checkchocolate*

16-17th June: Batam weekend getaway 

I know it's been quite awhile but I thought I'd just finish up the post which has been in the drafts for weeks, before I sell my soul to every ad-hoc job I could find out there and delay further. Besides, it'd serve as a good memory that yours truly wasn't too broke to get a chop on the passport this summer break. Ha. Ha. Ha.

Taking domo across the border

Weird tasting Iced Tea served at possibly the most awkward seafood lunch I ever had. The 3 of us were seated together with an Indian and Malay family from the tour group, and I was actually kinda looking forward to some meaningful cultural exchange (since we're the only table with such a good mix of races) until I realized there wasn't going to be any conversation. And the serving of dishes only further morphed us into awkward turtles clumsily trying to help one another with their webbed feet LOL.

Visited a park showcasing miniatures of houses that could be found on the different islands of Indonesia and this has got to be one of my favourite haha. And damn, I hate to say this but I think I look like a blind ape here? Sometimes I don't know why I do the things I do LOLLLLL.

Trying to act sexy/fierce/whatever you call it but FAIL #likemotherlikedaughter

Took this from the bus while we were all waiting to see a little boy from our group conquer the flying fox. As we have learnt in soci of tourism (though i know it doesn't take a genius to realize that), most of such entertainment are only accessible by the financially-able tourists, or at most a handful of locals who are slightly better off than the rest. Despite living around the area and seeing the zip line on a daily basis, it's not surprising that these kids have never gone on it before. And it's just kinda heartbreaking (I blame it on soci of tourism) to watch them witnessing other kids of the same age getting to have their turn while all they could do is meddle with the ropes and wonder why it isn't them instead. :'(

Fatty at a cafe which we chanced upon, and surprisingly owned by a fellow Singaporean :)

We actually bought the tour as a deal, which conveniently included ferry, land transfers, tour and accommodation. Considering that I paid a rather low price for the entire package, I shan't probe on stuffs like run-down buses, unprofessional tour guides or boring itineraries overloaded with temple tours. :/ (I mean, what you pay is what you get right? Besides, these, at the very least, made the cut for human consumption LOL) What I couldn't take was the accommodation (friends, pls take note: DO NOT even consider booking Golden Virgo Hotel if you're spending the night at Batam). I don't know how to go about the atrocity of the hotel because it's 360 degrees; like every where you turn, it's atrocious. Dirty toilet with stains on the toilet bowl and sprayer, hard bed, thin comforter (two pieces of cloth sewn tgt to be exact), faulty air-conditioner. And tell me, who else wakes up to houseflies mating outside your balcony?! O.O Also, we paid an additional 10 bucks for an extra bed but ended up sharing the queen bed instead because the former is so pathetically thin you could feel the metal frame on your back while lying down. Did I mention all these amenities belonged to our 'free upgrade superior room'? Let us all observe 1 minute of prayers to the poor souls in the standard rooms. Amen.

Bad quality photo for comparably bad accommodation :(

Experiencing things like these always makes me thankful for the many things I have back home (which I know is bad cos we shouldn't need reminders to be contented with what we have). I may not be born with a silver/golden spoon but at least I don't sleep on mattresses that allow an imprint of the metal bed frame on my back by the next morning. And while I don't live by the pool/beach, I don't wake up to houseflies mating or a half-naked man in the next squatter. Most importantly, I have my two fatties and they always seem to make everything better, wherever we may be hehe :)