Susan's Blog: 2025

Tuesday, 17 June 2025

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...

Thursday, 12 June 2025

East Java/South Bali 14 days Day 1

Prologue:

The trip was sparkled on with social media photos of Mt Bromo which I seen way before Covid. But I had put Japan in front of the list which we went ahead. In the mist of saving up money, I almost gave up cos the midnite itineraries and physical demand was very challenging. But after I did Mua Cave (in Ninh Binh Vietnam), I felt that I had to do it even if it meant to wreck myself.

Putting in Mt Ijen meant that geographically I would be nearer to Bali than Surabaya Airport. In another words, less travelling if I fly back from Bali airport (Denpasar International Airport).

My route looked like this with Bali as the green tear drop.

So the initial idea was a "layover" in Bali for a few days before flying back. But more the I looked into it, I found more and more things to explore in Bali. The island is X4 the size of Singapore, still not that big but I underestimated it. I started "stuffing" Bali Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 and before I knew it I reached Day 10, and actually there were quite a few itineraries that I couldn't squeeze in. I thought 10 days would be enough but was stretched to 14 days.

I started planning for this trip right after we came back from Vietnam, heehee... It became a 4 days guided tour in East Java and a crazy 10 days free & easy Bali. Had invited old man (who ironically speaks Indonesian Bahasa) to join me in Bali, I even pestered like... more than 3 times. However, approaching April, I shut my mouth and became very firm on the solo trip even though I was almost paying for 2pax. I didn't want anyone, any more. I anticipated the thrill, the seducing thrill of being alone...

It turned out to be one of the best trip I ever had.

So let's roll on:

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Duration: 18 - 31 May 2025 (14D13N)

Destination: East Java and Bali

Flight: SIN - SUB and DPS - SIN with SQ, economy about S$260, upgrade biz one way about S$300.

Mode: Solo, 4 days guided tour in East Java, free & easy (not so easy maybe) in Bali

Currency: SGD1 - IDR12,650 (estimate), cards could be use in restaurants and malls. USD seemed to fetch better rates for money changing

Weather: East Java - the mid nights in the mountains were around 10 degrees (the light down jacket I brought over was just nice), ranged 25 to 28 degrees; Bali - sometimes rainy about 25 - 30 degrees

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18/05/2025

Father and son sending me off at 5.30am (son sending his gf off after me, so he "kicked off" 2 women with 1 go heehee...).

Ear buds were my best buddy while waiting.

My airport attire. Shagged like shit, 没脸见人。

Long shirt trench coat - bought from Tokyo

My Flower's Here bucket hat - Fuji Kaze

Flare wide pants - Uniqlo (JB's S$10 cheaper than Singapore)

Longchamp tote Paris edition - was a gift from Joe Outlet

Pink Puma slippers (no turning back already, will not wear shoes on flights, ever)

After using my Coach passport holder for years, I finally had a new one, it's UBERMENSCH from my beloved GD.

At that point of time I was secretly praying for a concert tix, anywhere. Just take my money and gimme a god damn ticket and I'll fly with this passport to anywhere (but maybe not LA, too far 18hrs flight...). After I came back from the trip, my prayer was answered, heehee...

8am flight with SQ's airbus A350.

I had a window seat, a man had aisle, the middle was not taken!!

He leg spreaded happily, I took the pillow, shifted my butt a little and nap on the wall, good enough for a short flight of 2.5hrs nia.

The carrot cake had a load of small prawns, very yummy.

This was Surabaya.

I knew I would be too dazed to move my own luggage, looked for the taxi stand, wait for Grab and all these crap. Arranged with the hotel in advance and paid the about S$26 to get chauffeured.

So I seamlessly moved from airport into the hotel.

The drive was about 40mins.

This was Surabaya's traffic, was ok actually, nothing chaotic.

Reached Hotel Majapahit, but wasn't able to check in yet.

This heritage hotel was build in 1911.

The exterior, wasn't impressive.

The interior was well maintained.

I walked around the vintage building.

Cat walked, took several shots, only like this pic.

Room still not ready, so I walked over to a shopping mall next to the hotel - Tunjungan Plaza.

The moment I stepped into the mall, the hotel whatsapp me that my room was ready urrgg.... haiz forget it. Might as well shop and eat a bit.

Uniqlo! Chiong.

Bought flare wide pants in grey which was OOS in JB and SG, also a batik print Mickey Mouse men's shirt for myself.

Tired but the mall was enjoyable.

Old man told me there were more chinese locals here, but I didn't see any chinese face around.

Spotted PepperLunch.

It's half the price of Singapore.

I went into a random restaurant called Kafe Betawi for light lunch. Had this beef soup with coconut milk, special and nice taste.

Also ordered gado gado, requested for no beansprouts, they replaced with a big heap of bee hoon lolxx...

Also had cold tea and the bill came up to be around S$11 only.

Then I saw this, waahaahaa... didn't expect in muslim area.

The mall was quite big, didn't even cover half of it after 3hrs.

Back to the hotel, they actual gave me a free upgrade. From 44sqm garden suite, they upgraded me to this 55sqm executive suite. Super duper shiok. Bed was super comfy. Just that they didn't have card door lock system, so I had to manual switch off the lights if I leave the room. About S$135/night.