Week 1: Surabaya - With Vivin and her family and friends
I have been wanting to visit Mount Bromo (it's a volcano!) but I wasn't very sure about having Indonesia as a solo trip. However, when I found out that Bromo is in vv's hometown [ok, not exactly the town but the same province(?) - East Java] and that vv happened to be back home, I made the decision to visit Surabaya :) I asked vv if she would like to visit Bromo together or meet up anytime during my stay there, and offered her to stay in my hotel if she wanted. Lo and behold, vv (and her fam) ended up tagging along throughout my time there hehehe (they didn't feel safe letting me roam-free) #adopted
It wasn't my intention - I was looking forward to a solo trip but vv's presence gave me a lot of confidence and was truly a blessing (processes were made super safe & efficient HEHE) For example, I didn't need to partake in language barriers with strangers or figure out how to travel to different places safely. The help & hospitality & company from vv and her fam and friends (Cynthia, Janetha, Aristha) were really heartwarming too! This is my first time being overseas with a friend for a leisure trip, and it was sth new. I've heard stories about how travelling together can make or break a relationship --- and I think me and vv are still friends -- right, vv? right? :D
Also, this was my first time dealing with a luggage delay and I discovered the importance (more like, NEED) of a luggage tag from the check-in counter xD I was super grateful for the helpful airport staff who approached me when they saw me waiting at an empty belt and assisted me throughout. +The lady who delivered my luggage was super lovely!
My first meal here!
First time being so proactive at eating fish because they were SO GOOD
(Nila pesmol & gurami goreng)
Here's documenting what I ate if not I wouldn't rmb the names hahaha
Better exchange rate = More ice-cream/food :)
Was trying to give way but vv said I looked like I'm welcoming ppl to the store HAHA
Boost is so much more affordable here!!
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Bromo was my first midnight-travel towards the wilderness #PrepRinjaniSummit and oh gosh it was hella cold. We took a ride in a car late at night before changing into a jeep towards Bromo, to reach before sunrise 🌅The cold was terrifying when I got down the jeep (I felt really scared; I could feel my legs and teeth tremble) 🙈 My sense of hope only grew as the sun rose when I felt the warmth again ☀️
look at the smoke(?) & hear the sound of the crater!!!
Me and Horzil @ Bromo!
From TT: So vv's mama got me Horzil to cover the slopes, I took mine up but felt incredibly bad for him especially when I heard his neighs and felt his gait. I've also read stories about how these horses might not be well-treated, and Dinen (the person leading the horse) told me Horzil is indeed tired :( And that's how I decided to walk with Horzil on the return trip 😀
On the walk back down I was reminded of the story of «the man, the boy, and the donkey», in which the man got criticized for not using the donkey 🤐 wellys I did receive at least one headshake from this decision but it lifted me from the sense of guilt so it is worth hehe (and I made sure I paid for Horzil's break-time ;) -- IT WAS 10SGD WHAT IN THE DAYLIGHT ROBBERY -- but ok if they are sharing the rice bowl with the horses hehe
This one looks like I was making a pact with Horzil huehuehue (yes please don't have any sudden moves I do get intimidated by you) Thank you Horzil! 🐴 (and Dinen for chatting with me)
It was funny when I reviewed my footage and heard some parts of our convo👇
Dinen: Where do you plan to go after Surabaya?
Me: Rinjani, and I am regretting it (my decision) already 🤪
Didn't enjoy the cinematic video shoot that came with the package (the process & outcome was cringe 3000%) but here are some selfies with the nice views and some dope photoshoots with the jeep
With vv, baba, mama, and susu (vv's uncle)
Mandatory pictures with jeep hehe
It's Bromo in the background!
And vv teaching mama and baba how to do the finger heart together!
Must be nice to have parents w a good relationship :D
Since we didn't get to the go-to spot for sunrise... does that give me an excuse to have a bromo round 2? 😜
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Met vv's friends, super grateful to everyone who included me by speaking in English even though they are more comfortable conversing in Bahasa 🥺 Till we meet again!!! 💖
With Aristha, Janetha, VV, & Cynthia!
Thanks for sending me to the airport! (And vv's baba for settling my bank transaction woes)
Week 2: Lombok - Rinjani & Gili Air
Rinjani
The thought of visiting Rinjani was birthed when I waited for VV to confirm her interest in Bromo. I was sold by the pictures I saw on Google and was determined that Rinjani has to happen with or without Bromo hehe. Apart from the views, it has been on my bucket list to see a volcano and go camping. I was thinking, "If not now, when would I have the time/ energy/ courage to do this after I start working?!"
It was compulsory to engage a local guide and I found mine through a YouTube review. Was all ready to join an open group until miscomm happened and I got added to a private group with 5 other people! (It was a blessing in disguise hehe logistical things like a smaller ratio & not having the need to carry my own water/sleeping bag aside, I love my group's dynamics!!!
I thought solo trip started when I left Surabaya for Lombok, until I got acquainted with the best people that night & the next morning 🥺🌈
Truly blessed to be part of this amazing group 🙆💞 Thank you Tika, Eric, Nino, Moras, and Bharath for including me even though y'all booked together! I love and appreciate our group dynamics, and our spirit of being in the moment (AKA to only think about the challenging terrains as they come 😜)
Super grateful to my group for always looking out for me, and my guides Padil and Ubbun for taking care of us, and to Team Tengkurek for helping us with the essentials 🥺❤️⛺ #caoww (means fighting spirit)
It has been over a month and I still can't get over the beauty of the experience. Everyone - and everything (vegetation, clouds, monkeys, craters etc.) was a gift to humanity 💖 I feel really fortunate and surreal to be there 🥺
We didn't manage to get down to Lake Anak and Torean because of an accident (had to detour back to the first camp), but I am super thankful for the universe that attention was given to managing it timely, and that everyone managed to stay safe
If I ever return to Lake Anak & Torean, I really want to do it with all of them again 😭
I still can't get over the beauty of Rinjani. The water, the formation, the crater, the clouds, the alpine, the monkeys, everything is just 🔥🔥🔥 I feel really fortunate to be able to experience it in real life, with such a fun group of people 🥺
Here is a mandatory pic with the load a typical porter is tasked to carry, IIRC it's around 23kg? Moras helped me pick it up, I merely smiled for the few seconds of picture HAHA
This was me taking a pic with the summit, with no expectations of climbing the last stretch --- Named "Hill of Regret" by the locals. My friends and guides were my strength to attempt the summit 🕺
Otherwise, it would be:
- Curiosity: "How's the terrain towards the summit different from what I've tried?"
- "Since I'm here alr" mentality: "No harm trying a little bit just for the lols and come down afterwards"
- Believing I am going to see monkeys on the summit
- (Was it Emerson?) "Remember to take a pic with the summit sign"
HAHAHA
So, I persevered with the mentality, "If I can see it, I can make it"
Ok so this is the reality^^^
3 steps up ☝️📈, 2.5 steps down👇📉 --- and sometimes it felt as though there was zero net gain 👀
I didn't expect giving up to be more difficult than persevering because it felt as though I'd just started (from how close the summit looked) and at the same time too much effort had been put into "trying it out" - must as well continue right HAHA
Padil was the MVP --- he carried 🕺99.9%🕺 while I merely ✨ showed up✨🕺
It was really tiring - I felt breathless v easily and had to take frequent breaks. On hindsight it could be a sign of altitude sickness x my lack of sleep the night before XDXD The most number of steps I took in one shot was 20? Not accounting for how much I slipped because of the loose scree. I can't help but wonder if the slope will just get steeper & the summit lower as more people hike on it?? xD
Took the mandatory summit pic and then a nap on the summit x)
I STILL CANT GET OVER THE BEAUTY OF RINJANI HOW
Gili Air
Before the trip, I had a lot of ideas as I romanticised what I could do on the island. Yet, the exhaustion(?) from Rinjani(?)/ suddenly being alone(?)/ stimulation from all the new things(?)/ pms(?) made me crave staying in my accoms instead of going out to explore. I'm not very sure of the reasons, but I felt tired & ungrounded, physically mentally socially and spiritually(?) and all I wanted to do was to stay in and stone/ nua.
This was what I was romanticising HAHAHA
And this was what I did hehe
It was my first time participating in a full moon ceremony & guided spiritual healing (+ in an unfamiliar space/island) and it was strangely therapeutic. I wrote about my experience & reflections after the sessions on my calendar after the session too! Spirituality is something I am still exploring at my own pace, and I find myself drawn to what connects with the body, the mind, the heart, and the natural world.
Although I spent the most time chilling with no thoughts x head empty, I'm thankful for the time I created to just be 🧘
My accoms had seats by the shoreline and it was pure! vibes! to just eat fruits, jaffles/pancake and juice by the waves (altho the sun was too real hehe) I can stay there all day if the sun was more forgiving :)))
I chose to stay on Gili Air because research says it is less of a party island and has most locals residing in it. I also appreciate how small the island is - I stayed northwest and can easily walk south to the harbor, west to the sunset, and east to the sunrise~ Find it kinda cool that I planned to solo an island for myself actually! Though the main thing I did was to chill with no thoughts head empty, I'm thankful for the time I created to just be :)
Time seems to stop when I'm traveling by myself 😌
This is the second solo trip of my life and I'm glad I made it happen🤸 Truly grateful to every encounter in Indonesia 🇮🇩 🤍
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Grateful to people who gave me lots of advice on how to keep myself safe (physically & psychologically 😛) and countless people who prayed for me/ manifested/ gave me countless well-wishes before & throughout my trip, and for checking in with me along the way 😌💗💗💗
Here's a credits section for people who instilled confidence in me:
[Lending/passing me their belongings]
Delanie: Jacket
Raph: Windbreaker
Emerson: Hiking poles & compeed
Jamaine: Heat packs
Vv's mama: Leggings
Vv: Hat
[And everyone who kept me fit before my trip]
Emerson, Liu Jing, Candelyn, Jamaine - Hiking (MacRitche) <-> Bukit Timah / Rifle Range
Ming Kai - Summiting up and down a 40-storey building (x4), hatha yoga, barre
Deepasre - Cycling, jogging, aerial yoga, barre
ODA - Gunung Arong & Lambak
VF Fitness - Muaythai, boxing
Classpass free trial :)
I hope I've not missed out on anyone hehe
🤍🤍🤍
Side note, I'm really proud of the reels I made on TikTok SO GO WATCH 'EM OK :) I'm glad I did that for this trip because while I am on my phone camera for a considerable amount of time, creating these reels afterwards really helps me process what I've seen and experienced, and consolidate my memories :)
Where to, Solo 3.0? :D
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