Wednesday MBK Store, Passports & Our Return Back to Indonesia ~ Thursday ~ May 1st

 The Day before our departure - we had to pick up our passports at the Indonesian Embassy and Nick wanted to go look for a Samsung Tab at the MBK tech store.  We had been there before 8 months ago when we had visited Jerry & Wilma in Cambodia and had then come to Bangkok for a few days....MBK - a crazy BIG store!

 We looked around but there were so many people and so any shops - it was just overwhelming!  We both decided "na" lets go back to the hotel - just too much!  So we headed outside to a taxi stand ~

 People stand in line to catch a taxi here....can you believe it?  It is so busy in downtown Bangkok - so coming out of the stores - you just have to go to a certain area and stand in line -

  
 Yep the taxi's come one by one - the guy at the line asks you where you need to go...and as the taxi driver drives up - he speaks on the microphone the destination the passenger wants to go to - as the taxi driver drives up he nods yes or no from the taxi ...then as you approach the taxi - it is best to talk immediately about price or that he turn on the meter. We actually stepped into the taxi - told him again where we wanted to go and then he gave "us" a price - which was more then it should be - so Nick said 'lets get out' and we did.  We then picked up another taxi which was the reasonable price to pay!  Yes you have to be "aware" and negotiate a here in Asia!


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 Departure morning ~ Thursday


The alarm woke us at 4:45 AM!!! Gosh talk about "early to rise!" So got up and finished packing our 1 suitcase and had a snack in the room (yogurt & a banana) and we walked down to the lobby of our Guest House.  The taxi was already waiting for us...WOW!  Somebody remembered!  Yeah!

 It was a holiday in Thailand - so it was very quiet on the street. - nice!

So we were at the airport in no time - 25 minutes!  Our flight to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia departs at 8:35 am - so we checked in our suitcase and decided to get a cup of coffee.

Then went to the gate and they were already letting people on the plane!

The plane was 3/4 full - and our neighbor -

Sagar who works in Bangkok - but is originally from India was very friendly and the guys had a nice conversation!


 Sagar's company is American owned - so he had the opportunity to visit the States several times!  He also had a sister living in Florida for some time! 

 We had a 2 hour flight - and arrived in Kuala Lumpur on time.  We had to walk a very very long distance into the gate area from the airplane - and climbed up some stairs too.  
Finally we came to the immigration area - entering into a another country of course - you have to go through that.  Even people that transfer on to another flight.  
So when that was done - we then had to pick up our suitcase again (Air Asia has you collect your bags and then re-submit them again at the next departure gate) Nick collected the suitcase and we left the arrival section & then walked to the departure section of the airport.  Rechecked our baggage again - did the ticket check in for our seating etc - and then through immigrations again - to departure gate.

 It was a 3 hour layover in Kuala Lumpur and we pretty much needed that time to do the transfer.  At 3:15 pm we went into the plane again heading to Indonesia - destination Yogya.  This leg will take another 2 hours flight time. 

Up the stairs - I was thankful to be able to do all this - and actually it went really well all things considered!

Lots of red planes all around us!  This is their HUB!

 You pay for your baggage you do not get anything to drink or eat..... cheap cheap cheap - so that "now Everyone can Fly!" There were so many Air Asia planes - it is an Malaysian owned company!  They are doing really well - and very competitive in their prices! Which has been great for us with all this traveling in & out of the country for those visa's!

 Love the cloud formation ~ Such blue skies! 

 We arrived nicely on time into Yogya!  5:00 pm...and went through the Indonesian customs - ah....good to be back...and hear the familiar language again!  Selamat Sore Pak!  Terimah Kasih! 

Outside we were approached by many taxi drivers all willing to take us everywhere...thankfully Nick knew the price to ask...and again we had to negotiate.  We found a taxi driver  "Wawan" a young man - new to the business and agreed on the price and off we went for another 2 hour drive back to Salatiga.  We arrived home at 7:30 pm....Home Sweet Home!  Both Nick & I are thankful to the Lord for His safe traveling mercies, a successful surgery, extension of our last 2 months visa and that everything went so' well....VERY VERY Grateful!!!!  

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Friday ~ Home coming was sweet!  A warm hug from my neighbor Kasum, a sweet email from my dear Endah - a welcome delivery of our weekly buns & visit from Agnes - Our Dutch friend Albert who has been in Bali for 3.5 months came by to visit & welcome us back too!  Nieghbors with sweet smiles & warm welcomes! 

Our very first "friends" in Salatiga - when we arrived 8 months ago - Charles & Marie - who we met at the Hotel Grand Wahid where we stayed the first week here in Salatiga - well Charles & Marie (they gave us their cell #'s and said "anything you need just call us!" Charles is Indonesian and Marie is from Auburn CA.  They gave us such a warm welcome & reception in the restaurant there and that sense of  "Could this be where the Lord has us to settle????"

Anyway - how the Lord is ever directing.....It turns out that Charles & Marie have been "dorm parents" all these years at the International school - and when they heard about our house - and it being available in a few months ...they came and visited us and "YES!" they loved the house and so they are now in contract with the owner Pak Rachmad and his sweet daughter Endah our friend!  Yeah!!!! for Charles & Marie and they 3 children!  They will love living here and Kampung Dukuh is a great neighborhood to live!  Everyone is so kind!  We are ever so happy for them to move into this home soon!

So Charles & Marie invited us to their coffee shop Koininia Cafe and they invited Beppie too - so it was great to visit with them!

 Hi Beppie!  So' good to see you again - I have missed you!!!! 

So our first day back was sweet as could be - we felt so connected and have such wonderful friendships.....oh Lord ...it will be hard to leaved in June!!!!

(We had a chicken burrito and I had a breakfast burrito and a cappuccino coffee!) They do some good cooking at Koininia - and it is a popular hang-out for many expat's!