3D 4N at Mercure Nusa Dua Hotel

I had the privilege to spend 3 days and 4 nights staying at four-star Mercure Nusa Dua Hotel for UNAOC event at Bali. It is located on Jl. Nusa Dua Selatan, Lot SW 03, Kuta Selatan, 80363 Nusa Dua, Indonesia. 

How to get there? 

Because I went there for an official event, I was picked up by the hotel bus. But based on my experience travelling in Bali, the most convenient transportation is taxi, or car/bike rent. Other options are highly not recommended. 

UNAOC Diary

Flags in front of Nusa Dua conference hall

The United Nation Alliance of Civilization – Youth Global Forum and Event was the reason I gladly ecstatically left my work for a week at the end of last August. I applied for the forum in the last June, trying not to put a high hope because I knew there would be thousands of other applicants. But against all odds, I was chosen to be one of the 100 youth out of 3.000-ish applicants from all around the world, to attend the UNAOC Global Forum 2014 in Nusa Dua, Bali. The night I found the email in my inbox, I couldn’t sleep. My eyes were open-wide thinking… Everything! Thoughts like: Who are those 99 other successful applicants? What are we going to do there? What am I specifically going to do there? What will I be wearing for each day each occasion? Who will be my roommate(s)? Do they have a list? Who’s also coming from West Sumatera? Indonesia? Will I be presenting anything? Oh God… Please no. But if yes, perhaps I’ll just sing and dance, and many many more. I was excited, ecstatic, surprised, and nervous at the same time. 

Spontaneous Exploring (while you're sick)

To go outside when you're feeling sick is probably not the best option. Your doctor would not let you, and if you live with your parents, they'd get freaked out and lock all the doors and windows. But what if you're the kind of person who take going outside/exploring as one of your medication choices? I am that kind of person. 

2-Week Escape: Jogja

Kota Jogja adalah kota kedua bagi saya setelah Surabaya. Saya banyak menghabiskan 1 tahun terakhir kuliah saya di kota ini. Ke Surabaya hanya untuk bimbingan skripsi, lalu balik lagi ke Jogja. Bahkan saya lebih hafal dengan jalan-jalan di Jogja daripada Surabaya, hehe... Ya tentulah, Surabaya terlalu luas dan kelewat panas untuk dijelajahi. Dibanding Surabaya, saya lebih menyukai Jogja karena tidak terlalu panas dan kemudahan transportasi.  Saya memang lebih cenderung nyaman tinggal di kota kecil.

2-Week Escape: Surabaya

Sepulang dari Bali, saya kembali mengurus ijazah dan surat-surat ke kampus. Baru 2 tahun ditinggal, sudah lumayan banyak perbaikan infrastruktur di Kampus B Unair. The world is surely moving so fast... Especially the big cities.

Saya nggak sempat mengabadikan apa yang saya lihat. Setau saya, yang berubah itu Mesjid An-Nur dan ada satu bangunan lantai 4 atau 5 di samping Auditorium. Entah untuk apa.

Penginapan Asyik di Gianyar

Yang membuat liburan saya berkesan di Bali adalah Mbak Maria di Villa BPW Euroservices Holiday. Saya dan teman-teman datang ke villa cukup larut, tapi sambutan beliau yang begitu hangat cukup membuat lelah hilang setelah motoran seharian Denpasar - Tanah Lot - Gianyar. 

2-Week Escape: Bali (Day 2)

Kelelahan hari pertama baru berangsung hilang jam 10 pagi. Niat kemarin malam sih kita check out jam 8 dan langsung caw... Eh, ternyata... -_- Rencana hari kedua ini kita mengunjungi Tanah Lot, Ubud trus ke Gianyar, kembali lagi ke Denpasar. Namanya juga rencanah yah, kita cuma bersaha menjalani... :-p

Rencana pertama sukses besar. Kita menyewa motor lagi untuk 2 hari, takut-takut nanti sampai Gianyar malah teler dan ga bisa balik. Dari Denpasar ke Tanah Lot menghabiskan waktu 2 jam naik motor, setelah sedikit nyasar dan bertanya-tanya sama Bli-Bli di jalan. Lagi lagi, waktu yang tidak tepat mengunjungi pantai. Panas terik bikin kepala nyut-nyut... Tapi terpaksi dibawa fun, secara udah di Bali gitu loh... Hahaa... Norak.

The amazing Tanah Lot

2-Week Escape: Bali (Day 1)

Dari Jakarta, kita memang menuju Surabaya. Tapi karena nanti setelah dari Bali kita ke Surabaya lagi, ntar aja deh ceritanya :)

Sesampai di Surabaya, saya hanya ke kampus (meminta dokumen-dokumen penting dan disuruh kembali 1 minggu lagi) lalu tanpa pikir panjang langsung memesan travel untuk ke Bali. Berangkat sore jam 5, di jemput di Keputih. Sopirnya sempat bikin heboh karena jam 4 sudah menelepon dan diminta siap-siap di depan gang. -_-

2-Week Escape: Jakarta

Perjalanan - sembari menunggu ijazah - saya dimulai dari Jakarta. Saya dan teman (yang memutuskan ikut karena stress dari pekerjaannya) terbang dari Bandara Internasional Minangkabau tanggal 23 Maret (Minggu) jam 17.45. Setelah check in dan sambil menunggu boarding, kita makan siang di CFC bandara. Beli minum aja, karena udah bawa nasi bungkus dari rumah yang tidak ada bandingannya karena dibungkus pake daun pisang. Hmmm... :)

Meninggalkan Padang saat senja

2-Week Escape

Sebenarnya not necessarily 'escape' karena saya mendapat izin dari sekolah kok untuk perjalanan ini. Hehe... Jadi, ceritanya...

On night out

I spent my six years of junior and senior high as a dormitory student. That taught me a lot of things for sure, but one of them was to stay awake until dawn. Then… Spending 5 years away from home taught me more than that, which is to spend the night on the road, going anywhere the road takes me. It was good time… Until my body got tired, and now I can’t live with that cycle for more than 2 days. 

quality time with brothers

There are times when you hate your siblings to death, but there are more times when their laughter and good times could make you forget your problems. Yesterday, the later happened. It was not a big day and all, we just went swimming. We never really went anywhere together for the last three months, and yesterday was perfect. 

Simple happiness

On Tuesday lazy evening, I got an email from my Malaysian boss. Turned out she's planning to pay me a weekend visit on March with her husband and children. She is the kind of person I highly respect, not only because she's my boss but also because she's... Well, I told you, the kind of person I respect a lot. (I sound nervous, yeas? I am!)

Terhenti di Malalak

Malalak, what is it? No, bukan 'malala' tapi saya ke daerah ini memang waktu itu dalam rangka malala (jalan-jalan tanpa tujuan). 

Malalak adalah daerah (kecamatan mungkin) di antara Pariaman dan Padang Pariaman. Saya melewati tempat ini karena ingin tahu jalan ke Bukit Tinggi dari Pariaman selain lewat jalur biasa, yang kalau macet bisa seharian. Kabarnya tempat ini lumayan angker. Banyak cerita-cerita horor yang diceritakan teman sepanjang jalan. 

Merpati peak for a perfect new year

What did you do in new year's eve? Well, what I did... was this. 

You can't see the stars but I promise they were there, really clear to any naked eyes

I climbed Merapi mountain with my folks. I didn't reach the top in time of the fireworks (though that was not my intention at all, but it was always fun to see fireworks on any occasion, don't you think?), I was in a nice position to see the beauty of the stars and the city. It was like two skies collide.