East Java/South Bali 14 days Day 3

 20/05/2025

We checked out and left the hotel at 6am.  They had packed us a box of breakfast each.

Entered Tumpak Sewu around 8am with another guide.

This guide took a fantastic video of my entire trip.

Top view of the waterfall.

At this point of time I wasn't sure if I wanted to get down to the bottom...

Pretty smile, cos still fresh at the beginning of the day.  Then later on no energy to smile lolxx...

The guide encouraged me to go down.  "You are already here, just try, I be with you!"

So we went.

We reached the bottom before 9am.  I don't even know how I did it.

It was cold and water from the waterfall poured down like rain.

Unavoidable being wet even without getting into the water.

Probably all Indonesian guides are photographers, seriously.

It's unbelievable, with my almost non-existing stamina, arthritis and painful ankles, I actually made it.

After my Sydney trip in July, I don't think I will be able to travel any time soon, at least for the rest of 2025 (maybe even longer if things turned worst).  I probably have to miss the rest of the world but I am very contended already...

Getting up was another 45mins to 1hr.

At some point my heart was pounding so fast that I had to stop.

They had toilets with water for shower, I just rinse my feet, dried myself with another set of clean clothes before moving on by road towards Mt Bromo.

Dropped by Resto Wakul Bu Tjipto, cos no matter how still needed to eat lolxx...

I told him I might not eat much cos I was so freaking god damn exhausted.

Had warm herbal tea trying to make my body better, but I was actually craving for cold coke.

We had salted egg crabs + Indonesian style grilled grouper + sambal kangkong = S$66.

Gloves were provided, but we both dig in with bare hands, so much so that the tables around us started to order crabs as well waahaahaa...  I ended up eating and licking a lot haahaahaa...  Not much google reviews, but was really good.

The only complain would be it's non-aircon, kinda exhausting in a satisfying way.

I am not asking for much in life, or am I already too much in the eyes of others?

Mickey Mouse Indonesian print men's shirt from Uniqlo.  I had button wrongly didn't realise until much later.

The restaurant had traditional costume for rental and they had plenty of areas for nice photos.  Didn't go for it as I would be doing a professional photoshoot at later part of the trip.

Then it was about 3 or 4hrs drive to reach Bromo area.  Only small hotels/resorts were available around.

Bromo Terrace Hotel arranged by the tour agent was pretty decent.

Misty with mountains as backdrop, it felt like Switzerland.

Sibei swee de this place.

Found cheap laundry in a provision shop nearby.  For dinner bought a bottle of milk and ate left over muffin from breakfast.  Then slept from 8pm to 1am.

East Java/South Bali 14 days Day 2

 19/05/2025

Breakfast before checking out of Majapahit Hotel.

I was in a daze when I saw this thing float pass, I nearly died.  Why would any women in the right mind dress like a ghost???  Then this same piece of thing took my table when I had my belongings there.  The people of that country suffered from so much bad reputation becos of people like this, haiz...

It was best to totally ignore that inauspicious thing, breakfast was good and the place was quiet at 8am actually.

Checking out at the reception, I saw him peeping his head out of a pillar at the entrance lobby.

.... at first sigh.  It didn't feel like a solo trip anymore.

Short drive to Malang.

Police and military reporting to work lolxx...

Went into this village to see look, nothing fascinating, but that was how trip started.

My colored hair gave me a instant swag.

People stayed here and do little business here.

It's a home, it's a restaurant.

This long kang sia... but the walls at the 2 sides were nice.

The sky was grey but he was smiling like sunshine.

It's Rumah Mbah Nudut, locals of Malang likes to spell this backwards.

So my name is Susan, in Malang I am Nasus, he is Senahoy.

 2 drinks + vanilla pudding + fried minced tofu with meat = S$4.30.

Checked into Atria Hotel.  Enormous lobby lolxx...

It was clean and nice with a queen bed and long work desk which I didn't take pics of.

Like the view from the window.  But they were doing some renovation, there were specks of white paint on the glass.

We went to a local warung.

No tourist at all, so I stood out weirdly, gotten some curious stares.

It's tucked away in a small alley, but there's their menu with address on it.

Food (not for photos) was really nice.  We had simple sambal egg, fried tofu and stir fried french beans.

What's special was their herbal black beef soup (Rawon).  Tasted pepperish just like out bak kut teh but in beef cubes instead of pork ribs.

The herbal taste was very comforting too.  Kinda sad that this was my first and last (where to find in Singapore??)

After dinner we walked deeper into the alley, so dark that I thought I might be kidnapped lolxx...

(I am not a good prey anyways haahaa...)

This little stall sells drinks particularly STMJ and some cakes.

STMJ stands for susu (milk), telur (egg), madu (honey), and jahe (ginger).

We went to the night market but due to the rainy weather it was quiet with only a few stalls opened.

Nevertheless, so much fond memories that it hurts a little...

That's my story in Malang...