Travel

June 28, 2013

Budget : Php 1500 per pax

Itinerary:

04:00am - 04:30am Meet-up at Butuan Bus Terminal.
05:00am - 09:00am Butuan City to Mangagoy (Bachelor Express Non-AC)
09:00am - 09:30am Negotiate with Skylab drivers while sipping coke at a sari2x store
09:30am - 10:00am Skylab ride from highway to Tinuy-an Falls
10:00am - 12:00nn Rest, brunch, bathe and picture taking
12:30pm - 02:00pm Skylab ride from Tinuy-an falls to Enchanted River.
02:00pm - 03:30pm Boat ride to fish pens
03:30pm - 04:30pm Back to enchanted river for a dip
04:30pm - 05:00pm Drive back to highway (skylab)
05:00pm - 09:00pm Drive back to Butuan (van)

Expenses:
Php 240 - Bus fare from Butuan City to Mangagoy
Php 500 - Skylab (Php 1000 for 2pax)
Php 50 - Tinuy-an Falls Entrance fee
Php 200 - Tinuy-an guides (bamboo raft guys)

Php 30 - Enchanted river Entrance fee for adults. (5pesos for kids)
Php 15 - Life jacket rental for 1hr
Php 160 - Boat ride to fish pens (max of 4pax)
Php 190 - Van fare from Enchanted river crossing to Butuan City

PHOTOS

The Bachelor Express. From Butuan, the bus with AC is only available for the first trip O_o weird... But look, we occupied two seats each :D

And this is where the bus dropped us. We took a break at sari2x store behind us (more like giving break to our sore asses), chatted with the store owner while sipping ice cold coke. She told us the normal price of the motorcycle and that helped a lot coz a guy offered to take us with a doubled price!

The exhilirating skylab ride :)) This is an uphill climb and the motorcycle's engine can't carry our weight :| and right before we reached the peak, it staggered and died! Thank God for those planks on the sides, we still have my logs :P Charlou (the driver) had to go down the hill again while we waited on the peak for about 10mins! we were actually worried we might not come back hehehe

Tinuy-an Falls

Our humble lunch. Julie cooked the rice while i cooked the ulam :D all canned goods from my grandmother's sari2x store and my mother's dried fish. We shared this with Charlou and it may not look like it, but we had a feast :D

Enchanted River entrance fee: 30 pesos

Boat Ride - 600 for a max of 5 pax. We took Charlou with us coz its his first time here too. The boatman took us a fish pen <a complete waste of time coz there's nothing to see, the authorities ordered them to release the sea turtles> but I'm glad we did it coz it helped the boatman and his son. He offered to take us to nearby islands at no extra cost but we refused bcoz we don't have much time. He is so nice :)

The Enchanted River

Gopro shots :D burst mode on our jumps :D very addictive!

I had the most amazing day with my friend and would definitely do it again soooooon :D

http://youtu.be/Y9jJRkDsPkM

August 24-25, 2013

Budget: S$300 per pax

Flight Itinerary:
Jetstar Valuair (SIN to SUB): Depart 11:40 - Arrive 12:55
Jetstar Valuair (SUB to SIN): Depart 16:00 - Arrive 19:25
Fare: 132sgd per pax
Airport tax SUB: 150,000.00 rp (S$20) per pax

Tour: 900,000.00 rp (S$110) per pax
email: bromotours@gmail.com (Look for Yoyok)

The tour included the following:
1. Transfer from airport to hotel (AC coach) - driver, car and fuel included

2. 1 night stay at Bromo Permai Hotel - with breakfast

3. Park entrance fee

4. Jeep to Mt. Penanjakan and Mt. Bromo (Driver and tour guide included)

5. Bottled water (coach and jeep)

Own expenses:
1. Horse ride
2. Tips for the SUV driver, Jeep driver and tour guide
3. Hot drinks at Mt. Penanjakan viewpoint (while waiting for sunrise)
4. Meals: Dinner and lunch

LET THE PICTURES DO THE TALKING

Heavy breakfast before our flight to Surabaya. A friend asked me 'where did u get that selfie rod?'
'What selfie rod?' i asked him back... and then i realised he is referring to my monopod. Okay, monopod = selfie rod :))

The drive from Surabaya to Cemoro Lawang (a mountain village with the altitude of 2217m asl) is approx 4hrs due to heavy traffic. The highway is narrow and there's a lot of slow-moving trucks transporting fresh produce. Our driver turned off the AC and opened all windows during the ascent so we could enjoy the crisp mountain air :> It was pleasantly cold and invigorating during the drive but it turned nippy when we reached the hotel. I was wearing a flimsy tank top while the people on the village are all bundled up (they all stared at me and i was like 'oh hey, im an ice woman'). The picture below was taken while we were driving up to the village, the sun was already setting and the rays hit the mountain on the background, beautiful isn't it?

After the registration on the hotel lobby, we dropped our bags in the hotel room and wore our jackets - i can't be ice woman anymore, it was too cold! :)) We went to a viewing deck in front of the hotel to take sunset photos but after setting up the tripod and the camera, it was already too dark and i just managed to take 1 photo (below) quite shitty i know :P

Wake-up call at 3:00am then we left the hotel around 3:30am. The drive to Mt. Penanjakan took only
30mins then we walked around 10mins to the viewing deck. It was freezing! Like i couldn't feel my toes anymore! I've never felt so cold in my entire life - there i said it! Good thing, there's a guy on the viewing point selling hot drinks. That hot milo saved my life :P kidding! Clear, crisp night and frosty morning (i could use a hug :P well, i did hugged my friend but to no avail haha i need broad shoulders and masculine arms to wrap around me hihihi) Picture below: the lights on the sea of sand are jeeps on their way to Mt. Penanjakan. I tried setting up the remote control of my camera so i could do a long exposure (longer than 30secs), but the batteries slipped out of my gloved hands and yes, they rolled down the mountain :<

And Mr. Sun greeted us at 5:30am. Just right on time and it was glorious!

The iconic Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park - located on Tengger massif. Mt. Bromo is the steaming grey mountain in the middle. The stately green one is Mt. Batok. The big erupting one is Mt. Semeru.

Here's the three of us :) Cel, me and Chered

Stop over in the middle of the sea of sand. Photo op!

The sea of sand

The Hindu Temple Poten

Toilet in the middle of the sea of sand. How convenient :D Pay 2000rp. There's no electricity but they have candles inside each cubicle.

Hiking towards the crater. Bring a mask else inhale all the dust :)

Edelweiss - an offering (25,000.00 rp)

Just 245 steps up to the crater. It was so crowded, but there's a queue. Left lane for going up and the right going down. Saw some people climbing up on the side (not using the stairs).

The crater

Photo-op! :D

Horsey-horsey (50,000.00 rp) We decided to take a horse ride to cross the sea of sand back to the jeep coz we are already late. Breakfast will only be served until 10am and we only had 30mins to spare. Besides, riding a horse means helping the locals :)