Garuda Flies High

I am a big fan frequent passenger of Garuda Indonesia, if I may say, or at least I have a Garuda Frequent Flyer (GFF) Card Membership which was renamed into Garuda Miles after Garuda joined the Sky Team last March. With its Global Network: 1,064 destinations to explore, 20 airlines working together, and 564 lounges all over the world, joined Sky Team is good move by Garuda in the era where the competition in the air has come to the new level. Singapore Air and Thai Airways are the member of Star Alliance make it 26 in total of its members. Malaysia joined OneWorld with other 12 airlines. So, if Garuda wants to compete with other prominent players, Garuda has to join with a global network.

Good thing for the frequent flyer member like me is I could use or get my millage if I fly with its partner airlines.

But, if you are frequently flying to the cities in Southeast Asia region –like me – this move doesn’t give a significant impact. Flying to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore are easy choice as Garuda flies there many times every day. To Hanoi is also OK, as I could take Vietnam Airlines that also a member of Sky Team, although I have to transit at Ho Chi Ming first. But the rest is quite a problem. I still can catch other cities around Mekong area with Vietnam Air, but when I check the schedule through Sky Team App, I found that the schedule is not convenience. Sometime I have to transit in HCM for more than ten hours, or I have to stay overnight waiting the connection flight on the day after. 

Another alternative is to use China Southern Airline. I fly with them couple month ago when I went to Xianmen, after transit for couple hour in Guangzhou. From Guangzhou we could take the flight to various cities in Southeast Asia. But to going north for a long-long flight and transit for several hours and flight back to the south for another several hours is definitely not something that you want.

So, what is the better option that we have?

Yes, your answer is correct. That airline flies to almost every main city in the region almost every day. :-)

Although I like to fly with Garuda Indonesia, most of the case of my travel abroad, I fly with other airlines.

Garuda should finish their homework before becoming the main choice in the region. 

Flying high but only couple miles from home is still not enough.

This post is part of the Project-W.

Manado, and then Bogor

Last week, I was in Manado, South Sulawesi. This is the first time I went further than Bali to the east. Had a chance to go there last December, but time was not OK. Didn’t have a chance to explore Manado, as I was there for a meeting only and just a second after the meeting is finished, I have already rushing to airport. Anyhow, from the top – yes, from the plane – Manado is quite beautiful. The hotel I was stayed, Novotel Manado Golf Resort & Convention Center, is also quite good. Love to be back to this city and explore it, but later after the-boy is big enough to explore. :-)

This week – from Sunday to this morning, the whole family was stay at Aston Bogor Hotel and Resorts, as the-boy-mama had a meeting there. Although I have to commute 3 hours in the morning and another 3 hours in the afternoon Bogor-Jakarta for work, but we had a fun time there. The-boy enjoyed swimming, playing around with the fish, and riding the bicycle. He even enjoyed exploring the hotel by pushing the trolley around, before the bell boy politely asked her trolley back. :-)

Happy me.

This post is part of the Project-W.

Ke Yogyakarta Aku Kan Kembali

Hari jumat kemaren, berbekal gondok dari Bos di kantor gara-gara gw minta ijin ga masuk hari Jumat, tut tut tut berangkatlah gw ke Yogyakarta dengan menumpang kereta Argo Dwipangga. Dari namanya sih bisa gw tebak, ini kereta pasti anak yang kedua, hehehe.

Terus terang, ini pengalaman pertama gw melakukan perjalanan jauh dengan menggunakan kereta. Waktu SMP, pernah sih naek kereta keliling Sumatra Barat, tapi waktu tu naeknya kereta batu bara. Sebelumnya juga pernah, tapi ya seputaran Taman Mini Indonesia Indah doank. Mentok-mentoknya ya naik kereta Bandung-Jakarta. Eh tapi pernah juga waktu SD, gw naek kereta. Gw sendiri yang bawa malah. Kereta angin tapi, hehe.

And because of Bread pernah bilang di lagu If nya, kalo picture paints a thousand words, so here i make a picture for you to know my trip, perjalanan liburan di bulan Ramadhan, sekalian mo survey hotel buat kawinan sama calon teman beranak. Marriage in Mercure Yogya, hayah ide apa pula ini.

Sleep on the Train
Tadinya sih berharap bakal sangat excited naik kereta perjalanan jauh, ngebayangin kiri kanan kulihat saja banyak pohon cemara aaaa....tapi ternyata yang ada cuma sawah dan lahan pertanian kering kerontang. Mana tiap kali lewatin jembatan di atas sungai ga bersua juga dengan kembang desa yang lagi mandi, akhirnya gw putuskan untuk tidur saja. Namun itu setelah memesan si pramugarinya untuk take my picture kala tertidur. Narsis, tetap.

Keep Your Eyes On
Ni photo lagi di kamar di Hotel Mercure, habis berbuka puasa, konsentrasi menonton FTV, hehe.







Serangan Yogyakarta
Sabtu Shubuh, gw dapat telphon dari orang ga dikenal. Ngakunya sih, utusan Sultan. Percaya ga percaya akhirnya gw ikuti aja permintaan tu orang. Berbekal kamera dan peralatan tempur yang lengkap, gw menuju lokasi yang dimaksud. Walah, ternyata benar sodara-sodara, apa yang diberitakan. Di kota Yogya yang selama ini terkenal akan budayanya, masih ada penjajahan. Ni bukti nya.

Wah, langsung aja insting James Bond gw turn on. Jepret-jepret-jepret.... trus kabarin Sultan, hehehe.







Dan ini adalah bukti keberhasilan gw merebut Yogya Kembali, mendapat jatah untuk meniduri meriam, hehehe.






Lesehan di Malioboro
Setelah capek beraksi seharian, malam minggu nya bersama calon teman beranak nyari makan di Malioboro. Nasi gudeg nya dua porsi, Buk. "Shaken not Stirred", hehehe.




Sial, lagi asik asik nge blog, eh si Bule India, minta gw datang ke site buat meeting. Haiyaahh nehi nehi, inikan dah mau libur lebaran, masa masih ngomongin kerjaan sih.
(to be continued deh posting Yogya nya).

Nuwun Sewu =)