Jakarta-Bandung: The Road Trip

I thought I could post this out before my field trip (yes, just had another one in Sipitang, Sabah for two weeks) but I failed at managing time. Too many things caught up in between, but I finally got the time to post it. So here is my Jakarta-Bandung trip post!

Let’s make it a short one, yeah?

It was an economy trip for 5 days 4 nights to Jakarta-Bandung.  Like everyone else, I went there with one goal: shopping.  I don’t have much budget though but I planned to at least get something for the upcoming raya. And like what my mum has predicted, I’ve exceeded my budget limit. Bought two lovely kaftans for raya, telekong, a few branded casual wear, kain pasang, blablabla. I just cannot help it. If  I wasn't so broke of rupiah, if only I could withdraw a few hundreds more from the atm machine, I wouldn’t have to dream about that Chloe leather bags for a week! Hummph….

As our schedule was packed with shopping, shopping and shopping, it means we have less and less time for places with beautiful scenery or historical value. I love shopping but I love visiting places too but we have such a limited times and shopping is too time consuming and it makes me broke but the goods here are really cheap....

However we managed to go to Tangkuban Parahu - a stratovolcano where we can see the hot springs and boiling mud up close. We met with a kind local people there, who told me briefly about the legend of Sangkurian – a man that fall in love with his mother. I’m a sucker for legend story, so I decided to share it here. There were a few slightly different version of story, but this one is most well-translated. This is how the story goes:

And of course, let me share some pics from the trip.

Mum, dad and me at Tangkuban Parahu

Listening to the history of the stratovolcanoes~

This is my first time watching the hot steam vaporizing from the volcano up close. Quite epic I must say!

The background is the mural of Sangkuriang legend

Too caught up reading the menu

Pangsit Kuah: one of the dishes that you should try.

A visit to Kartika Sari is a must. Bought lots of brownies!

A tut-tut! Me and my room mate went to have a quick tour
near our hotel, 10 minutes before we check out! 

I can say that I pretty much enjoy this trip. Though we spent more time on the road caught in the traffic. It took us almost 5 hours to reach Bandung from Jakarta (our Pak Supir said normally it only took about 3 hours). The traffic was so bad either way but it was better on our way back to Jakarta. And most of all, I will never forget the experience of running away from the sellers! There were just too many of them and they were everywhere and have this kind of fighting-spirit that they won’t stop following you around until you buy something from them. Can't help but feeling pity for them.

And that’s all I have to share. Till the next update, be good!

p/s: I said to make this short but ended up to write quite a long entry.