1D Concert!

Yo! Last Wednesday, we've survived!

for standing up to four hours!

for waiting for 1 hour (thanks ah 1D)

for feeling young again among the teenager's crowd, and screaming on the top of lung!

to dance a night away!

to enjoy the music!

to take tons of pictures and see 1D in live. OK. almost all the pictures turns badly blur.

While waiting, I saw a couple of ang moh, mother and her teenager daughter. and I told my friend, "Wah! how I'd wish my mom can be like that, very supportive and cool mom, accompany me going concert!". Then she replied, "it's ok, Deb, now you can be like that to Giselle in a few years time." LOL 

After waiting for 1 hour, here we comessss.....!!!

-Deb-

Things that I noticed during CNY visitation in Jakarta

Hi guys!

5 things that I noticed, during my Jakarta trip 

1. Magnum is cheap!

How much is Magnum cost in Singapore? $2.50 and above.

How much is Magnum cost in Jakarta? Only Rp. 12,000 or $1.30 (1SGD=Rp.9400)

It is so cheap until I gone berserk and buy all flavours at one go! nom nom!

2. Traffic Jam

Of course, with this kind of public transport infrastructure in Jakarta, it’s a hassle to commute via public transport. 

I mean, people still prefer to commute with their private cars rather than using public transport. But hey, now it’s getting better. Busway route are everywhere now. The bus upgraded. The routes expanded. I can see the improvement from time to time, thanks to our governor, Pak Ahok. I heard there’s a fine of Rp.500, 000 (more or less) if you drive in the busway route but so far I still see the private car drive in the busway route but never witness them got fined by the traffic police. LOL.  

Ok side track a bit, can you believe that I have driving license? Hence I stop driving since 6 -7 years ago because I don’t think I can drive car in Jakarta without getting someone else/myself hurt. Yeah, that's the story about me. 

3. Bandung Ritual.

Started few years back, we had a ritual going to Bandung for a day trip, just to eat and shop and buy oleh2. Now seems like most of Jakarta people like to go to Bandung. Why is it so? First, because the F&B there, are awesomely everywhere. Second, after eat full of meal then what can Jakarta people do? of course shopping! Well, The Factory Outlets are affordable and literally every corner of the road... The weather is friendly.  Not too hot and not too cold. And the list goes on. But now since we have Chloe, we kind of stop this Bandung ritual and just chilled at home.

4. Giving Tips!

I still don’t get the idea of giving tips to hairdresser/ massause while they already earn a decent pay! I mean, we in Singapore, we don’t give tips to the them, rite? Do you give tips to hairdresser/ masseuse after spa treatment? I don’t know about you but I don’t! My sister said, if their service is good, tips Rp.15,000-20,000 is obliged to be given to them. If we’re not satisfied with their service, don’t need to give tips. Here’s inside of my head, there’s this thin line between satisfy and stingy. LOL. But normally I will just give tips of max Rp. 20,000 since its only like S$2 here. Haha.

5. F&B in the mall, not that cheap!

Don’t judge by the currency! Even if now the Rupiah weaken, the cost of eating out in a decent place in Jakarta will cost a bomb, too. For instance, eating at food court will cost about Rp.30, 000-Rp.50,000 per person. If you convert, it is like S$5-6.

But if you buy food in warteg, it will be like Rp.10, 000-20,000 but be prepared for extremely detoxification, hahaha…

Oh ya, I found my fave café now! Recommended by my sister. We tried this Shirokuma café and it cost us around Rp. 150,000 +/- for 3 person and if you convert, it’s only S$ 15 for 3 person. I mean, still cheaper compare to eating dessert in Singapore. 

Talking about currency, ok maybe it’s only me.

I’m a kind of person who is very and extremely lazy to convert currency when shopping aboard, so I found it spending Rp is such a pain in my ass.

It is like, wow Rp. 100,000 is so expensive, no way I’m gonna buy this coz more zeros= more expensive. But actually after I convert, it is only $10 plus. And I prefer home cooked rather then eating out, but my mom seldom cooks at home, busy taking care of Chloe, hikzzz…

Then can you imagine, 1 time shopping cost me about Rp.500, 000 for 1 blazer and 1 high-waist short!? So expensive shit but after I converted it’s only $53. LOL. I mean, if you shop in Mango or ZARA Singapore, I don’t think can get this price, man. Actually I would prefer to support local brand and shop till drop in Mangga Dua but the time’s not permit. And I don’t think I have guts to haggle price anymore. Yep, so overall, I still did some shopping but in shopping mall. 

Ok, thanks for reading my nonsense. Time for pictures!

Updates: Saturday March 14, 2015

6. Toilet seat with automated bidet function.

How awesome are toilets in Jakarta!!!! (especially in the mall)!!

I mean, forget about how to bring *spare* water and feminine wet wipes to wash my butt after doing big business in public toilet. In Jakarta, all the toilet seats are equipped with bidet function. Of course not that so high tech like in Japan (I tried before, they even have those rear wash, front wash, seat warmer for winter time, sounds, and deodoriser to camouflage the big bad brownies, hahaha)

Something like this, the basic function of bidet, just press and the water spray will come out and spray the water to wash the butt. How I wish that all Singapore's toilet (especially in the mall area) have this function. then no need to bring wet tissue, spare water, or additional things when I have big business urgency....you know...hahaha....

ok that's all, so now picture time!

-Deb-

Makan Sutra with regional colleagues

Hi guys, 

I just realised I missed out this post and it has been sitting for quite sometime in my draft.

So last year...yep...I think it was around May...or June...LOL

My office has regional kick off meeting.

Although I'm not attending this meeting but I got to meet my colleagues from different countries!

Yes, I handled aka support those representative offices in the Philippines and Myanmar so I've got to liaise with them in daily basis :-)

And when they came for this meeting, I use this opportunity to sneak in to their hotel and bring them out for...dinner! It was FUN indeed coz we are almost in the same age *ahem* and we can talk and talk for hours sharing experiences, cultures, stories, and many many more!

On Friday, I went to their hotel first to meet them, as well as pass them the pasalubong (souvenirs/ oleh-oleh/ omiyage, whatever you called them) for the Philippines office. And then we proceed to Makan Sutra, HERE

After fill our stomach with the good food, we went strolling around MBS, Millennia walk, and etc etc until midnight. 

Me- Indo, Rachel-Myanmar, Sharon- Philippines

Sadly now one of them already graduated, but we're still friends and we'll keep this memory to ourself (and the rest of you, my readers)

Thanks for the good (and international) friendship :-)

-Deb-

HK Day 4 and last day home to Singapore

Last post of HK! 

First, we went shopping and shopping

and then lunch at Itamae sushi. 

Best sushi ever!?

Hmm not bad but the best sushi still in Japan, hehe. 

Not much photos during shopping. hehe. 

Btw,

This is our view from the top floor of the hotel. 

And the view when the sun sets down...

This is the...ermm...Times Square.

Last year me and Giselle always come here coz we're staying hotel nearby. 

After sun goes down, we went for second round...which is...

Lan Kwai Fong!

We took tram to Lan Kwai Fong

And here we are, mock/cocktail with the girls talk and counting hours before tomorrow's flight... 

And we roaming around the city, by foot. It was so freezing cold and strong wind but the liquor makes us warm....

We went back to hotel for another round of girl's talk and I dip myself in the hot bath up wuahhh SO HEAVEN!!!!

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Next day, is our last day in HK.

Me and Yanting went to Ladies Market again early in the morning to buy souvenirs (last minute one) and ate breakfast there. Chinese breakfast, indeed.... 

And Ledy sleep in more and went to the nearby cafe to have her english breakfast. Oh ya talking about this cafe, I really love the concept of this cafe. It is bright and lots of chairs and lots of details/ decoration, but the food is so so...I just love their coffee which I believe their specialty! 

Morning market

Noodle as breakfast 

Then after that we checked out hotel and took shuttle bus to the airport. But before our flight, we visited Ledy's uncle house to have lunch. 

Thanks to Ledy, now we got to experience Hongkong home cooked lunch (even if its cooked by Indonesian, LOL) and got to see how is Hongkong apartment look like. Apparently the house quite spacious,  not like the one that always seen in the HK drama....And one thing I realised about HK people, correct me if I'm wrong and pardon me if I'll offend someone. 

But I realised that they speak fluent English and fluent Chinese....perfectly....

As in when they speak English, they really speak PROPER English with British accent and in a full sentence.  And when they speak Chinese, it's a PROPER Chinese with China accent and a full sentence. Sorry, not like me who speak Singlish. I mean, speak English but in Singaporean accent. I'm ashamed!?

LOL. 

Me and little rabbit (my Chinese zodiac) 

Oh ya, Ledy's uncle is very kind person, not only they hosted lunch, they also open up a bottle of wine for us. Some more we finished the whole bottle ops so paiseh....And they even sent us by car to the airport. Thanks, uncle....This hospitality breaks my image about snobbish and rude Hongkongers. Indeed they are very friendly and hospitality but if only you know them well (as friend or relative)? 

After that home sweet home and finally the holiday is over :-(

 Last picture, must take photo one especially fly with Cathay! HA! 

-Deb-