Mail Me
I shall name this travel story is private mission in java. Ms Anie was on a mission to find her ex- helper Suminem. The private mission in java brought her to Java. Suminem was with Ms Anie’s family for over 2 decades and she missed her so much after losing contact when her contract ended. However, Suminem left her address and that was when the search began. There are many stories of her joys and sorrows while working, but this mission tells about how difficult it is to find a place for Mrs. Suminem to live. The address given was incomplete, but Ms Anie was confident she can trace Suminem with my help. This was when the adventure began.
Ms Anie came with her colleague, Mdm Amnah. The two had travelled with me before and on this trip, I brought my son along. Starting on June 1, 2023, they landed at Yogyakarta International Airport around 11 am. My son Arkan and I were very excited to start this trip. After being picked up at the airport, we immediately headed to Purbalingga, the area where Mrs. Suminem lives. The trip from the airport to Purbalingga is about 3 hours and during the trip we pass along the southern coast of Yogyakarta. Along the way, we saw many guava, sweet potato, and corn plantations owned by local farmers. After about 2 hours of travel, we stopped for lunch at a typical Banyumas food, namely Bakmi Nyemek.
Mie Nyemek Banyumas is a noodle dish that is typical of the Banyumas region of Central Java, Indonesia. It is a type of boiled noodle or bakmi godog Jawa that is similar to noodle soup, but with less broth. The term nyemek comes from the Sumpiuh Javanese language which means neither wet and not dry.
Touching meeting
After our hearty lunch, we continued our mission to find Suminem’s house. With the little information we had, we often stopped to ask the locals if they happened to know anyone by that name, or where the exact location might be.
We asked more than 5 times. Luck was with us; someone recognize and knew Suminem and showed us the way to her home. Our effort was not in vain. It was an emotional moment to see Ms Anie hugging Suminem. Relief, joy and mixed emotions could be seen on both their faces. We spent the afternoon at Suminem’s house, sharing stories and catching up on each other’s lives.
Soon it was already late afternoon and we had to immediately continue our journey to the hotel in Banyumas. Where we would stay for the rest of our java adventure for private mission in java. It felt great to check-in at the hotel, a comfortable and beautiful hotel located on the edge of a vast rice field and stunning mountain view. We had an authentic dinner at a roadside stall near the hotel. It was a catfish pecel. The tempting chili sauce added to the deliciousness of our dish. It gave us the heat needed for the cold weather in the city of Banyumas. We shared stories over dinner, stories of our past experiences and what happened earlier. That day we had a good night’s sleep.
Journey to Dieng Plateau
After breakfast we drove off to Dieng Plateau. It was about 3 hours from Banyumas. We passed by mountains and through valleys. Prior to this visit, I had arranged with my friend Subchan to prepare a special lunch for us. He stays in Sapuran Wonosobo, which we passed by on the way to our destination, Dieng Plateau. After about 2 hours of driving we arrived at Subchan’s house.
He had prepared fried wader, cassava leaf salad, fried kampung chicken and chili sauce. On top of that, he also prepared tempe kemul, a typical Wonosobo delicacy that is savory and delicious. Ms Anie shared that she was grateful to meet Subchan, as he readily shared and showed her how coffee was plucked and dried at his house. She got to see raw spices grown in his garden too. My two guests were delighted to meet Subchan’s pet cats and kittens as they are also cat lovers.
Subchan is my Junior high school friend. He resides near a cool tea plantation with clear river and fertile rice fields. Subchan will fish at the river daily, and the dishes that he prepared for us were the result of his catch.
Subchan also oversees his coffee plantation. He is a hardworking entrepreneur!
After lunch, we continued our journey to Dieng Plateau. Our first stop was Komolek Candi Arjuna. Java Temple Tour is super tour packages that can be explored on the Java Island. We rested at our hotel as it was already dark..
Explore Dieng Plateau
Good morning Dieng Plateau!
The morning breeze was very cold. Before explored the area and bought breakfast from a chicken porridge vendor. It was delightful having the warm porridge with tempe kemul. We visited the Sikidang crater, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Dieng due to its unique and active volcanic features.
The name “Sikidang” comes from the Javanese language, where “kidang” means deer. The craters emit bursts of gas and steam, resembling a deer jumping around. Sikidang Crater is an active volcanic crater, characterized by its bubbling mud pools and sulfurous fumes. The volcanic activity creates a fascinating and somewhat eerie landscape.
Bukit Ratapan Angin
Private mission in java continue to see color lake from the hill Bukit Ratapan Angin. Only 10 minutes drive from Sikidang crater to the Ratapan angin hill. Here we have to climb the hill to be able to enjoy the colored lake, because if seen from the top of the hill the water in the lake will look colorful.
The name ‘Ratapan Angin’ translates to ‘weeping wind’ in Indonesian, referring to the strong winds that often blow across the hill. The wind, combined with the breathtaking scenery, creates a unique and unforgettable experience for visitors.
To reach the viewpoint, visitors can hike for about 15-20 minutes from the parking area. The trail is relatively easy and well-maintained, making it accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels. They really enjoyed the beautiful view here, we ordered coffee and set down relaxed while looking at the colorful lake.
Colorful Lake
After being satisfied watching the view of Telaga Warna from the top of the hill, it’s time for us to go down to Telaga Warna to see it up close. Here we have to buy tickets again and the price of domestic and tourist tickets is different. Before entering the Telaga Warna tourist attraction, we stopped at a local stall to enjoy lunch. Ms. Anie ordered fried noodles and Madam Amnah fried rice. My son Arkan and I ordered instant noodles boiled with chili. The cold atmosphere of the Dieng Plateau does make us feel hungry all the time, so we often stop at stalls for snack time and coffee.
Soon we enter the colored lake, and here there are 3 fairly large lakes. if seen up close, the color change of the lake is not very visible, unlike if we see it from the top of the hill. in the water there are also occasional air bubbles that appear from under the lake, this may be caused by the activity of the lava underground. we know that the dieng plateau is a former volcanic caldera. they circle the lake while occasionally hearing birds chirping. the private mission in java ended at the colored lake, we will continue the next adventure. On the way home from the dieng plateau we stopped again at subchan’s house just to drink coffee and say goodbye.
Explore Magelang
Magelang city is our next destination, staying at a homestay near Borobudur which is owned by my college friend named Yoko. That morning we will visit the chicken church near Borobudur temple, but first we will look for a food stall for breakfast. Java Temple Trip is superior tour packages that can be explored on the Island of java Indonesia.
Chicken Church, or Gereja Ayam, is an unusual prayer house located near Borobudur Temple in Central Java, Indonesia. Despite its name, the building looks more like a giant chicken than a church.
The unique structure was built in the 1990s by a man named Daniel Alamsyah, who claimed he received a divine message to build a prayer house on the site. The building was never completed, but it has since become a popular tourist attraction.
Immediately after finishing the tour at the chicken church, we continued our adventure to the city of Yogyakarta. Our first destination in Jogja was a jeep tour on Mount Merapi. In this merapi jeep tour i chose toyota land cruiser as the vehicle we rented, because in my opinion the car is comfortable to use on steep terrain compared to other types of cars. We took the long trip package, which includes a visit to the merapi bunker, the rest of my treasures museum, alien stone and finally entering the yellow river. After finish jeep tour we as private mission in java continue to check in hotel for rest.
Yogyakarta with Private Mission in Java
That morning after checking out of the hotel we were going to my house to pick up the parcels that my wife Rita had prepared for the orphans. In addition to visiting tourist attractions, we also had the opportunity to share with people in need. While Rita was preparing the rice box, we shopped for snacks, children’s toys and baby necessities such as soap, toothpaste and others for the children in the orphanage.
Not long after we had prepared everything we bought, we immediately headed to the orphanage in the Bantul area of Yogyakarta. The orphanage we visited consisted of babies to junior high school children. It was sad and touching to hear various stories from the children who were entrusted here. In my opinion, activities like this are good for anyone who has excess material to share with them.
Oh ya, before going to the orphanage, we also visited underprivileged families around my house, there were 3 families that Ms Anie and Madam Amnah helped. After all these experiences with Ms. Anie and Madam Amnah, we formed a group to help anyone who needs help. We named the group “Aid for Needy”. Not long after we joked with the children at the orphanage, we went home.
Timang Beach with Private Mission in Java
The third day in Jogja, we as a private mission in Java planned to visit Timang Beach. It takes about 2 hours from the city of Jogja to Timang Beach, passing through the typical karst mountains of the Gunung Kidul region. That morning, after arriving at the jeep basecamp, we changed vehicles to go to Timang Beach. The steep and up and down road made this adventure even more perfect.
After about 30 minutes by jeep, we arrived at Timang Beach, where there are 2 choices of attractions. You can ride a manually pulled gondola or go through a rope bridge that stretches to Timang. It so happened that we all rode the gondola, here everyone paid a crossing fee of 200,000 per person. With the crashing of large waves, typical of the southern coast of Java, the heart beats hard when crossing the water. This mixed feeling is paid off by the beautiful scenery at Timang Beach.
After being satisfied visiting Timang Beach, we returned to the mainland by riding the gondola again. After arriving at the jeep basecamp, we tried the local fishermen’s cuisine there. Timang Beach is famous for its lobster menu that they catch from Timang Island.
Pindul Cave by Private Mission in Java
Soon we were on our way to Pindul Cave. Pindul Cave, located in Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta, is a unique natural wonder. Visitors explore the cave by floating on inner tubes along an underground river. The experience offers a serene journey through stunning stalactites and stalagmites, creating an unforgettable adventure.
Before entering Pindul Cave, visitors must wear life jackets first and get on a pick-up truck to go to the mouth of the cave. After finishing the tour in Pindul Cave, we head to Oyo River. During the rainy season, the water in Oya River flows rapidly, so we don’t need to paddle to go downstream. Along the way floating on Oyo River, there is a spot to jump into the river with a height of about 10 meters.
For those who like taking pictures, visitors can buy waterproof cellphone covers around the entrance ticket and in Pindul Cave it is forbidden to bring jewelry. After being satisfied playing in the water, we returned to the base camp to continue the next adventure.
Pine Forest
Before returning to the hotel, we stopped first to enjoy the sunset at pinus pengger. The pine forest area is located in the area of Sendangsari Terong, Dlingo, Bantul, DI Yogyakarta. Although a new tourist spot, the Pengger pine has complete facilities and many interesting photo spots. Ms. Anie and Madam Amnah can’t wait to take photos at sunset. They love taking photos and videos to upload on their social media. The quiet and spacious atmosphere is perfect for photography enthusiasts. In the pine forest there are also many gazebos selling various snacks or fried foods. Don’t forget we also enjoy the sunset while drinking coffee accompanied by hot fried bananas. Soon after finishing the photo session we went back to the hotel.
Journey to Bromo
That morning after breakfast we left for Mount Bromo. Jokes and laughter accompanied us during the trip. This time we visited Bromo from Tosari Village, Pasuruan, East Java and spent the night there. Previously I had booked a jeep for our tour in Bromo, at 3 am we left the hotel for Penanjakan Hill to see the sunrise. Luckily we could see a very beautiful sunrise. Decorated with views from other mountain peaks such as Mount Batok and Mount Semeru.
When the sky was bright it was time for us to return to the jeep to visit Mount Bromo up close. Arriving at the sea of sand we walked towards Mount Bromo, while we were walking there we saw Pura Luhur Poten, a temple where the Tengger village performs religious ceremonies. Arriving at the peak, we were treated to a view of the Bromo crater which was still emitting sulfur smoke. The center of the crater is very deep, the bottom of the crater cannot be seen. On the edge of the crater there is also a safety fence to protect visitors. Ms. Anie and Madam Amnah were amazed to see the beauty of Mount Bromo, and we immediately went down Bromo to the jeep and returned to the hotel. After breakfast and showering, we prepared to head to Batu Malang to spend the night there.
Batu Malang with Private Mission in Java
The private mission in java continues in Batu Malang which is located at the foot of Mount Panderman, East Java. Batu City has cool air and amazing views. There are so many tourist destinations in Batu Malang, such as apple plantations, strawberries, waterfalls, the transport museum and the most famous is Jatim Park. Batu City is also known for its delicious cuisine ranging from meatballs to rawon. We arrived in Batu City in the afternoon and immediately checked in at the hotel, then in the evening we went out to the city center to look for dinner and walk around.
In the morning after breakfast and check out we headed to museum angkut. Museum Angkut is the first transportation museum in Southeast Asia. The museum has a collection of over 300 vehicles from around the world, including cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and even aircraft.
The museum is divided into several zones, each with a different theme. For example, there is a zone dedicated to classic cars, a zone dedicated to Indonesian transportation, and a zone dedicated to aircraft. The museum also has a number of interactive exhibits, where visitors can learn about the history of transportation and how vehicles work. After explore Museum Angst we as private mission in java continue to strawberry plantation, Ms Anie and Madam Amnah they like various kinds of plants. Our adventure ended at the strawberry and apple plantation, we continued our journey to the city of surabaya. To stay one night and the next day they will return to Singapore.
Ending Tour
After finishing the tour in Batu Malang we private mission in java headed to Surabaya, immediately checked in the hotel and went out for dinner at Sate Ondhomohen. The legendary satay in Surabaya and has a menu of chicken satay and beef satay. Soon after finishing dinner we went back to the hotel to rest. Oh I am forget, before going back to the hotel we looked for our suitcases at Plasa Tunjungan because Madam Amnah’s suitcase was broken and had to be replaced with a new one.
Morning after breakfast we private mission in java went straight to the airport to take them home to Singapore. Both of us (me and my son Arkan) got a surprise gift from Ms Anie, which was a face sketch painting. Ms Anie is an art teacher in Singapore and she is good at drawing sketches. After arriving at the airport we immediately said goodbye to each other. thank you for your kindness both of you. God Bless You !!!
.
