Backpack continues to Bandung..,

Day 5-7

Okay..it's time for Bandung..one of the readers' favourite destination. We took the Argo Gede train from Gambir Station, Jakarta (please make sure you buy the ticket early otherwise you will end-up like us..waited for more than 2 hours for the next train). Finally,bought the 3.30pm ticket at 55,000rp per person for executive seat (Refreshments will be provided). Not bad right?...comfy and clean. Took us 3 hours to get to Bandung. Since it was raining heavily, Faizal and our friend, Fae'i took the chance to zzzzzzzzzzzz.. As for me, reading the book that I just bought in Jakarta, Laskar Pelangi (one of the best selling novels in Indonesia).

The view along the way was amazing especially during the sunset sampailah tak perasan dah nak sampai... Tiba di Stasiun Bandung dah lewat petang, luckily our hotel just opposite the station, so it took us only 5mins to walk. 

Hotel Serena is located at Jalan Kebun Kawung where all the other hotels located such as Mutiara Hotel, Cemerlang Hotel and a few budget hotels. Ours consider budget hotel but it's spotless clean, comfy and reasonable price (268,000rp per night). The best part is at Jalan Kebun Kawung, you can go anywhere easily, the brownies shop is also nearby, Kartika Sari and a short drive to the airport.

Since we arrived quite late, after checked-in we spent the rest of the evening having dinner in Paris Van Java. The Mister Bakso shop is awesome! Since we've been here last year so we decided not to spend much our RM here..He..he... Lepas makan..balik..and zzzzzzzz, tomorrow we have to wake up early for our Tangkuban Parahu excursion.

After had our breakfast, we bought the train ticket just in case not to miss the train again..to Yogyakarta (175,000rp, 8hours) Took the angkutan in front of train station to Lembang Station about 1/2hr ride, price 6,000rp each. After that took another angkutan to Tangkuban Parahu, about 1hr ride. Since we're the only passengers inside the angkutan, the driver offered to take us straight to the crater.

But you must ask the driver how much does it cost you, otherwise you know...As for us, it was 260,000rp for 3pax back and forth. Once we reached at the top, as usual there were a lot of vendors selling all sort of things... If you want to avoid them, do it politely, we tried to escape from them, but they keep on coming back... From the main crater, Kawah Ratu you can see it still spews out vast quantities of sulphurous gases, but the view from here was amazing. If you want to see full view of the "overturn boat" (that's what it means by Tangkuban Parahu) you have to see it from Bandung Selatan (that's the info we got it from the locals, but not sure weather it's true).

There was a story behind this Tangkuban Parahu, maybe next time I'll story you guys... From the summit, you can trek down to Kawah Domas (about 1/2hr walk), but you have to pay for the guide 50,000rp per 1/2hr per person. You better walk fast....he...he..kalau nak laju lagi lari... Tapi yang tak bestnya nak ke Kawah Domas ni, the vendors still following us but this time they tried to be friendly instead of selling things. Sampai je kat Kawah Domas terkedu kejap, banyak punca air panas kat sini, boleh lulur kaki atau badan pulak tu...dengan lumpur sulphur ori..apalagi tak lepas peluang la....Happy happy spent 1/2hr there, it started to rain....

But this time we really got annoyed, after they had friendly chat with us they were like "forcing" us to buy the things that they're selling... I was so stunned and trapped, I ended buying things that I didn't really liked it....pengalaman yang kureng sikit la kat sini.. I'm not trying to complaint or being mean, but if they keep on doing like this it makes people avoiding Kawah Domas, which is very sad... 

Another 1/2hr walk to get to our angkutan, got in and splurge fresh strawberries and got back to Lembang Station...and got in another angkutan to train station.... Phew! What a day..

Besides Tangkuban Parahu, Bandung memang popular for factory outlets, so feel free to read our earlier post on Jalan-Jalan di Bandung...

* We had to sleep early for our Yogyakarta trip the next day...(train pukul 7.15pagi). Stay tuned!