malaysia 2022 trip: melaka to KL

Day 3, time to leave Malacca for KL.

We had unpleasant experience, we ordered Grab to get to Central Malakka, but we waited sooooo long. I’ve already booked 3 bus tickets from easybooking.app for 9.15 am.

Once we got the Grab, it was an old taxi with (Maaf rasis) brown driver and he rejected us since we had big luggage and he didn’t bother to open car’s trunk. Zzzzzz it was over 8.30 am something trip to the bus station took 15 mins

Luckly, the hotel’s receptionist knew a call driver, price was higher (Grab fee RM 15 vs rented taxi RM 25), the heck…we didn’t have the choice.

Arrived at Malaka Central, we rushed to the counter to exchange the ticket. Jadi biar sudah booking via app, dapat QR code, kita masih harus tukar dengan fisik kartu / boarding pass. Ya macam tukar tiket kereta di Gambir lah. -____- Tukarnya di counter, bukan pakai mesin. Kena biaya lagi 0.70 cent /booking.

And it was a loooooooonggg line, I was so desperate and asked the young people in front of me. Is it possible to board at 9.15 am since it was 9.10 am already.

It was 3 local young adults taking break before going back to uni I guess, they let us cut the queue and suddenly another counter was opened. Kakak langsung antri di sana ( to save time) I stick to the initial counter. Saya dah gemeteran, booking tiket lagi kayaknya. Ngga mahal sih, bertiga kurang dari RM 50.

And puff…the clerk at the new opened counter was quick, we secured our boarding pass and rushed like hell to the waiting bus area!!! And we made it on time…..fiuhhh….

It was actually my third experience taking long-haul bus in Malaysia, first was in 2011 from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, second was from KL to Johor Baru with the kids in 2013, when #2 poo at the bus. What an embarrassing experience but now we laughed about that.

Off we go to the capital city through a very smooth asphalt. Kenapa di negara sendiri ngga bisa semulus ini aspalnya ya :(.

Suddenly, the bus took exit from toll road and arrived at Seramban Bus Station and many passengers hopped off.

gee I worried I hopped on the wrong bus!! I asked a young lady with her son, she had no idea where the bus is going but she was headed to Penang, I assumed the bus made several stops, not a direct one. Pantes tiketnya murah , ada yang RM 60 an soalnya.zzzzz

Seramban seems a small city but nice. Pamulang kenapa ngga bisa rapih kayak gini ya.

Seramban City – about 60Km away from KL

Another one hour, we arrived at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan. The terminal was nice back in 2013 now it even better. Kakak was sleeping the entire trip, when we arrived at TBS, she thought we arrived in airport.

The clean, modern Bus Terminal

Anyway, we took grab to hotel, the driver was an Uncle who (from what he said) would fly to Bali after Chinese new year.

Nothing special in KL, arrived around 1 pm, we couldnt check-in yet so off to KLCC. We stayed around the area.

Later the night, I met Afiza, Ejah and Aniza!!! What a great union, those 3 girls haven’t seen each other for quite sometime. We played tourist.

Skybar Trade Hotel

Pintasan Saloma

We said goodbye around 10 pm, the girls must work on the next day of course.

Kids off to Bukit Bintang by themselves. They are young adult anyway, no need chaperone anymore, wkwkwkwkwk.

day 4

I contacted Peni, my friend from college who had lived in the city for 10 years. Last time I saw her back in 2015 I think.

Since she was free, she drove us around. To have breakfast in mansion tea stall, Chinatown, Lapangan merdeka, mesjid Jamek (during praying time) later had coffee in Kenny Hills bakers.

Around magrib, we bid farewell. Hope to see her in Bintaro again ;). then spent the rest of the night near KLCC.

Day 5

Time to go home.

Flight was delayed by 3 hours due to severe weather.

I was (of course) broke :)) but it was our first trip since 3 years, kids now grow up, with blink of eyes, I have to paid 3 adult tickets for everything, everytime!!!! Hahahahah!

Malaka

We arrived before 9 am, KL Time. I only brought RM 75 with me (sisa sisa dari Langkawi) which only enough to buy DIGI Sim card RM 40. Saya pikir ATM ada dekat gate keluar. Kurang RM 5 buat beliin #2 SIM Card. hampir mau minjam uang sama orang Indonesia di sebelah wkwkwkkw (tuker sama IDR maksudnya).

My last overseas trip before pandemic outbreak was to Malaysia, and my first overseas trip after pandemic was to this country as well! Ya nasebb, mantan pegawai bank merah-nya LOL.

Imigrasi tidak terlalu ramai, cuma petugas tumben2x minta ditunjukkan tiket pulang. Ambil bagasi, imigrasi cek point, Afiza sudah di depan menunggu saya.

Kami sarapan dulu di bandara, saya cari ATM. Ngga punya cash.

Afiza menyewakan mobil untuk ke Malaka, Toyota Inova! Hish senangnya tidak perlu naik bus. Sekitar 2 jam perjalanan sampailah kami di kota Melaka.

Kami menginap di Swiss Heritage Boutique Hotel, sebetulnya saya salah booking, saya pikir ini jaringan swiss belhotel wkwkkwkwkw.

Karena belum bisa check in, saya jalan-jalan dulu sekitar hotel. Deretan bangunan-bangunan tua yang terawat baik, sebagian kosong, jadi hotel, toko, restaurant atau musium.

Saya pun mengunjungi Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum. Dulunya, bangunan ini rumah milik Cheng Chiew pastiny saudagar kaya raya di jamannya. Furniture di rumah ini masih asli semua makanya tidak boleh duduk. HTM = RM 18

Ranjang Pengantin

Setelah shop hopping, check in, kembali menyusuri Jonker Street. Yang menurut saya seperti Jalan Braga Bandung. Campur aduk oranf2x ras China, Melayu dan India. Seru-seru banget. Stall makanannya seru-seru, toko toko, restoran bahkan Mixue. Oh ya, cari makanan halah agak sulit di sini. Kami makan di restoran yang menyediakan Nasi Ayam, enak deh. Lokasinya di dekat pertigaan Jonker Street dan Jalan Tongko. Atau japri saya deh wkwkwkwkwk.

JONKER STREET

Oh ya, kalau malam jalannya ditutup untuk kendaraan, kiri kanan itu pedagang makanan semua.

Sorean dikit, saya ambil River Cruise HTM RM 35/person non Malaysian. Cruise-nya sekitar 5Km bolak balik menyusuri sungai yang sarat dengan bangunan tua dan bersejarah. Duh! Bersih banget! Hampir tidak ada sampah, Cisadane atau Ciliwung bisa dibuat seperti ini tidak sih

Setelah boat cruise, saya menghabiskan sisa sore berjalan sepanjang sungai yang memang ada pedestrian walknya.

Besoknya, saya jalan pagi menysuri sungai. Ish, kalau lari pagi malah lebih terlihat cantik bangunan2x tuanya. Dirawat sekali! Hotel-hotel non-chained hotels juga lucu-lucu deh!

Selesai sarapan saya ke Sky Shore Tower, untuk ke observation deck-nya. Lantai 43, antri liftnya agak parah , lama, dan tidak teratur ya. Bangunan ini hotel dan shopping mall. Cuma toko-tokonya banyak yang tutup. Efek Pandemi kayaknya. HTM RM 25/person.

Dari observation deck, kami ke St Paul Hill. Ada reruntuhan gereja jaman Portugis di sana dan nisan dari orang-orang Portugis tersebut (bayangkan! Dari tahun 1600-an).

Sekali lagi saya salut untuk para wisatawan yang membantu menjaga situs sejarah. Tidak ada sampah bergeletakan, dan masuk situs ini gratis lho. Anak-anak paling suka disini.

Terdapat juga kuburan Belanda di komplek ini.

Turun sedikit beberapa museum, Dataran Merdeka yang penuh wisatawan dan pedagang. Ah saya tidak tahan! Lelah!

Saya pulang ke hotel saja, rencana mau cuci baju di laundry mat 24 jam (saya google lokasi terdekat). Anak-anak lanjut foto-foto! Duh!

Dulu mereka kesal kalau saya foto-foto, sekarang kebalikan. Oh ya, ini kedatangan mereka kedua di negara ini, pertama kali tahun 2013.

Kami cuma dua malam di sini, si kakak tidak sabar pengen ke kota besar! Ish….saya kurang puas.

View from 43rd floor

The ruined church at St Paul Hill

The famous malaka’s landmark

Kampung Morten – the traditional Malay’s houses

My jogging track

Finally! Naik pesawat!

Yeah, you read it.

Setelah 3 tahun tidak kemana-mana (pakai pesawat), akhir tahun ini saya menghabiskan sisa cuti di negeri tetangga. Simple, karena air fare-nya paling murah 😂.

Memang sih bookingnya mendadak, baru dapat lampu hijau cuti akhir December, dahlah hajar aja! Anak anak juga kangen geret koper pasti.

So, here we are, taking 5 am flight from Cengkareng, then another 2 hours to the south…

Jadi, waktu masih kerja di bank pertama, saya suka planning mau ke sini, cuma 2 jam dari ibukota nya kan (where the HQ is). Cuma ngga sempet-sempet terus.

Baru kesampai-nya sekarang, 11 tahun setelah resign dari bank merah itu wkwkwkwk.

Tinggal satu lagi, kota yang pengen saya datangin, Ipoh.

Ntar ya update nya

The Pearl of Kedah

Last Thursday, I went to Langkawi. A tiny, beautiful island in north of Malaysia. This island is quite famous among Indonesian’s triathletes because this where Ironman Event is held annually. The most affordable one if you travel from Jakarta I suppose.

People are nice, easy to get grab car service, food was ok…ok because Indonesian’s food is the best.

I met Evan, a triathlete I’ve been following since I pick up running as daily exercise 6 years ago, May, who accompanied her daughter for Ironkid event, and jeli and Lili who ran with me when I was in KL 6 years ago.

Of course I was there for my second Ironman 70.3. Recap will come later.

My group and I even stop at the famous Nasi Dagang Pak Malau before coming home.

Meanwhile, enjoy the pictures!

With Evan

Look, my name!

The Danna

Open Water Trial

Dropping Off Run Gear

Dropping of Bike Gear

Short Reunion with Jely and Lili

Waiting for Sunset

Breakfast with a view

KL Trip

When I paid a visit to Gai’s house, I asked mbak Lala, my former colleague to come with me. she said yes.

Long story short, few mins before the plane land, I told her my brief schedule so she can decide whether she wanted to join me or not.

She picked Mesjid Negara and Chinatown.

I told her, alright then. We could visit Mesjid Negara after we arrived and Chinatown before we’d leave. Both are within LRT areas and I never been to those places before.

Then I asked

“Loe udah pernah mbak? Ke Chinatown sebelumnya?”

“Udah yang Di Singapur.”

“yang di KL maksud gw! Gw belum pernah kayaknya deh”

She shook head…then she said

“Ini pertama kali….gw pertama kali ke KL”

GUBRAK! Bahahahhahah

i was quite surprise because…my previous company’s head quater is in KL!

“Masak kantor ngga pernah ngirim elo?”

“Ngga pernah! Singapur paling”

Anyway, I must admit, KL is soo much better and convenient than the last time I visited this city.

Here, in case you never been to this city,

• only took RM 110 for return trip using KLIA express to KL sentral
• You can drop your luggage in a locker, available in KL Sental. RM 50 for 24 hr for big locker, RM 30 for smaller one.
• The KLIA express ticket could be use for LRT, MRT, for 48 hrs. FREE! That was why we paid a visit to Niza’s neighborhood. 30 mins from Bukit Bintang.
• Using Grab service is hazel less too!

So, after dropping our luggage, we took LRT to

We visited, of course

MESJID NEGARA

then take another train to ..ya mana lagi lahh…

And the next day I had my morning run nearby Aster’s house

So, after dropping our luggage for the second time before we left for Jakarta, we paid a visit to

Little India

Then took train again to

PS: karena ini sudah hari ketiga, we paid for train fee.

Lala’s happy face, finally she has picture with the head quater on the back. That is Lapangan Merdeka, btw. not too far from Mesjid Negara and 8 mins walk from Central market. Below this, on the underground, there is a shopping centre in case pengen ngadem. Panas boooo!

So what I have in my mind

Duh, PR Jakarta banyak banget yaa! Ibukota negara lain sudah rapih gini infrastrukturnya, nyaman buat warga maupun pengunjung!

Ya toh? Tidak usah dibandingkan dengan Singapur atau Tokyo, sama sama negara Melayu banyak ketinggalan ih. Ayo kerja…kerja…kerja! 😀 #eh

Anyway, saya merasa banyak pahala ngajak Lala ke KL karena ini trip pertamanya!