Kal El

This was our final day in Indonesia before leaving home for good tonight. When on holidays, we would usually take the last available flight home so that we would have time for one final shopping spree or touring. Most of the time we would be stuck at the airport for hours waiting for the flight – silly eh? We were perhaps in a denial to leave our vacation behind, that’s the real reason actually.

Hotel Baron Indah Reception

The last day would usually be a sad and solemn day but not while we were in Solo because it was really a blessing in disguise. A wet day yesterday spent indoor, today we had the Hotel Manager, Bu Rani Febriana taking us on a tour of Solo! Yep, believe it or not she became our personal guide for a sightseeing and two drop offs at a batik and Srabi Factory in town.

Srabi Factory

The day started with a buffet styled breakfast (included) at the Baron Indah Café, packing after that and we were contacted by Bu Rani herself. She’d like to meet up and chat with us. Two hours later, after checking out and having lunch at the hotel we called up the reception to book their shuttle service to the airport. Moments later, Bu Rani called and offered to take us around Solo since our flight will be so much later in the evening. We were of course very delighted (we were wondering actually what we could do at the small Solo airport till late evening).

At approximately 3pm we hopped on the hotel’s van to Chempaka Batik and the Srabi Factory. We didn’t want to go elsewhere as I only had Batik in mind to be purchased from Pasar Klewer. However, since the cab driver’s warning at Beringharjo a couple of days earlier, we didn’t want to take the risk with our money and belongings. Chempaka Batik was good enough although it was a little pricey but quality wise according to Bu Rani, it was so much better than those at Pasar Klewer. We didn’t buy much except for a couple of sarongs and a shirt. Bu Rani however took us to see the many markets in Solo including Pasar Klewer (from the outside lah). Solo town didn’t turn out to be small at all. They have many markets selling very specialized and dedicated things (a market for batik, one for fruits, one for stainless steel homeware etc.) and some small scale emporiums. I think Solo was similar to Kluang town in Johore.

Inside Chempaka Batik's Compound - Very Nice Indeed

Bu Rani then sent us to the Airport, helped us get to the check in counter and bid us farewell. It was the nicest thing someone had done us in Jogja and Solo. We concluded that people in Solo (however scary they may look like, are really a bunch of nice people – how could we be so judgmental and label people as scary so easily lah? Teruk kan?) We had to wait another 2 hours before our flight. True enough, they had only two shops in the departure hall – one selling drinks and tidbits while the other souvenirs. Of all the places that we’ve been to, this on last souvenir shop had fridge magnets of Jogja – finally of all places, Thank God!

Solo Airport Entrance to the Departure Hall. Sampai2 Terus Departure Hall hehehe...

Inside the Departure Hall - I think the Airport is only as Small as my Condo Unit.

The plane to LCCT KLIA arrived at 19:20 hrs as scheduled and the time to leave Solo had finally come. It was a sad moment walking to the plane bidding farewell to this small town in this Javanese Island marking the end of our vacation. We arrived LCCT KLIA at 22:00 hrs local time.

The Flight was Empty... Nice!

We didn’t get to go to the late Suharto’s grave or Candi Ceto in Solo. We didn’t get to do many things that was planned for this holiday due to unforeseen circumstances (like me falling sick on the second day, bad weather yesterday and on our second last day in Jogja, the outdoor Ramayana theater closing, getting turned off and chickening out on Pasar Beringharjo, the Kraton closing when we arrived) but it was indeed a holiday spent with lots of joy and laughter. The most important and valuable thing was the quality time that we have spent together. It was now time to go back to our bust lives and continue working for another holiday perhaps next year and hopefully one before this year ends.

Goodbye Indonesia!

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