From Solo with Love to Singapore with Lost

The first plan: attending my friend wedding in Solo.

The other plan: Persuade my boyfie to have another trip. HAHAHA.

Since my friends wedding was on Sunday evening, I told him that we have to take annual leave and since he only can took at least 3 days annual leave so we have to decide whether after or before that. Which finally after that day. Hahaha

Since my friend has arranged me for 1 night in Sultan Hotel, so I decided to book another night there because I chose to flight using Sriwijaya on Saturday evening (it supposed to be earlier, but then it got rescheduled). Like one of my friend said, how I could get cheaper price for the hotel? Well, lucky I guess? I got only IDR 781k for two deluxe room (which the friend of my friend got higher cost than that). So I immediately booked it.

Most of my friends already arrived in the morning or even a night before. And my flight should be departed earlier, but it got rescheduled to the evening flight.

Here we go again. Hi there mr. Flatface.

So we arrived at Solo around 7pm, and picked up by hotel transport provided by my friend and directly transmitted to the hotel.

A very nice room they got here with quite a cheap price.

It even got swimming pool. Too bad I didnt bring any swimming clothes.

Since it already evening and we didnt have any plan to do, so just doing random searching and luckily found that saturday night in Solo was not that quiet, and even they have night market there. The other advantage in Solo is, there's a lot of local taxi and they used argometer (usually in other places, they give us bulk cost if they knew we're traveler and not local people) we dont have to rent a car and just asking the security to call the taxi for us.

We felt like we got tricked by the taxi driver since actually the place was not that far and they made us turned it around. But after all we chose to walk since it already nearby.

Simple night market I must admit. Fried and Grilled Bakso (meatball) were everywhere here. lol

It even have street show, Reog.

Reog

Actually Reog was coming from Ponorogo, East Java (while Solo was located in Central Java). It coming from a legend about a beautiful and gentle princess, Dewi Sanggalangit, from Kediri Kingdom in East Java. But anyway you can searching for the story since if I told the story here it will have to be another blog stories. Hahaha

Back again.. So after we randomly around in the street market, we decided to have a walk looking for dinner. Walking around 30mins or so, we finally decided to have dinner with satay that sold outside the road. And apparently it tastes good.

After that we went back to hotel.

And the day after was a lazy day. lol

Fortunately I already went to Solo previously, so I didnt even get cranky when we out of room only for breakfast then back again for sleeping. And out again at noon because I'm getting hungry.Since most of the tourist attraction was out of town, so we only planning for lunch and looking for Batik Solo. Yeap, as in Indonesia, each region has it own Batik so if you're a collector, you'd also looking for Batik for the collection, or as simple as for souvenirs.

Just like last night, we asked the security to call the taxi. Apparently this time the taxi was usually also used for rent, and he asked whether we want to rent for half day. And Sean agreed.

Our first destination of course one of local food; Goat Satay.

Goat... Goat everywhere... lol

After finished our meals, we went straightly to Batik area in Solo. Actually if you want cheaper price, you can go to the traditional market, Pasar Klewer. But since we're going out at noon, so there's not much we can do because the event was right at the evening.

When you're the one that waiting and your man doing shopping. lol

After done shopping, we're back to hotel for wedding reception. It's quite different from usual wedding reception that I ever had here. Usually it's standing party and you can chose and queue the food. While in Solo, you're sitting in the table and the waiters will served you the food based on the schedule.

Nice one.

Happiest Wedding Mas Galing

~

This is one of Solo local food, called Selat Solo.

My wedding partner. Freshly flown from Jakarta😗

After the reception, we're planning to go to Singapore on the next day, together with Sean's siblings. Actually this family trip should be happen at last year, but.. Someone lost his passport, made his sister upset, and finally now he got it with three times regular passport prices (well done). Knowing Sean's habit, so I didn't make any must-to-do list in Singapore, since this's also the first time I'm going there as tourist, so I just let it flow and just went to most famous attractions.

I booked the flight from Solo to Jakarta using lion air. Actually I have bad experience with this flight like a lot. But due to the schedule, this was the most possible one to catch our flight from Jakarta to Singapore. Since we will continued the trip with additional member, Sean's siblings, and they were waiting for us in Soetta.

Or I hope it so.

But apparently not.

At first it was all fine. We arrived on time and smoothly went to the plane after boarding. While we're already seated and waiting for departure, suddenly the plane turning around and parking again. And I got bad feeling about it. 

Apparently there's a damage in the plane system and they need time to repair it. Another bad news is.. They didnt know how long it will takes. So I chose to book another flight at evening, just in case it will takes until night (since the last time I was in this airport and using this airline, I departed at 9pm which should be at 4pm), because we have to go to Singapore at the same day. Or all the plan will be canceled. (Trust me, I dont believed when he said he wanna go home first then continue at the next day, all will be ruined)

We finally arrived at Jakarta around 4pm and he needed to buy the ticket on ground in the airport. Since the tickets no longer available if the flight was in the near time. I didnt asked about the cost thou, but it cost almost the same as in online apps but higher for sure, so I think in total around IDR 2.5 for 4 people.

And to Singapore, here we go..

Finally arrived at Singapore

Quick late lunch. Singaporean McD. lolz

On the Airport train

Transit to go to the hotel.

Since Sean wanted to have family room hotel, so I booked in Fragrance Hotel. We actually get out in wrong station. And apparently my roaming package was not active yet, so my telco pulse almost exhausted. So we're depend on maps in Sean's phone.
And after some wrong turn and up and down mood, we finally arrived safety.

It actually red district, but fortunately this area was more friendly and have some moslem restaurants.

Morning from Singapore 

We depend on noodles for breakfast menu before started strolling around.. lol

Since the hotel was quite far from any MRT station, we need to take a walk around 15-20 mins to the nearest station. But since it less polluted than Jakarta, so why not..

Let's playing tourist.

The Janitras

After arrived at the station, we queue to automatic ticket machine first since we haven't buy any tourist pass (we arrived too late at the airport so the tourist pass counter already closed)


First Destination; Merlion.

We buy the tourist pass right after we arrived in the MRT station near Merlion, which is Raffles Station. Since we cant buy it in random station, but only through selected TransitLink Ticket Office. 

Buying tourist pass was actually cheaper than using regular cost. Singapore Tourist Pass is a special ez-link card that offers tourist unlimited travel on Singapore’s basic bus services, MRT and LRT trains for certain duration. There are several choices of how many days these card can be used. You can choose 1 (SGD 20), 2 (SGD 26), or 3 days (SGD 30). It will need around SGD 10 for card deposit that can be refund on the day you returned it.

Another walkout to Merlion Park

Kiddos but not too Kid. lol

Sky above One Fullerton 

And here comes the Merlion..

Half-fish and half-lion, The Merlion is a mythical creature with a lion's head and the body of a fish that is widely used as a mascot and national personification of Singapore. While Merlion Park is become a Singapore landmark and major tourist attraction, located at One Fullerton, Singapore, near the Central Business District (CBD). Eventhough not on the weekend, but it still quite crowded.

Pose by request. lol

And We're done here.

Since it's nearly lunch time, so we decided to take a lunch before go to next destination, remembering having lunch there will be more costly. lol

Next: Sentosa Island

To go to Sentosa Island, we will need to take different ride. But first, we need to go to Vivo City Mall to buy the ticket.

Welcome to the USS

A Mandatory Photo

After finished the photo sessions in front of USS globe, I went to the ticket counter and exchange the e-ticket that I bought earlier to the physical ticket.

Here we go to USS

We chose to have Transformer as our first ride. And we all agreed on that part.

After that, we quite unsure where we gonna go. Sean suggest for roller coaster, but he didnt want to ride it, and Dean suggest the Mummy but didnt want to ride alone because Reres also didnt want it. #didntwantception.lol

Ended up we just strolling around..

And finally we finally arrived in..

Actually we want trying to play in here. But unfortunately, suddenly there's a storm. With a really bad wind. We separated with Dean since he's already running away to the attraction. So all we could do was waiting for him in the toilet near the waterworld gate. It's a real attraction of water. Lol

The Janitras

After the storm over, we continued our walk and end up in Shrek World. Sean wants to hop on Puss in Boots. So lets..

Let's ride Puss In Boots

Finished the ride, it's started to rain again. So I said that why dont we go to Shrek Castle at least it's an indoor attraction. And we're ended up there..

Shrek Attraction on 3D

Caught by another raining after watching Shrek.

Well, mostly we're taking photo in here and not playing many rides. And since it's getting late afternoon, we went back to the main entrance before going to next destination.

Catching up with minions before out.

Minions

Hey, USS, We're done for today. Smell ya later~

After done with the attraction, we're looking at the time and finally planning to go to Garden By The Bay since it's the one that still open at night.

Before going back to the monorail, we did short window shopping. When both of his siblings still in one of the shop, suddenly Sean joined me coming to Garrets popcorn shop, which I want to buy.

Then suddenly I realized something.. Both of his siblings're gone. I checked the previous shop, none. Then I walked to the station entrance, none. They're nowhere to found. I was quite panic since both of them dont have any internet access. So I decided to go back to the shop and looking and around..

And thank God I found them. They're also looking for us. (In which their brother was not really realized about it =__=").

Finally we're back to the Vivo City Mall

Let's go to the Night Garden.

Actually it took some of transit from Vivo City to Garden By The Bay. We will need to take Subway from North East to Downtown Line (Blue) and dont forget to count the walk. And we also get lost too. lol   

Tired Faces

After some walk downtown, we finally got some fresh air. The smell after rain was great, no?

Here comes to the Garden of the Bay

Gardens by the Bay is a huge, colourful, futuristic park in the bay area of Singapore. It could be attractive to see the garden, flowers, and nature inside during daylight, but the reason why I put this attraction in night is because of the Light Show of Green Rapsody. The show is daily and only during 7.45pm and 8.45pm. And just in time when we're arrived there

Actually this photo taken when it showing light show, but I havent compressed the video yet, so let me just put photos.

Taking small walk to the bridge before looking for dinner.

Saw our hungry faces yet? Let's grab some real food. lol

Bye One Fullertown.

Taking another walk to go back for food.

Next destination, Bugis Road.

So since Sean looking for Halal Food (especially for his siblings), we're looking for place that served it. Mostly found in North Bridge area. Meanwhile they're enjoying Kebuli rice, I ordered Martabak since I didnt really like that type of rice. And it ended up take away anyway. lol

Let's back to hotel.

And finding out that this's the longest literally trip on road that I ever did. Not to mention how my feet felt. lol

The highest step count ever. Am done for today..

Our last day in Singapore was starting with rainy morning..

Fortunately when we're check out from hotel, it's no longer raining. Remembering that we will need to walk quite far away to go to the station.

Our destination for today was only for shopping. So we arrived at Orchard.

With bringing our luggage for sure. Lol

Our destination was not the Mall, but the place across that sells cheaper goods. lol

We can crossed the road using connection underground way. So we buy the souvenirs and our lunch there before going back to airport using airport train.

Here's comes to the end of the trip. Bye Singapore. See ya later

Ja Ne