Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Japan Trip Day-1 & Day 1: CGK - HND - Sensoji Temple

PS: Useful links will provided at the end of the post (´◡`)


So our adventure has almost begun ...  
After months of confusion, "galau"-ness, you know ... 
that feeling waiting for the best deal of ticket price (-__-) 


Finally we chose ANA (All Nippon Airways) for many good reasons and after checking every airplane and travel website for like ....3 times a day everyday since the beginning of January, visiting any travel fair nearby and then we secured our tickets in March from Nusatrip ... LOL. It's a direct flight to Haneda Airport at the price of IDR 7.6 millions. 

Well what could I expect? It's the best choice at that time. Even low cost carriers alone already costs 5 millions, since that big accident at the end of the 2014, no more really cheap tickets. ANA is a star alliance member airlines, it offers direct flight (saving times and stamina because no transit hassle), and it has really good entertainment facilities.

It's common that ticket to Haneda Airport generally more expensive than the ones to Narita Airport because Haneda is a lot more closer to Tokyo and of course the transportation fee is a lot cheaper if you choose Haneda. Since we all are shopaholic girls, we brought a large luggage. Therefore, using train as our transportation from airport to our acommodation is a NO and airport limousine bus is the best deal. Adding one more minus point to Narita: the airport limousine bus departure time's choice isn't as many as in Haneda. So people, consider it really well. Haneda or Narita? 

So just a little bit of tips, if you plan to use ANA buy it in our local travel website which has code-share operator with Garuda Airlines. 
Extremely way cheaper than if you bought it directly from ANA's website!

Alright, fast forward to June 30th (Day minus one) ~

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Prologue: Natsukashii Goes to Japan



        Since I was little, I’ve already been in love with Japan (。♥‿♥。)
(。♥‿♥。)

It was all began with Sailormoon Anime at the age of 5, and then Doraemon, Crayon Shinchan, Pokemon, Digimon, etc. Then at the age of 6 when my reading ability had became quite good, I began to read manga too and it became my daily consumption and addiction until now. I had quite a massive collection of manga because it WAS my shopping cortado. My parents also supported it, they preferred to buy me those piles of manga rather than clothes, accesories, and toys.



Yeah, but that only went until my first year of Senior High. Because after that, the manga’s price in Indonesia unbelievably going HIGH and no more good titles. There are so many titles from my favourite mangaka that isn’t available, and also....thanks to Internet and free manga hosting website now I read manga freely, as many as I want and keep updated with the story development.

From manga, I could depict what Japan looks like, the culture, school uniform, kawaii things, and wondering is it really true? YES, THAT’S VERY TRUE. Recently since 2013, there are so many bloggers that went to Japan. I was also very confused how come all of the bloggers that I’ve been following went to Japan all along the year 2014, at a different season though, but by then I could see most of Japan scenery all around the year. They are Yamada Sisters, Anakjajan, Anazsiantar, Stella Lee, Veren Lee, and even Anakjajan went 2 times in 2014 (Spring and Winter Season)!




Looking at those pictures above, Me and my friend already filled up with burning desire, because there are so many good things to see and delicious food to eat in Japan. Also thanks to those blogger, going to Japan without tour service seems VERY POSSIBLE and NOT really that HARD although you can’t speak or understand Japanese language. Ah...but, it’s just a wish though. I’m not sure if my parents gonna give me permission or not because they have been quite protective of me. Junior High School farewell to Bali and High School friends trip to Singapore......nope nope, I didn’t join them because I wasn’t allowed (・_・ )

So because my KTI was already finished, and this is the last Summer Holiday before co-Ass period, I plan to propose a short trip to Singapore/Bali/Belitung with friends as compensation for my last year’s summer spent with KTI-ing and stressful moments. So I asked le Mom.... (back then she was still in very good condition since the cancer responded the treatment very well, stranger wouldn’t know if she had cancer)

            “What? Singapore again? You’ve already been there so many times”
(giving off Meh vibe)

“Try something new and far away, why not JAPAN? You LOVE it, no? Go search a friend and use tour service. If there is a friend, although only one, it’s OK”


Wednesday, July 15, 2015

A Letter to Mom

Hi Mom, how are you there?
I believe you are good and happy in heaven now :)




It has been 6 days since your death and 2 days before was your burial procession. All have been going smooth from the plane tickets, cargo delivery, and you've been transported safe and sound to your resting place in Bangka as you requested.

Things have been quite hectic for all of us since you're gone. I haven't really had a long time to think about you and our times together these 20 years. Our home is still in a mess, especially your wardrobe and document shelf ..... (forgive me please :p) because I searched through and prepared your important documents, clothes and other things to be put inside your coffin, and other preparations for your funeral.

It is now that I sit on the gazebo in grandma's house, gain the moment to look at our photos collection and reminiscing what has already happened.

Friends and relatives mostly asked me "How are you feeling?"
No exact words could describe what I actually felt. I could only answer "Ya...... begitulah" (now I even couldn't find the correct translation for this). It's mixed.

Sad because you're gone
Relieved because you're now free from pain.
No more chemo, no more pleural punction, no more blood aspiration from foot, and other things that inflicted pain to you.

But most of all, I think it's also because my knowledge as medical student that help me to keep my brain as rational as possible. Accepting that it is already the "time" and seeing Dad who's already broken, I've got no other choice rite? I must be strong to support Dad and ease his sorrow.

I do really appreciate sympathy and morale supports from my dear friends and family, all here to remind me that "Life Goes On". That alone also helped my mental recovery to acceptance phase, if not..... I might be entering denial phase and turns into depression syndrome (just like my last term's OSCE Mental Status Examination Case). Thankyou guys, only God could reply your kindness 💙

So many people love you Mom, even vegetable seller and fishmonger also came to funeral home. They will really miss your chatty loud voices shopping for groceries every morning.

Even until the end, you still did your best for all of us and indeed I could see how beautiful His plan for my life. Some people might think my loss is such an unfortunate event in my holiday phase. But looking from all perpectives of view, let's just be grateful for all things that have happened. Yeah, too much things to be thankful for........

You went to heaven exactly 1 day after I finished my trip to Japan. Even during my time there, when I checked upon your condition....you are good and stable, chatty as usual. I was already prepared to gave up on this long planned trip when you were hospitalized in late May because of muscle stiffness and doctor told me that you were already in palliative treatment. But you and Dad still encouraged me to go as planned, gave me the chance to explore my favourite country, and let me spend my time with ease.

You went to heaven on my holiday phase. It's about 1 month before I'm back to campus hectic life, my last term on pre-clinic phase. Luckily, I'm not in any organizational task and KTI things. I could not imagine how difficult it will be if it happens when I'm back to campus, moreover if I'm already in co-ass. The worst case is I might not graduate on time. You knew this all along, from our chats long before, about how my colleagues took a temporary leave because various reasons. One of them is because their mother/father is sick. For sure, I knew that Dad and you always prepared the best for me and won't make things burdensome on me. The best I could do to repay you is to graduate on time :')  Now I could prepare documents for your death certificate, insurance matters, etc calmly because it's still holiday.