4 funeral ceremonies, 3 bike accidents (28 Dec 2010)

Today, we will go to the famous Teluk Dalam. It's a long and dangerous drive to reach there. I suggest if anyone wants to go there, one should bring an expert driver unless one feds up with this world already. We ourselves got the bestest driver in the world (truly personal opinion). Not only is he an expert, he is also the best informant. Along the way to Teluk Dalam, whenever we bump a friend of him (basically all of the people are his friends), he will willingly share some information about the person. It amazes us because some information might be personal to the person.

Another experience that truly surprises us is how many funeral ceremonies and bike accidents that we bump into. We learned that Nias people love boars as we can see along the drive. Yenty, specifically, is very excited at how many boars she can see. Despite the pitiness and excitements toward the boars, we love to test one, but we don't have the chance.

When we arrive we visited the traditional houses and the famous stone. Taking some pictures and learning a bit of their culture make our long trip paid off.
Heading to beaches, finally! But we are quite disappointed to see how wasted the beautiful beach is. It has beautiful waves, I'm so sure people will come for surfing IF they provide good accommodations, transportations, facilities and service. We won't waste the time there with complaints, though. Got some beautiful pictures there.

Crabs' finger feet... :)

Talking about accidents, we too experience one. During our late drive back to the city and glorious chat between the driver (Ko Joni, have I mention?) and Alvin, one motorbike from back tries to cut our lane, unfortunately there is a fast motorbike coming towards us from another lane. When three of us reach the same spot, the biker who tries to cut us loses his balance and is thrown in front of us. He is under our van for seconds until Ko Joni presses the brake. We can see the fire sparkles when the biker is under us. Luckily he can go out and stand up when people from nowhere come to see the incident. We are scared to be beaten up by them. Smartly Ko Joni explains shortly, goes back to van and drives away. If he doesn't do it, I don't think I will have this chance to write about the accident. What an experience huh?

Nias (27 Dec 2010)

Again, it's an emergency plan! I don't know whether it's plan D or plan E. But we got call from Pak Munte saying that there is a jet boat from Sibolga to G. Sitoli at 10. So we rush packing and get ready to the port. So, there you go, another plan!

We meet many people in the boat. There's a family (Australian dad and Chinese Indo mom) with three different outlook children (the eldest with mixed Western and Eastern look, the second with so Western look, the last with so totally Eastern look). I am just amazed by it. Many Pekanbaru people travel to Nias too. It's a 4-hour boat trip!

Arriving at G. Sitoli, we are picked up by Riang and sent to Hotel National. It is the first and the oldest stay in Nias. Old doesn't mean rusty, they definitely offer warm hospitality.

The first sunrise we catch in Nias

2 days down 4 days more to go! Ganbatte!

From Medan to Sibolga with a Puke (26 Dec 2010)

It's happening! It really is. We are at Sibolga now! After many nights crying and begging to not join the trip, apparently it's worth it!

It's the most insane-10-hour drive I've ever been! From Medan-Perbaungan-Tebing Tinggi-Siantar-Parapat-Porsea-Laguboti-Balige-SiborongBorong-Tiga Balata-Tarutung-Sibolga! And our stay is close to Padang Sidempuan. Isn't it just plainly crazy, or what?!? This is the longest road trip in my life! Thanks God I've made it! :)

Hereby I state that I've tasted the dreadful infamous road from Tarutung to Sibolga! It is indeed a killer! With heavy rain at night, it surely is the craziest road trip ever!

Pandan Carita Hotel "Hotel Sweet Hotel" - literally...

1 day down 5 days more to go! Jia you!

Some Left Behind from 2010

I know it's old, but it's my blog means I am free to put whatever I want, rite? :)

Danbo in Garden

My curiosity is finally pampered. I saw billions of super creative danbo photos and I could just be jealous. And now I have some pictures, which I can be a little proud of, though there's still so much I need to learn from other photographers.

Knock knock!!!

Knock knock!!!

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Who's that?
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It's Mr. Dragonfly :)
Another wonder that God made. Actually I was taking Danbo pictures, then I found this amazing creature-Mr. Dragonfly.

Happy Mom’s Day

Yeah, Indonesia has her own Mom’s Day which is on every December 22. I don’t have a special present for my mom. But as usual, I give my quality time and energy for my mom (Yeah, I know it's a lame excuse). My mom was invited by her friend to celebrate birthday party on the night and she still did not have “proper” clothes (so she thought) for the party. So, I offered myself as her chauffeur and fashion stylist.

We went to this famous shopping mall walking around going in and out boutiques many times for a couple of hours with empty handed. Suddenly my mom remembered that our neighbor recommends a boutique, which she thinks it has high fashion style. So we searched for it because we’ve never been there before. We searched for it from the direction board. Many people (can be seen from their faces) were quite puzzled, perhaps because we are one of the so little people who search stores from the board direction. Let me be clear why it is so weird of reading a direction board. First, it is a “not-that-big-mall-which-you-have-to-read-the-direction-so-you-can-find-your-boutique mall. People believe that you just need to wander around for few minutes to find the boutique. But we were fed up and ran out of time to wander around the mall. Second, it’s people’s favorite mall. People go to the mall basically every day (it is obvious that I’m not; my best record 5 times in a month). People know and can point where the store is with their eyes closed (again, not me). SO, it is WEIRD to read a direction board. Thanks God, I am tired of caring other people’s opinion about me.

Back to the point of the story, we finally found the store! And there is NO boutique’s name in front of it. The owner of the boutique is a very-metro-sexual-almost-sissy man recommended some “flashy party” tops. We (my gang members and I) have a nickname for those flashy clothes – “pedangdut”. Pedangdut basically is called for a musician for our proud genre of music–dangdut. Normally the musicians will wear flashy, shiny, tight clothes which reveal the silhouette of the singer’s body. And my mom bought one of those types with AMAZING prize! Ok, it is a Jessica Red’s top (BTW, who/ what is Jessica Red? After I googled it, it is one of the most famous clothing brands in HK) but with the style and material, for me, it is not worthy! It is HKD 1,999; He sold it to us Rp 2,200,000.00! Try to count the zeroes! Haiks… Even my mom confessed that it is her most expensive top she has ever bought in her life. And by reading her face, I know she meant it and decided that it was her last time to buy such expensive clothes.

Eventually, she pulls it off! Wow! Happy Mom’s Day! :)