8 days in Samarinda: Day 8

8 days in Samarinda: Day 8
17 April 2009

7:21am... last breakfast in Samarinda... nope, not instant noodles anymore~
dad's breakfast... Oat with egg~
Local newspapers... I couldn't read Bahasa Indonesia... so I merely went for the pictures and advertisements...
8:37am... at the Gudang again...
there to handle new task to the workers...
Air there is fresh... you can see the morning fog in the distant...
9:46am... headed to another workshop for buy things...
whenever it rains.. the drains choke and the roads flood...
The nice looking building there is the parliament house...10:13am... back at the Gudang...
last look before we head off for the day for Balikpapan...
Met a boss for kopi...
I reckon sugar is free there... this cup of coffee tasted like soft drink...
Notice they hang keropoks at every table, and within easy reach?
11:20am... on the road back... darn motorbike hogging the road... and a pretty lazy rider indeed...
11:38am... on our way to Balikpapan... my journey home starts at this timing...
everyone has to pass through this bridge to Balikpapan~
12:09am... Dad let me drive the 120Km from Samarinda to Balikpapan... and we came across a landslide that took out half the road... volunteers will come guide the traffic cuz its a great money making opportunity... one will stop the traffic further ahead and the other will let this other side pass... then they'll ask for a tip.... usually Rp 1,000.
12:32pm... a second location with a land slide... driving there takes 300% of concentration compared to that needed in Singapore, due to pot holes, bumps, sharp turns, overtaking vehicles, landslides, and cliffs at the edge of the roads...
12:52pm... Midway point... this place is exactly 60Km between Balikpapan and Samarinda... Many travellers will take a short break here...
pretty interesting eatery here...
nope~ no tables, take off ur shoes and sit on top...I've been playing with mirrors these days...12:55pm... more cars arrived... everyone's stopped for lunch... the main road just cuts through the eateries here... and everyone just drive up the dirt to park...
Loved the IndoMie blinds... so colourful it just boost up your appetite isn't it?Nasi Ayam Goreng with Coconut juice... I had runs at the stomach for the next 2 days... and I suspect that mug of coconut juice... no wonder the waiter insists that the coconut juice WILL NOT come in the coconut shell itself but in glass mugs... I reckon they were not fresh~Freaking hot chilli...
I started to ponder if these are real chicken thigns... or something else fried...
1:41pm... at the Petrol Kiosk...
SOLAR means diesel...
2:41pm... finally after 120Km of driving over 2 hours...one side is the arrival hall...and another is the departure hall...
Sepinggan Balikpapan Airport Terminal...
Head to the restaurant first...
My flight is 5:00pm... and we arrived super early...
Shoe-polishing kid... a bunch of them... they'll come into the restaurant and checks if you are wearing leather shoes... then they'll ask if you want a polish. If you fancy shiny shoes, they take your shoes outside the restaurant and polish them at a corner...
Ordered coffee and Cheese sandwich... (yea I've been eating and eating....)
4:07pm... checked into the airport and now at the waiting area... I again placed 2 pieces of 50,000 rupiah notes inside my passport and it mysteriously disappeared after I had my passport stamped... its was the same fella I met a week ago when I first arrived at the airport... he could recognize me... lol~
The POLO brand is kinda depreciating... every airport in Indonesia, you'll see them... went in and checked out a Polo-T... Rp 241,000 only... approx. S$32.00 each...
Airport tax cost Rp 100,000 too... the check-in system is slightly different from that of Singapore... after I got my boarding pass, I had to queue up at a Fiscal counter and let them see my passport and for them to take down some particulars... then I had to head to another counter to pay airport tax and get this ticket before I can check in at the custom.
4:40pm... boarding the plane...
I kept this Kappa sticker for many years before I finally decide to stick it on my passport... I think its pretty appropriate a place...
I always get the window seats... lucky perhaps?
4:57pm... take off...
view of Balikpapan city...I snapped lotsa photos... bear with me ya?I always think of Care Bears whenever I am above the clouds...
Silk Air's food quality dropped so much I couldn't bear to eat...
6:48pm.. Landing... (it kinda fogged up at the windows...)
6:53pm... finally returned home... took me 7 hours 15mins of travelling...
Will I return there again? Yesh~ and I'm gonna pick up Bahasa Indonesia...