more random trip like this.
who's up for it?
come lai tell meeeee! we go together gether ;D
ps: Click the pictures for larger view
& credits to Anaqi and Kiki for the pictures ;)