Give thanks.

"I've come to appreciate the simplest of life..."

Surabaya 21-26 Dec 

"Kakak" means sister in Bahasa and I address my (ex) domestic helper by its short form "Kak". Somehow, I don't really know how to express the purpose and fulfillment of this trip to others and naming her my "maid" rather degrading and rude. Cos' she speaks perfectly fluent English and her capabilities are beyond what a "maid" possesses. Thus I decided to blog about this whole trip that made me realise so much about life's simplest pleasures and always to give thanks to God for all that I have. 

This is my second trip to my Kak's hometown and its been approximately 5 years since she left, got married and has 3 beautiful and adorable daughters. Woah, time has passed so fast !? but the vivid memories of her staying by my side still remains. 

(Fast Forward) A conversation with my Kak in the car while heading back to the airport left me sobbing away, especially when she said this: "Faith, the first day I came, I think.. 1 Jan 1997 you started sleeping with me already..". It seemed like a light-hearted conversation but it certainly left me reminiscing about a great deal of things and the fact that my Kak has seen me grown up. 12 years under her care has never faded a bit from my memory and the thought of being able to visit her once again excites me.(Since I can't possibly be so cruel to rob the mom of 3 away and bring her home with me)

Although it was a 2-hour plane ride and 5-hour car ride to her kampong in the mountain top (nowhere near the city area) plus an average of 4-hour car rides to get around places in the town of Surabaya and this trip was putting my Bahasa Melayu/ Indonesia to the ultimate test, it was all worth it.

Day 1:  Juanda Airport>Kampong

Ok wait, I'm always mainstream during plane rides. Unless I don't get the window seat. Hopefully 2015 I won't do this anymore. Bullshit. 

First time travelling with white/grey hair and Dad asked if I needed a walking stick to assist me to get on board. Sure.  

Safely on board.  

My new shoes deserve a dedication.

You get what mainstream means right.

Say No To Deforestation Today.

Getting so close to the town of Surabaya. 

"Switch off all electronic devices when landing". 

Landed.

For those out there who think we look alike. Eyes Nose & Lips~

We hardly take a shot altogether :) 

Was impressed by the airport upgrade (from the previously pathetic one). Like a model runway totally. 

So clean that you can see reflections. 

Was super excited to see Kak again, and surprised by her 3 adorable daughters, Risa, Ghina & Felicia("Eli")!! They were all blue-eyed and stared at us like we were aliens but they lighted up as soon as I handed them their gifts of S,M and L Craftholics. (Eli named her S-sized one "Pinky", Ghina's M-sized one called "Blue" (literally) and Risa's "Rita") How cute!? 

The "Super Executive Class"(?!) coach that stuck with us through the 5-day bumpy rides. 

Stopped by for some rustic Ayam Penyet for lunch. 

One thing I dread about the trip was the cycle of stopping by for heavy meals and returning back on the car seat and resting and then napping. My butt is already huge enough. 

Finally, after an arduous and super bumpy car journey, we arrived on the mountain top. 

The breathtaking scenery. 

Falling over the edge was unimaginable.

Geog Lessons should be held here. 

The sky quickly got dark as soon as we arrived. So day 1 concluded with dinner prepared by Kak and getting warmed up with the kids. 

The cold didn't even require a fan in the house. Hot water was boiled through the conventional kampong method and meticulous blowing through a huge wooden pipe. With a long breath. 

Simplest but the most delicious. My Kak cooks the best sambal.  

Setting up the fire.

I've come to appreciate the simplest of life: sitting toilet bowls.I've come to appreciate the simplest of life: my automated stove. and food. 

Day 2: Kampong>Hotel 

Car rides are so long that a day's itinerary only consists of possibly just one activity. But before that, we were woken up by the "cock-a-doodle-doo"s of the roosters, "mooooo"s from the cows and "baaa"s by the sheeps...

Morning feeds.

The right side's a greedy one. 

Morning faces.

Milking cows.

Kak's (Cow's) milk ☺

I've come to appreciate the simplest of life: my pasteurised and homogenised Meiji fresh milk from the dairy cows.  

Ok then, off to the hotel! 

Eli and Ghina.

OFF TO THE HOTEL WE GO!! :)

So, the (long) car journey to the hotel. Soon, it.was night again. 

Just panties feel a lil' comfy.

Lame shots with obscenely tight shorts. Please. don't judge. 

When Eli and Ghina was in awe when they walked into the hotel and stared at how escalators and lifts worked,

I've come to appreciate the simplest of life: escalators and elevators. 

Day 3: Mount Kelud and (more) Mountains

(Feb 14 eruption) "Three people have been killed after their home collapsed from the weight of volcanic ash. Mount Kelud spewed ash and debris over a large area, including the city of Surabaya, about 130km (80 miles) away."-Yup we still went to visit it.

Summation: dangerous motorbike ride up an outrageously narrow and bumpy road. SINGLE PILLION RIDER. Even my dad felt the chills. Mom and Joy Jie didn't dare to ride it up to the top.   

Mount Kelud.

Super cooling. 

<3

Back at the bottom.

Beef balls with loads of flour. 

Childhood's favourite ice-cream.

Wrong order. 

BAKSO
More beef balls and flour. 

Headed down to visit cats which poop gems. The costliest coffee beans on earth: kopi luwak.

Tedious process of turning poop to gems for sale

Nah no appreciation for costly luwak but cutie Ghina. 

Long car journey back to the house again. But one filled with joy and laughter. and a blend of broken English and Bahasa. Plus stealing Eli's "Pinky". Too bored was I.

Me: Bak Eli, Pinky di mana? Pinky lost!
Eli: Di mana? *looks frantically* Aku tak tau! *panics* *whines to her mom* *crying soon*
Kak: Eli say "Pinky.. Where are you.. I miss you.. Come back to me.."
Eli: Repeats word for word. 
Me: Nah. *returns it back to her* 

Love doing that cos' she's so cute when she panics and carries her Pinky everywhere she goes. But she always plays along with me although I think normal kids will just suspect and snub me. 

Ain't no language barrier too huge as long as love surrounds it ❤

Setting up the fire again for everything, everyday.

This sounds really embarrassing, stupid and like I'm spoilt but I really hate using squat toilet bowls cos' somehow I don't even know how to use them. 

I've come to appreciate the simplest of life: sitting toilet bowls. 

Day 4: Telaga Sarangan (horse riding and speedboat driving) 

MILKY TIME (Damn cute!?) 

Rejected racers. Tattooed labourers.

Speed boating.

We R Cool.  

I was the driver YAY.

I love you Dad. (bottom right) Hehe.

<3 

Pretty Risa. and I.

Cheap and good rides.

Horse riding and speed boat driving was damn fun. Merchants were forcing horse rides upon tourists for SGD 6 for a huge entire round. It was all cool till the man handling my horse got lazy/too confident and just left me and Risa alone, afraid and insecure. Things got worse when it started galloping crazily and half my bum was off its back. 

Following that..

We bought spray-painted hermit crabs for the kids. PRINTED!? Much exploitation. 

Worse Chinese Food Yet^ (R.M Mandarin)

Some ('L') steamboat with weirdly tasting fried sour fish and squid. Disgusted. 

It's worth a closer look. 

So the family craved for Chinese food after days of nasi goreng, bakso, etc. Settled at a Mandarin "NON BABI" (halal) 'restaurant' that served horrid Chinese-inspired food run by Indonesian Chinese. Hygiene, Taste (MSG-filled), Pricing and Spelling problems ALL IN ONE. Prayed so hard that our stomachs would be alright after. Outright embarrassment to the Chinese cuisine, 

I've come to appreciate the simplest of life: cheap, hygienic and rustic coffeeshop Chinese Food. 

The night drew near and my bro hungered for adventure. And he knew the clock was ticking 12 (he would be 16). Being the good sister I am, I was obliged to tag along with him. So we rented mini motorbikes (the first few were faulty maybe cos I'm too heavy) and rode it round the huge pitch dark silent trail that I feared so much. Placed my confidence fully in God and my bodyguard bro as I paddled/dragged hard (literally) up super steep slopes that the engine could not operate on. So thankful to have survived it. As I whined and almost cried to my bro halfway through, he assured me with "Don't worry jie, you like Taylor Swift? WE LISTEN TO TAYLOR SWIFT ON MY PHONE OK" That was annoying. 

I'm actually thankful for you. 

Day 5: A simple Christmas/ Bro's Bday 

A good lunch to make up for the horrid dinner. My dad was feeling like Jokowi (the Indonesian president) as he was cladded in a batik and gave everyone a full-course treat. HAHA he really does look alot like him. Anyway, the lunch was really satisfying. Thumbs up from foodiefeifaith :)

4 of this. ETC.

Back to the house for a simple celebration that had all of us settled on the mat for dinner. Over some delicious and hearty dishes prepared by Kak (as always). 

The petai made me fart alot.

ELI in her own world.

Too adorable. 

"BAGUS" (Good)

Fearless about sparkles. 

Sweet 16th Bro. 

What's a sweet 16th without a birthday cake right? But it was out of the question to find a birthday cake in the kampong area. And little did we know that Kak's husband did the most touching gesture: grab his jacket and discretely drive his motorbike off, stating that he had 'matters' to attend to. Braving through the darkness, unsafe and bumpy roads and taking about 2 hours, he returned with a simple chocolate cake and a pretty "BIRTHDAY BOY" candle. How sweet. 

I've come to appreciate the simplest of life: the thought that counts. 

So the night ended with some self-put fireworks (ITS LEGAL. SGD 20 for 4). It got all the villagers running out of their huts gazing at the beautiful works. Breathtaking. Heart-throbbing.

That night, I couldn't turn in as early as the rest. But to share a simple yet heartfelt conversation once again with my dear Kak. Asking her how to master some crispy bread with ikan billis thing that I've always been craving since the day she left.

Kak: Very simple..First must soak the bread in water.

Me: Duh Kak, then soap meh.

Kak: HAHAHAHAH. You ah faith! *slaps my thigh*

Those light-hearted and silly conversations between me and Kak just assure me that things between us haven't changed at all and it just makes me long for more.

Day 6: Home

Goodbyes are always the hardest. Indeed it was. I just simply cringed whenever Kak utters these farewell messages.. 

"Hopefully you all will come back soon ok."

"My heart will always love you. Never change one. You know."

I've come to appreciate the simplest of life: I'm blessed. 

And I really want to bless my Kak's family so much. 

I will change my lifestyle to change hers and her family's. 

XOXO, Fei.