Bandung

A perfect description of Bandung would be simply – an ideal short getaway. The moment we landed, every transaction was smooth from the airport to the hotel. There were not much touts which we had heavily anticipated and prepared for.

After checking in our luggage, we went to the nearest foodstall by the roadside. Judging from the presence of a small crowd which we used as gauge to the seller’s culinary skills, we decided to sit in for the Nasi Ayam Uduk, literally translated as Chicken Rice Coconut Oil.

For a meal which costs only SGD2 consisting of a small chicken with rice cooked with Coconut Oil, vegetables and a chilled bottle of Sosro (Indonesia’s iconic bottled tea), it was a definite winner. Though the portion did not satiate us completely, it killed our hunger and gave us sufficient energy to start exploring the best shopping city in Indonesia.

Every lane were lined heavily with shops and 99% of those were selling clothes. Before long, the salesperson in this particular shop I patroned in did not have to put in much effort to sell me an expensive-looking pair of jeans for SGD20 and some wicked looking shirts for just SGD10 (which i assume in Singapore would have cost at least SGD30 if on a clearance sale).

Strolling down the road in the perfect cooling mountain weather was enjoyable. The traffic was heavy but not in gridlock condition like the neighbouring Jakarta. Also, this might also be because the people here were more affluent. It feels like we’re in the Beverly Hills of Indonesia with luxury cars and Harley Davidsons zooming past every few minutes or so.

Basically our short 3D2N trip was a continuous cycle of food and shopping and makes a perfect getaway to break the monotonous lifestyle.

Food Tip: Don’t forget to try the terrific “Mee Kocok” which means “Masturbate Noodles” in my native Malay language. The waiter must have known and realized this when he was taking our order as we were laughing our ass off trying to keep a straight face. Being Indonesians, the perfect hosts of hospitability, he joined in the roaring laughter.