efisiensi berkereta

kereta api masih jadi alternatif kendaraan saya dari bandung ke jakarta, terutama pada long weekend kemarin, dimana hampir semua shuttle already fully booked sedangkan mencapai terminal leuwi panjang memakan waktu lebih lama dan harus melewati beberapa titik kemacetan. dengan biaya yang sama dengan karcis bus bandung-lebak bulus, saya peroleh tiket argo gede plus mendapatkan snack kotak berupa roti dan air minum. waktu tempuh bandung jakarta juga tidak jauh berbeda pada kisaran 3 jam. ketika kereta berhenti di jatinegara, pada pukul 21:30 saya memikirkan alternatif kendaraan: taxi dari jatinegara, busway, KRD atau KRL.

oxford circus di akhir pekan

rencananya mau ketemu asim lagi di london, tetapi ia tidak pernah membalas smsku. akhirnya akupun turun di stasiun Piccadily Circus, kemudian mengambil gambar patung eros dan gedung-gedung di sekitarnya. lalu aku menuju Oxford Circus dan berjalan-jalan di sepanjang pertokoan yang menjual suvenir-suvenir london dan city of westminster dengan harga banting. sayang sekali, aku sedang tidak berniat untuk berbelanja. kunikmati perjalanan dengan double decker yang terhambat di tengah kemacetan karena ramainya orang-orang memenuhi sepanjang jalan oxford circus.

waktu berlalu, kulihat matahari mulai redup, karena tak kutemukan masjid di sekitarnya, kuambil jalur ke Baker Street dan kulangkahkan kaki menuju London Central Mosque. kutunaikan jamak zuhrain beberapa menit menjelang magrib. kusempatkan berjamaah salat magrib dengan muslim yang lain lalu kulanjutkan dengan salat isya. setelah puas menikmati suasana masjid, kuambil double decker nomor 94 yang mengantarku kembali ke stasiun Oxford Circus. dari lantai atas bus tingkat itu kurasakan keramaian malam akhir pekan sepanjang jalan Oxford Circus.

semua orang tumpah ruah meramaikan saat-saat menjelang natal dan tahun baru yang tentu saja banyak sale. tak jauh beda dengan suasana menjelang lebaran di pusat-pusat perbelanjaan di jakarta. ah, sudah malam, kularikan diriku menuju london heathrow terminal 4. lebih baik menunggu di airport daripada terlambat. benar saja, aku datang 3 jam terlalu awal.

melalui screening, pertama kalinya aku diminta lewat fast track, melalui bilik tersendiri dengan melakukan 3 posisi screening. kubaca papan petunjuk ada multifaith prayer room, kulangkahkan kaki ke sana, ada shower room. kusempatkan menyegarkan badan dan mengganti sebagian pakaian yang sudah kotor. lalu kuambil salat sunnah dua rakaat di ruang doa multi keimanan itu.

masih lama menunggu di london heathrow, cuci mata di duty free shop, yang mahal-mahal harganya daripada di oxford circus. lalu duduk mencari tempat, mengeluarkan 3 poundsterling buat mendapat akses wi-fi untuk mengeposkan tulisan ini

it’s london, then…

when i came to london on Dec 2nd, 2007 the weather is about 5C and i feel so cold just the time the tube arrived at upton park station. padahal selama di airport hingga naik tube, i didn’t feel so cold before. plus, the day was rainy, so the cold makin tambah lah. mampir di rumah asim for breakfast and mandi. guess that i couldn’t get the temperature. so mandi saat itu adalah wrong time. but i had to, because my long journey sejak saturday afternoon until monday morning (actually, if arriving london at 5 am, means 12 pm in jakarta), boleh dikira tak segar jika tak bathing.

asim then took me to a pakistani restaurant to have our lunch, makan donner turki yang subhanallah, mantap kenyangnya! then catch the tube to whitechapel and took join prayer for zuhr and asr. because asim was called by his motherfor shopping, he only accompany me till i get the piccadily line straight to heathrow. what a short day in london, between rain and shine. gak sempat mampir oxford circus, maybe next time.

it was dark in heathrow when waiting for boarding to canada. i join the prayer for magrib and isha before board the plane. it was an 8 hours journey to vancouver, must have enough rest to get fresh when arrived.

get lost in london

i don’t think someone will getting lost in london, as the city is very informative and easy to be traveled [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/default.aspx]. when you finished for border and luggage things in Heathrow, to go to london city is just hop on tube, it’s LRT. with Piccadily line from Heathrow terminal 1,2, 3 and 4 we can reach the city of london only in 45 minutes.

as the transport fare is expensive, travelers are suggested to buy travelcard or oyster card so that you can freely hop on and off every bus, tube and tram without paying ticket anymore. and if you’re in something don’t know where to go, you can ask the officers, they will help you to find the best direction. so get lost in london? why not?

get in travel in london

going anywhere in london is easy, that’s what the underground offer you. by a travelcard, you dont have to buy ticket everytime you take the tube train or bus. you can take Day Travelcard, 3 Days Travelcard, 1 Week Travelcard, or Oyster Travelcard for you who stay in London. But the fares will be different for each zone. But still, it makes easy to getting around london.

Mas Asep had took andi to Temple station and show him some interesting places to visit. then Andi went to Westminster sta to get closer to Bigben Clock and Parliament Building. Andi could also saw the wheel from Westminster Bridge.

For taking his Asr prayer, Andi went to London Central Mosque which is near Regent’s Park. He also had his dinner in the restaurant under the mosque. Then Andi went back to Baker Street Station by bus. Andi back to Willesden Green and had his Magrib prayer in Central Mosque of Brent, a Pakistani’s mosque.

Andi likes to go to the mosque. Anywhere he goes, he always try to find mosque nearby.

 

reporting for bbc london :)

this morning, andi woke up late. yesterday was a busy day and so tired. went to Indonesian embassy for a sign in report by tube jubilee train from willesden green to bond street. andi purchased a 3 day Travelcard for his convenient travel around london zone 1 & 2 for only £16. cheaper than he buy ticket for every train.

at the embassy meet wahyu, an indonesian who work as a house helper. he has a thai wife, they met and married in london. but his wife now works in germany. many stories from him while had lunch in embassy’s canteen. but we have short of time because today is friday. andi went with some embassy worker to egypt embassy which held jumaa prayer. because of late coming, andi with some people who also late, should waiting outside the room, and conduct the prayer outside.

after prayer, andi went to bbc indonesia by tube central train stop at holborn station, to meet mas asep setiawan. and this report was written from bbc, by mas asep account. thanks mas.

 

long night flight

continuing andi’s previous post he catch up the gate just before closing. only 40 minutes in changi you can’t do many thing. even can’t andi use the invitation of silver kriss lounge. the flight took about 15 hours from singapore to london heathrow. was a very long night flight.

andi arrived at heathrow early in the morning, so the terminal was not so busy. on the exit gate andi was picked up by taxi straight to bournemouth. after clean up, andi take a walk around the town centre.

meet an indonesian lady named ibu Haryati, she is the wife of an indonesian employee who works for BP. she took andi walk around the city, to the sandbank of bournemouth, and walk on pedestrian on commercial road. andi remember malioboro in jogja. walk on the garden.

andi also came to bournemouth islamic centre and central mosque located on st stephens road. not far from commercial road. after all day, andi wishes to have a pleasant rest tonight.