KUALA LUMPUR - JAKARTA - BANDUNG - BMW, BOEING 747, KIA PREGIO

Hello there! I am not been posting any stories lately. I have many reason. The passing of Asnah, the arrival of Ramadhan is just to mention few of my many reasons.

Actually, today while lying in my couch to wait for breaking fast at my dear Mummy Hagerah's house, I thought I should start to write and post something. Infact, I even have the topic to write. The long overdue Bandung/Jakarta trip (August 29 - September 2, 2007) with CekPaKaran, Dona and KK.

Age is catching up with me. Lately I am not feeling very well. I still feel lethargic especially after my 3 days of high fever which "came to re-visit me" 2 weekends ago. I was on MC for 3 day (not including Sunday!).

But the thought of sitting down to postall those sweetest memories that took place during hhe entire trip (from the beginning to the end of the trip), make me feel high. Keep on reading till the end. However, I have decided to make it a short stories (I meant my standard of short - normally not that short after all).

The day we all have been counting down more than 3 months ago finally arrived. August 29, 2007. To make long story short, we reached KLIA in Dan's BMW. After checked the bag in, we decided to past time at McD. Faizal came to join us later and also to send his beloved wife - away! Time to board. With hand shake, kisses and bye-bye, we make our way to the Immigration and then to the departure lounge for our Jakarta flight. We settled down almost immediately. The flight took off. We are on our way to Jakarta. Smooth flight. We arrived Jakarta on time 5.00 p.m. Went thru all the arrival procedure and we immediately looked for the Cipaganti counter for our trip by road to Bandung. Waited for about 1 hour and then we are on our way. Bad jam and we stuck in the traffic for nearly 1.5 hour before we manage to hit the highway to Bandung. I dont know it is fortunate or otherwise, the driver drove like Michael Schumaker! But believe me, he knows the road at the back of his hand! We stopped along the highway for Nasi Padang dinner - SO SO SO The Sedap Giler. Terangkat Bontot Beb!

We arrived the Grand Preanger, Bandung. Checked-in but I don't like the room. Old and it remind me of Dark Water! We make some noise and got 1 newly renovated and refurbished room. I gave the room to the ladies. We immediately plan to check out tommorow for a better hotel but most of the hotel are fully booked! Gosh! But we still utilise our welcome drink coupon the very same night. We hit back to our room at about 12.30 p.m. for ZZZZZzzzzz......... Good nite.

Day 2. Woke up at about 7.00 a.m. Went down for breakfast. Nothing to shout about but is is ok to fill our stomach. We chat and laugh, laugh and laugh and re-confirm our itineray for the 1st day in Bandung. What else other than SHOPPING!!!!!

We hit the road at about 9.00 a.m. Took Angkut-Angkut to Pasar Baru. We stopped nearby our destination to buy the SIMPATI – local phone card. So cheap and we are so stingy to buy the minimum – Rp10,000.00 (RM3.75). Dirt cheap but it is enough to find each other should anybody got missing, kidnapped, raped and being dumped into one of those big and smelly garbage bin (it didn’t happened after all otherwise my story would be much more interesting)…

We walked to Pasar Baru. On the way we stopped at the DVD "C" Center. C stand for ciplak. Bought some DVD and continue our journey to the Pasar. Still early as most of the shop is still not opened yet. But is is good enough as CekPaKaran managed to buy telekong (I pun tak mau kalah jugak, beli lah), Dona bought corset (ada size pulak tu) and that weirdo KK bought something which I don’t know or bother to know. Immediately we went back to the hotel to drop our very first shopping bag and make our way to Jalan Dago for another shopping trip. All of us bought something and knowing Dona for her big appetite – she bought Amanda Brownie. I have been to Bandung 5 times but I never thought of buying it! It is very popular in Bandung. Sold in lorries or van by the road side. It is known as Brownie Jalanan to the local. Cheap Rp17,000.00 (RM6.35). She declared that will be our snack later but the problem is we don’t have knife to cut the brownie into smaller size. Not too worry, with Dona around, she will tackle it later (when food is concerned).

We are done with Jalan Dago. Our self elected Tourguide, KK suggested we go to Bandung Indah Plaza (BIP). No objection and all we know we are outside BIP. As we are still not hungry, I suggested we go for dessert - Esteler 77. Best nyerrrr! Strange as the dessert work out our appetite. We went to the top floor and found this clean and nice kept restaurant and the rest are history. We makan! Sedap la makanan Indon nie. Baju tambah ketat lah. Kah kah kah.

Next - we walked through the back lane of BIP to Jalan Riau. Shopping again - never seems to finish la. Our hand are full of shopping bag. As a big brother I took the responsibility to help the two ladies to carry some of their shopping goods but in between they offer to help me to carry it. I rejected it la. Tak macho la beb tapi tangan I macam nak putus la jugak. On the way back to the hotel, we stop at the supermarket - shop again for drinks and take away Nasi padang for our dinner in the room. It was about 9.00 p.m. and I bought whatever left in the tray. The girl like me and give me a good discount la!

After quick shower, we wnt to the girls room for dinner - actually supper! I must admit that was the best Nasi Padang I have tasted - not so much of the food but more on the enjoyment of arranging the food on the small table, talking with our mouth full, laughing, trying to chew the food and gulp the food down out throat and laugh again.... Yes, all of us are not only hungry but greedy especially Dona la (I small eater la)....

How not to grow fat - after mencecek - we hit the bed. ZZZZzzzzZZZZ.........

Day 3 - The most happening and the last day for shopping. Breakfast (the same food again la)After breakfast we have to find out where the hell is this leather good shop called Rias. We been asking around but always no good or right answer. We barged into the business centre at the hotel lobby and Dona asked the girl manning the centre. It went like this :

Dona:Kamu tau tak di mana kedai yang jual barangan kulit namanya Rias?

Pompuan:Rias? O kedai tu dekat aje. Kamu keluar pusing kanan, pusing kiri, jalan sedikit dah sampai.

Razak:Hah? Mabuk ke pompuan nie!

Dona:Kedai apa tu? Kedai kulit?

Pompuan:Ya kedai rias. Rias muka. Solek.

Razak:Ya Aula, Dona dia suroh kau berhias dan bersolek la pulak! Tak cukup lawa ke? Apa ke bangang nye c pompuan nie.

Dona:Bukan la. Kedai jual barang kulit!

Razak:I terus amek dia punye Yellow Pages tanpa pengetahuan dia. Punishment!

We both walked out from the business center. Frustrated, angry and funny at the same time. We don't know to laugh or to strangle her neck but we are on holiday. We chose to laugh and make fun of people stupidity.

We hailed a cab and KK simply ask whether the driver know where is Rias. He says yes. Diaz di Jalan Sederhana! Kah kah kah we laugh again. Diaz la bodoh, bukan Rias. Kah kah kah. Don't ever underestimate the taxi driver ok!

We arrived safely. Not far actually. Amazing! The shop carries wide range of hand bags. I managed to find the hand bag for Hain, my neighbour. Dona terus hilang akal - beli dua. CekPaKaran pulak kalau tak makan pil penenang pikiran mesti beli tiga. Tapi pasal dah tenang beli satu. Lepas tu masa balik cakap - I sesal la bang tak beli beg macam yang you beli tu. Cantek. My answer standard la - kau ni memang gatal la, 10 kali abg tanya tapi asik geleng sapi aje. Sekarang menyesal pulak. Gatal.....

After Diaz, KK brought us to Paris van Java. New shopping complex. Nice and so Paris. Good weather pulak tu. We shop some more. Buy CD. Macam2. Lagu Indon, lagu Jazz, ghost movie etc. We decided to come back at nite because we know it look much more lively and beautiful at nite.-

Next - Jalan Setiabudi. Our target is Rumah Mode but we stopped right in front of a factory outlet with this catch line - FOREVER SALE. Yes....Shopping again walau pun beg dah tak cukup tangan nak bawak nie. I tak mau jadi hero sangat lah hari ni. Tolong bawak sikit2 aje. Tangan I dah panjang macam tangan orang utan! In this shop I saw Dona were holding a blue color pants that make me laugh immediately - so big. Macam cadar katil. I asked her for who? So big lah. She says yes, size 43! For my mother in-law. Kah kah kah kah kah. I laughed but Dona laugh are longer, louder and more cunning than me. We looked at each other and we laugh again. I started to create all kind of joke about the pants and Dona being so antu (bukan menantu) also add some spice to the joke. The next two day the "Mummy, I bought something for you" is the keep on repeating line among us. Laugh la apa lagi. Kah kah kah....

On the way out to Rumah Mode, CekPaKaran saw the kerepek pisang she been looking for since arriving Bandung. She bought 5 packets. She asked me and Dona whether we want to buy or not. My reply "don't want la, for what". Dona reply lagi teruk dan dengan gaya Indon kaya dan sombong "Oh, I tak makan benda-benda macam nie". CekPaKaran sedih but nak cover line dia blame budak2 kat opis yang kirim beli. Kemaluan kot! I told CekPaKaran she reminds me of this character - Mak Si Tanggang yang bawak macam2 benda kampung masa nak jumpa anak dia - bezanya CikPaKaran muda dan lawa aje.

We arrived our ultimate destination - Rumah Mode. I am too tired to shop. I vounteer to sit at one bench and take care all the shopping bag. I sit and sit and sit and wait and wai and wait but they are all missing. Never appear after more than one hour. My eyelids are so so so heavy (as heavy as the owner of the 43 waist line pants) how to sleep. I am the Guardian of approximately Rp10 Millions of shopping goods! Suddenly, I got an idea. I rearranged the shooping bag - the expensive one at the bottom and the cheap one including the size 43 pants on top of it (who wants to steal size 43 pants other than Shanee!). Once I am done with it, what else - tidur macam Bai Jaga Kedai Emas kat Petaling Street! When I opened my eyes, CekPaKaran was in front of me and her big eyes staring at my beautiful face and body. I don't know what else she did to me. She caught me sleeping on the job! Then she says, "kesian Abg!" but I notice she has that kind of funny look...... Adakah aku telah di molest? Oh tidak!!!!

More shopping bags. Macam orang gila yang kutip beg plastik dari dalam tong sampah tu la! Now, we have to get taxi back to the hotel but from the situation of the traffic outside Rumah Mode is chaos. We know it is quite impossible. So, the next best thing is Angkut-Angkut la. We managed to arrive the hotel safely (with 1001 plastic bag).

To be continued.......stay with me.