Amazingly, this is actually my first time taking a personal vacation myself! I can't believe it as well, I've worked for quite a while, but I hadn't once taken a vacation and for 6 days! Well, family trips or corporate trips do not count.
Initially, I brought along my camera with hopes of utilizing it (my Lumix LX-5 has been untouched in a long time). However, I eventually just used my trusted iPhone 5 to do the job, because it was way more convenient than the camera. So, instead of me writing about the trip, I'll let my pictures (and captions) do the job =D Many of them are on my
Instagram, so I'll just repost them here as well, in case if you missed them =)
Disclaimer: This author is not responsible for the audience's feeling of hunger or discomfort due to many #selfies and #foodporn. (Fineprints should be very small in size, however, this author is very considerate and was worried that the audience couldn't read the prints, hence the author made it one size bigger than the smallest. Please LOL.)
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Before I started my journey on the 21st Feb, my buddy Handy sent me his location.
This was to be used as a guide when I touched down at the
Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport, in Pekan Baru |
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It's quite tough to take a panoramic view of the airport with so many people moving around.
This was the best I could do, without spending too much time at one spot. |
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I've seen this many times before,
but it just felt different this time around, in a nicer/better way! =D |
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Handy took me around with his motorbike.
I noticed one thing, where ever in Pekan Baru that has Holland Bakery,
its competitor is sure to be a few shops away! |
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This is Vanhollano Bakery, the competitor of Holland's Bakery.
Even the name is almost the same, lol xD |
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Avocado, it's rather cheap in Indonesia.
Handy promised me an Alpukat juice over the next few days =D |
By the end of the day, I was stuffed with food from Handy's family and supper. However, I couldn't really sleep early, because I was still excited as I was the night before! So, Handy and I chat a while more before we both fell asleep. The next day was gonna be our trip to next destination, Bukittingi, Selat Panjang. Never heard of the place before, so that to me was like giving a kid an ice cream in a hot weather!
Woke up early morning to go on a bike-trip around town!
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I had to get some Internet connection, so was recommended to use 3,
a Telco service provider known for good Internet rates |
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| We finally reach this place for breakfast! |
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| They make one of the best noodles in town, Mie Pangsit (aka Wan Tan Mee) |
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| Ice Coffee - they have stronger coffee taste than that of M'sia's |
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| I love how they serve hot coffee in this cup, it's so nice! |
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| Panoramic view of the shop's interior |
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| Seeing this makes me salivate! |
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Again, another competition that's quite heated up between the business of convenient stores.
Indomaret vs ... |
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... Alfamart!
The colors are so similar to each other, almost like how KK Mart nearly resembles 7-Eleven |
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| This side of town is rather quiet in the morning |
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| We walked down and Handy showed me a temple, which looks nice! |
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| He prays, I snap a picture |
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| and another picture |
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| and one more before we left the temple |
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| Earlier that side of town was rather quiet right? But not here, 'cause just opposite of that, is a morning market! |
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| I saw something that really caught my eyes! |
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| Chicken Turtles were sold too! |
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| A close up of Mr. C. Turtle |
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| (Bull)Frogs, look at their size!! |
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| Here's a close up of the (bull)frogs! |
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Went to meet up with Handy's friend who was in town for CNY.
Look what I saw! No, not the girl... look further, the TV! |
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| This lunch was specially prepared for us, before leaving for Selat Panjang |
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| Our ferry tickets! |
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| We're taking the Naga Line to transit across waters |
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| Here's Handy and I! |
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| We finally reached the pier! |
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Next, we took a bus to another station - this took almost 3 hours!
I saw the same view most of the time. |
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When we finally got there, we're lucky that Handy's uncle had secured us a Becak (aka pedicab).
We didn't had to wait, just board the Becak and headed towards Handy's parents' house. |
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Using my phone most of the time, even with Airplane mode turned on,
my phone battery was still draining quickly too #iPhoneBatterySucks
So quickly pull out my international plug adapter and charged my iPhone. |
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At first I like this drink, after like 8618245 a few cans of it, I'm very afraid of it.
I was served this drink nearly everywhere I went (>.<") |
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Did you see that giant antenna dish there? I saw it when I came out of Handy's parents' place.
I literally went "Wow~" |
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| Here's a close up of the giant antenna on Handy's parents' place. |
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On the way to buy simple dinner, we saw a guy who took away some 30 plus packets of rice and fried chicken!
He must be buying for a small village?? |
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We went around town.
Try and guess what is this guy doing with a scoop of water in his hands? |
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| It's the water splashing festival in Selat Panjang! |
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| It's similar to the one in Bangkok, however this is the whole town in action! |
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At the time of this picture taken, it was so awkward for me.
We went to visit Handy's friends and they welcomed us into their HUGE house.
It was a twin shop lot in a small town but it's way bigger than any that I know of in Malaysia!
Handy insisted that I should #selfie in his friend's house =.=" |
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| The town is beautifully lit up at night! |
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| The shop lots are decorated with bright and colorful lighting! |
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| This pair of westerners made into the headline of Selat Panjang's daily news! |
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Jus Sirsak (Soursop Juice)
This is absolutely delicious! It's thick and yet it's not very sweet.
You can tell that they freshly blended the soursop! |
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This was another eye-catching moment!
I don't know what or which guy would actually allow his girlfriend to wear such revealing clothes around town!
But it shows that the guy has got a lot of confidence! Rawr!
Suddenly, I felt that the night was kinda hot.. lol xD |
After the fulfilling supper, went back to Handy's parents' place to rest. Was honestly very exhausted when I finally lied on the bed. I think without realizing it, I felt asleep.
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| Good morning Selat Panjang! |
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Proud son of the family. His achievements are on parents' wall.
As soon as you walk into the house you'll see this! |
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| Another temple we passed by. |
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We entered a temple that was behind Handy's primary school.
This pussy cat was comfortably lying at the entrance of the temple |
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| Snap some pictures. |
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| Up close shot of the alter |
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| Wide angle shot of the temple's interior! |
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| Handy lifting up the dragon head! |
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I suspect Handy really love Mie Pangsit, this is the 2nd day in a row we're eating it.
However, I still prefer the one served in Pekan Baru. |
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| Mie Pangsit aka Wan Tan Mee aka Kolo Mee |
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Rode down the stress of Bukittingi, Selat Panjang.
The telecommunication tower is about in the center of town. |
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Most buildings on this island have bird-houses on top.
They're very loud during the day, I can hear birds chirping from a distance! |
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This is a very big powerbox, and can be easily reached.
I wonder why it's at such low heights |
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| We then came to the shops that had its back facing the sea |
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| The other side of the shops that had its back facing the sea |
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| The panoramic back view of the shops |
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| The panoramic front view of the shops |
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Handy's friend also arrived in Selat Panjang, to join us!
Due to him constantly calling her Doraemon, I only remember her as that name...
Darn you Handy, darn you (=.=") |
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| We rode around town, and saw a long queue at this particular shop. |
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Stopped to see what's happening, Handy told me that this place was famous for the Hokkien Mee (Chow Mien)
So obviously we gotta try it right? |
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| Ordered one pack and observe the uncle cooked the noodles. |
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| Half way through his cooking he lifted up the vegetables and meat... |
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Next thing he dumped in a whole lot of noodles!
I was shocked, and immediately asked Handy if he ordered correctly.
Me: "Bro, noodles for 1 pax only, not 10 pax right?"
Handy: "Chillax bro, see first" |
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and then his helper packed up the noodles into individual packing.
LOL actually many people ordered the same thing as well xD |
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Next door was a small stall selling ice shaved drinks.
Check out the old school tools to shave ice! |
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| Then he just poured the syrup into the cups! Tadah~! |
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| Hokkien Mee aka Chow Mien, is whiter than the ones in KL! |
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| Next door was yet another food stall, selling fried chicken! |
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| Smells super good, but tasted rather plain.. |
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We went over to Doraemon's brother's place.
This is how it looks like within a shop lot (O.o") |
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| Just how big is it? Behind their house, there are chicken dens! |
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They can have a mini zoo if they wanted too!
I just couldn't stop from going "Wow~~" |
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In the evening, Handy took me to eat yet another bowl of noodles..
He made me think as if Indonesians only like noodles, lol xD
This is Bakso Ayam Mie aka Chickball Noodles |
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| Soto Mie |
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Handy & I met up with Doraemon for supper (seriously, another night of supper?!)
Saw this other table ordered so much, we decide to order some ourselves too. |
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Unfortunately, our order got mixed up with others, and we had to wait..
and wait and wait and wait.. |
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In Cantonese we have a saying "Pak Wu Ying" (direct translation: Swat mosquitoes flies)
which means things are pretty dull around.. this seems fitting to that saying. |
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They gave us the wrong order, and forgotten to take away the drinks.
Thankfully Doraemon's brother joined us a little later and removed the drinks. |
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After waiting 30 minutes or more, our food finally came.
This is the miserable looking mixed vegetable, very very disappointed! |
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This was the highlight of the evening!
Makauhei Saus akan Makauhei in Sauce! =D |
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| This is how it looks like before being turned into a delicacy =P |
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| this is 1 piece of Makauhei |
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This is the remains of the Ma Chow Hai Makauhei |
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Here's us!
Me, Handy & Doraemon!
(Honestly I still do not know why she's called Doraemon,
but I can't freaking remember her name!) |
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And then, there were fireworks!
Handy said there'll be fireworks until past midnight! |
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We went to walk to the center of town to see the fireworks!
It was so loud! |
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| The aftermath! |
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| More fireworks! |
It might be very loud, so be aware of where you play this video.
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| Went into the temple and could see another show of fireworks |
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| What a beautiful sight from up close! |
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Many people were selling this at obvious places, along the streets.
Very different from KL eh? |
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| This the is the island's entertainment center - Karaoke shop! |
That wraps up the first part of JeffOng's Travel to Indonesia! Stay tuned for the
Part 2. *phew* I'm beginning to feel very tired from arranging the pictures and "narrating". Hahaha! =D
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