Bangkok Day 2; What a day!

Wake up a little bit late after our night out, i can't wait to show Lee Bangkok. She also excited about the trip. So we take shower in very nice bathroom of Lub.D. She impressed with the hostel since that was the very first time she stayed in hostel and on a budget traveling journey.

What i like about Lub.D (that i regret later didn't take so many pictures on this awesome hostel). It was very clean, and safe as they put multiple door, and the atmosphere are friendly, free wifi, free internet, and they had this bar down stairs that we could had our breakfast and maybe could hang out with the hostel guest at night. Chong Nonsi MRT/Sky Train not really far from there, if you know the map, its less than 15 min slow walk! Its very cool! There also public market not far from the hostel. I love buying food from hawker seller. Its clean, and i think i had more resistance on "un-certified" food hahaha! (sombong!) as long as its not pork, i will be jussstttt fine!

I did a complain, once, when i think i found someone else hair on my pillow (since my hair long and dyed/colored so i know its not mine).  They change the bed sheet then.

Lee waiting for the traffic light near MRT
Back to our cruise at town. There are two MRT station close to the hostel, Chong Nonsi and Sala Daeng. But we didn't want the same mistake as last night when we get lost and realize that Sala Daeng actually bit far from the hostel. So we took different  route.

Today we are planning to do a little bit shopping at MBK. A shopping mall well known among Indonesian. I bought two tshirt last time i went to Bangkok in 2007. It was cheap, and the quality was very good! it does made me regret not to buy more while i were there that time.

From Chong Nonsi station we have to go to National Stadium station. Its quite far from Chong Nonsi but.. it only took less than 20 minutes. I love the Sky Train or MRT in Singapore. I wish they build this transportation someday in Jakarta. (Ngarep gak papa kan?)


I forgot how Bangkok could be so hooot! a short walk and my shirt wet! and i am an Asian!

Oh, when i arrive at the MRT, i just realize i was become a skimming victim (smile). You know the ATM machine crime? when they copy your ATM card and stole your bank account? yepp.. happened to me! my account left to Rp 28.000 (below US$ 3), thank you very much Mr Skimmer! (weep weep)


Panic? hell yes!! feels like i want to scream, and rolling on MRT floor but i didn't do it. I just stare at the ATM monitor and scared Lee. Hahaha... its really happening to me!

It was my first day in Bangkok i still have like 11 days to go before i land in Jakarta. I only book, half price of most of my accommodation. But all flight tickets are covered tho.

In gasp of panic i try to find at least 5 different ATM at MBK. Lee starve, so we eat our lunch, i still feel like my tummy been kicked hard! hard to chew the food.

It looks delicious, don't know the name, but its a green beans with jelly wrapped shaped like fruits.. amazing!

But we found this unique cute food!! oh its desert... more to. Its a jelly, small size, soooo delicious looks, inside of it is green beans! very creative! i want to ask Lee.... can it made me high now? because i need it please!! haha but i thought Lee was worry enough to think about the rest of our journey. So i didn't spell it out. She bought a box, and its relaxing tho.... sweet and fresh cold. Not that hard to finish the whole container.


Delicious, looks very very attractive! (just note the seller name Pa' Lek>>>suspicious its a Java language!)

At home mom already contact my bank, and nothing i could do as they said it was a valid withdrawn from Thailand ATM, and they know i am in Thailand. Anyway, it was happened, and i ask my mom to send me money for the day and i try very hard to remember if i did brought my Credit Card or not.


Look in to that troubled eyes.... so much cute things at MBK but penniless! this is crueell! T.T


Reason why i don't want to bring my Credit card?
1. I shop a lot (shooooeeeesssssss!!!!!! ruuunnn! discount! ooohhh aawww! madness!)
2. I shop a lot of things i do not need and worse about that, i REGRET IT later, and feel annoyed why i can not hold my seld and bought so many stupid things.
3. I lost things, i forgot things.
4. My CC had no insurance.
5. I just basically don't trust my self being alone in shopping city like Bangkok and Singapore.

Anyway its more to silly personal reasons that worry me. But at last it wasn't proved on this journey tho. You could bring your credit card of course!


Is it a cat head? its cute, and funny, and artsy!


We walk at MBK almost all day. Window Shopping for things. So many cute things there. Until i decide time to get back to hostel. So we walk outside and notice the next building to MBK. There are cute cat head and garbage bin in front of the building.

I never been to that building before. Its Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. They had movie exhibition there. We decide to get in and take a peek inside. Its very calming place, lots of painting and art craft and actually unique stuff! there was post card and its hand drawing very unique for collection!

After going for two floor, we become bored pretty easy. I told Lee about Erawan Shrine. Lots of Indonesian business went there for good luck pray. Shes pretty excited to see. So we walk down to the street because the Erawan Shrine doesn't have Sky Walk (pedestrian walk but its placed align with MRT or above the main highway, even singapore doesn't have this!!)

But then this is the first time i passed by Siam Junction. There are more shop there. We quickly forgot about Erawan Shrine and drowned to the shops. Lee had a good taste in clothing i could see that. And most peopel here think that shes a fashion models. We both tall, over 173cms which not average in Indonesia, we are tall girls and not very feminine as lady boy hahahah!


Ballack, mein liebe!!



When we walk through the isles of shops there it was... the golden dome the roof top of Bangkok Hard Rock Cafe. I saw it on internet before. So i told Lee about it and she said "lets go there!" so we march down there, made few pictures, between me and mein liebe Michael Ballack, German national football captain (Ich Liebe dich!!). Its pepsi ads. But i could see that the Siam Junction been one of the place where you could watch the World Cup 2010. You still could see flags, posters and pictures along the street. Love German team always... for picture souvenirs (and to irritate someone that been fans of Socceroo... hahaha!) so i take one picture on one of bench with Ballack picture.




To the 2nd Floor, basically a Beattles and Elvis "museum"


Actually before we enter the Hard Rock Cafe, i feel little bit "scared" as the car that parked in front of the Cafe mostly very expensive car (Mazda coupe, BMW, Porsche, etc) freak me out, and think ...ohhh.. only rich people come here, wonder hows the food/drinks price is. Thinking about my less than 3 dollars bank account, basically i am one of those homeless beggars (weep weep).

Having Extra Large Ice Cream, its a big Lunch desert!!
 
We sit on table with "John Lennon" and Paul McCartney memorabilia on walls. They even allow us to check the place until the 3rd floor. The 2nd floor actually the bar, it was closed that time and open only at night. The third floor is more like office.


Hard Rock Cafe Bangkok 3rd Floor Office

I got my self sundae ice cream, while Lee order glass of mocktail, i forgot the name (haha we want to get bit tipsy in day light!) and set of fries which we gladly only order for 1 set, because it comes in big basket!! too much even just for two girl, but maybe its just fine for guys. And i want a bottle of water after the ice cream. Oh ice cream HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (two thumbs) for the brownies inside the ice cream taste very good. And have to warn you, its also on big cup, as you could see on my picture, so Lee and i trying so hard to finish it, but we couldn't make it to the bottom of the cup! (soooo yummy that it made me drools to remember how it taste...)

I like this..sound like three Musketeers in music!

We take some more pictures there before leaving. The waitres are very friendly, and actually "too friendly" hahaha. We learn some of thai language from the guy, which is nice things.

Lee then said she want to meet up with her friend "Joe" so, we have to leave! back to MBK because he will go there. So back to MBK, we walk a bit since it will took him about 45 minutes before he arrive.

We sit at Mc D and watch how much students use the McD as place for studying. Its fun to see also some of the (looks like) University Student teach them. Same like in Indonesia, difference that we don't really use McD as place to study, as there are too many distraction!

Joe finally arrive, and he was very nice person!

He ask if we had dinner already, and we both said we had big lunch and still full. But then he took us to a japanese restaurant in Siam Paragon. Its a fancy restaurant! I didn't really enjoy another food because suddenly i had acid indigestion and i didnt bring my antacid!! i always bring that when i was traveling! it must be fall somewhere but its not on my back pack (weep).

So lee and Joe had their dinner while i had a cup of hot green tea (i think it was yamcha). Its calming tho. We had great time during dinner. And then Joe invite two of his friend to come to join us!


Bowling at Siam Paragon Mall


It was a blast! they were very funny, and crazy. I feel so full, so does Lee! but the fun was not over as then we went to the top of the mall and play bowling!

Fun at Bowling with new friends


It was crazy as i never bowling before! very fun... and Joe was very kind to show me things, and i think i learn it very quick! but of course i was not as good as they are! Even Lee does bowling before!

Mr. Strike! He really show off his bowling skills!


There was a lot of people, families and young old guys mixed there. It was very fun night! I also found out later that the bowling place also had an ice skate rink! wow...

Closing time!


We are the last costumer went back home from the bowling place! hahaha... feels like we don't want to end the night tho! so we walk Joe friends back home, and then find a taxi to get back to Lub D in Silom.

It was 3 am when we had to say good bye to Joe! it was an awesome night and he think he could join us tomorrow tor the "wat" tours!






How to Build Your Personal Library for Free

The other day I got into a crowded elevator at the library along with several other people, including three young artfart/alt/punk males. The one to my right had several dvds in his hand ready to check out, and his friend behind me said happily, "Oh, I can't check anything out from here, I owe them way too much money! Where do you think I got my Harry Potter collection from? I have this thing, it's like, I check books out and I just forget that I have them; I just believe that they should belong to me." At which point we reached the second floor, the doors opened, and we filed out.

As usual, my reflexes were slow. I thought, wanted to say, should have said aloud, "What a dick!" Very often library books or other materials that I (and no doubt other people) would like to use are unavailable, listed as "Missing" or "Never returned" in the catalog. I wonder how many are now the property of some stupid, selfish twit like the guy in the elevator. If he didn't want to pay the fines, he could still at least have returned them so other people could use them. I'll be the first to admit that there are worse people in the world; but given the difficult condition of public services everywhere, abusing them like that, and bragging about it publicly, deserves notice. And while the boy may consider himself a bold nonconformist, an independent free spirit, there's nothing more Republican than that kind of contempt for the commons.

How to Build Your Personal Library for Free

The other day I got into a crowded elevator at the library along with several other people, including three young artfart/alt/punk males. The one to my right had several dvds in his hand ready to check out, and his friend behind me said happily, "Oh, I can't check anything out from here, I owe them way too much money! Where do you think I got my Harry Potter collection from? I have this thing, it's like, I check books out and I just forget that I have them; I just believe that they should belong to me." At which point we reached the second floor, the doors opened, and we filed out.

As usual, my reflexes were slow. I thought, wanted to say, should have said aloud, "What a dick!" Very often library books or other materials that I (and no doubt other people) would like to use are unavailable, listed as "Missing" or "Never returned" in the catalog. I wonder how many are now the property of some stupid, selfish twit like the guy in the elevator. If he didn't want to pay the fines, he could still at least have returned them so other people could use them. I'll be the first to admit that there are worse people in the world; but given the difficult condition of public services everywhere, abusing them like that, and bragging about it publicly, deserves notice. And while the boy may consider himself a bold nonconformist, an independent free spirit, there's nothing more Republican than that kind of contempt for the commons.

Small Islands in Sail Banda 2010

Indonesia Now have international event for sea traveling that name Sail Banda 2010. Sail Banda in this year will take the main theme of "Small Island, For Our Future" means small islands fatherly our future. This theme was taken because the Moluccas as the location of this activity is a province that is dominated by its geographical srtucture of small islands. At the same time as very weak area with the climate change issue is very relevant when the discussion focused on the impact of climate changes on small islands. An exciting agenda to be understood by the Forum Islands Province.

Do you know?
Banda archipelago consists of ten volcanic islands scattered in the Banda Sea, ± 140 km south of the island of Pulau Seram and 2000 km east of Pulau Java. Islands 180 km ² area is included in the Maluku province. Largest city, Bandanaira, located on the island of the same name. Approximately 15,000 people live in these islands. Until the mid-19th century, the Pulau Banda Islands were the only source of nutmeg spice. The islands are popular for scuba diving and snorkeling enthusiasts.

Banda have beautiful vision of panorama in Indonesia. You will get the valuable experience when traveling and visit Banda Islands.

Let's travel and visit Pulau Banda Island in Sail Banda 2010 Indonesia.

by ramadhani

Galactus!

Galactus!

LAY DOWN YOUR SWORDS.

Hannah Yadi is the real deal. We've had our eye on her for quite some time, but with the recent unveiling of new demo "Guillotine", she's made a quantum leap to the next level with what is truly one of the biggest singles we've heard from any artist this year, let alone one who at this time remains unsigned. Don't expect that status to last long though, cause when you're packing heat like "Guillotine" - not to mention other surefire singles "Gold" and "Wow" - you don't tend to stay off the market long. With shades of La Roux in her vocal delivery and all the powerful confidence and arresting good looks of Marina & The Diamonds, Yadi is the stuff A&R dreams are made of, an artist possessing all the chart-friendly hooks and major label starpower to hit the bigtime while at the same time remaining unique enough to stand out from the pack. "Guillotine" is literally massive, all epic choruses soaring over primal, militaristic drums and sparkling production flourishes, a serious coming out party for what will surely be one of the most sought after new talents of the next six months. Get ready 2011, your brightest new star has arrived.

MP3: "Guillotine" (Demo) - Yadi

The 2010 Bangkok Tales-Part 1 (The Beginning)

.......... time has comes for me to pack my things in a 50 liter back pack and start a brand new adventure!

Bangkok and Singapore here comes FIKA!!! ciiiaaaaattttttttt!! (gaya kung pao master!)




Bangkok




There was something about Bangkok or Thailand that i like. I don't know how to describe it, but i found it romantic, with all of its bustle and sound, also smell and the look of lady boys (he he he). I found it all very fascinating. Tuk tuk, taksi the wat's chao phraya, the humidity, the heat, the sweat, the dogs... ohhhh... all about Bangkok hate and love, made me want to go there again!!



At 2009 i book a flight through Air Asia, with their FREE SEAT, i got flight from Jakarta to Bangkok with price of Rp 30,000,- (about US$ 3,-) well it should be free, they actually charge Rp 30,000,- for my extra 15 kg's luggage. (Lu boleh jealous dah ! huahuahuahauhauha!!!!)
Nope, i sit in a leather seat, full ac, and its not a single 80 years old propeller plane. Its normal 100-200 seated flight (maybe fokker, i don't understand this one), but its normal plane for sure, no plastic chair, i don't have to sit on the floor too, or jump off the plane with a parachute!! (yeah they tease me with these when theyt found out about my flight price!!).

My flight start from Jambi at 11 am with Batavia air. There were delays for 30 mins, but its normal in Indonesia (geezz.. i dont know how i see delay as normal... but it is pathetic!!). When you said "delay" as a "not normal" thing ladies and gentlemen... if you're an expat, you better know, this is one of sign you've been TOO LONG reside in Indonesia. If you are an Indonesian, please peeps... change this mind set, DELAYs are not OK!!!!



I arrive in Jakarta on lunch time. Switching terminal from domestic to international, using the airport free shuttle bus (yellow bus). And go down in Air asia counter, check my flight from the small monitor on every each air asia counter. Theres several lines already.


After check in at Air Asia counter and pay Rp 150.000,- for airport tax (around US$15/Person), oh i got help from two pretty lady in red, on self check in machine infront of traditional checking counter, it was very easy and comfortable! All i need is my booking number (ticket print out) and passport number. No need to queue, less than 5 min they gave me the check in sticker that printed on that machine, i attach it to my printed ticket, all i need to do after that just goes to "special queue line" that had big banner said "self check in" to scale/drop my bag, tag it and thats all! next will be finding an official fiscal office, not far from the counter.

I get my "free fiscal stamp" at my boarding pass from fiscal booth near immigration door on the same floor not far from there (about 100 meters from Air Asia Counters). I don't have to pay "fiscal" when ever i leave Indonesia since i had my NPWP. These days everyone that work have to had NPWP, even my youngest who wasn't work last time she went to Malaysia she made her own NPWP card at tax office and its very easy! (Read my writing about fiscal rules).


I fill in the "Indonesia Departure card" that was given to me by air asia counter/check-in guy (you will always had this card when ever you leave or enter a country, every country had their own departure/arrival card, oh its just one card by the way) and go to immigration queue line (for Indonesia passport) for stamp in my passport (hand off the departure card to the officer when you give the passport).




Oh, another tips i could give is, use the air asia "web check in". It is the best resolution for people like me i think. I get "lost" on my way to airport sometimes. But the rules is it could only be done 2 days up to 4 hours before departure. You could do this with your cellphone too. So there's no chance for you for getting late to airport for check in as the counter will closed 1 hour before departure!!

I still had at least one and half hour to go before my flight. It was a great time for having the most expensive sandwich that i ever had in my life and a bottle of water at Soekarno Hatta-Jakarta International Airport. I know i should stick to Mc D or or other junk food joint.


My flight with Air Asia was at 4 pm afternoon. My fingers are cold, because i was too excited to start this all!! i ask the check in counter if they could seat me near window seat so i could take pictures. Hehe.. she gave me emergency exit seat... good for my long legs!! hehe thanks JKT Air Asia crew.. no worry guys... i am tough enough to open those emergency exit, God Forbid that happened, but yaaayyy!

I fed up with local girls with their caucasian bf/guest/daddy what so ever, if the age gap over 25-30 years, thats not normal, and uuuhhhh... i hate too much PDA (Personal Display of Affection>> kissing smooching, grabbing, hugging tight, petting, etc). Whats wrong with these people!!! I had to listen to whispers and giggles, its disgusting! and its still Jakarta to Bangkok.. and Patayya is on my list.. i roll my eyes.. what ever... i use my eye patch and listen to my MP3 until time the stewardess minds me to turn off my MP3 because its nearly landing.
Oh... i take Nasi Lemak Pak Nasir as my dinner menu on board, not bad actually... pretty nice. Its because i am hungry too! I landed nearly 8 pm at SuvarnaBhumi in Bangkok, i was amazed. Wow.. pretty clean! and futuristic, a little bit like Changi tho...



 
It was the very first time i landed in Suvarnabhumi. I went to Thailand several times but i was landed in Phuket, Krabi, or leaving from Changi. So... never been to SuvarnaBhumi. The arrival gate and the immigration check is quite far, and wow... its bigger than Changi! the lines consist of Thai passport and International passport. I pick the one that on the very left part, as the first 4 on the right was very looooonggggg! the immigration officer pretty helpful for traveling family with small kids, they short of made them priority as they come to them one by one and guide them to the "special boot" for the kids. Ok thats pretty cool when you had more than 3 kids running around or crying... you wont think its nice to stand on queue over 35 people. Its nuts. So yeah.. good for those mums and dads.


 
And i learn very good thing... please don't laugh ok... first i have to explain how small my town airport is: Jambi airport only had two luggage belt at the arrival, and its only less than 20 meters long (got the view?).

Here in Suvarnabhumi you will see over 25 luggage belt. Its huge, its crowded and.... confusing!!!
I was jump around, try to see my flight number on the 3 belt that i just passed until a guy short of ask, what the hell i were doing that time, and i said it, i don't know which belt my luggage was! and he point at an electronic board, just exactly the same as the flight announcement (well.. ok.. i thought it was a flight announcement board) you know that blinking board that said which flight and numbers and arrival or departure time??? yepp... that one.



This one show the flight numbers, city of departures, and time of arrival, and ...bingo!! the luggage belt number!!! But i guess i am not the only one who look the luggage the "traditional way" which ill call "visual check" way hahahahha! Well it only work if you only had at least 5 belt lines!!! but over 25??!! ok that wont work buddy!



I was the first one who arrive on the belt! hahaha! pretty cool.. i took my luggage and goes to the "green" line exit which said "no goods to declare".


Outside, i go to the atm for the cash in baht as i didnt change my money to baht before. I just use my ATM from BCA well.. i use that for years since 2006. I went to 2nd floor to Starbuck as i see many people use laptop there... i thought they had free WIFI.... but i was wrooong!



Even Suvarnabhumi look as sophisticated as Changi but they don't have that free wifi!!! come on... even Jambi had free wifi!! why there is no wifi!! as the gadget freak, i feel so upset there!
After a mocca latte grande and sitting for a while at Starbucks try to made a draft for this blog, finally Lee come with her big smile! she looks pretty like a super model just the same like i met her before in Singapore (remember the Ryan Cumpston and Richard Stewart "journey" back in Singapore?? the US navy guys from DDG 82/USS Lassen??). We sit for a while, and she order her cup of coffee.

Anyway, we walk down and we finally see free internet at THAILAND TOURISM boot on the first floor! there are two computer that people could use for free for browsing internet! and i ask for a Bangkok map also use the computer for a while, the girl could speak moderate English, convenient thing to know actually..... , and we met an Oz girl that very nice, she browse flights for Lee, but we had lack of choice as the flight price goes up to 3000 baht (to Singapore). When we go to level 4 for AirAsia counter, it was closed already (it was 11pm i think), so we go back down on basement to get a bus to our hostel.





To get to the bus station to town, we had to go to the exit number 8 near the taxi boot on first level, just look up for the sign said Airport Express Bus. We took the bus direction to Silom Area (AE1). The price for the bus to Sala Daeng Sky Train are 150baht (our hostel at Decho Rd not that far from "PATPONG" area!). It is cheaper than if we go by taxi, which is 400-500 baht and it still depends on the traffic too! so it could be much more!

The hostel name is
Lub.D. I would highly RECOMMEND you this hostel, due to lots of reason ill tell later hehehe.... Oh i book the hostel from the Hostel Bookers website. They got he cheapest price and no additional charge too! I would recommend bus for airport, as the bus is very fast, and its comfortable and clean too. And i do think its safe! I do heard there was MRT from airport to city centre too, but the service is only until 7pm, so its not an option for us.

We leave the airport with the bus at nearly 10pm. The journey began with Lee. The city at night was very calm. I had my camera ready on my hand, i want to see pictures of what left behind the deadly demonstration few months ago. What Bangkok looks like in the eye of visitor/tourist for the very first time after they land in SuvarnaBhumi? It turn out to be a normal night in Bangkok city. Nothing that i see wrong, its not that Bangkok a spotless place, but there are things that not rihght and you could spot it easy as the prostitute and lady boy walk on the street or on a motorcycle. But its still one of the city of Bangkok "landmark" hehehe... so.. nothing strange about it.

Then i see it the burned malls stood in the dark.. covered with some green nets, looks like they're moving forward and try to fix it as soon as possible.... ok... its very fast actually.. Indonesia took longer time to recover from Bali bombing. Of course it was something different.... but still.. it was burnt few weeks ago but everything looks so normal, and feels normal too!

We were arrive around 11pm at the Sky train terminal. But its actually quite shady area, some local Thai guy drunk, come closer to us and we decide to go inside a 7/11 to ask direction. Because ts common for me to be disoriented at very first day when i was i arrive in a new city. And alas! the 7/11 cashier not speak english that well. And i forgot my other Thai 101; Thailand people never say "no" or "don't know" (sorry i generalize Thai people here...but that's the fact i experienced so far!), when we ask something they will try to point a direction or just pretend they don't really hear what we said. Geez... so instead of lead us to the right way they often get things even worse!

We finally took a taxi from sofitel hotel, if only we know its so close!

The room we stayed in is a dorm, when we arrive theres none there. But its 8 bunk bed there. And we could see the bed "tag" (like the bag tag from airport) from the hostel show only 4 of the bed are occupied.

We went out at 2 am since Lee want to have a sight of Patpong and we dont even feel sleepy! So we walk around and see small traditional market not far from Patpong, its all GREAT! we walk until the end of the road and decide to go back to hostel since it was 4 am! and even the drunk girls are on the way back home. It was safe to walk at night in Bangkok.

Well... matters safe or not actually it depends on us, how we carry our self, how you behave how you dress, how you talk, etc. If you use your best "i am not into trouble" look/behaviour, i think it will be ok anywhere.

Its was pretty funny to see the drunker walk back home, you could see their drunk smile, walk tipsy, some are cute, some are just sleazy (haha we only spot guys! hahah!).

Over all my first night are pretty awesome!!






Untuk yang baru merencanakan jalan2 ke LN ini yang aku lakuin di airport:
1. Siapin passport sama uang Rp 150.000,- untuk airport tax (Soekarno Hatta segitu nominalnya). Check in di counter penerbangan (air asia, tiger, garuda etc). Dapat "Departure Card".

2. Siapin copy kartu NPWP, pergi ke loket "Pelayanan Pajak" di dekat pintu masuk cek imigrasi. Kasihkan passport, boarding pass sama ticket trus fotocopy kartu NPWP tadi. Nanti petugas bakalan kasih stempel di boarding pass. Kalau punya NPWP bakalan di stempel "NO FISCAL" kalau gak punya hehe... bayar Rp 2 juta!!

3. Isi form/kartu keberangkatan/departure card selengkapnya (perlu liat passport dan tiket, buat ngisi nomor passport sama tanggal expire, trus nomor flight yang ada di tiket/boarding pass).

4. Ngantri di imigrasi, liat line untuk "passport indonesia" kasih passport sama kartu keberangkatan, boarding pass, ticket.. semua dah!! Passport di stempel sama boarding pass/fiskal

5. Sudah di stempel, tinggal pergi ke "gate" keberangkatan alias ruang tunggu. Kalau masih banyak waktu bisa liat2 toko2 di sana, harga "katanya" sih lebih murah sebab duty free alias bebas pajak...

6. JANGAN SAMPE TELAT BOARDING! hehehe... keasyikan window shopping kadang buat lupa waktu. Gate air asia rada jauh, jadi yah... tolong diperhitungkan lah waktu buat jalan ke sana!

7. Adios! Bon Voyage! jangan lupa oleh2 cerita nya yakk!





My Comic Con Haul for SDCC 2010

My Comic Con Haul for SDCC 2010

Pantai Tanjung Benoa The Spot of Watersport in Bali


Pantai Tanjung Benoa, the beach that located near Wisata Nusa Dua Area Bali have interesting many tourist to visit Bali. Tanjung Benoa situated at the southeast Bali Island in Nusa Dua. Can reach in 40 minutes from Pantai Kuta Beach, 50 minutes from Pantai Sanur Beach, and 30 minutes from Bandara Ngurah Rai Airport.

Pantai Tanjung Benoa become place for Watersport activity. This coast have quite wave in Bali, So this Pantai Tanjung Benoa have qualified and suitable for doing Water Sport activity. Some Watersport that you can do here like, jetsky, parasailing, banana boat, scuba diving, snorkling, glassbottom and you can visit The Pulau Penyu(Turtle Island) to wacth Turtle breeding activity and rehabilitation.

So if you have travel to bali island you must try to visit Pantai Tanjung Benoa. You will get unforgetable experience in your Bali Tour. I hope you will get happy traveling in Indonesia especially in Bali.

Next post I will give more information about traveling in Indonesia. So happy visit to my blog. Thanks for visit and reading this small article.

by ramadhani

Unrepentant Gold Bull and Stock Bear





Looking to buy more physical Gold with one more price dip and looking to short the $%&@*! out of equities with one more price rise. I will be scaling into both positions. With Gold, it will be purchase of physical Gold starting at $1150. With the stock market, it will be primarily via puts on the UPRO triple bullish ETF that tracks the S&P 500 and also some puts on the triple bullish commercial real estate ETF (ticker: DRN).

I actually like the "pan-European" Dow Jones Europe Index ($E1DOW) for a good road map of where global equities are headed, as it has a "clean" chart that gives a good "big picture" overview. Here's a 12 year weekly log scale chart of $E1DOW to show you what I mean:



Perhaps another week or so to squeeze the remaining bears, but then it's showtime. I am waiting for one more significant up day to start scaling into short positions and will likely be using the December contract on UPRO and November contract on DRN. High-risk play with major leverage and potential for major rewards/losses. If you're going to bother playing in the rigged casino, you might as well make sure victory pays well.

When it comes to Gold, this is where I invest. This is where I put my savings. Trading is my "get rich or die trying" money (the hare), Gold is my safe and can't lose money (the tortoise). Not that Gold can't rocket higher and make me 50% in a year, but I don't use leverage, I don't trade it and I simply buy the dips. Gold stocks are just another paper play in the Wall Street casino. Those who think otherwise are ignoring shareholder dilution, ridiculous management pay, political risk, and the current lack of dividend yield that plagues the sector. I believe Gold stocks are for renting rather than owning at this point in the cycle unless you are a mining and financial expert who knows how to analyze a company from the ground up and stay in touch with day-to-day operational concerns or a very long-term investor unconcerned with severe draw downs.

Now once I think general equities are done collapsing, different story. I will be buying Gold stocks hand over fist on the next panic bottom. For now, I am putting my "safe" money into a safe investment. The only currency that can't be debased by decree. The only market besides U.S. debt that remains in an unequivocal bull market. However, U.S. debt is an accident waiting to happen while Gold is getting ready to go into its manic bull phase. You won't find me dabbling in the bond market, though I pay attention to it.

The difference between an equity chart of any country in the world and a long-term Gold chart is striking and shows where we are in the "big picture" type cycles that are important for most investors to focus on (12 year log scale weekly chart of $GOLD follows):



Bond yields at secular lows and Gold at secular highs is a hallmark of a Kondratieff Winter and is not seen in any other season. We are in a K-Wave Winter. It ain't close to being over yet.

The Dow to Gold ratio has been screaming higher along with the copper to Gold ratio and both are due for a reversal in the next week or so IMO. Here's a daily 1 year chart of the Dow to Gold ratio ($INDU:$GOLD) thru today's close:



I am in the Ian Gordon camp here. Banks won't even admit people are delinquent on their mortgages any more! Another collapse is coming - only the timing is in question. "Extend and pretend" works until it doesn't and then the first one to panic wins. True value for the S&P 500 is at 500 or less (500 is the optimistic scenario) and we will get there. I continue to wait patiently for a better buying opportunity in the GDX and GDXJ Gold stock ETFs (my road map for when I'll be buying Gold stocks can be found here). The Dow to Gold ratio will reach 2 and we may well go below 1 before the current cycle is over.

Sorry for the sporadic posting, but it's summer and all...



[Most Recent Charts from www.kitco.com]

An Eye For an Eye

I'm going to follow John Caruso's example and save myself some time and energy today by recommending an excellent article on Emily Henochowicz, an American student who lost an eye to an IDF tear gas canister in May.

An Eye For an Eye

I'm going to follow John Caruso's example and save myself some time and energy today by recommending an excellent article on Emily Henochowicz, an American student who lost an eye to an IDF tear gas canister in May.

Gold Down But Not Out - Ben Davies

Despite gold's eight percent drop this past month, the commodity is still the world's "currency of first resort," Ben Davies, CEO of Hinde Capital, told CNBC.



Traveling and Shoping in Malang City Shoping Centre

Malang City become the favourite destination of traveling in East Java Indonesia. Malang the Small city with glamour facilities have attract many visitor to visit or make some new business with high prosperity. Malang is the second biggest city in East Java after Surabaya City.

Traveling to malang is not complete if you are not visit the centre city area. This area is centre of mass activities for traveling, business, office building, and shoping. Malang City have many shoping mall, shoping plaza, shoping square, and many retail shoping.Malang Town Square are one of the biggest shoping mall in Malang beside MOG (Mall Olympic Garden).

Malang with many visitor society become the one of fastest City development for modern city in East Java Indonesia. Malang Have growth fast in the last 10 years. So if you have traveling to Indonesia you must visit Malang City. I suggest you to visit at Centre City because you can enjoy the old classic vision of Malang City with colonial buildings and spend your money to have some shoping traveling.

by ramadhani

When Corruption Is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Be Corrupt

We hear a lot about how corrupt Hamid Karzai's government is, and I imagine much of it is true: Karzai is, after all, our creature, our man in Kabul. Almost by definition, a leader installed by invaders is going to be corrupt. If the US had thought Karzai would have too much of a mind of his own, we'd have looked for someone else. It's also useful that such a person should be at least somewhat dirty, so we'll have an excuse for taking him down (or letting him fall) when we choose to do so.

So, when Democracy Now reported this morning that
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an investigation into a recent NATO air strike that reportedly killed as many as fifty-two civilians, including women and children. Karzai called on NATO troops to "put into practice every possible measure to avoid harming civilians during military operations." Afghan officials say the civilians died when a NATO helicopter gunship opened fire on a compound where they had taken shelter after fleeing an expected firefight between Taliban fighters and NATO troops. US military officials have rejected the claims of the Afghan government, saying there is no evidence civilians were injured or killed.
I had to snicker derisively. The US denial is of course tantamount to an admission of guilt, since the US military always lies about its atrocities. (So does every military and every government, of course, but there's all this American Exceptionalism around.)

The same thing goes for the Obama administrations's efforts to downplay this weekend's release by Wikileaks of a huge batch of documents about the US war in Afghanistan, which "provide a devastating portrait of the war in Afghanistan, revealing how coalition forces have killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents, how a secret black ops special forces unit hunts down targets for assassination or detention without trial, how Taliban attacks have soared, and how Pakistan is fueling the insurgency." The White House first complained that this was a threat to US security, citing a "potential national security concern" and then declaring that "there’s no broad new revelations in this". All quite familiar. (It's not just the White House, of course. The AP reports that Senator Jane Harman, D-CA, claimed (via) that "Someone inadvertently or on purpose gave the Taliban its new 'enemies list.'" That's a lie, since no one in the US government could have vetted all the material in the time before Harman's remark, and the newspapers which reported on it collaborated with the White House to remove identifying details. Not that I could get all that excited if it were true, since those collaborators provide the US with information for our atrocities.)

(P.S. July 28: The London Times claims that it found identifying details in the documents; Julian Assange of Wikileaks denies it; "Robert Riegle, a former senior intelligence officer, said: "'It's possible that someone could get killed in the next few days.'" Of course, people are getting killed in Afghanistan all the time, often by US troops or predator drones using intelligence given by Afghan informants.)

Amy Goodman's interview with Guardian editor editor David Leigh shows another familiar pattern: the White House worried that the released material would endanger Afghan collaborators, people who had worked with the US. But as Leigh says,
Well, I’ll say it again: we had already decided, on Spiegel, on the New York Times and on The Guardian, what we were going to do, and we were going to take out names that we thought might be in danger of reprisals. And we decided not to publish certain intelligence reports that describe that kind of thing. So all those decisions had been taken. So the White House was pushing at an open door when it said, "We don’t want people to be in danger." So they’re not—they’re congratulating us for something we had already decided to do.
As Glenn Greenwald says, "But best of all was DN's report of an appearance by former hacker Adrian Lamo, who'd turned in Bradley Manning, the alleged whistleblower for Wikileaks' earlier release of the video of a US massacre in Iraq. Lamo spoke at a Hackers on Planet Earth conference and got a rough reception:

    ADRIAN LAMO: I think that the government behaved themselves better than a lot of people would give them credit for. To set the record clear, I am not an informant. I’m a witness in a criminal case. It’s not that different, in my eyes, from being a witness in any other case that could involve potential loss of life.

    EMMANUEL GOLDSTEIN: Adrian, I mean, you say it’s—you know, it’s been a pleasant experience for you, you know, working with the government on this, I guess. But Bradley Manning, the alleged leaker, is currently sitting in prison in Kuwait, I believe, and he could be locked up for the rest of his life. How do you feel about that?

    AUDIENCE MEMBER: Tortured!

    ADRIAN LAMO: I think that it’s a little bit ludicrous to say that Bradley Manning is going to be tortured. We don’t do that to our citizens.

    AUDIENCE MEMBER: Guantánamo!

    ADRIAN LAMO: I mean, obviously it’s been much worse for him, but it’s certainly been no picnic for me. And I knew from the get-go that it was going to be a low point in my interactions with the community. And I—

    UNIDENTIFIED: Yet you could have ignored him. When he first contacted you, you were not obliged to ever answer him. You could have simply ignored him, and none of this would have ever happened.

    ADRIAN LAMO: And Mr. Manning could have ignored the diplomatic cables, and he could have ignored the collateral murder video, but he followed his conscience, as I did mine.

    AUDIENCE MEMBER: From my perspective, I see what you have done as treason.

It's best if you watch the clip and hear it for yourself, though. When I listened, I echoed the audience response to Lamo's claim that the US doesn't torture its citizens:

When Corruption Is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Be Corrupt

We hear a lot about how corrupt Hamid Karzai's government is, and I imagine much of it is true: Karzai is, after all, our creature, our man in Kabul. Almost by definition, a leader installed by invaders is going to be corrupt. If the US had thought Karzai would have too much of a mind of his own, we'd have looked for someone else. It's also useful that such a person should be at least somewhat dirty, so we'll have an excuse for taking him down (or letting him fall) when we choose to do so.

So, when Democracy Now reported this morning that
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an investigation into a recent NATO air strike that reportedly killed as many as fifty-two civilians, including women and children. Karzai called on NATO troops to "put into practice every possible measure to avoid harming civilians during military operations." Afghan officials say the civilians died when a NATO helicopter gunship opened fire on a compound where they had taken shelter after fleeing an expected firefight between Taliban fighters and NATO troops. US military officials have rejected the claims of the Afghan government, saying there is no evidence civilians were injured or killed.
I had to snicker derisively. The US denial is of course tantamount to an admission of guilt, since the US military always lies about its atrocities. (So does every military and every government, of course, but there's all this American Exceptionalism around.)

The same thing goes for the Obama administrations's efforts to downplay this weekend's release by Wikileaks of a huge batch of documents about the US war in Afghanistan, which "provide a devastating portrait of the war in Afghanistan, revealing how coalition forces have killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents, how a secret black ops special forces unit hunts down targets for assassination or detention without trial, how Taliban attacks have soared, and how Pakistan is fueling the insurgency." The White House first complained that this was a threat to US security, citing a "potential national security concern" and then declaring that "there’s no broad new revelations in this". All quite familiar. (It's not just the White House, of course. The AP reports that Senator Jane Harman, D-CA, claimed (via) that "Someone inadvertently or on purpose gave the Taliban its new 'enemies list.'" That's a lie, since no one in the US government could have vetted all the material in the time before Harman's remark, and the newspapers which reported on it collaborated with the White House to remove identifying details. Not that I could get all that excited if it were true, since those collaborators provide the US with information for our atrocities.)

(P.S. July 28: The London Times claims that it found identifying details in the documents; Julian Assange of Wikileaks denies it; "Robert Riegle, a former senior intelligence officer, said: "'It's possible that someone could get killed in the next few days.'" Of course, people are getting killed in Afghanistan all the time, often by US troops or predator drones using intelligence given by Afghan informants.)

Amy Goodman's interview with Guardian editor editor David Leigh shows another familiar pattern: the White House worried that the released material would endanger Afghan collaborators, people who had worked with the US. But as Leigh says,
Well, I’ll say it again: we had already decided, on Spiegel, on the New York Times and on The Guardian, what we were going to do, and we were going to take out names that we thought might be in danger of reprisals. And we decided not to publish certain intelligence reports that describe that kind of thing. So all those decisions had been taken. So the White House was pushing at an open door when it said, "We don’t want people to be in danger." So they’re not—they’re congratulating us for something we had already decided to do.
As Glenn Greenwald says, "But best of all was DN's report of an appearance by former hacker Adrian Lamo, who'd turned in Bradley Manning, the alleged whistleblower for Wikileaks' earlier release of the video of a US massacre in Iraq. Lamo spoke at a Hackers on Planet Earth conference and got a rough reception:

    ADRIAN LAMO: I think that the government behaved themselves better than a lot of people would give them credit for. To set the record clear, I am not an informant. I’m a witness in a criminal case. It’s not that different, in my eyes, from being a witness in any other case that could involve potential loss of life.

    EMMANUEL GOLDSTEIN: Adrian, I mean, you say it’s—you know, it’s been a pleasant experience for you, you know, working with the government on this, I guess. But Bradley Manning, the alleged leaker, is currently sitting in prison in Kuwait, I believe, and he could be locked up for the rest of his life. How do you feel about that?

    AUDIENCE MEMBER: Tortured!

    ADRIAN LAMO: I think that it’s a little bit ludicrous to say that Bradley Manning is going to be tortured. We don’t do that to our citizens.

    AUDIENCE MEMBER: Guantánamo!

    ADRIAN LAMO: I mean, obviously it’s been much worse for him, but it’s certainly been no picnic for me. And I knew from the get-go that it was going to be a low point in my interactions with the community. And I—

    UNIDENTIFIED: Yet you could have ignored him. When he first contacted you, you were not obliged to ever answer him. You could have simply ignored him, and none of this would have ever happened.

    ADRIAN LAMO: And Mr. Manning could have ignored the diplomatic cables, and he could have ignored the collateral murder video, but he followed his conscience, as I did mine.

    AUDIENCE MEMBER: From my perspective, I see what you have done as treason.

It's best if you watch the clip and hear it for yourself, though. When I listened, I echoed the audience response to Lamo's claim that the US doesn't torture its citizens: