Category: Travel

How To Entry China During Pandemic From Indonesia?

As in my previous posts, I’ve been stuck in Indonesia for almost 9 months from Jan 22, 2020, until September 23, 2020. After back and forth looking for good news on the internet, finally I got good news on August 21, 2020. Because China open border for Indonesia, but only for people who have working permit & resident permit that still active, spouse visa, business visa. And luckily my working permit & resident permit still active, so I can apply for a visa freely to Visa Center in Jakarta. But for those who only have a working permit active and resident permit already expired, need to prepare a PU letter.

What is a PU letter? PU letter is an invitation letter issued during the epidemic that an inviting entity needs to receive from the relevant Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) to allow the invitee to apply for a visa in their respective country outside of China. And to get this letter you need to wait 5 weeks or more and sometimes can get rejected too. Because only someone that have important or urgent things or have an important position in the company could get this letter. And then their company should be have big income or categories big company.

Due to Covid-19 cases became worst again outside of China, China has changed some regulations. And below are the requirement to go back to China from Indonesia (should be similar with other countries too) :

1. All passengers need to get 2 shots of Chinese vaccines http://id.china-embassy.org/eng/lsqw/visainfo/t1864124.htm

2. Please visit the website of the Chinese Visa Application Service Center https://bio.visaforchina.org/ to fill in, submit, download, print and sign the “Visa Application Form of the People’s Republic of China” and “Confirmation of Online Visa Application”. Please make an appointment with the Visa Center to submit your application documents.

3. All passengers departing from Indonesia to China should take direct flights.

4. All passengers going to China should be isolated in a single room at least 14 days before departure and monitor their health conditions as required. Those who have been in isolation for 14 days and have normal body temperature and no respiratory symptoms may proceed to complete nucleic acid tests and serum IgM and IgG antibody tests at two different designated institutions within 48 hours before boarding with the assistance of the relevant airlines. The Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Indonesia will decide whether to issue Health Code or Health Declaration Form based on the regulations and the test results (numerical value).

5. All China-bound passengers whose nucleic acid test and serum IgM and IgG antibody test results from designated institution shows any item to be positive will be deemed infected before, except those who hold the certificate of vaccination.

6. When applying for a Health Code or Health Declaration Form, in addition to the nucleic acid and serum IgM and IgG antibodies negative test results, all China-bound travellers should provide the following materials:

* Work certificate issued by the employer (stamped with the official seal of the company and signed by the legal representative or its authorized personnel);

* Indonesian residence permit, visa or entry stamp;

* Other documents required by the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia.

7. Passengers who depart from East Timor or other countries to Indonesia via land ports for transit to China,should first undergo nucleic acid test and serum IgM and IgG antibody test at the place of departure, and apply for a Health Code or Health Declaration Form from the Chinese Embassy in the place of departure. If there is no record of application, the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia will not review and issue Health Code or Health Declaration Form.

From China Embassy Website
From China Embassy Website

If you don’t have the greed HS Code or green HDC QR Code (https://hrhk.cs.mfa.gov.cn/H5/) , you can’t board the plane. Keep healthy and safety guys. Good luck!

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Staycation Near Disneyland Shanghai

Last weekend I went to staycation to Southeast of Shanghai, exactly near with Disneyland. And I stayed 3 days in Lu Rao Yun family resort. The price is 250 yuan per night and the room is so comfort and cozy with simple and woody decoration. The owner is also nice and kind.

  • Lu Rao Yun Family Resort

How i to go there ? 

I need to take metro line 2 to Chuansha station from my place and choose exit 2. After that take a bus 628 to go to this resort for 18 stations until Zhouzhu gonglu zhiyuanlu. It took 1,5 hours to go here. And I really love this place, because not many tall buildings, silence, many green things, and flowers and there is a bird voice all day that make you calm and relax. So nice to short escape from busy noisy big city Shanghai.

Day 2 I went to Xin Chang Ancient Water Town and It took 1 hour from my resort with bus 628 to Xin Tai Gong Lu Hu Nan Gong Lu bus station. From this station we still need walk to go there around 8-10 minutes. 

Xin Chang Gu Zhen (Xin Chang Ancient Town) is water town, that surrounding by rivers. The location is in Southeast of Shanghai, 36 km from the city center and 20 km from Shanghai Pudong International Airport. 

What you can see in this water town?

There are many stalls that sell meat, clothes, accessories, food, vegetable, flower, coffee, etc.

  • Famous Dou Hua with Chicken Soup

After that, I’m going back to my resort and I met with the owner. And he said there is a strawberry park near the resort, where we can pick strawberries by our self. And I decided to go there because only need to walk 500 meters. It is so fun and the owner also nice and kind. For 500-gram strawberry cost 30 yuan. And after that, I went back to my resort to take a rest.

Pulang Indonesia di Awal Coronavirus Baru Mulai Menyebar

Tahun 2020 adalah tahun yang penuh tantangan, tantangan untuk tetap sehat, tantangan untuk tetap survive dalam segi keuangan dan sebagainya. Dikarenakan hal yang tidak di duga datang di awal tahun 2020, Covid-19. Kebetulan saya berencana untuk balik ke Indonesia pada saat Chinese New Year itu sudah dari Oktober 2019, karena saya ingin berobat di Indonesia dan juga karena bosan kalau hanya di China. Yang mana pada saat itu, Covid belum muncul.

Pada awal-awal Januari mulai ada berita bahwa ada penyebaran virus aneh yang menyebabkan pneumonia di Wuhan. Dan pada sekitar tanggal 17 Januari 2020 mulai ada berita untuk memakai masker di China. Dalam sekejab masker mulai susah untuk di cari dan harganya juga menjadi mahal. Dan tanggal saya balik ke Indonesia adalah 22 Januari 2020 di pagi hari. Pada tanggal 22 Jan ini, Shanghai masih belum memperketat protokol seperti harus pakai masker, hanya berdasarkan kesadaran masing-masing, tapi hampir semua orang memakai maskernya. Setelah saya transit di Malaysia orang-orang tidak ada yang pakai masker, begitu pula setelah saya sampai di bandara Soekarno Hatta, Jakarta. Indonesia juga masih belum ada menerapkan protokol kesehatan. Dan sekitar sore hari di seluruh China pada tanggal 22 Januari 2020 mulai melakukan protokol yang ketat. Sehingga membuat saya khawatir pada saat itu sampai 1 bulan saya merasa parno (masa inkubasi 14 hari), karena tidak ada pengecekan suhu tubuh pada saat saya ke airport. Begitu juga dengan di Jakarta baru menerapkan pengecekan suhu tubuh pada saat malam hari. Saya parno karena saya tidak mau membahayakan keluarga saya. Tapi untungnya saya bersih dari coronavirus.

Pada akhir bulan Maret 2020, ada berita China closed border, untuk mencegah penyebaran virus keluar atau masuknya virus baru ke China. Hanya orang yang memiliki working permit atau resident permit yang di buat setelah bulan Maret 2020 yang dapat masuk China. Dan karena protokolnya yang ketat dan masyarakatnya yang patuh pada pemerintah, China tidak membutuhkan waktu yang lama untuk mengembalikan perekonomiannya kembali seperti semula. Untuk Shanghai hanya membutuhkan waktu 1,5 – 2 bulan lockdown total. Tapi setelah itu orang-orang sudah mulai bisa kembali bekerja dan beraktivitas seperti biasanya.

Saya bersyukur sekali pada saat saya pulang Indonesia, saya membawa laptop kantor. Dan saya termasuk salah satu orang yang beruntung yang masih diperbolehkan bekerja dari rumah di saat pandemik. Saya stuck di Indonesia selama hampir sembilan bulan. Karena pada akhir-akhir Agustus 2020, China baru membuka border untuk orang Indonesia yang masih memiliki resident permit dan working permit yang masih aktif. Sungguh pengalaman yang tidak terlupakan untuk melakukan penerbangan selama pandemik ini, dimana saya harus juga melakukan karantina selama 14 hari di China dan di swab PCR 3 kali.

Traveling to Manila: Where I Stay and What I Eat?

Jeepney (Philippines’s Public Transportation)

Where I stay?

March 29, 2019, this is my first time came to Manila and also my first experienced for solo traveling. I’m so afraid when decided to do this trip because I searched for everything about countries that I want to visit. And I saw on the internet many peoples said Manila is not safe, many scams and etc. But this is wrong. The important thing is wherever you go, as long as you don’t wear something expensive and don’t go alone in the dark street late at night, it will be safe.

I’ve stayed in Manila for 3 days in Zen Rooms Vista Taft is located in the Malate district. This hotel is like a mini studio apartment where they provide microwave, tableware. There are also have a swimming pool, gym. The staff and security are nice and humble. The location of this hotel near De La Salle University. And surrounding many landmarks, such as the Cultural Centre of the Philippines, Rizal Park, Manila Ocean Park, Greenbelt Mall, and there is a cafe on the first floor and mini market. Many restaurants around this apartment too. The price isn’t too expensive but has an amazing view of the sea and you also can see the sunset from your room with the beautiful color of sky and light from the building, house, and car.

View from my hotel in Zen Rooms Vista Taft

Actually nothing much I did in Manila, it is like travel for food. Because I just want to relax and enjoy many delicious foods. And this is what I ate in Manila :

  1. Jollibee

I think many peoples know about Jollibee, one of franchise restaurant for fried chicken that originally from Philippines that have many branches in abroad. So I tried their crispy fried chicken and spaghetti with Philippines’s specialty banana ketchup. And yeah, their fried chicken is really so good and crispy. For spaghetti is so so for me, but still delicious. You need to try Jollibee if you go to the Philippines.

2. Fresh Seafood in Seaside Dampa or Market (Pasay City)

  • Banagan Fresh Seafood
  • Prawn Tempura
  • Crab with Garlic Chili Sauce
  • Sinigang

On my second day, my friends took me to go to eat seafood in Seaside Dampa. So many peoples sell seafood and the seafood are so fresh. So first we need to buy seafood and we bought prawn, crab, clam, and fish. After that, we choose which restaurant to help us to cook it. And we need to decide what sauce we want to use and how to cook it. For crab, we chose to cook it with garlic chili sauce, for prawn cook it for sinigang and tempura, clam chili sauce, and grilled fish. And everything is so delicious because the seafood is so fresh. Don’t forget to come here if you visit Manila and we spent PHP 4500 or like USD 90 for 3 persons.

3. Garlic Beef Tapa

This is one of my favorite food in Philippines and a popular breakfast dish here. Also known as tapsilog stands for tapa, sinangag at itlog. Tapa for beef tapa, sinangag for garlic fried rice, and itlog for egg. This is simple delicious savoury food, i really love it. You must try this if you come to Philippines. I tried it in one of restaurant in BGC area.

Weekend Market in Manila

If you want to have experience feel something local and international things at the same time in Manila. They have two street food market in here. You can find local dishes from the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and other countries and they also sell some organic food, art, bracelets, and many again. And they are not open on the same day.

The first is Salcedo market only open on Saturday from 7 am to 2 pm at Jaime Velasquez Park of Salcedo Village in Makati City, Manila. And the second is Legazpi market open on Sunday from 7 am to 2 pm at Legazpi Car Park in Makati City (New location at Herrera st. cor Legazpi and Salcedo, V.A. Rufino St, Legazpi Village, Makati).

And I only visit Legazpi Sunday Market when I came to Manila. And I bought Indonesian food here because a long time I didn’t eat it. And all food in this stall is so delicious, don’t forget to try this stall. This stall name is Warung Warung (their Instagram account is @warungwarungph). They have many 9 kinds of menu or paket that you can choose. I chose Paket 6 which you can get white rice, beef rendang, bakwan, jagung perkedel (corn fritters) and this is only P 115 which is very cheap to buy it in a foreign country with super delicious taste. And I also bought their chicken satay and their peanut sauce really good, thick and soft in the mouth. You will not regret it if you try it. This is not promotion, but really worth it to eat. And yes be careful with their chili, because so spicy if you can’t eat spicy.

Bonifacio Global City

Bonifacio Global City also known as BGC or Global City is a financial and modern district in Taguig, Metro Manila. Here you can see many retail outlets, restaurants, cafes, high tech offices, residential buildings, and pedestrian-friendly roads. I like this district because of so clean, feeling safer, and nice to walk or just sit in here. They also have many small booths in the middle of the pedestrian road, where you can see local design clothes, bracelets, street foods, beverages, etc.

  • BGC District

Travel Alone? Yaasss! Why not??

I don’t know why I suddenly took this decision to travel alone to go to 4 countries and 5 cities in South East Asia in Feb 2019. I took my laptop and make plan and budget to travel in the end of March 2019 until April 10, 2019. And this travel plan is travel for food.

After I made the plan, I suddenly feel afraid to go alone, especially I heard and read in the internet some of cities that I’ve visit not too safe. Even if my hometown is more dangerous than that country from polling in the some website, but I keep feel so nervous and can’t sleep well (too exaggerated, right?! hahaa). And the more I watched about thats place, the more I scared to go.

But this is one of my resolution in 2019, I want to do something new that I’ve never try it before, something that make my adrenaline up. I want to meet a lot of peoples around the world, learn a lot of characteristics of people, try a lot of foods from different country and their extreme food too, give myself me time, enjoy my life and to know myself more.

The routes started from Philippines, I just went to Manila in Philippines to meet my friends and explore the local foods. After that I went to Hanoi for 3 days, and then Chiang Mai only for 2 days and go to Bangkok took 13 hours overnight sleeper train (nice experience, first time tried it). And the last is Kuala Lumpur.

And this trip make me falling in love with traveling and want to do it a lot. I wish I can traveling around the world.