One Night in Jogja

I had a nice trip to Jogja last weekend. Actually, this trip should be done before the weekend, because I want to take advantage of Maulid holiday. But my unhealthy condition for about one week constrained the plan. The main purpose of this trip is to accompany my mother to visit Pesantren Nurul Ummah Kota Gede, where my little sister has been living for seven months.

As usual, we departed for Jogja at night, after Isya’. Last Thursday night, we left to Jogja at 08.40 pm. We had an exiting ride that night—as the trip on the way home too. We rode a new bus, serving for a recovered route: Sumenep-Jogja. But the driver, conductor and his assistant, were the new comer for this route.

We arrived at Jogja at 06.30 am. The street was crowded. I tried to join to the crowd on the city bus for a little while. The atmosphere of Jogja started to penetrate me. The conductor, passengers in the morning, and traffic.

I took a rest in my brother’s dormitory until noon. At 1.30 pm, I went out to the Ikapi Jogja Book Fair 2009. This event held at Jogja Expo Center. I tried to contact my friends to come with me to the Book Fair. But finally I went alone, because they had already had appointments with their friends.

Book hunting is always interesting for me. On the Book Fair, I seek through the stack of books, trying to find some cheap, unique, uncommon, and fascinating books—the books that I didn’t find them in the common bookstore. I went around the exhibition area for more than one hour, and I was frustrated because I just got one book on the Insist Press Publisher.

At last, I left the exhibition and went out to a new book store near UIN campus. Its name is Yusuf Agency. The store sells used and cheap books. This would be an interesting books-hunting. Among the dusty shelves, I was looking for a surprise. At last, I found a series of books about easy scientific experiments written by Janice Pratt VanCleave, a winner of Phil Delta Outstanding Teacher of the Year 1982. The books are about physics, biology, chemistry, astronomy, and geography. It seems that the books are especially designed for kids, but I think they are also suitable for junior or senior high school students. These books were enough to cure my weary day.

After dinner, I went out to my friend’s dormitory at Gowok. I spent the night there with my friends—one night in Jogja. Next day, Saturday, I went along with my mother and my brother to Pesantren Nurul Ummah Kota Gede. We were there until 11 am.

We left Jogja at 7 pm. One night in Jogja—it seems that it was a too short nostalgic trip. But I have to compromise on this. At least, I got something new on this trip—new experiences, new books.

During the way home, I really enjoyed the way of the driver handle the bus. He often overtook another vehicles in front us. It’s like a bus-racing. So, I didn’t sleep at the bus until we got near to Jombang.

On the way home, I wonder when I can make a satisfied memorable trip to Jogja. I am waiting for that moment. Always.