My whirlwind journey to Jakarta and ghost stories about the Immigration Officers

It’s been a year since I went home from abroad working as an ICU nurse. One year of bumming in four corners of our house (and of course taking care of my sick father) and once every month been loitering in some of my dream destinations, one by one, one at a time. Maybe I was born to explore the anatomy of the world more than the anatomy of humans. Truly my passion.

One morning, one month before my birthday, I woke up with my usual routine, as same with you guys, is to check my social media accounts, there I saw one of my twitter friend’s photo. To see an amazing photo with my half opened eye was really the most exciting morning in my life; him sitting in the edge of the crater of the volcano, the Mt. Bromo – that was the twitter photo.
My turn: Dreams do come true. Happy Birthday to me!

I began researching where that mountain is and why I didn’t know about it. I found out that the Mt. Bromo is actually located in East Java, Indonesia. I thought to spend my birthday too in the Wonderful Indonesia.

A Manila – Jakarta round trip direct flight would cost me a lot so I decided that instead booking a round trip flight, I’ll just spare my Manila to Jakarta flight by using Manila – Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur –  Singapore, Singapore – Jakarta flight. Well, Manila – Jakarta flight is freaking 6000+ Php and I couldn’t find any promo fare because December is coming too soon, and all I wanted is to go there in my birthday. 

I was able to book my Manila – Kuala Lumpur flight for 900Php, Kuala Lumpur to Singapore flight is around 600Php and Singapore to Jakarta flight is around 700Php; so I spent 2200Php going to Jakarta by sparing my flight into more toxic but cheaper cost. I was able to save 3800Php. Well, basically that’s additional passport stamps and travel experiences too

December 4, my morning flight to Kuala Lumpur. I went to Terminal 4 bagging so much anxiety for the Immigration Officer will throw me again series of questions about my financial status and capacity and so on and so forth. As expected, Immigration officer bombarded me his suspicious questions and damn so good I was able to answer it all with so much grace and confidence on my face incorporated with modulated voice upon answering the questions while my feet shaking tremendously. After few minutes of interrogation I got my exit stamp and he let me passed to boarding gate. Nirvana! 

Kuala Lumpur was just a transit, for I only spent a 3 short hours to accomplish all the things that should be done. The queue to their Immigration was again a frightening moment; my concern is my layover. Also, the fact that for 3 consecutive months I have been in and out of Malaysia, my fear was that they might think that I'm trafficking an illegal drugs or something even worst, or the officer might ask me why spending 3 hours only on KL so on and so forth. Everything was uncertain. Luckily the officer didn’t ask me any question and let me passed. I just wasted my few left neurons thinking about it. Arrgh! Then I checked - in my Kuala Lumpur – Singapore flight, and hell another Immigration for my exit to KL but all went well until I boarded the plane to Singapore. 

Manila - Kuala Lumpur flight itinerary

Kuala Lumpur - Singapore flight itinerary
Finally, I landed to Singapore and that was my first time there. Again, my phobia to the Immigration Officer started to kill me. I queued in to the Immigration Officer 2 because she is a she and might be mesmerize by my sweet puppy eye and with my flamboyant smile. She searched my disembarkment form, I questioned myself why I didn’t have it, so she pointed the area where it is located and I started to fill it up while trembling for apprehension. I returned to her and tossed series of cliche questions and after answering that all she stamped my passport - the great entry to Singapore, Hurray.. Swoosshhh!

My tiring journey for that day ended at around 5:00PM.

Welcome to Singapore Terminal 1 Arrival Immigration


I went straight to my hostel in Singapore. What made me chose the hostel is because of their capsule type bed which I’m dying to experience. I was accompanied by my good friend, Ron to tour around the Marina Bay that night.

On the next day, December 5, my flight out to Jakarta.  I woke up early to catch my 10AM flight, rode the MRT straight to Changi Airport. I landed Jakarta around 11AM and again welcomed by their immigration.  No, I didn’t go out of the airport for I have again my flight to Yogyakarta at 3PM. Yes, I enjoyed the plane ride, right? It was my 4th plane ride in 2 days and 6th overly bloodcurdling Immigration Officers. Well, they're just doing their job, and I understand. I got my flight to Yogyakarta for around 1000Php only.  Mostly the same rate with the train traveling for overnight. I needed to save my time for it is 1 week of exploring the whole Java. 

I traveled 2166 kilometers for 7 days in Java.


My journey to Jakarta is like a whirlwind love affair, had a 3 - hour quickie in KL, one night stand in SG and isang linggong pag- ibig (week long love affair) in Indonesia. LOL!

Singapore - Jakarta flight itinerary
Jakarta to Yogyakarta flight itinerary




To be continued…
 
 

10 comments:

  1. cant wait your story at Cito Surabaya Kick =D

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  2. If KL was a quickie , SG was an ONS, and Indonesia was a week long love affair, how do you call those exciting moments you had with Immigrations ? I say those were j*rk offs in between affairs. haha. Liking your posts man. I am looking forward.

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    1. Holy cow! If that so, that was the most numbered j*rk offs i ever did in a day with different stimuli. Thanks man!

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  3. "My journey to Jakarta is like a whirlwind love affair, had a 3 - hour quickie in KL, one night stand in SG and isang linggong pag- ibig in Indonesia. LOL!" Catchy!

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  4. "My journey to Jakarta is like a whirlwind love affair, had a 3 - hour quickie in KL, one night stand in SG and isang linggong pag- ibig in Indonesia. LOL!" HAHAHHAHAHAH Funny.

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    1. Hahaha. Will write nxt week the detailed Java trip! :))

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  5. "My journey to Jakarta is like a whirlwind love affair, had a 3 - hour quickie in KL, one night stand in SG and isang linggong pag- ibig in Indonesia . LOL!" :)

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  6. still waiting yogyakarta trip - part :D

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  7. I just love the photo of you sitting on the edge of Mt. Bromo. I wish I could do that as well!!

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