Yogyakarta: Random Stories

Click, click, click…Yogyakarta!

By now, (that is if you’re following and/or reading this blog ---thank you! lol) you already knew that I dig budget travelling, exploring new and sometimes not so popular places and budget airlines. Having said that, it was the reason why I bumped into a site about Yogyakarta. I remember it was a sleepy lunch time on a graveyard shift at the office on December 30, 2010. Most of the people from our department was already out and enjoying their meal in some fancy fast food chain. I, on the other hand opted to stay to finish my report for the coming year end.

Boredom suddenly visited me while in the middle of my work; I decided to stop, click the internet button and typed in my favorite airline’s website. Saw something is on sale, and then I open another window tab; check on Google, typed in Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago. After checking out what to see in Indonesia, I wrote some specific place I wanted to visit, there’s Bali, Jakarta, Mt. Bromo…then Yogyakarta.

A few more clicks and I find myself looking for more information about Yogyakarta. I looked for travel blogs with posts about this place, later found out three useful sites: Pinay Solo Backpacker, Flip N Travel & Pinay Travel Junkie. After deciding that I’ll just stick my short travel plans to Yogyakarta, I then booked two flights, one from Manila – Singapore (RT) and Singapore – Yogyakarta (RT). I included Singapore because of two reason: to visit my friends who are now working there and because I consider the city my safe zone before embarking to another country in South east Asia (don’t ask, me don’t know why as well).

Fast forward to November 2011, after staying at my friend’s flat in Singapore for almost 10 hours, I’m finally flying to Yogyakarta; another dream ‘came into a reality.

The Singing Flight Attendant

I flew from the Lion city to the island of Java via Air Asia. The travel time from Singapore to Yogyakarta took 1 and a half hour. The experience was almost the same with our local version of budget airlines, we use an A320 plane, and they also sell snacks & duty free items. The safety features of the plane were demonstrated twice, first in Bahasa (Indonesia’s Official Language) then in English. I just find it funny that Flight Attendants will do everything twice because of the language barrier (something new to me, I guess).

Almost the entirety of the flight was uneventful but not until the last minute before the last descent. One of the Flight Attendants grabs the microphone and started professing how happy he was to serve the very cooperative and nice passengers (that’s us!). I guess he was so overwhelmed with this fact that he break out and sang a medley of songs. I’m fine with all the gestures and singing part but the songs he sang was a bit strange and finds it untimely…will you be happy if a Flight Attendant sang Grenade, Fireworks and Dynamite inside the plane? (lol) but surprisingly the mob appreciated the gesture and a very hard and loud applause echoed across the plane.

“Welcome to Adisucipto International Airport, Welcome to Yogyakarta”…that was my queue telling me it was only a song title, nothing to worry…hahaha

Because I belong…Selamat Datang!

The encounter with the immigration officer went smoothly and after passing to x-rays and a few security questions I’m good to go; when I went outside of the airport,  a number of taxi drivers approached me and talking to me in Bahasa. I couldn’t understand them so I walked silently to the Tourism office to ask how I can reach Malioboro, Yogyakarta’s backpacker’s haven, where you can find Gang 1 & Gang 2, these are alley walks with numbers and numbers of affordable hostels.

There are two ways to get there:

1. Take a taxi. Flat rate starts at 5000 Rupiah roughly 24 php when converted into peso. Very affordable right?

2. Take a bus (Transjogja, look for 1A). Tickets costs 3000 Rupiah roughly 14 php. Even cheaper than the former.

I took the latter option, and instantly blend in with the locals. Funny thing was the looks I got from the locals whenever they converse with me in Bahasa and I answer back in English…they look to me like I’m some kind of elitist that don’t want to speak Bahasa. Eventually I told them I’m Filipino and surprisingly got a good feedback from them (it became an Ice breaker of sorts whenever I’m having a conversation with the locals throughout my trip).

Indonesia is like the Philippines…underrated and misunderstood but once you discover and explored the place and meet the locals, you’ll want to stay for a longer time.

Sharing some notes:

I stayed at Simple Tours, you can check out their website: www.yogyaholiday.com for rates and information. They offer package tours as well.

Address: Sosrowijayan GT I/63 (Gang II) Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Phone/Fax: 0274-582617, 563513, 7151303/0816 6888839

These are just random stories from my Yogyakarta trip last November. I just wanted to start the series and get the grove back so I can write again. The Christmas Spirit and the cool weather are to blame.

Yogyakarta Series:

Yogyakarta: Random Stories
Exploring the city on a Becak
Yogyakarta: Water Castle (Tamansari)
One Big Candi: Borobudur Temple
Heart Breaker: The Prambanan Temple Love Story
Side Trip: Mendut
Money Rundown: Power of Rupiah