Solo Trip : Medan - Part 1

Hi everyone, so after some checklists, tips and tricks, I am gonna proceed to tell you my first solo trip experience. I am not a good story teller and even the trips was last month but I need some to remember some detail at there. Lol. So yeah, hope you are enjoying my experience.

07/10/2018 - Sunday

My flight was on 07th Oct, 0805 (Malaysian Time). I got moved from my house about 0630. Sent by Mr Baka. Lol thanks tho. We both arrived about 0700 and good bye to Mr Baka. Thank you for sending me to airport. *Heart throb* Lol. The flight went well, without any delayed. That day was so sunny and I'm so excited for my first solo trip to Medan. My plan when I'm touching down to Kualanamu Internation Airport, was to go to Danau Toba, then Berastagi and last destination will be Kota Medan before flying back to Malaysia.

I had arrived at airport about 0830 (Indonesian Time). Kualanamu International Airport is just a small airport where we can walk through the whole area. Not really big and I am kinda like it so that I don't have to walk too far just to go to entrance. Out from that airport, besides that airport, on your right side, you can see, there is small bus station. After reading some blogs from internet, so yeah I went to that station, and asked the driver that I am going to Terminal Amplas. You can hop in Damri Bus. Its quite nice with air conditioned. Pretty comfortable for me.

The fare charge from airport to Terminal Amplas was RP 30,000. The journey took about 1 hour plus to arrive at Terminal Amplas. The terminal was kinda old and the bus already kinda old. At that terminal, next I did hopped in Sejahtera Bus for going to Parapat. They took fare for RP 40,000. The journey too damn long. Its took nearly 7 hours to arrive. Dang. Its really scared to see the way the bus driver drove. I can only sleep in order to ignore my dizziness. a lot of peoples had boarded inside that bus. Too many and its crowded. Its make me kinda stuck and dizzy to see this. My first experience on this. Huhu

After the long journey, with no foods at all inside my stomach, I was so freaky hungry. Its make me can't wait to arrive Danau Toba. The bus drove me to Terminal Tiga Raja. I'm freaky hungry but I have no energy to eat, so before I went to ferry, I did bought sim card (took Axis Prepaid - RP 35,000). For me to communicate with my friends and families member. And oh yeah data is truly important for me if I am away for travel or vacation. For ferry fare, I had been charged for RP 15,000. The ferry started to move on 1430. Each of the hotels, hostels, resorts or homestays, they had their own jetty to aboard. Before flying here, I had already booked hostel at Danau Toba for 1 night with charges of RP 60,000. 

The name of that hostel, was Bagus Bay Homestay. For me, I'm taking this as my travel trip, not vacation. So luxury comfortable hotel is not my priority. So yeah if you wanna have some nice hotel to stay maybe you should go for vacation, be a tourist, took a tour guide, all are in your hand. Your choice tho.

I had arrived at Danau Toba about 1600. I'm totally tired. The hostel were easy to find as the location just near with jetty. Checked in done. The room was average. Only queen bed with 2 pillows, sharing bathroom. Inside the room there is nothing except bed, pillows and blanket. I just ... okay I'm cool. Lol. After washed up a bit, I had decided to get foods, but seem I had been lost. I don't know where to go, what to do. I was walking slow thru the valley until I met this one uncle. Really nice uncle. (Forgot to ask his name thou). I did asked him where I can get halal food around here. So he had offered me to bring me to that shop. He ride me with his motor and I'm totally appreciated what he did to me. He even took me back from that shop to my hostel. Without any charges! Thanks a lot uncle!

After ate, I went to shore of Toba. Seeing the scene of it, Masya Allah I couldn't describe it. I will update the pictures once I got my chances. I'm really happy for being here. But somehow I do felt sad, maybe because this is my first solo trip and I felt lonely. Lol. Told this to Mr Baka, and he got mad on me, because he really don't want me to come here. Lol. 

Night approaching and I'm get ready to back to my room. Bought some foods for supper, I'm off to my room, planning my next plan for tomorrow

My budget on 1st day

Hotel : RP 60,000

Damri Bus (To Terminal Amplas) : RP 30,000

Sejahtera Bus (To Parapat - Terminal Tiga Raja) : RP 40,000

Sim card (AXIS - 4GB for 1 Week) : RP 35,000

Ferry to Toba : RP 15,000

Foods : RP 65,000

Total : RP 244,000 @ MYR 74.00 

P/S : will update the picture soon.

Solo Trip : Checklist, Tips and Trick

So yeah, I just done my first solo to Medan on 07/10/2018 until 11/10/2018, in total 5 days 4 nights. Before proceeding my experience at Medan, let see what the checklist I had done, to make my travel trip went smoothly without any problems. (Thanks God huhu)

First of all, we go for checklist which its important for us to bring it to make our travel trip become smooth.

Passport

Yeahhhh, the most important part guys. Passport. We need to have passport in order for us to go outside from your own country. Since I went to Medan, there is no need a VISA for that. I will share the procedure of VISA once I got the experience. LOL. Please make sure your passport validity is more than 6 months from the date you will going to fly. If not, please renew your passport so that there will no problem at all for you to fly. If at Malaysia, the charge for doing passport is RM 200 (validity for 5 years). Not to forget, please do check your education loan aka PTPTN before flying. Huhu

Travel Plug/Adapter

Another important thing to bring along. Every countries has their own way for applying electricity socket. in order to use the plug without any problem, you need to bring travel plug/adapter for you to connect with all necessary electronic devices. Luckily, I don't have to buy since I got it as my door gift from my previous employment.

Camera

Besides than using your phone camera to capture the picture, you may bring camera to capture the beautiful moment. At Medan, I was using Action Camera, not really well known brand but I do satisfied with its quality of pictures and videos (Will share on next post)

Earphone

Being a traveller, especially solo traveller you must be excited to explore new things and new places. It makes you blend with nature and local peoples. But sometimes, you need your pace right? Lol, so the earphone much needed for that. So prepare the earphone for your own usage.

Raincoats

Yes. At first I don't think its necessary for me to bring raincoat, but yeah I do provide it for any circumstances. Before going for travelling, its advisable to check the weather and prepare necessary things. Since my solo trip was going to Medan, and luckily I did bring the raincoat. At Berastagi and Medan, its raining. Not too heavy but it is raining, and this raincoat had helped me. 

Water Bottle

Please prepare small bottle for you to fill water. You don't have to spend every mineral water. 

Wet Tissue

Its much better than normal tissue if you asked me. Huhu. Yeah just in case. There are a lot of things can do by using wet tissue, especially women. Lol

Pen/Journal Book

I do prepare a pen and book for me to record my activities while sight seeing or I must say, during travelling. More over, some places need your arrival form. So you don't have to wait to use other people's pen instead of that you can use yours

Sunglasses

Lol. Definitely needed especially on sunny day. Why not?

Medicines

1 of most important things that you need to have in your bag while travelling. I had prepared nasal filter, some ointments, motion sickness pills, bedbug cream and flu pills (as when I was there, I got flu)

USB Wire

I am pretty sure some of us having more than 2 USB wires. We have for phone, cameras and so on. So I did used my old glasses case to put it all into 1 place. Easy huh? I don't have to put this and there. Make it simple by putting all into 1 case. 

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All these was my checklist when I was on my trip. There will vary for some other travellers. Mix match all the checklist to get what you need to do. Besides knowing what to bring and all, there are also some tips that you need to understand, especially for women solo travellers. I would like to share with you some tips for solo travelling

1)   Make sure your phone always ON. Prepare powerbank for emergency usage if you can't find any available plug to plug in your phone. Make sure the line is okay, or prepaid inside your phone can be use. Stay anywhere which safer for you, if your phone dead, and start moving once everything is okay.

2)   Don't asked direction from stranger. The best way to ask are police (if there is police there), shop lot owners (because they can't follow you if they have bad intention on you, and a group of friends/families.

3)   Try not to attract any attentions. Remember you are at other countries not yours. Stay low-key and don't be so fancy (wearing any jewellery can attract thieves)

4)   What happened if you had been attacked by someone? Don't scream, keep calm and try to call the police.

4)   For those who travelling to western country, I got some tips from blog that please avoid to speak English. Maybe for safety purpose I guess. 

5)   Don't forget to bring passport with you, even you are only want to go nearby.

6)   Especially for women travellers, avoid to use handbags. Please use sling bag and make sure to put in front of your chest for safety purpose

7)   If you are notice that you are been followed by someone/strangers, don't straight away go back to hostel/hotel/places that you wanna go. Stop for awhile at any shop and waiting until its safe to move.

8)   Be careful with hotel/hostel peoples. They more likely can rob you compare to outsiders

9)   Don't play too much with your phone. Be alert.