Ingin Pulang: Bali Banyuwangi Malang

PH | JANIS +

Stasiun Kereta Api Malang

This holiday, a few friends and I decided to go back home by train. But since we're traveling on land, we decided to stop by a few cities before returning to big city Jakarta.

B A L I

We gathered at my place and went to Ubung Bus Terminal at 9.30 pm Wita by car. Once we arrived at Ubung, we immediately bought bus tickets. After negotiating, we got a price of Rp55.000/person for a not-so-good-but-atleast-it'll-take-us-to-where-we-need-to-go bus. We went to Gilimanuk harbour at 11.00 pm Wita and arrived there at 02.00 am Wita. We crossed the Bali Strait and finally stepped Java.

The not-so-good-but-atleast-it'll-take-us-to-where-we-need-to-go bus

B A N Y U W A N G I

We arrived in Banyuwangi at 03.00 am WIB, while our train to Malang goes at 05.00 am WIB. We stopped by a 24 hours mini mart and had early breakfast and snacks. At 04.00 am WIB we went to the train station, exchanged our tickets, and waited for the train to come. The Banyuwangi Baru train station was very nice and comfortable, unlike some train stations that I know. Hopefully more train stations get renovated.

Banyuwangi by dawn

M A L A N G

Malang welcomed us with its drizzling rain and cool weather at 1.00 pm. We head to our stay (Augustina Home), checked in and went out again to find lunch. We had lunch at a famous Bakso place called Bakso President. It's pretty amazing since the restaurant is right next to the train railway therefore we eat with train vibrations everywhere. The food there were satisfying, thus the name.

We then needed dessert, so we went to an oldie but a goodie ice cream that was built in the 1930s called Toko "OEN". The ice creams were delicious, but it was quite pricey for students like us so we enjoyed it while it lasted. 

Dutch vibe

We went back to the homestay, cleaned ourselves and head to Batu Night Spectacular at 08.00 pm. We got confused with the way, and the internet was being shitty so we ended up going around and around. But the universe was on our side, and we finally arrived on site at 09.15 pm. 

The place was spectacular indeed! I've never been to a real fair before and this was it, so I was really happy. The lights from main town Malang shone like stars, and the rides produced screams and laughters and it felt like the nicest place on Earth to be at that time.

Happy faces

We got back to our stay by midnight, and head straight into the beds.

"Travel is not wanting to sleep because for once reality is more interesting than your dream."

- Ika Natassa