(GOAL #16) Go on a trip with friends : DONE! (part 1)

Greetings from Bali!

Hallo zusammen!

This should be posted since around two weeks ago, but…what can I do, I was a lazy blogger so busy with work so I just have time to write this now! Hahaha.

This trip was already carefully planned since December last year. Nevertheless, because of reasons I’d rather not disclose, Syifa Rini, and Tiwi could not join us. So, yeah, of course the main purpose of this post is to make them REGRET THEIR FAILURE TO CONTINUE WITH THE TRIP PLAN. *very evil smirk*

YOU ARE JEALOUS RIGHT? MUHAHAHA.

No, really, girls, I love you and miss you etc.etc.etc. (for some part of the trip anyway, when I was not too busy enjoying all Bali had to offer, haha). Wish you were there with us. There were less room-cleaning, motherly scolding, bule-ogling, and shopping spree than what I expected if all of us go together. Maybe for the next trip? Lombok, anyone? Or, I don’t know, Jeju-do? OR PERHAPS EUROPE?

Ok, back to the story.

So, three of the girls canceled the trip, but in their place we were joined by two guys. Zikra (Tidy’s boyfriend, who own the travel agent was very helpful with all the ticket booking and accommodation-setting. We owe you so much Zik) and my friend Scott from the Netherlands. Yes. Poor guys, right? Got that response a lot when I told people these two would join us for the trip. Anyway, if the girls were too much nuisance for them, they concealed their displeasure very gracefully. Or…perhaps we’re actually really fun to be with, hahaha. Anyways, sorry, and thank you, guys. :)

The poor guys...

My last Bali trip was around 11-12 years ago, when the most interesting thing were collecting seashells and watching sunset while listening to Vanessa Mae on my walkman. A bar nearby Kuta Beach played ‘Copacabana’ loudly and I was not in the right mood to listen to anything Brazilian –Germany just lost 0-2 to Brazil in 2002 World Cup. Now after Germany won the 2014 World Cup and demolished Brazil in semifinal (Yay yay yay yay!), seems like a very right time to bury the old memory with more cheerful ones, right? Especially considering this trip was also my first time in so many aspects, some of them are:

1. First trip with friends without parental supervision (not directly, at least)
2. First flight ever…
3…and first delayed flight experience.

Well, my first flight was not bad (except for the delay! You robbed from us two hour of our Bali vacation, **** Air! Rawr!). I heard all kind of badmouthing about a certain air flight company from my friends and office colleagues, so I was kind of prepared for the worst thing that could happened (e.g. machine failure, kidnapped by UFO). For more realistic preview, Scott sent me very detailed guide and explanation about what to expect about flying. He also answered all my newbie questions. That’s really helpful! Hartelijk bedankt, Scott! :D

One of flight preview pictures from Scott, taken from his flight to Bali (he arrived one day earlier)

     
It was understandable, I think, to be quite nervous about my first flying experience but, there’s nothing to be afraid of, indeed. I kind of like the sensation of airplane taking off, which is very accurately described by Scott as resembling the sensation you feel when riding a roller coaster. I love roller coaster, so this is very welcome.  Then I spent most of the time reading… I finished the only novel I brought to Bali (The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka) before I even reached Bali, hahaha. It doesn’t matter, though, because when we reached Bali, we had plenty things to do aside from reading. My e-book reader was forgotten most of the time…hahaha.

First photo taken @ Ngurah Rai Airport

…to be continued…

LESSON TO LEARN 1
People said that you learn a lot about others when you travel together with them. Yes, I have known the girls for years now, but I was still amazed by what I learn about them in this trip. The most amazing thing is perhaps…their selfie obsession!  We take all kind of selfie…

Blurry selfie…

…very amateur selfies…

…succession of random selfies with different expression…

…(finally) properly taken selfie…

…and my favourite selfie of all! We looked so happy here :)

My friends perhaps can testify about how taking selfies is not my favourite activity. First, second, third selfie…I’m still okay and smiling. For the 100th…not so much, haha. Nevertheless, after seeing how you girls were so fond of selfies, I will be trying hard to be (at least) more tolerant to selfies. Really. I even add that to my bucket list on Dayzero…

Yes, for the first step, I’m developing my own indicator of “when selfie is necessary”, so… I am quite serious about this! Hopefully I will be less cranky the next time you ask me for the 5765876875th selfie! :p


Credits:
Photos taken from Tidy, Ulan, and Scott’s album. And (on the next posts) I take some of the photos myself! Yes. You read that right. PARTY IN MY HOUSE! Hahaha.