So, it has been such a long time since the last time I wrote down something on my blog. The thing was that I was going home to my hometown (of course) for a week. It was a long well-planned trip back home because I would not be coming home on this year’s Lebaran. So, a week before Lebaran, I took my family on a trip back home for an early Lebaran or Ramadan on purpose. The reason: I am going to Korea the day the Lebaran starts. Insyallah I am going to Seoul again on the first day of Syawal...in the evening. So, I have to make sure that I meet my mother and father back home before leaving for Korea. That is the reason as to why I’ve been in Kediri for a week (August 16 until 21, 2011).
Since I cannot connect to the internet with my AHA account while I am in Kediri, the only modem I could use is my Indosat internet access---which is quite expensiveJ. So, I refrain myself from using internet: which means that I do not check my mails and my facebook account and no surfing for a week. I can do it, though. Of course, I did check my emails through the indosat access but only for a few minutes.
Back to my stories:
I managed to book an executive compartment in Sancaka train that goes from Jogjakarta to Surabaya (the capital of East Java). It was a good thing that I did book the executive class instead of business class because it was comfier, one thing for sure. Apart from that, it was not that expensive, yet. Despite the fact that it was only two weeks away from Lebaran, the ticket price was only as much as IDR 130,000—which was quite reasonable for this trip. Actually, it was already more expensive than its original price which was only IDR 90,000. But, to think that it would be about IDR 300,000 when Lebaran is approaching, we might as well took this executive class. (Additional information: for those who would want to know more about the annual rite of going home a.k.a. exodus to hometown—which is affectionately called “mudik” in Indonesian language—please just type in the word “mudik” in Google). Yes, “mudik” is what I am doing at the moment.
So, in the wee early morning of Tuesday, August 16, 2011, I got to wake my daughters up. Interestingly, though, I never suspected that my kids were so fast and tactful in reacting to my first signal of waking them up. Hmmm, I guessed they must’ve had this pre-notion of what to expect from this trip. They were so excited of having this trip simply because they love going to Kediri where they could meet their cousin, Lala—in the first place. Then, I am sure they knew that they were going to meet their mbahkung and mbahpi (their grandparents). And…most of all, they were so excited of getting on a train.
When I woke them up, they smiled back at me as if giving me a ready-to-go signal. So, without further ado, I asked them to take a bath in warm water. They pretty much liked it and as soon as they finished taking a bath, the put on their previously prepared clothes and ready to have their breakfast. Since they were so excited of going….they did not take a lot of breakfast…just a simple one.
While I was busy preparing all of other stuffs, my wife was busy doing her make-up. J.
The train leaves at 07.15 but it was already around 06.30 and the taxi was not coming, yet. But, when the taxi came, we were not ready yetJ. Gosh…it was a hectic time for us since we did not have that much time. So, after saying goodbye to my mother-in-law or grandmother of my daughters…off we went to the Tugu train station which was about 10 km away from home.
It would’ve been an enjoyable ride, had we not been so late in leaving from homeJ. I got no other choices but to ask the taxi driver to speed up in the midst of crazy morning traffic of kids going to school, people going to work, and some going somewhereJ. Jogja is small, but I always keep this in mind that despite its being small, it is just the same as any other cities in Indonesia where motorbikes rule the streets, roads, alleys especially during rush hoursJ.
Luckily and thankfully…we managed to arrive at the train station at 07.05. Only ten minutes left before the train left. Of course, we did it. Otherwise, I would not be able to ponder about that I am writing and what I am going to write in my next entries about this trip.
With only one big orange suitcase, and three other small luggage, we managed to find our seats at the first compartment. It was still empty. We only booked three seats instead of four whenever we travel on train simply to cut the cost and we thought that Freya still does not need to pay the extra money for the ticket. She is still a toddler. Apart from that, if we secure three seats which are usually facing one another, it is unlikely that other passenger will show up or book the one seat left—unless it is Lebaran or mudik time just like this oneJ.
But, we were lucky enough. From the onset of our journey from Jogjakarta, we could secure the remaining seat for us until we reached Madiun which was only a 45 minute ride away before we were getting off at Kertosono station. So, it was a good bargainJ *chuckles*. In short, we did have a great ride from Jogjakarta to Kertosono. We paid only three seats for the price of four. Good deal, huh?
On the train, it was so terrifyingly cold. Yes, it was cold. The air conditioner was a centralized one in which the passengers could not adjust the flow and the temperature of the AC. We were frozen…..not literally of course. But, it was a good think that we prepared the jackets for the kids and me myself…wearing my Autumn sweater. (What I mean by Autumn is that because I bought it in Autumn in Korea a couple of years before. So, I affectionately called my sweater….Autumn sweater).
Eyra and Freya were sitting in their respective seats while we were on our own. The kids did enjoy the trips that they did not want to sleep. But, Freya did eventually. It turned out that she was still sleepy. I guessed she pretty much kinda overwhelmed by the idea of being tossed around in the morning: After having been woken up early and bathed early, then she found herself on a train!). I guess she was pretty much overwhelmed as much as being excited.
After an hour or so, Freya woke up and the real story began. She just could not stop jumping around, walking around, eating this and that, chatting around, looking around, all of other imaginable activities that they could think of doing on the train. Ah, to make it even more intriguing, my wife was not observing her fasting that day—which meant that she kept eating and drinking some refreshments along the way with the kids! As for me, I just watched them eating and drinkingJ. Big ordeal it was!
To make things worse (or betterJJJ…..) we arrived in Madiun station and stopped there for about 5 minutes. Well, Madiun is famous for is Pecel—its specialty. Meity would surely not miss the chance of tasting this tempting and mouth-watering pecel pinchuk. Since I was the one who was sitting at the alley, I had no choice but to get up and buy the pecel for Meity when she asked (or begged) me for it. Hmmmm….what an ordeal. But, hey it was a fun thing to do and watch, though. In gusto…...hehe…sorry Mama, she was as if enjoying the best meal ever…right in front of me who was fasting. She seemed to say sorry for having to eat in front of me…but I guess….that guilty feeling was easily overcome and subdued or overpowered by the tastiness of the food she was eating. Hahahaha. So…she kept eating to her heart contentJ.
Speaking of food, there is one more thing that I’d like to jot down here. Despite the fact that it is Ramadan which means that some people are fasting…..the atmosphere on the train was not different from any other day. The stewardess kept passing by and asking each passenger whether they would want to have breakfast or snacks or refreshments. (Of course, they had to pay separately—since the ticket does not include meals). But, it was an interesting sight to behold.
Now back to the main story:
A girl was approaching our seats and told us that the one seat left we’ve been securing from the first 3 hour ride was hers. J. Aha. Now, we had only three seats left. But, it was worth-it. Then, Freya was sitting on my lap while Eyra and her mother were sitting in front of us in their own seats. Nothing happened much….until….the girl took the Samsung Galaxy tab that she was bringing along. It was the latest and the chic Android based gadget to date. It was an eye-catching gadget since she kept playing around with it. Since my daughters were curious in type…..they were interested in looking at what the girl was doing.
So, I told them..that the girld must have had some cool stuffs like games on the gadget. And politely and smilingly she said…yes and she asked my kids as to whether they wanted to play with her. Oh…NO. It was a genuinely nice gesture and offer that she gave them. But, to my kids…..it was surely an offer they would never say NO.
Off they went into the craziness of ANGRY BIRDS fiesta.
Three of them were giggling, laughing, and jumping off their seats when the ANGRY BIRDS were on. The game’s ON. The Fun Time’s ON. The Time’s ON.
To make it even more interesting, the ANGRY BIRDS they were playing was Rio-based themed (the latest animated motion picture). Since both of my kids adore this Rio, they never let their eyes off the screen for another 30 minutes that I had to remind them that we were about to get off at the next station….with no avail. But…luckily….they knew that it was time to get off the train and headed for Kediri where their cousin was waiting.
Indeed, the train trip was an exciting one.
We stopped at Kertosono at around 11.15 and had to wait for another 30 minutes for my sister to pick us up. It was 30 km away from home. So, I asked my sister to pick us up…a convenient way to go from the station to our home. Well, we could’ve taken a bus, but with the luggage and the kids…it would take a lot of energy. Taxi: it would cost more than the train ticket!
After waiting for about 20 minutes, we met our sister and her husband. As for my kids, they met their cousin.
Now…the journeys and the stories during my Ramadan at home began…
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