Annyong Korea - 1st Day (Part 1)

September, 25th, 2013

It was on Wednesday in the middle of the night, I had a flight from Cengkareng, Jakarta, Indonesia to Incheon, Seoul, South Korea. I got a free trip 5 days 3 nights to South Korea as a grand winner photo competition held by Nivea Indonesia (as told as my last post. Everything was prepared by the agency perfectly, start from Korean visa, return ticket, and also tour package whilst me and another winner named Gita stay in Seoul.

My ticket by using Garuda Indonesia 878

In plane, it was the first time I met another winner, Gita. We had a communication before by blackberry messenger yet we never met before. We checked in by ourselves but it was so accidentally she got the sitting number beside me. What a magic, doesn't it?

I was exhausted since I had work in a day. So I spent my night for sleeping whilst listening to the music until Gita woke me up for having a breakfast.

The menu offered were 2 kind of meals: fried rice with fish o omelette with sausage and hash brown potato. But, I heard when the Korean flight attendant offered the passenger before me the menu, she said that omelette was run out. Aaaaargh, I want to eat omellete actually. Yet luckily, another local flight attendant came and she asked me what kind of menu for my breakfast. I asked: "Do you have an omelette still?" She said "yes". Wow, God blessed me! Fortunately I was not be served by the Korean flight attendant.

However, in the menu, it written that tomato should be grilled, yet mine was not. It was fresh tomato. Hmmmm.. Anyway, I don't like tomato, whether fresh o grilled, so I will not eat it (and the important one, I did not complaint about it, lol).

Breakfast menu: Omelette natural, chicken sausage, hash brown potato and grilled tomato

Some hours before landing, flight attendants distributed 3 different kind of papers. One for arrival card,one for health questionnaire, and custom declaration.

 

Landing position was announced. I looked at the window beside me. I still wondering myself, Oh my God, I couldn't believe I could go to South Korea. It was like a dream comes true.

Almost arrived

 Woohoo, this is it: Incheon Airport, South Korea.

Selamat Datang di Korea

After passed immigration, health, and custom session, we were picked up by tour guide named Lia Onti*. She is a tour guide from tour and travel has been prepared from Nivea Indonesia and 1atap agency. I felt so special. It was like I had when I had a business trip.
(* onti is like elder sister in Korean)

Want to know where is my first movement, I will write it on my next post.


Love,


Aditha

Annyong Korea - Announcement Winner

July, 09th, 2013

It was on Tuesday, 09th July 2013 I read an official announcement on facebook about photo competition was held by Nivea Indonesia. An announcement noticed about who is the grand winner that will get free trip to South Korea. Well okay, I have to be frank that I knew some weeks earlier by phone that I've been chosen as one of two grand winners to go to South Korea. It felt so really amazing and unbelievable! By joining this competition, I honestly didn't expect that I'll be the first winner though. So I would like to say thank you so much to Nivea Indonesia and the agency to choose me to be a grand winner of this competition.

Official announcement by Nivea Indonesia

By winning this competition, definitely this would be my first experience to go to the country I used to wish to go. South Korea, finally! My Lord, your plans always amazing towards me. That's why I always believe in you.

As a winner, I got many privileges such as visa prepared by the agency, also for return ticket, booking hotel and tour package. Didn't it sounds so cool, huh?

So anyway I did not know exactly what's needed to apply Korean visa, because it was organized by the agency. I just prepared about my passport, copy of my bank account for 3 months, and also a statement letter from my company which is explaining that I am an employee of their company. That's all.

I got those visa about couple weeks prepared by the travel agent, I was not sure though about the fastest period to get visa but as I read some articles about Korean visa, if we want to prepare by ourselves,generally it needs 5 working days.

And this is it my Korean visa on my passport. It looked soooo cute.

My Korean Visa

The prizes as a grand winner were also including fresh money valued IDR 1.000.000,-. (not too bad to buy some Korean won) and a parcel of Nivea's products. I truly being spoiled as a winner!

All about Nivea's products

Many many thanks Nivea Indonesia and Satuatap Agency for preparing all of this trip. 한국 안녕, can't wait to see you.


Love,

Aditha

Bali, I'm (still) in love - 3rd Day

September, 01st, 2013

Hello September!

I started my September still in Bali. After had long night spent time with my friend until 3am in the dawn, I woke up myself at 8 am. Fiuh, I struggled myself for it. I had some medicines last night and thanks God it worked well. It made me at least fell better. I realised I explored myself too much, but I just want to waste my chance to enjoy Bali again and more. It's such a paradise.

Selamat Pagiiii!

Me and another winners had time to prepare ourselves for check out before 11 am. Whilst I had breakfast, I was accompanied by the owner of the tour and he gave me his name card to be contacted if someday I travel in Bali again.

The next destination after we checked out was Joger. The is a very popular "funny - crazy words fabric" shop in Bali. This store has no branch. So the one and only in Bali. This place was crowded, as always. Actually I was not keen to shop again, as last night I spent all of my free shopping voucher and my money indeed too. Though I wasn't keen, yet I still bought some souvenir there, hehe..

It took couple hours for shopping then we had lunch. After that all finished, it was time to go to Ngurah Rai Airport. I got evening flight at 6 pm but the agency asked us to get in to airport couple hours before. Oh geez! 2 hours is for international flight though, whilst we just had local flight which only need an hour o even half an hour to get check in. But well, I understand about the reason about missing the flight.

Lion Air Bali - Jakarta

In fact I was sooo "lucky" because of my airplane got 3 hours delayed! Plus I arrived in aiport couple hours earlier so totally I wasted my 5 hours in the crowded airport. What a perfect! Obviously it made me bored and tired and annoyed. If I could choose another option, I would. However the agency prepared it already, so what can I do then?

At 9:30 pm I got my airplane finally. I was not sure how come it could be happened, but the passengers seat because of a "luck" although in the boarding ticket it mentioned clearly about the number. Who fast it will get a seat. I entered into the plane almost in the end of the line. But that was I called "a luck", because I got a seat. I was not sure about the amount, but some of the passengers didn't get seat so they have to come out again, including some of my agency.

It was really terrible flight though. The AC did not work properly and the smell around was not good. I forced myself to sleep unless I would probably going to throw up. It was really making me swearing by myself. Very uncomfortable!

But well, generally I did enjoy the journey anyway. The agency from Absolute Feminine Hygiene did a good job and they treated all of the winners very well.

Matur Suksma Bali. You know we'll catch up again and again.

Love,

Aditha

Bali, I'm (still) in love - 2nd Day

It was on Saturday I started my second day in Bali. The first destination on that day was a very popular beach named Kuta o Baliness say it Kute. Some people do not recommend this place to visit, maybe because this place is having cheaper price than the other places so this is the target for foreigner backpacker who has just limited money to spend. Yet, however this is the essential place to visit when we are in Bali though, particularly for those who never been there before.

Kuta beach in the morning

Hello, Kuta!

I'm glad Kuta looks clean and beautiful. The last time I went there, it looked bit messy anyway. By the way, more information for you who never been in Bali, if you had more money to spend, Seminyak and Nusa Dua are definitely the right place to go. The location are great and good place for business stuff. FYI, Miss World 2013 opening and welcoming dinner was held in Nusa Dua last 8th September 2013.

Okay, back to Kuta. I spent my time there about couple hours and I did really enjoy it. It was not too much people in the morning though it was on Saturday. So I and 9 another winners had a shooting with a ambassador freely.

Behind the scene

I let the waves touched my feet. Then after satisfied playing with the waves and touched the sand, I continued my destination to Tanjung Benoa, a popular place for doing water sport. Although it was not my first time o second time o third time I went there, I was excited as if it was my first time.

From Kuta to Tanjung Benoa took about 40 minutes. Then, without wasting time, I prepared myself to go to turtle island. You can leave your belongings in the deposit box. Actually it was free. But you have to pay IDR 20k o valued USD 2 to guarantee the key. Once you give back the key, they will give your money back as well.

My deposit box

I left all of my belongings, just brought a camera because that was a mandatory thing to bring! So turtle island is a part of Tanjung Benoa. From Tanjung Benoa to turtle island you need to take boat to go there. They will cost you about IDR 150k o valued USD 15 per 10 person, so it just take IDR 15k per person. Anyway, the price will be different for a foreigner. I think that was fair enough though to divide between local price and foreigner price. However rupiah is so much cheaper if we compare with USD o even GBP.

Choose your boat here

I was lucky because I could get myself in the same boat with the ambassador. I looked at her sometimes, she was soooo pretty.

Me and Ira Wibowo

Along the way, she asked to the winners about our age and I realised that I was the youngest winners though.

Because of we used glass bottom boat, so we could see how was under the sea look like.

It took 20 minutes to reach turtle island. Before enter this island, you need to pay IDR 5k o valued USD 0,5. Then, you can be free enjoy this island.

Welcome to turtle farm

Symbol of turtle island

In this island, not only turtles, but also we could take photos with another conserved animals such as eagles, snake, etc (I forgot what else, because I just took photos with the animals I mentioned, lol).

Turtle

 

Eagle

Snake

We can take photos as much as we like, that's free. Do not worry about the animals, they were tame. Also, you will be accompanied by local guide, so you'll be save. Do not forget to give the local guide tip, that is an ethic. They will not mention about the exactly price, so it really depends on your generosity.

I spent about couple hours in turtle island and went back to Tanjung Benoa for having another water sport. Anyway, pay attention about your boat before because all of the boat will be parking in the same area.

Which one mine, which one yours?

Another water sport that I had whilst I was in here was banana boat. But I didn't have any photos :(

In the same place still, I had a photo session with the photographer named Mas Indra. He took me photos as if I was a model. The photos look sooo gorgeous.

After had myself wet and sticky, I changed my clothes and be ready to went back to hotel because tonight will be held an Absolute awarding and dinner in the coast, Jimbaran. I couldn't wait to prepare myself for it.

06.00 pm me and another winners went to Jimbaran to had a special dinner. It took about 30 minutes from hotel to arrive there. It was super special because we were welcomed by a group of people who play traditional musical instruments Bali. I do really believe that we got pay attention from another visitors who had dinner there. What a special dinner!

Then we found a long table on the coast and we were welcomed by waitresses who were pairing a flower in one ear.

A long the dinner time we were spoiled by Baliness dance on the stage and also acoustic singer.

In the awarding time, I was so proud of myself because I'd been chosen as an Absolute women representative. Though it was just a game, but however it made me happy and proud.

Actually at that day I had a promise to meet someone who I did not see him for long time. So meet him definitely will make me get excited. I arranged the schedule with him since I got an announcement about my plan to go to Bali and he agreed to meet. Unfortunately, it just some hours earlier in the same day, he cancelled our meeting. Oh well, what a people! I have to be really honest it made me get annoyed and disappointed and made me (again) didn't believe any promise from anyone.

Then I tried to contact my another friend who lives in Bali. She's my friend in college named Loh Ami. I asked her to accompany me to look around Bali in the night and she could. How God is always treat me so good, even really good.

It was 11.30 pm at that time but Ami still want to pick me up and bring me to look around Bali in the night. At first she brought me to the cafe in Seminyak but unfortunately the cafe had a concert so it must have entry ticket. Then we changed our destination to Legian area. I mentioned about Sky Garden but Ami refused to go there and choose Vi Ai Pi instead.

She offered me to have some beers o cocktail but I felt my body getting warm and had bit cough so I ordered a cup of hot chocolate. What a pity of me! However we had a great moment together, sharing time especially we had the same job as a secretary of General Manager.

Double sexy secretary

Ami challenged me to dance on the dance floor but I refused it. I was worried many of bule* will come around us, lol.

(*bule is a name for foreigner who visit Indonesia)

After had my chocolate, me and Ami walked around Legian. I got bad experience there. When me and my friend walked, then there was a foreigner, he tried to grab my hands and said "hei, hei bla-bla-bla" I couldn't hear properly he spoke like mumbling. I was terrified and I was thinking by myself he probably thought me as a biacth. GGGRRRR!

So I told to Ami to go back to Hotel, that made me feel enough.

It was 3am in the next day and I had myself getting worse. The temperature of my body getting higher and really need a rest.

*Special thank you to Ami. We'll keep contact.

Love,

Aditha

Bali, I'm (still) in love - 1st Day

I wasn't sure how many times I went to Bali though. The first time I went there when I was in Junior High School, when I was about 15 years old. In January 2003, not longer after tragedy Bali in October 2002. Bali, when I first time went there was pretty quite. Though the tourism in Bali had significantly decrease, at that time I found a man who was the first time I brave myself to talk with foreigner properly. I do still remember his name is Culdy from U.S. We had a bit conversation in Kuta beach. What a teenager stuff to get attention from a cute guy. ^_^

However although so many times I went to Bali, I never get bored anyhow. In my own opinion, Bali is like a place where the traditional cultures keep steady but blend with an international arrivals.

This is the story when the last time I went there in the end of August 2013. I won a testimonial photo contest from a feminine hygiene soap and I got a grand prize free holiday 3 days 2 nights in Bali, starting from Friday up to Sunday.

I got a morning flight from Jakarta to Bali by using Lion Air. Me and 5 another winners from Jakarta and Bandung met together in Soekarno Hatta airport with dress code white on top. Definitely new friends I got through this competition.

Lion Air JT 0028

It took an hour and half to arrive in Bali finally. Oh yes, the smell of Bali was sooo good. Welcome to the only one an island of God, Bali.

Me and another winner who seated beside me, Novita

In the Ngurah Rai airport me and 5 winners met with another 4 winners. (Total of winners in this competition was 10 person). Then we were picked up with local tour guide to go to hotel, Adhi Jaya Hotel in Kuta. We got a beautiful welcoming flowers from the tour and travel after we arrived in hotel. It was so much cute.

All of the winners got a sharing room hotel and I got a room mate named Feby from Central Java. It didn't take much time to make us feel comfortable each other because accidentally she just went to Europe as well, and Paris was one of her visitation. So we shared about our nice experiences whilst we unpack our luggage. It was really good time though.

My sharing room with Feby

Our room's number: 226

On our bed, we found a special package for our body treatment and also Bali sarong from the agency. Olala, it was so pleasure!

We just had an hour to prepare ourselves to have shower, re-touch make up, unpack luggage, chit and chat bla-bla-bla. After that, the first place we visited was Alas Kedaton. A place where you can find a lot of half wild - tame monkeys grow naturally with the local people.

Alas Kedaton in Tabanan, Bali

It needed around 45 minutes from my hotel in Kuta to reach that place. I have to be frank I was not sure how much the price we had to pay because we used travel agent who arranged it all in a package.

Do not worry if you got another local tour guide follow you o your team behind you, it because they know exactly how to handle the monkeys there. Just give them a proper tip, case closed. Moreover, if you want to have an interaction with the monkeys, you can buy peanuts and be double careful because you will get 100 percents attention of the monkeys around you. You will be a target of them. It sounds dangerous, but it will be so much fun!

I got my best experience when I just want to take photo near the monkeys, I got truly photos with one of them who was standing "so innocent" on my head. OMG, I was bloody panic at that time though. The tour guide asked me to stay calm until the monkeys left my head automatically. It was a very amazing experience that I got in my beginning day in there.

Note: Special thanks to Novita who took me this silly photos. Oh well, you got me, monkey!! >_<

Anyway, my own advises when you go to this place, take care about your accessories such as sun glasses o watch o necklace, who knows you will get the same experience like I had. Also, for girls who get period, you couldn't enter this place unfortunately. That was a rule.

In the same place, I went ahead to explore this place. I found local people rent their pets, bats. Whats?? Pets?? Are you kidding me??! Cat is much better than bat though.

So, if the visitors could take photos with their pets by paying IDR 20k o valued USD 2 (for local price). So I didn't want to waste this great opportunity to have photos with them.

Photo with Tora, the name of this bat

After about an hour looked around, we continued our destination to the second place named Tanah Lot for watching a traditional dance named Kecak dance. I was sooo excited for that.

Tanah Lot

Tanah lot is one of popular place to visit whilst you are in Bali. As same as Kuta beach, many people spend time for watching sunset here. Like I did.

Sunset in Bali is around 6 pm in local time. So if you want to enjoy the sunset, make sure you get yourself before the time mentioned. Trust me, here you can find plenty good view to take photos. So empty your memory card and fully charge your camera's battery.

06:30 pm it was the time to watch kecak fire dance! Ssst, pay attention please for an hour ahead.

The most thing that made me excited because I could take photos with the dancers too.. Yippi!

"Cak - Cak - Cak - Cak - Cak"

He copied my pose.. OMG, he was so funny with his scary mask!

At least this monkey will not stand on my head

Last but not least, finally all of the winners had a special dinner with the ambassador of the product I won the competition, Absolute Feminine Hygiene.  A woman who has half heritage of Indonesia and half of Germany. She was absolutely gorgeous! I was so proud I could have this moment in my life.

Me and the Ambassador of Absolute, Ira Wibowo.

 Oh well, time ran out so fast. It was 10 pm in local time. All of us got tired already. So we went back to hotel to have a rest and be ready for tomorrow plans.

Stay tune for my second day in Bali, I will make it in my next post.

Love,

Aditha