For the first time in foreverrr
I got a chance to go abroad!!
During 2014 Easter holiday, I went to Singapore with Samit, Sekar, Chika and Budiya -- we often call ourselves Keybisi. We had planned this trip months before. Actually we wanted to go to Hanoi in late May's block leave, but some of us couldn't take leave from their office. Soooo we chose Easter long weekend and picked Singapore as it's closer from Indonesia and small that we could take a satisfying trip in only 2 nights!!
We departed on Thursday, 17 April: Chika and I first using afternoon flight and the others came later after office hour.
I had a sad story here, Chika and I came late for our flight and couldn't get any compensation. We should have been in Singapore at 3 a.m but our mistake made us busy touring 2 airport terminals to look for vacant seat in a flight to Singapore!! We were so lucky to find two tickets during peak holiday period <3 so we still could spend our holiday together <3 <3
1. Accommodation
We spent our nights in B88 hostel in Jalan Besar, Little India.
This hostel was really clean with a cute design. I booked the place through www.hostelworld.com with rate SGD 18 (1st night) and SGD 20 (2nd night) for a bed in 16 persons mixed dorm. We can book for bed in female dorm with additional SGD 2 per night. There was also refundable deposit SGD 20 per person.
This hostel's location is quite strategic, however we need to walk for about 15 minutes to reach nearest MRT station (Farrer Park, Little India and Bugis). As most residents here are Indian, we can easily find halal food near our hostel (although they're more expensive than other meals). One plus point, there is Mustafa Center (department store) that opens 24 hours and many restaurants open until dawn nearby.
It was my first experience living in a hostel. There are several main differences between hostel and hotel services. In hostel, we:
a. Live with other strange guests in a room: each bed has a locker as a safe for traveler's belongings
b. Use public bathroom
c. Get no daily bed-cleaning-service
d. Have self service breakfast: bread, cereals, fruits, coffee, tea are provided including its complementary, but we need to prepare it ourselves. Don't forget to wash your dishes!
2. Local Transportation
We used MRT as our main transportation during the trip, although I tried to take bus once, just to try hehehe. I love MRT, it was really helpful, integrated and reaches popular area for tourists. We can buy a regular ticket priced SGD 12 (with initial balance SGD 7) and we can top up the balance when necessary for minimum amount SGD 10, or buy a single trip ticket to determined station. Single trip fare is always more expensive compared to regular ticket.
We can also buy tourist pass that will be valid for 1/2/3 days since first activation for SGD 10/16/20 with refundable rental deposit SGD 10, giving you unlimited balance for MRT and bus rides in Singapore. For complete information related to tourist pass, please check this link.
I also wrote my personal opinion about Singapore's MRT, underlining its differences with Jakarta's local KRL in this link.
3. Destination
Touched down in Singapore on 17 April at 19.00, Chika and I didn't have much things to do. We checked in first and decided to have dinner nearby. We also explored Mustafa Center while waiting the rest of us came (I bought a pair of sandals as mine was broken). They arrived at midnight, starving! Hahaha. So right after accompanying them having dinner, we straightly went to hostel and took a rest.
We spent the whole Friday in Universal Studio Singapore in Sentosa Island. We rode MRT to Vivo City and continued by capsule train from Vivo City to Sentosa Island. We can also walk from Vivo City to Sentosa through beach walk with duration around 30 minutes.
As we came during Easter holiday, USS was sooo full with visitors. From 10 to 6, I could only enjoy 2 attractions: 4D movie in Far-far away and Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure in The Lost World. I had been in a line for Revenge of The Mummy in Ancient Egypt for 2 hours when suddenly an announcement came saying that the attractions got trouble and was under maintenance!! We were so tired and after that, we decided to stop looking for other attractions and back to the hostel.
After having dinner, we separately went to different destinations in the city. Sekar and I went to Chinatown while the rest of us went to Orchard Road. I reached Chinatown at 9 pm and bought some souvenirs at the only 3 for 10 store (pay SGD 10 for 3 items) opened. Later Sekar and I decided to walk to Clarke Quay as it's located only one station by MRT from Chinatown.
We walked through Clarke Quay at night, spent a little time sitting at the river bank and watching Singapore Extreme Swing. Clarke Quay was crowded at night and I heard that it even more crowded at midnight.
We continued walking at the edge of Fort Canning Park, a 60 meters hill in the town's central. It was around 1030 pm when we walked and realised that it was so dark and quiet around the park. Later we knew that the park was Raffles' first residence in Singapore and currently it's a popular tourists destination and concert/meeting hall. And it's also haunted, they say. Hahaha.
We went straight to Penang Road and Orchard Road just looking for how it's like hehhehe. We stopped by the nearest MRT station (Dholby Ghaut in Orchard Road) and took 1130 train to our hostel. One thing to be noted, MRT and most local bus work only until midnight, so when you need to travel after, you need to take a private vehicles or taxi.
We spent our last day in Singapore to visit Singapore's icon: Merlion and Marina Bay Sands. The weather was so hot that we could only stand 15 minutes in the areas just for taking pictures hahahahha. Later we went to Bugis Street to buy some souvenirs and went straight to the airport leaving the country.
I hope I can come to this place again next time hehhehe. Soon!
I got a chance to go abroad!!
During 2014 Easter holiday, I went to Singapore with Samit, Sekar, Chika and Budiya -- we often call ourselves Keybisi. We had planned this trip months before. Actually we wanted to go to Hanoi in late May's block leave, but some of us couldn't take leave from their office. Soooo we chose Easter long weekend and picked Singapore as it's closer from Indonesia and small that we could take a satisfying trip in only 2 nights!!
We departed on Thursday, 17 April: Chika and I first using afternoon flight and the others came later after office hour.
I had a sad story here, Chika and I came late for our flight and couldn't get any compensation. We should have been in Singapore at 3 a.m but our mistake made us busy touring 2 airport terminals to look for vacant seat in a flight to Singapore!! We were so lucky to find two tickets during peak holiday period <3 so we still could spend our holiday together <3 <3
1. Accommodation
We spent our nights in B88 hostel in Jalan Besar, Little India.
 |
| A really cute hostel!! |
This hostel's location is quite strategic, however we need to walk for about 15 minutes to reach nearest MRT station (Farrer Park, Little India and Bugis). As most residents here are Indian, we can easily find halal food near our hostel (although they're more expensive than other meals). One plus point, there is Mustafa Center (department store) that opens 24 hours and many restaurants open until dawn nearby.
It was my first experience living in a hostel. There are several main differences between hostel and hotel services. In hostel, we:
a. Live with other strange guests in a room: each bed has a locker as a safe for traveler's belongings
b. Use public bathroom
c. Get no daily bed-cleaning-service
d. Have self service breakfast: bread, cereals, fruits, coffee, tea are provided including its complementary, but we need to prepare it ourselves. Don't forget to wash your dishes!
2. Local Transportation
We used MRT as our main transportation during the trip, although I tried to take bus once, just to try hehehe. I love MRT, it was really helpful, integrated and reaches popular area for tourists. We can buy a regular ticket priced SGD 12 (with initial balance SGD 7) and we can top up the balance when necessary for minimum amount SGD 10, or buy a single trip ticket to determined station. Single trip fare is always more expensive compared to regular ticket.
 |
| From left, clockwise: our travel group, a traditional oriental cake I'd only seen in old movies ^_^, ornaments in Universal Studios Singapore, MRT station |
I also wrote my personal opinion about Singapore's MRT, underlining its differences with Jakarta's local KRL in this link.
3. Destination
Touched down in Singapore on 17 April at 19.00, Chika and I didn't have much things to do. We checked in first and decided to have dinner nearby. We also explored Mustafa Center while waiting the rest of us came (I bought a pair of sandals as mine was broken). They arrived at midnight, starving! Hahaha. So right after accompanying them having dinner, we straightly went to hostel and took a rest.
 |
| From left, clockwise: an isle in Little India area, Little India at night, Briyani rice with chicken for SGD 6, Indian flowers for praying |
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| From top left, clockwise: cruise scenery from Vivo City, fresh seawater, beachwalk, dock, beach imitation in Vivo City, Singapore Harbor (view from capsule train) |
 |
| Top: Madagascar, Far Far Away, Sci-fi city Bottom: Sci-fi city, Ancient Egypt, entrance door |
After having dinner, we separately went to different destinations in the city. Sekar and I went to Chinatown while the rest of us went to Orchard Road. I reached Chinatown at 9 pm and bought some souvenirs at the only 3 for 10 store (pay SGD 10 for 3 items) opened. Later Sekar and I decided to walk to Clarke Quay as it's located only one station by MRT from Chinatown.
 |
| Chinatown at night |
 |
| Top to bottom: riverbank view from Capital Mall, street view, riverbank view (Singapore Extreme Swing at the right side) |
We went straight to Penang Road and Orchard Road just looking for how it's like hehhehe. We stopped by the nearest MRT station (Dholby Ghaut in Orchard Road) and took 1130 train to our hostel. One thing to be noted, MRT and most local bus work only until midnight, so when you need to travel after, you need to take a private vehicles or taxi.
We spent our last day in Singapore to visit Singapore's icon: Merlion and Marina Bay Sands. The weather was so hot that we could only stand 15 minutes in the areas just for taking pictures hahahahha. Later we went to Bugis Street to buy some souvenirs and went straight to the airport leaving the country.
 |
| From left, clockwise: Merlion statue, Clarke Quay at night, Marina Bay Sands background, river view |
Nice post sister!
ReplyDeletethank you sister
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