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Category Archives: lifestyle

As self proclaimed traveler and blogger, internet connectivity is a must for me, and I think on the information era nowadays, one cannot leave home without it. Internet (and mobile communication in general) has evolve so rapidly for the last couple of years, mobile connectivity enables people connect to the world wide web almost everywhere. From the city centre to villages and even deep into the forest, by simply using their mobile phones, iPhones, Blackberry or any mobile gadgets. As long as the device able to get signal from the respective provider, internet is in your hand, literally.

Currently, I am not using mobile broadband connection to do my internet activity such as blogging or the so called social networking activity. Not that I don’t want to, but it is easier to type on laptops or netbooks. I am heavily relying on wi-fi or fixed wireless connection, since I am carrying either my laptop or netbook to almost everywhere. The first feature that I look in a place like cafe, hotel or basically place to stay or hang out is wi-fi availability. For instance when I was traveling to the Netherlands last month, I bring along my net book with me, the first thing I look when I arrived in Schipol is Wi-Fi, and of course it’s available, also in the hotel where I stayed for 3 nights.

In Singapore, wi-fi hot spots available island wide, and it’s free, it is widely know as wireless@sg. So, whenever I get bored at home, I take my laptop with me to the nearest place of interest or cafe, and online from the spot. It’s easy, all you have to do is register your unique username and password, and instantly you can connect to the internet.

As I often travel back and forth to Indonesia and went to places like Jakarta, Batam, Balikpapan, and Bandung, I also seek comfort for the same thing, wireless connectivity. So far, most of the time, I didn’t find any difficulties in finding wireless connectivity in places I’ve visited for hanging out or stay whenever I travel back to Indonesia. In Batam for instance, I’ve stayed in a considerably cheap hotel, yet they have free wi-fi available. When I was traveling to Balikpapan last year, I’ve easily connected to the internet provided by the hotel, eventhough I have to pay a considerable amount of money. But, for a good connection, I don’t mind. Also when I spent a weekend in Bandung, the hotel where me and my family stayed for the night also has free wi-fi. I can say, wi-fi is a must have feature for a place, since on the information era, internet become more and more of a necessity.

Beside the comfort of wireless connectivity I’ve been having in places I visited, I also experiencing a minor glitch on one of the five star hotel at the heart of Jakarta. By the end of last year, I was having my year end holiday back home. I had an appointment with few friends after lunch on one of the most prestigious shopping center in Jakarta which is integrated with a five star hotel. I was thinking while waiting for my friend to arrive, I might as well as having lunch at the hotel and hoping that the hotel would provide free wireless connection to their customer. So I went up to the hotel, before I sat and order myself lunch, I asked the waiter whether the restaurant has wi-fi connection. Apparently they didn’t have wi-fi on the restaurant, and she suggests that I should visit their business center. Meh! The idea behind my question is that I want to connect to the internet while having lunch on a quite place. That’s the idea, not after lunch, and not on some kind of business center where I bet they would charge me by the hours I am using. I might as well as go to starbucks or coffeebean downstairs for free wi-fi.

Here are few little notes from the Netherlands,

Although it was cold and windy, but the air is dry. Better prepare yourself with moisturizing lotion and lip balm to prevent skin drying and blistering lips.

I went all the way to Netherlands only for being bitten by a dog while I was walking in the park. The owner however just stood there while the dog chasing after me, and bit my jeans.

It is better to take round trip tickets for trains if you planned to go back and forth from one city to another. It’s cheaper.

I haven’t smoke for 12 hours, by the time I arrived at Schipol, I rushed to get out from the terminal for smoking and I forgot that I haven’t wear my thermal underwear and only wear jacket and jumper. Damn, 5.30 in the morning the temperature was sub zero.

At 5.15 local time, KLM’s Boeing 777 touches down at Schipol airport, Amsterdam. I was in that flight, long 12 hrs direct flight from Singapore. I was hardly asleep, only 4 hrs in total I close my eyes.

Got confuse with all the direction trying to find my way to arrival hall. Just following the arrow, immigration check, baggage claim etc, and then find a place just to sit down for a while, open my laptop, say hi to few friends.

It was chilling 1 deg.C when I had my ciggy break outside the arrival hall. A gust of wind blows into my face, facing the extreme cold for the first time, hey, I survived! hahahha…

Now, the next step, finding my way to Dordrecht, the final destination. Purchasing the train ticket, go to the platform to wait for the intercity train. It took about an hour from Schipol airport to Dordrecht central. Arrived at the station about 7.45, the sun seems still reluctant to show its face, oh yeah, this is winter time, the sun rises late and goes down early. Coming out of the station, trying to get my self taxi to take me to the hotel, the dawn was just breaking when I get to the hotel. And here I am now, trying to get some rest while writing this story.

Yes, I am still on jet lag. Hahahaha

This should be a short post.

By the time I am writing this, I was just finish packing my stuffs for my trip to Netherlands. Yes, opening my way to new beginning. Hopefully I will make it this time around.

My flight will depart at 22.50 tonight, and scheduled to arrive at Amsterdam at 05.30 tomorrow. It’s in the height of winter there in Europe, Netherlands in particular, wondering how cold the weather will be at that time around. I’ve been checking the weather report and forecast the last couple of days, it is forecasted that the temperature ranging between -1 deg.C to 5 deg.C. As a person native of tropical country, this first exposure to extreme cold temperature does give me scare. Just hope I don’t freeze there :D .

Beside an important meeting while I am there, I am planning for a bit of sightseeing in Amsterdam, Dordrecht and Rotterdam. My friend will pick me up and take me to the Nord Holland area too. It will be a short and yet wonderful journey, so, watch out for pictures I’ll post later. I will spend three days in Netherlands, before leaving to Singapore and connecting to Jakarta. My flight is scheduled to depart from Amsterdam on 28 January, 21.00 and scheduled to arrive in Changi Airport Singapore at 16.30 the next day. My connecting flight is three and half hours after arrival, indeed it is tight schedule. But I am pretty sure I will make it on time.

Well, I guess that’s all for now, will post another stroy when I get there. See you guys, and wish me luck!

originally posted on my deleted blog

Rock Under the Stars
1,5 hours of musical orgasm

Sejak lama gue mengidamkan untuk bisa nonton konser Incubus. Dari pertama kali gue mendengar musik mereka di sekitar tahun 2000 ketika album Morning View di rilis. Mulai dari situ, gue mencari dan mengumpulkan album mereka, menjadi fans yang bisa dibilang cukup fanatik.

Berita gembira diawal tahun 2008, ketika gue mendengar kabar kalo mereka akan manggung di Jakarta tanggal 5 maret, sangat excited… dan tentu saja menjadi moment yang paling gue tunggu. Sayang, gue harus pindah ke Singapura di awal tahun 2008 ini. Sempet kecewa karena dengung konser mereka gak terdengar disini (atau mungkin gue yang kurang cari info?). Namun, beberapa minggu lalu, gue dapet info, kalo mereka juga bakal mengunjungi Singapura, wow! gue harus nonton… tanpa ragu, gue cari tiket lewat sistic. Yups! Dapat… seharga S$ 127, well what the heck lah… once in a lifetime moment!

Dan saat yang dinantikan pun tiba, tadi malam di Fort Canning Park, konser Incubus digelar, dengan band pembuka SAOSIN. Malem itu cukup cerah, tanpa awan dan langitpun dihiasi oleh bintang gemintan, perfect night in the park for a concert worth waiting for. Tempat konser yang di taman, menambah sempurna suasana. Outdoor dengan minim security (unlike Jakarta, kalo di ruang terbuka, pasti dengan barikade, gue yakin kalo di Jakarta, penonton pasti membludak, dan sebagian besar tanpa tiket).

Opening Act

SAOSIN membuka konser dan memanaskan penonton dengan lagu-lagu mereka, sayang gue ngga terlalu ngeh dengan band ini, jadi lagu mereka tidak terlalu menjadi perhatian gue. Hanya satu lagu yang gue ngeh dan tahu, yaitu seven years, selain itu, gue gak terlalu memperhatikan. Sibuk mencari tempat yang enak dan pas untuk menikmati malam itu.

Penampilan SAOSIN cukup memanaskan suasana, dengan membawakan kurang lebih 10 lagu dari album mereka. Sang vokalis pun mencoba berinteraksi dengan crowd, dan lumayan berhasil. Penonton yang terdiri dari beragam usia bisa cukup interaktif dengan mereka, terlebih mereka yang masih tergolong abg.

Sayangnya gue datang agak terlambat dan worst thing is ketika gue mau masuk, kamera gue tertahan security dan terpaksa harus ditinggal dan dititipkan di meja deposit counter.

Incubus Rocks!!

Selesai pembukaan oleh SAOSIN, 45 menit kemudian tepat pukul 9.00 malam, Incubus menaiki panggung, Brandon, Mike, Jose, Kilmore and Ben… Diawali dengan countdown, konserpun dimulai dengan lagu pembuka Quicksand dari album teranyar mereka Light Grenades. Penonton riuh bertepuk tangan dan berteriak… great!! Selama satu menit lebih, Quicksand menjadi pembuka konser mereka, yang langsung disambung dengan A kiss to send us off masih dari album Light Grenades, penonton termasuk gue semakin menggila, berlompat, jejingkrakan sambil meneriakan lirik “a kiss to send us off!” dan tanpa perlu komando dari Brandon, penonton ikut bernyanyi. Suasana pun semakin panas, awal dari perjalan musik Incubus sekaligus musical orgasm.

Selesai membawakan A KISS TO SEND US OFF, Brandon jeda sejenak, sementara Ben, Mike, Jose and Kilmore, jam session sebentar, yang ternyata menjadi intro lagu berikutnya, Nice to Know you, dari album Morning View, yang I personally think is the best album of Incubus. Gue sendiri makin terbawa suasana, begitu juga penonton terutama yang young adults, yang abg ada yang terbengong, karena mungkin mereka belum pernah mendengar album ini. Bernyanyi, berteriak, mengikuti Brandon, tanpa perlu komando, menikmati. Brandon sendiri tak perlu berinteraksi dengan kami, cukup bernyanyi, karena itulah mereka datang kesini, bermusik, bukan bercengkrama dengan crowd. Beberapa menit kemudian, selesai lagu Nice to Know you, dan disambung dengan Wish you were here, one of their hits from Morning View, penonton semakin histeris, puncak orgasm semakin dekat… kami semua terbawa dalam kenikmatan sendiri, apalagi sambil menengadah, melihat bintang… just perfect!

Musik terus dimainkan, Anna molly menyambung Wish you were here yang selesai dimainkan. Penonton tetap menggila, berjingkrakan, berteriak sambil ikut bernyanyi. Selesai Anna molly, gesekan kasar Mike membahana, gue tahu lagu ini, dari album S.C.I.E.N.C.E, gue liat abg disebelah gue bengong… seolah gak ngerti lagu apa ini, bener aja… VITAMIN dari tahun 1997, mereka mungkin baru berumur 7 tahun waktu itu… ah gak peduli, gue berteriak, berlompat, bernyanyi. Suasana bertambah seru, selesai vitamin, kembali dihentak dengan Favorite Things masih dari album yang sama…

Drive, the anthem of Incubus fans

Cukup dengan hentakan dua lagu yang cukup keras dari album S.C.I.E.N.C.E,  Brandon istirahat sejenak, sementara Chris Kilmore berulah dengan turntablenya, gue langsung connect, mencoba meraba lagu apa berikutnya, bener aja, lagu berikutnya The Warmth dari album Make yourself, lagi-lagi, penonton tanpa komando bernyanyi bersama,”don’t let the world bring you down, not everyone here is that fucked up and cold…” bener-bener menghipnotis, terutama yang satu generasi dengan gue, yang cukup ngeh dengan lagu-lagu dari album2 sebelumnya.

The warmth pun selesai, tiba-tiba musik berhenti, Kilmore diam, begitu juga Ben dan Jose… Kemudian Mike mulai petikan gitarnya, kami semua histeris saat itu… Yups, Drive, the anthem of Incubus fans… Brandon bernyanyi hanya diiringi petikan gitar dari Mike, kami semua terhanyut dan ikut menyanyi… luar biasa, gue merinding… “Should you choose water over wine… hold the wheel and drive… whatever tommorow brings I’ll be there with open arms and open eyes…”
AMAZING, kami semua seperti dihipnotis oleh lagu ini… direfrain terakhir, Ben, Jose dan Kilmore join in… hmm wonderful…

Yang membedakan adalah, Brandon gak perlu mengajak audiencenya untuk ikut bernyanyi dan berinteraksi, he just sing and scream and everybody will follow…Truly a great singer and front man…

Close to the End…

Setelah Drive, disusul oleh Oil and Water, dari album Light Grenades, kami masih terhipnotis dan terus menikmati musical orgasm ini. Kemudian sambung menyambung lagu dari album A Crow Left off the Murder, Pistola, Talk shows on mute, Sick Sad Little World dan tentu saja MEGALOMANIAC, the crowd just went crazy ketika lagu ini dimainkan, semua berteriak, berlompat dan bernyanyi sambil mengacungkan kepalan tangan ke udara. It was just crazy!

Habis megalomaniac, jeda sejenak, dan suara yang sangat familiar ditelinga gue terdengar”stellaaaaaarrrr….” I just went crazy, dan yup, stellar dimainkan… wow, bener-beern gila…keren abis… “You’re stellar… How do you do it, makes me feel like I do, How do you do it, It’s better than I ever knew… oooo”. Gue sudah kehabisan kata-kata buat menggambarkan suasana dan kepuasan gue saat itu. Selesai lagu Stellar, mereka turun dari panggung and as always in every concert, the crowd was screaming “WE WANT MORE!!” Yup, definitely we want some more of INCUBUS.

Closing, it has to end now…

Beberapa menit kemudian mereka naik lagi ke panggung, they are giving us some more of their magical music, bersiap untuk menghentak kami lagi, menghipnotis kami di Fort Canning Park, benar-benar Fort Canning Park hidup oleh hentakan music Incubus dan teriakan para fansnya. Circles dari Morning View membuat penonton terkesiap. Mereka kembali bernyanyi, melompat dan berteriak. Selesai membawakan Circles, mereka diam… owh tampaknya hampir berakhir… dan kemudian, Mike datang, membawa gitar atau Sitar? ah gue gak gitu jelas ngeliatnya, dari petikannya gue hafal lagu ini… Aquaeous Transmission…. Ah… vokal Brandon diiringi petikan sitar Mike, membuat malem itu semakin terasa menakjubkan. Aquaeous Transmission pas banget dijadikan lagu penutup… satu persatu mereka turun, Jose, Kilmore, Brandon, Ben, Mike masih memaikan bagian akhir dari Aquaeous Transmission… Ah… AMAZING. It was just FREAKING AWESOME!! Malam itu mesti berakhir, tersimpan di memory gue, 1.5 jam musical orgasm. It was just AMAZING, no other words.. AMAZING journey of Incubus musical experience. Thank you Incubus… You guys rocks Singapore tonight!!

Meminjam iklan dari mastercard

Concert ticket…. S$127
Concert T-shirt….S$40
A can of beer…. S$6
Losing your voice screaming at Incubus concert… PRICELESS!

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