Do you find it awesome? It is!

This pristine white sandy beach is located on Gili Island. No, this one is not the Gili(s) in Lombok which are also beautiful. This Gili is a 2,017 ha island at the east of Bawean Island, Gresik Municipality, East Java Province, Indonesia.

Gili Island has only 1,280 inhabitants who live in 400 houses. Most of the local people are fishermen.

There are two tinier islands around Gili, which are Noko Timur and Manukan. There is a kind of pathway between Gili and Noko Timur –which also has white sandy beaches—when the tide is low. Noko Timur Island used to be the place for turtles to hatch their eggs. However, illegal sand mining reduces the size of the island and in turn drove the turtles away. However, both Gili and Noko Timur retain their pristine white sandy beaches!

For those who fancy to spend a few days there, you might consider to have a flight to Juanda Airport, Surabaya, then take a taxi to Gresik Port and take a jetfoil or regular ferry to reach Bawean Island. You can arrange your trip to Gili Island using fishermen’s boats from Bawean Island. It will cost you much less than the trip to Caribbean or Mediterranean.

Photo by Erri Kartika/Matanesia
Text by Erri Kartika, Achmad Supardi

Vwala! I finished my exam. Come to papa holiday!!

This is a special holiday! My first experience going abroad and I act as a single traveler!! My destination is Pattaya, a second most visited city in Thailand.

Why Pattaya? A couple of month ago, I got a heavenly offer from my friend (Yves – a French guy) to stay in his condo with a fantastic price. I straightly find the cheapest ticket to go to Bangkok right after the exam.

Here’s a sort of the story. He came to Indonesia on previous October and I became his guide to hunt for the handicraft. Then he give me an offer to stay in his condo as his gratitude.

Januray, 22 2012

When the moon right above our head, when most people were fly on their dreams, when the streets “shut their mouth”, I prepare myself to go to Juanda Airport, Surabaya.

Why Juanda airport? Because they offer the cheapest ticket to Bangkok.

Why on the midnight? My plane will depart on 3 pm and I must check in two hours before the flight. The earliest train is on 9 am and it tooks 5 hours to reach Surabaya; if I took the morning bus, there must be many traffic jam. So I decided to take the midnight bus. Early is better than late.

11 pm o’clock the bus (Bus Eka) departed from Giwangan Bus Station, Jogja. On the whole trip I deeply fall into my sleep because of the sleeping pill. I woke up when the bus stop at Duta Restaurant, Ngawi (2 am). I step down from the bus with an unpleasant feeling, I think I’m gonna blow chunk but I’m glad that’s not happened. I order a glass of hot tea to warm my stomach and back to the bus.

The bus arrived safely in Purabaya Bus Station at 6.30 am. I continue my trip with another bus (Bus Damri) that directly carry us to Juanda Airport. In about half an hour, I finally arrived in Juanda Airport and hastily looking for the toilet! Yep, I almost cannot hold it! Relieved after “revealed” the pee, I walked around Juanda airport to find my favourite fast food restaurant, but I got nothing, just some piece of buns and a glass of hot milk.

Breakfast

The good news is they have a hotspot. I stay there until my laptop runs out. I try to find the power jack around the airport but I got nothing. I accidentally found the power jack in the prayer room. I stay there for a while, waiting for Zuhur time while I charge both my laptop and handphone.

Done with the prayer, my stomach told me to find something to eat. He said I must eat the “real thing”, not an imposter like the previous one. I choose A&W because it’s the only one fast food restaurant around here. In this kind of place, I prefer eating in the fast food restaurant. The meal is relatively cheap because I bring my own drink from Jogja, it’s really helpful.

Lunch

The clock told me to check in immediately. But he lied, the boarding pass either. It was 1 pm and I’m the first person who check in and I must wait for another couple of hours to depart. Fortunately I’ve charged my handphone, so I could play around with him and call my parents.

Boarding Gate Corridor of International Departure in Juanda Airport

Boarding time! Thanks God there’s no delay.

When the plane shows the “blank scene”, I started to sleep. It’s okay since I didn’t order any meal and it’s quite a long flight (4 hours).

I woke up when the scene started to change, it turns into yellow (6 pm). I got a piece of paper on my hands also, that’s the Departure & Arrival Card that should I keep until my flight back. But I didn’t bring any pen or pencil!? No worry, my neighbor had.

Note: don’t forget your stationery when you have an abroad flight!

Two hours later, the plane touchdown safely and softly in Suvarnabhumi Airport. The airport is very huge!! Several times bigger than Soekarno-Hatta Airport. Step down from the plane, we picked by a bus to the terminal, arrival gate. 5 mins waiting for the imigration checking, my turn finally came. A little bit nervous because it’s my first time and I’m alone.

Imigration Checking

Vwala.. He didn’t ask anything to me. Just looking at my face to ensure that my actual face = my paspor photo. I directly go through custom and here I am, big and long hall of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Then I walked around the hall to find and buy a bus ticket to Jomtien, Pattaya. Vwala! I got it (9 pm bus)! And the good news is I still have plenty of time before the bus departure.

Hall

I decided to have a dinner in Suvarnabhumi food court. The payment uses a kind of coupon. We must exchange our money into coupon, use it to buy something, and get our money back from the remaining coupon. I ate roasted duck with rice. For your Information, there are almost no “halal” food here, most of them offer pork on their menu. So, be wise guys!

Vwala, I’m full!! Let’s go to Pattaya!

I spend the whole trip (2 hours) by sleeping, because it’s very long trip and my energy was drained.

The bus stop at the Jomtien bus station. I walked out the bus and dunno what to do :| I asked local citizen about my friend’s condo. And… Vwala! It’s very near from here. Just 5 mins by walking.

My friend was waiting in the lobby and he gave me the key room, 8th floor room where I will stay for the next 11 days.

Ngeeekk (door open).. Vwala! What a fancy room! Thousand times better than my room in Jogja. It’s fully furnished with Aircond, water heater, complete kitchen set, fridge, double bed, green balcony, and very nice view. My life will be change in the next 11 days! When my friend leaving for his room, I unconsciously fall asleep without unpacking bag.

My Room

(to be continued… )

Ini adalah suasana di lorong ruang keberangkatan dari Juanda Airport. Bandara yang bertaraf international ini cukup megah dengan segala kelengkapannya.

Kebersihan adalah nilai utama yang harus ada pada tempat-tempat umum di Indonesia. Berbagai upaya dilaksanakan oleh pengelola bandara agar tempat tersebut terlihat bersih dan nyaman dipandang. Sangat sulit memang mengubah mindset orang yang menganggap bahwa peraturan itu dibuat untuk dilanggar. Sehingga membuat Bangsa Indonesia menjadi tempat sampah umum. Upaya untuk menjaga kebersihan pada Lapangan terbang berkelas nasional ini sangatlah bagus. Disamping ada petugas kebersihan yang bekerja, orang yang menggunakan fasilitas airport juga diajak untuk menjaga kebersihan.

Ini adalah sedikit cerita yang bisa saya bagikan ketika berada di Juanda Airport.
Buat semuanya, saya mengucapkan Selamat Natal dan Tahun Baru 2010.
Selamat berlibur…