Thousand Archipelago : D goes to Pramuka

Ep.27

“True friendship multiples the good in life and divides its evils. Strive to have friends, for life without friends is like live on a desert island. To find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune; to keep one is a blessing.” – Baltasar Gracian.

Kepulauan Seribu, Indonesia.

18^th–20^th December 2010.

D Class by the boat @ Keramba Island

 By the time we knew that the following months would be our last semester in our campus life, not to mention about thinking those torturous month facing the final project), D class decided to go on a trip. Just 16 of us. No boyfriend, no girlfriend. Just 16 of us. This trip was called “D goes to Pramuka”. In my opinion, we have to refresh our mind before we face the most important phase in our study life and we also need a trip (just trying to find a reason or an alibi). We also called it a farewell trip before we separated to pursue our own life months after.

little fishy!

The mastermind of the trip was of course our class leader, Momon. He got an idea, we agreed and he arranged the trip on his own (we always depend on him, so we just let him be. We will agree on whatever he decided. Good class member, heh?). He appointed Lene as the treasurer (this is her post for the last 4 years) and (of course) we also agreed. He chose to buy a trip package from some whatsoever tour company and we also agreed. The only challenge was how to set the date, because it was really hard to synchronize the “social agenda” (trying to make it sound a little bit cool) of 16 people with different activities. 

ready to go!

After many long hot discussions, on and off planning and canceling, changing dates and etc. we finally came into a unison that we will have a 3 days 2 nights to some islands in Kepulauan Seribu, which I still can’t believe, still part of North Jakarta. The trip would be on 18^th-20^th December 2010, and it cost IDR 400.000 per person including round trip to and from Pramuka island, accommodation, 6 times meal, barbeque, snorkeling, and private boat that cater 16 persons to play around from island to island. Sounds great? Hell yeah! So we gathered up the money and ready to go, until Meli said that she wouldn’t make it due to her family Christmas vacation. Well, we couldn’t say much, coz we’ve planned it as perfect as possible. Would that affect our budget per person as one cancel? Nope! One of our lecturers was joining us, ready to make some awesomeness once again (just like we did in Dufan or classes). So 15 of D members and 1 lecturer, then off we go!

picnic on the boat

We met up at Muara Angke, the point where we will take the fisherman boat (literally) to Pramuka Island, 7 am sharp (we even arranged to divide ourselves into 4 cars to, based on home area). Some of us were agreed to wear our class dress code, and the boys were always (half forced) to agree with the girls. The condition of the boat, well, very Indonesian, double-decked (we took the upper part), the boys took care of the baggage and we’re the girls took care our foods and ourselves. It took us about 4 hours sailing time from Muara Angke to Pramuka Island. The sailing was smooth at the first 3 hours and then it started to hit the windy and big waves. We hold on each other as the boat came side to side and very very steep at some point. Thank God, D members was made of steel (hyperbolism), no one got sea sick and 4 hours didn’t felt that long as we chatted all the way. As we arrived at Pramuka, we knew it at once, it’s gonna be a sweetest escape. 

Group pict!

blew the shack!

Indonesia got thousands of islands, which has its own beauty. It consists of a string of 110 islands stretching 45 kilometers north into the Java Sea. A decree states that 36 islands may be used for recreation. Of these 36 islands, only 13 islands are fully developed: 11 islands are homes to resorts island and two islands are historic parks. Twenty-three islands are privately owned and are not open to the public. The rest of the islands are either uninhabited or support a fishing villages. There, in Pramuka, we stayed at 3 different cottages by the beach, 2 for girls and 1 for boys, each cottages got kitchen, bathroom, and (of course) bedroom. It was also air-conditioned and the building was still new. There were some shops, where we can buy drinks and snacks just few steps from our door. Ah! just the fact that electricity would only available between 4 pm up to 7 am everyday, other than that, please survive by the natural solar (so exciting, huh?). And no to mention the network coverage for a mobile phone there were as rare as a car in the island. The lunch boxes were there already there serving traditional home made seafood dishes. It was soooooo Indonesian (they even carry out our bags in a wagon (literally traditional wooden wagon). We load our bags, cleaned up the cottages a bit, rest for a while (read: taking picturesss) and start the trip right away. Our first destination would be Tidung Island.

@ Tidung bridge

our mighty sailing private boat!

Tidung island stretched longitudinally from west to east and into 2 parts (Tidung Tidung Large & Small) has objects that can be visited such as: Tidung bridge between the island of Pulau Besar and Small Tidung. Visitors named it "bridge of love". This site most visited by tourists. The bridge is about 2.5 km length of this exotic and charming impression. Especially when the "sunrise" and "sunset" arrived. And one thing that was really important, you can jump of the 3-4 metres high bridge to the sea, that was important, at least for me. We reched Tidung by a small boat, only 16 of us and 2 sailormen. It was 1-2 pm when we arrived at Tidung. First thing first, pictures (always plural)! Group pictures and individual pictures! 

on the bikes.

Momon seems the one who has the most knowledge and acted like a tour guide there. We strolled around the villaged ans saw many home industries that produced snacks from aloe vera and grass jelly. We rent bikes, yes bicycles for (as far as I could remember) IDR 15,000 per bike, and cycled around the island. We laughed, we even forget where we were, we were just enjoying our moment. We parked our bikes and adventure started. We were prepared already with our bathing suit inside our shirt that we just have to took it off and hit the clear beach. Some of us rented a banana boat, some of use chose no to stay dry and went fishing by the bridge, some of use were nice enough to just stay by the beach and took pictures of others, and some of us wer just to childish that we hit the beach and jump from the bridge over and over again. Which group do I belong to? The last one for sure. We jump jump jump and jump, until we got the best picture of our own self.

JUMP!

nice shot by Ement

Spent almost most of the afternoon there, we went back to our cottages in Pramuka and had our barbeque of the night. During the barbeque, we also divide the tasks among us, some keep grilling, some prepared the plates and cutleries, some were busy to marinade the seafood and some were happy enough to fight for “petai”, Indonesian side dish. We spent the whole night chatted about unimportant things, threw jokes here and there, for me it was a very relaxing moment. Ah! just remembered! Some of felt not really good after sailing so much in a day and too happy to play with water and hit by the wind afterward that kind Grace (in my room, I shared room with Rosi, Grace, Jejes, Ipi, Epi) gave a very traditional Indonesian treatment to Jejes. I cant stop laughing whenever I remembered how we recorded Jejes moaning over the treatment she gave and oh damn! The file was not with me! Anyway, it was a fun moment to remember.

Air Island calm and still water.

The next day, Hans and my lecturer, has to leave early. Hans due to family vacation and mister lecturer due to his duty (escape duty, pak?). So 14 of us left and the fun of the day was just begun. That day, the trip would include Semak Daun Island, Air Island, and Keramba Island. First thing in the morning we prepared ourself by having quick (which became long) breakfast and ready to snorkle. We walked to the snorkle booth, where we would rent the snorkling equipment and we sail again with our mighty boat. We headed to Air Island. We didn’t spent much time there, as when Clement and I voluntaryly jump into the water and see, the water was not clear enough and the view wasn’t good. But at least by the time you sail throught the two islands of Air, it was a great view, the water was calm and still reflecting the greenery of the bushes which covered all the entire island. We didn’t waste such precious minutes and took loooottttttsssss of pictures. 

view under the sea

drifted..

We moved on to Semak Daun Island, where we will start our snorkeling session, the snorkel was fun. They actually lend us a life jacket, just as a double safety, I was wearing it for the first few minutes and went up to take it off. Inconvenient, how can you look deep enough when your body keeps floating at the surface? Thanks to Clement that he brought underwater camera to took some great pictures of us. After few hours snorkeled, we changed and had our lunch boxes, which already prepared. Some of us had it on the boat, under the shades, some of us had it while fishing, and some of us (my flock), had it in a small stall selling hot tea and other hot beverages. Fueled our stomach, we were ready for some photo session. We explored the other side of Semak Daun Island and took, let say hundreds pictures. The scenery was beyond my imagination. I have never expected to see some scenery like that near Jakarta (in fact, it was still Jakarta). Thank God I’m alive to see that by my own eyes (again, I guess). We spent many hours during the afternoon there until finally we moved on to our next destination, Keramba Island.

Banana Boat!

that's me which hardly recognized

Keramba Island is slightly more modern than other islands we have visited, this one got a floating restaurant, where we finally met some civilization such as TV shows and ice cream, and some French fries. Ha-ha! Guess we’re still big city boys and girls after all. It also has the shark other fish breeding. Yeay! We stopped for a while enjoying civilization in the restaurant and then we took some memorable pictures at the pier (please don’t believe me when I said it “some”, it means like at least 20-30 clicks!). We looked around the shark and fish breeding, where Momon and Boyen (aileen) have a very hot argumentation about the so-called remora fish. Which way is the right orientation of the fish? Flat on the belly or flat on the back? And the group photo session also bring Clement's ray ban into pieces as we're too excited. Ha-ha! (remembering Clement's stupid sad face mourning over the sunglasses). There were always unimportant things to talk about, even to laugh at whenever we gather all our damaged brain together (Momon’s is the most severely damaged). We spent another few hours there and head back to the cottages. 

BBQ time!

As soon as we got to the cottages, we queued up for a proper (the one we did in Air was just a quick one) bath. That night the cottages keeper served the dinner already at two long tables for us. As usual, traditional simple home made seafood dishes. We dined and nothing expected less from D member, we brought along some fireworks! The treasure money we collect each semester was the sponsored for this. We gathered altogether, arranged the fireworks into D shape and of course burn it and play with it. Such great fun that we had that night. Some of us even took video of one by one “say hi to the camera” and we chatted and chatted until we slept. 

amazing set not to waste

The last day we spent by visiting the Turtle breeding point at Pramuka itself. We walked by the beach and reached the place. We saw a lot of this almost extinct animal, small to big to old to sick and so on and so forth. If there is such enough funding to support the breeding house, I am sure, they can do much about the turtle extinction. By the time of 12 pm that noon, we packed all of our belonging and ready to leave Pramuka Island. We appreciated and treasured all the moment we’ve been experienced there. To discover many beauties that nature have given us, to thanked that we had friends to share it with, and to laugh (forget all the frictions) all the way until that day. We sailed back to Muara Angke, where the cars and chauffeurs has been waited for us. We’re back to the city once again, we hit the malls and traffic jam again. It was a short trip but a memorable one as usual. Be thankful of what you had, for it might not be repeated in the future.

Group pict!

“All the things either good or bad that happened in the past, are those who made us stand tall as today. Appreciate it! Treasure it!” – Me.