Quick Transit

Go Home Again.

picture from here

(Malabar Ekspress)

I managed myself to go home again due to family agenda this week. Again, after less than a week back to routines in Jogja. It was already planned since two weeks ago, before I left home. A day before, I bought a ticket in Tugu Train Station. It was Friday afternoon, and I was a bit surprised that the train station was full of people. First, I grabbed the form to fill the details of my train, including the name and the exact date. I was kinda confused because the train I intend to ride was not written on the board. But I undoubtedly filled up the form with : "Malabar Ekspress"-Tugu-Blitar-23.45

Technology really helped people, and we should take advantages of this breakthrough invention. Thank you internet for providing a magical yet quick answer for my curiosity. So, I already checked the schedule and the price of ticket from Jogja to Blitar on the official site of PT KAI. I had two option trains, "Malabar Ekspress" and "Gajayana". Gajayana is too expensive for student, so I decided to pick another train, "Malabar Ekspress". Besides, I wanted to experience this train since first launched, not so long ago.

Incidental Guests
I was happy to get the Malabar ticket. I simply thought it would be a good experience to try another transportation besides travel car. Also, the price is cheaper one. I only spent Rp60.000, in which i could save Rp40.000 by taking the train instead of travel car. But the only problem is the time since Malabar is too late train, and my parents would be little bit worried about the safety.

The train departs at 23.45. The problem is who gonna take me to Tugu station. My close friends at kost mostly go home in the weekend, so I have to ask somebody else. Fortunately, there were two nice friends who agreed and insisted to drive me there. But still, I felt bad because they had to go back and forth from their kost, pick me up, and train station. Or another alternative is can take a taxi from kost that means that I have to pay for another cost.

What an incidental case that a good friend of mine asked me to go with her to meet and accompany friends from Bandung. So, we went to Malioboro at 9pm and met four friends of her in front of Malioboro Mall. They are all law students from Unika Parahyangan, Bandung who had study project in Jogja I was glad that could spend the night with them. They were all nice . We walked along Malioboro Street, Vredeburg, Zero Kilometer, Alun-Alun Selatan, then finished at the Angkringan Tugu which is next to Tugu Station.

It was my first time experiencing 'Kopi Joss' anyway. Thank new friends. I hope you enjoyed your short visit in Jogja. Time went so fast. When it reached 23.30 my friend and I should say good bye to them. My friend took the taxi to go back kost and I walked to the station. It was less than three minutes walk.

I Love Night Train
It was not that crowded, but not that quite as well. Only few people hang around and waited for the train.I carefully observed which seat wasn't occupied because most of them had been taken. I finally found one empty seat. Next to me was a very formal yet neat guy in early30s sitting quietly. Then after I sat next to him, we had a nice chat. We shared many interesting discussions about medicine, health, job, being a doctor, hospital, UGM, and so on. He is now taking his medical specialist in Unair-Surabaya, mastering in child health. So, then he would be a pediatrician.

I had to leave earlier than him because my train already come. The train was 30 minutes late than the schedule. It was my first time to take in Malabar so I had to be careful. In my ticket it was written that I would sit on the carriage number one, then my seat was on 10 E. I walked to reach the carriage in a bit hurry. There were two guys asked me about the carriage. They said they were also on number one. Their friends who bought and kept the ticket. Then, I told them that we were on the same carriage and explained to the that it was economy class. They were all surprised (*shocked) because they paid 200.000 which is for executive price.

Oh My Lord, I still could picture clearly the facial expression of one of them who yelled at his friend and kind of mad because he thought that his friend cheated on him. But what happened next, I soon disappeared when realized that the first carriage is indeed for executive. I knew I was wrong when I dint find the seat 10E, because it only has A until D. Luckily I didn't look for the seat together with them. Forgive me young man, I learned something afterward: I didn't need to much care for others I just knew. The most important is please Kiki stop pretending that you are a smart ass. In fact you are only "sok tahu". :(

As a consequence, I had to walk, along the train because the economic class is on the back, almost at the end of the train. I was glad when finally I could sit and take a deep breath. And, I found another nice buddy to have a chat. An old man who happened to be born and grew up in the District of Blitar who was trained in the air forces, and now working in the Adi Sumarmo Airport, Solo. Good things about Malabar are first, the food and beverage hawkers couldn't go inside the train, except when it stops at the station. Second, it is fast and on time. I arrived at Blitar train station two minutes earlier than stated on the ticket.

Malabar Ekspress first launched on April 2010, operates from Bandung to Malang. It is very unique because consisted of three different classes in one train. It has two carriages for executive class, three carriages for business one, two carriages for economic class, and one carriage for cargo. Malabar also stopped in few stations along the way from Bandung to Malang which are Kiaracondong, Tasikmalaya, Banjar, Kroya, Gombong, Kebumen, Kutoarjo, Tugu-Yogyakarta, Solobalapan, Madiun, Kertosono, Kediri, Tulungagung, Blitar, Kepanjen, Malang.

Real life from bare eyes
I have some reasons why I love train so much compared to other transportations.
First, train let me make a friend and have a conversation with people from various background.
Second, train allow me to observe my surrounding, and contemplate after all.
Third, I really enjoy and praise the beautiful scene of God's hand from the window.

My favorite part on my backhome trip was in the morning, at the dawn time before sunrise. It was very peaceful and beautiful to see the green rice fields covered with the tinge of dawn.

In brief, train took me closer to another labyrinth of life that rarely being exposed.

Regards,


** I strongly forced myself to write in English, especially after realizing that my IELTS-pre test score was bad :(