BANDUNG, August '11: Day 1

BANDUNG, August '11: Day 1

• 12 October 2011

It is well documented that Bandung is a shopping haven for shopaholics. Everything is cheap there, the Sing Dollar can made you an instant millionaire. Honestly speaking having said that, to be fair, I would rephase this sentence that 'Everything is cheap'. It is cheap for branded goods, you are really paying for value. Compared to bangkok prices, it is still much higher, but bcuz they are brands like topshop mango zara at that bandung price, then is considered cheap. OH ANOTHER THING, food and my fav hellokitty is really damn cheap here^^ HELLO KITTY! and it doesn't look fake (:

So basically, this trip, I didn't buy much clothes, compared to my other overseas trip. I spammed quite specific branded goods and hellokitty products! yup, but me, being NOT brand-conscious, I wouldn't really consider coming back to Bandung. Was just a good eye-opener experience, hahaha! To me, it's the design that matters, see the brand flap inside, if it's really branded then it's considered a bonus to me. haha nevermind about the shopping, the company was awesome this time round... (:

It's our travelgirls 2nd annual overseas trip! Last year was Bangkok, this year Bandung!!!



Sadly, this time our trip was delayed.
On the brightside, thank god it's delay to the afternoon not the next day!

So we reached the airport in the afternoon, 2 hours before flying off time... and were greeted with such a crowd at the check-in, sighs! Thankfully, it was quite fast #efficientsingapore

AH FINALLY!
TIME TO ENTER INTO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AIRPORT ^^



And, I just had to take pic with the big bear! It's so cute!



As I sorta skipped lunch due to the timing, I was really hungry!
Grabbed a bite! And, it was really good(:

My black pepper hotdog bun, which I brought on board the plane (I love doing such things... haha and I was really glad I had food onboard) b'cuz Mum bought some awesome beef & cheese sandwiches for us from the VIP business lounge!

TIME TO FLY^^

FINALLY reached BANDUNG, super happy! My 1st time (:
Fly by AirAsia everyone, because you don't have much of a choice. It's like the most famous and prob the ONLY airline safe to fly there. The only one amongst the other budget airlines, if I'm not wrong!


Upon coming down the plane, the Bandung domestic airport isn't really like one. It's more like a piece of land?!? Ohgosh, really bad! But a good experience... when you disembark, you will be greeted with an airy huge area... like this...



And you've got to walk into this small place to check out and take your luggages.

Took the taxi to our hotels. We were initially quite lost as to how to take the cabs, ohman! 'Coz there were too many people crowding in that small area. Thankfully, we managed to ask around and the trick is to take the taxis from the opposite roads. Great!




We stayed at Grand Selera. Mainly because it has the LOFT feature










One of the things I like to do is to look at the food room service menu! But also, one thing I have never really tried before, is to order room service! HAHA! Ohwells~


Complimentary Fruits, YAY!




Overall, the hotel was good but too small:( Sadly! And, I wouldn't stay in this hotel ever again, thro it's one of the better ones in Bandung and it's in the vicinity of all the famous factory outlets!

Check this hotel flyer out, thought it was quite funny. Was it a mockery of brands? haha!



TIME TO CONQUER SOME FACTORY OUTLETS NEARBY THE HOTEL!

First up, Calamus





While walking on the streets on Bandung, these shops are quite common, selling local snacks...
Quite an interesting yet typical variety!





Next, Cascade!
This is like an Isetan/Metro kinda mall. Nothing much thro!

Saw the ohsofamous scrapbooking shop that's in Singapore too. Thought the prices will be way cheaper and I was already intending to stock up stuffs even when I'm just on the escalators(haha!) but to my dismay, the prices are equivalent or some, even more ex!:(


Cascade is actually just next to Heritage, another famous factory outlet there




Last shopping spot for the day, Secret! What a Secret!
One of the more famous shopping outlets in Bandung, and I have to say it's really quite good on brands especially




Dinnertime! @ a DUCK restaurant, all things DUCK!
Was already 10pm by the time we finish shopping, so it's probably supper?!?



Check out its mascot...


I was so pissed off ordering, because 1) Couldn't read the menu of Indo words, 2) Can't communicate with the waiter properly. Prob one of the things I hate most... can't even eat a proper meal man!

Thankfully, we managed to make up some words... so here's what we got! Not too bad, I must say!




Typical Indo Set Meal

UNIQUE Duck Satay... you don't get this in Singapore!

Crispy Duckmeat


Super tasty Vegs!


The GREAT spread!



Done, and back to the hotel we head!

Can't wait for buffet breakfast the next day!

Seriously, I love buffets no matter which meal of the day. Not that I can eat alot, and bringing me to a buffet is a loss for the $ but a gain for the restaurant. I don't eat much and the things I eat are like cheap food not like those raw osyters or sashimi. LOL! But what I like about it, is the variety that I can choose from! (: Like just a little of everything, haha so any buffet jio me k!

Ciaos!