A Day of My Runaway

Recently, I really wish that I could go far far away nowhere; just enjoy me-myself-and I. No problems, no pals, no burden, just me.

July 4th, 2014

I was sitting in my office at Gading Serpong when my friend, Hera, called me about 9 A.M..She asked me whether I could go to deliver cheque to Semarang in one day trip. Semarang?? I answered her question without thinking. I would do it!

Best seat: next to the window sight :)

Soon her boyfriend tried to find the earliest ticket for me so that I could go back in time for my Statistics final test.

Luckily, my boss also went out of country and there's no class held in my office today *evil laughs*

By about 1 PM, I have arrived at Soekarno-Hatta Airport with a motorcycle. Somehow it's really difficult to find the parking lot #sweating. I met someone who bought me the tickets and I surprised. She bought me Garuda Indonesia and it cost more than 2 months of my rent house fee per month #sigh.

Lunchie on plane

I bought a vanilla beard papa's puff and a bottle of nu green tea less sugar for my lunch. I sat next to the window. Jakarta Post and Colors Magazine accompanied my 1 hour flight.

It's been long time since my last flight; his first flight and our first business trip to Surabaya. At that time, I typed the unsent message to him, pretended that he still cares and imagined what would he reply.
Although I was alone, an hour just passed as a blink.

small portrait on the wall

The first thing I did after arriving at Achmad Yani Airport-Semarang was visiting the restroom (I believe every woman did). Somehow, I like the cleanliness compare with Soe-Ta one. Some monuments pictures displayed on the restroom wall, simple but I like it.

Soon I've given the cheque and asked about the nearest tourism place around the airport. I have 3 hours to spent before flying back to Tangerang and I don't wanna waste it.

It was cloudy when I got into the airport taxi. The unique thing was that I need to pay the cost for taxi first. The counter has the price list that we should pay to almost every area. I was quite surprised when helping some foreigners to interpret the Indonesian language to English because it takes IDR 385.000 to take you to Semarang City (town area) from the airport. Geez! #expensive

It's relieving when I myself just paid IDR 40.000 for 10-15 minutes to Sam Poo Kong, the famous temple in Semarang. And you know what? I like it! It's great! The temples are big and so peaceful.

view Sam Poo Kong from the front gate

3.45 PM at Sam Poo Kong - Semarang

hugging stone coz nobody's to be hugged :p

Cloudy and peaceful :)

Like a set for shooting kungfu :D

Can you imagine how tall the statue is?

I spent about 40 minutes to look around Sam Poo Kong before I ran to Lawang Sewu, a museum not far from the temple. It cost IDR 5.000 by ojek #cheap #happy

Lawang Sewu - Semarang

4.10 PM at Semarang 

There's something I won't forget in Lawang Sewu. When I was about to pay the entrance ticket, I gave the counter staff IDR 50.000. The ticket itself only cost IDR 2.500. She had difficulties to find the return for me. She already collected IDR 46.000 when I told that sweet girl in glasses and orange veil that it's nevermind; and she insisted to return IDR 47.500 for me although she already looked from her own wallet. Then she ran away to find some exchange.

Well, I told her that I was from Jakarta & I didn't expect that she would be so honest, so unbribeable, I meant, how come she insisted for IDR 1.500? I like her. I won't forget her.

Inside the museum, there were some stones and materials displayed. Unfortunately, my camera phone was not suitable to take good pictures in the dark *tear*.

They also showed pictures and histories of trains.  

inside Lawang Sewu Museum

half body train in Lawang Sewu

the big tree

I wished I wore a better suit..

After sight seeing and taking some pictures, I walked out to the left of Pandanaran Street. I passed some souvenirs and special 'oleh-oleh' shops until I found 'Bandeng Juwana', the best store to buy 'bandeng presto' (steamed bandeng without bones), 'mochi' and 'wingko babat' (coconut cake from Central Java). I bought as many as my pocket could afford and then I took a taxi to go back to the airport.

on the street

I asked the friendly cab driver to have 'tea time' with me on our way. I bought 'iga bakar madu' and treated him 'sop buntut'. I didn't mean to show off (the driver was an old man and has 3 children) but at that time, I was a bit alone and I just want to be accompanied by someone.

Iga bakar madu - Semarang

The flight back was also too fast for me. I was exhausted, I had to walk again to the parking lot with plastics bags on my hands, and I still had to catch my final test.
I was half hour late for the practical final test in lab computer but thanks God I still got B+ for my grade.

It was a good, unforgettable and fast runaway. But still, I wish someone was there with me.. Because no matter how far we go and run away, the best place in the world is where we spend it with the people we love..