In the beginning…
I never realized how impulsive I actually am, until I was home on November 28th, 2011 – I was finally back home in Jakarta, Indonesia, from a trip across 3 countries in 9 days *and it took me a month later to actually start this contemplation*. No, don’t get all “WOW, YOU’RE SO FUCKING RICH DEISHA!” just yet – it wasn’t money, nor all the material things the world can offer that took me all the way through South China Sea back and forth, it was merely guts (and 80% of that impulsiveness also contributed).
I mean I was 21 years old (now i'm 22, my bday was on Nov 26th if you still want to congratulate me, haha), freshly graduated from university, already got a job since I was still in Uni and swear to God I enjoyed it so much, recently single (uh-huh)… On October I was blessed with a quick fast-money-making gig, and I had been saving for some time, with all those money, I should do good to my saving before I allocated it to a more wicked impulsive act of shopping!
Plus all these thoughts of: What the hell should I do with my life??! Excuse me, but I’m not gonna waste my time sitting around trying to figure out what I’m gonna be in five years, nope sir (well I will figure it out, along the way). I want to live my life.. Living that wicked 20s.. And like all of a sudden, as if I just got a brain cancer, I figured it out, I want to travel! I simply what to understand other life, other culture, other parts of the world – if I don’t understand it, at least I have experienced it or try to accept it: “I’ve had enough of you Jakarta, for 21 years I’ve put up with yo’ shits, I’m leaving you!!! (at least for 9 days ;p)”
This is the first time I went on a solo backpacking trip – well, probably not that solo since I have my wonderful friends who catered and took me in like a lost little Indonesian puppy (or maybe cow would be nicer) into their inimitable life and families. I would probably reconsider my trip if I didn’t know anyone at my destined country, you see, I may be a cow but I’m a chickon at heart.
I wouldn’t call myself an expert backpacker, not even close to a beginner – as I don’t even own that huge backpack that is necessary and use by every true backpacker – yes, I sadly have to admit I borrowed the bag from my friend (thank you Ivan, hehe) – plus, I always have this thing with OVER PACKING, I’m a girl (yes, that sad gender-stereotyped excuse) and I keep on thinking more clothes are better that less, plus the fact that I wish I can bring my whole clothes with me! Well, the good thing about over packing tho, you won’t be able to shop that much since you know the little space left inside your bag, hehe.
Preparing for the most awesome adventure everrr…
Taaa-daa! Now, If you are wondering, I went to Kuala Lumpur the capital of Malaysia, Manila the capital of Philippines, and Singapore the capital of, oh well, Singapore of course. My dates were November 20-28, I left just one day after my official graduation – and no, I’m not inspired by Into the Wild, as I just watched the movie right after I booked tickets and a few days before I left, and I definitely refuse to die in some random truck in Alaska.
With 600-ish Malaysian ringgit (1,8 million IDR), 7000-ish Philippine peso (1,6 million IDR), and 100 Singapore dollar (600,000-ish IDR)… off I go to the foreign yet convivial world.
My route was: Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur (Lion Air) / Kuala Lumpur-Clark (Air Asia) / Manila-Singapore (Tiger Airways) / Singapore-Jakarta (Tiger Airways). I have to tell you that it wasn’t easy finding cheap flights directly from Manila-Jakarta, I missed the promo budget offered by Cebu Pacific Air, but it was actually a lot cheaper to go Manila-Singapore-Jakarta by Tiger Airways than straight Manila-Jakarta by Cebu (even the promo budget that I missed). All and all, I spent 200 USD for 4 flights (2 million IDR).
I spent 3 days in KL (I mis-booked dates, I should’ve spent 4 days in KL!) from Nov 20-23. Nov 23-28 I was in Manila, and Nov 28, I spent 8 hours in transit roaming the CLEAN and NEAT streets of Sing-a-Poh. If you’re wondering how much my budget for hotel was, well you can stop wondering. I have ze best and ze cheapest accommodation in KL & Manila: my friends’ houses, hehe. I’m staying with true Malaysian & Filipino families, and I’m very much humbled by that.
These people that accepted me for 3 days, and 5 days – and took me around, showed me around, accompanied during my stay, putting up with an-annoying-curly-haired-tourist for days in their countries – were practically strangers from foreign countries a year ago. We all stayed in a strange land for one month a year ago, and just like that, I’m happy to say that they are my family now, my brothas and sistahs from another parents :-D *aaawwwwwwwwwwwwww*
HOWEVER, if you don’t have free place to crash during you travel and you are on a budget, I suggest you to go visit www.hostelworld.com (that’s a recommended hostel search from my friend fellow traveler). Or may I suggest you CouchSurfing? (go ask uncle google for that one).
TO BE CONTINUE… (with day to day detailed adventure and awesome photos)
-Deisha Tamar
Bandung, Dec 13 2011