The Magical Pixel

Opening 2009 travelling story with a trip to Jogjakarta located in Central Java, Indonesia.  Its a photographer trip planned since July last year. This time I bring my beloved wife together. So, me and Jue (my wife) start the journey a bit early by planning to leave the kids at her mother. Hehe.. pitty Najma and her brothers. So we head to Purun and leave the kids there. The very same day we head to Kajang to get my new 80-200 f/2.8 nikkor which I already aggreed to buy from a guy grom FTZ a night before.

The meeting went ok, nice guy, very friendly and I got a lense with hood.  It makes mine a bit “longer” then other 80-200 that I met before hahahah. Compared to a new 70-200 VR with hood, I still like 80-200 with hood because of its “fatness” although 70-200VR will be longer.. well, for me, a bit short and fat has more satisfaction than long but thin.. errr why does this sounded like double meaning.. hahahahahaha.

So, that lens I bring to Jogja. My D70 was carried by Jue and I carry the D200 with all the lenses. at LCCT, as usual AirAsia is a bit late. flight took us almost 3 hour and we reach Adisucipto Airport 5:00 in the evening. On the Immigration line, we has been separated from other passanger.. Malaysians should make one line which has no counter in front of us and the rest of the passangers make three more line in front of three counter. Time goes by, we just have to see one by one passangers passing through the Immigration. I dont know why this happen, but I think they just treat us badly for a revenge. Maybe our Immigration are treating the Indonesian the same.. we dont know. As far as I know, our Immigration are polite and helpful even to illegal immigrant.

At last, we make a move. we just crash into the other 3 line by just ignoring the instruction. Outside of the airport, Mas Mukti has waited for us with our bus. Small bus like a mini bus but enough and confortable. Drivers are kind and informative.  We straight away go to our next destination “Mess Menjaskini” a bungalow house near Borobudur. On the way, we make a stop for our first welcoming meal.. a Bakso in a “I dont know why you come here” restaurant. hahahahaha.

I call the restaurant that way because the worker looks like blur, fuzzy and they dont preapred for such a crowd. Maybe that day is the first and only day where their restaurant occupied that much. A lot of order, everybody is tired and hungry. From making order to the waitress until up to “go take whatever you want yourself” level. We conquer the restaurant and that is the first time I found Marlboro “Kretek” version. Pehhh.. yuck!. I gave the box full of cigarete to the driver who seems enjoying the “kretek” very much.

We move in to our house later on. A nice house with 3 room. got air-cond.. no mosquito and there is where we meet Mas Peribadi, the house keeper. Very very nice person, soft spoken, stuttering when try to answer in indonesian language but very fluent in javanese. He fetch me my “Mie Ayam” that night.. ahhh thank you Pak Peribadi.. pengen sekali aku sama Mie Ayam and happen to be it was the best Mie Ayam I ever enjoyed ever in Indonesia.. Pehhh! Sorry guys, I have to eat it alone hahahaha because I think you all have a lot of Bakso and nasi before. It’s not because of hunger but because of I “rindu” mie ayam very much ahaks.

The next morning we have to wake-up early for the sunrise. At 4:00am we woke-up and I found that I’m the last person woke-up. why? because everybody sets their alarm using Malaysia time which is one hour earlier.. ahahahahaha. If it’s not every body, then it’s my wife hehe. she woke up at 3:00am. Then we all get into the bus and headed to the Tok Stubo hill. Dr. Jamal already told us that there will be a bit walking uphill. Yes, night before was raining, so the path was muddy and slippery.. my Crocs sandal doesnt do any good. You should not wear Beach Crocs on jungle tracking. Better use Asadi or Amporlo sandal like Dr.Ali.. hehe (Puas puas puasss la dia dapat ngutuk Crocs).

When  we arrive at the top of Tok Stobu Hill.. the view was magnificent. The mist, the view, the sound of panting Wanoridz.. all blend together. you can see from the photo. I quickly mount my new 80-200 and start shooting. 1st snap.. ok, 2nd snap… over-exposed, 3rd snap.. over exposed. I re-calibrate and 4th snap.. over exposed. I look at the LCD and see… ERR. Fuck! my D200 is doing it again. And the sad thing is my “kain pelikat” is at the house.. arghhhhh!

I try to wipe the lens CPU contact with my shirt, still not working and that is the time where my old faithfull D70 come to the rescue. the D200 owes the D70 a lot for rescuing her from been throw out from the top of the hill. If not, it will be in the history, the 1st D200 thrown from Tok Stobu Hill. So, be very carefull to all my future D700.. dont mess with me.. cheeewah!.

to be continued…