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A few months ago Ibu Etty, my neighbour asked me to accompany her on a tour to Europe. All expenses are paid, hotel, airfare, three meals a day and city tours. It sounded like winning a lottery, so I immedately said yes. Ibu Etty sells cars and for selling a certain amount of cars each year she is awarded two all expenses paid tour to the destination of her choice. So Ibu Etty has been to the States, Japan China and even to Russia, but this year she wanted to go to Europe again, because the last time she was there she had seen a diamond ring and still regret not to have bought it and wanted to try to buy it this time. Another friend advised me not to go. "You'll be exhausted when you come back," she said. Every night it is packing and the next day you are on the move again to the next destination. And the food! Terrible! No such a holiday is too stressful for her. But I was determined to try out a tour with Ibu Etty.
Before the tour started, the participants were invited for a seminar, where they discussed the places to visit. A vote was cast and the majority voted for shopping malls or at least department stores. Sightseeing is fine, they had said, after all they must have seen the Eiffeltower or the Great wall and must be able to show photos of themselves standing on the Red Square or under the Big Ben. But visiting museums? Oh well, crown jewels are OK, but who cares about all the mummies and paintings? Nude paintings just make the people giggle and the Mona Lisa is not as beautiful as Madonna. But shopping is always interesting, especially when everybody at home expect to get an oleh-oleh. (a present)
Right from the start one could feel that this is going to be different kind of tour. When a delay of two hours was announced, nobody complained, peanuts and potato crackers were handed out and everybody was happy with the nyemil. (snack) When another two hours delay was announced, nasi bungkus (complete meals in a parcel) were handed out and all the members enjoyed the home cooking and the airline meal was skipped.
During the trips in Europe only Asian restaurants, that is Chinese, Indonesian or Vietnamese, were visited. If the taste was not right: No problem! bottles of sambal and acar come out of all the bags and the bland food becomes spicy and refreshing. To prepare breakfast some members have brought cooking utensils and instant noodles and can serve them up in a few minutes, complete with abon (shredded meat) on top.
There was always a happy atmosphere and not a dull moment. We can hear the cracking of peanuts and shrimp or potato crackers all the time, like at home. But best of all is when during the long bus trips to a sight seeing site, somebody pulls your sleeve and offer you rujak (fruits with a hot-sweet sauce) or pickled fruit. Oh! they were so refreshing in that sweltry weather.
But of course nothing can beat that experience one night when the fire alarm went off. My roommate and I quickly dressed and left our room. But when we were in the corridor, we saw people laughing and having fun. Our neighbor was soaking wet. The manager came out of the room shaking his head and disappeared.
What happened? Our neighbor was still laughing heartily when she told the story: "Well, we wanted to have salted fish with our instant noodles tomorrow morning and we just fried them in the room without opening the windows. Instantly the smoke detector started sprinkling water and we were soaking wet. The fire alarm also went off, because they thought, there was a fire! Oh, was that manager mad!"
We all laughed with her and the next morning we were all invited to try the fried fish. A bit wet, but it still tasted good. I am now waiting for the next trip with Ibu Etty. Wherever she is going to take me, it will allways be home away from home......
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