Sakura, I’m falling in love with you since we first met.

I was so excited for my spring trip to Japan with my friend, Fanseptiani. My departured flight was 11.30 pm via Garuda Indonesia. The flight was good after some hectic things happened during the flight, Fansep, you know what I mean :p After 7 hours flight, we arrived at Osaka around 8.30 a.m. local time. Felt so happy at that time. The cold wind welcome us and our tour guide Mr. Acong, Chinese Malaysian, greeted us warm good morning. The bus fetched us, then we started our first visit place. The Osaka Airport was at other island, that’s Japan dude, built airport on made-island. First place we visited was Osaka Castle Park, this place was stunning in the spring, beautiful sakura everywhere, just got an hour more to walk around here, took some photos. But unlucky thing happened, me and Fansep, got lost in this large park. We took around the park once again to find way back because no Japanese know English even we just asked for “parking bus”. We were late for half an hour and whole bus nagging. That was really unlucky thing for the first day with people you would spend time for a week ahead. Those aunties keep nagging and talking about our lost. Hello, auntie? We even didn’t mean to get lost, that’s because when we asked Japanese for the way, they told us wrong, we didn’t mean to be late. I just wanna scream that statement when they keep nagging, Thanks God, my mom isn’t talkative like those aunties haha. We really didn’t take care of those bla bla things. :p We had lunch at Chinese Restaurant which had so so taste, then we were dropped to hotel (Aka Namba Washington Hotel Plaza) for rest and free time. Across our hotel was Doutonburi Street and continued to Shinsaibashi which was hectic shopping street in Osaka. We ate till drop there, lots of street food at Doutonburi Street and we shopped lot of Japanese snack at the supermarket because it costed cheaper then tourist center :p First we tried octopus okonimiyaki 550 yen but the taste was damn good. Second, we ate the famous snow crab costed quite high couple bite of crabs for 700 yen. The next one, we tried the well known crispy shrimp burger at Lotteria for 290 yen, so cheap :p. Then we took around the street for sightseeing. Becuse of cold wind, we decided to have dinner at Yoshinoya. I ordered set of Salmon and beef teriyaki for 545 and Fansep ordered beef suki chili bowl for around the same price, cheaper than in Indo haha. Then, as said, there’s always room for dessert, we had dessert, chocolate ice cream parfrait for 640 yen at local coffee shop near Doutonburi Street. Then, we went to supermarket hunting for Japanese snack. When we were on our way back to hotel, we saw a local Osaka resto, can you guess, we continued to eat the unagi satays, duck satays, and several kinds of satays which was baked with olive oil. Osaka made us a little bit fat I think for the first day :p

I was here! Osakaaaa

Kenrouken Garden

Kiyomizu Temple

Sakura

@ Osaka Castle Park

Osaka Castle Park

OSAKAAAA

After the good morning greeting from Osaka, we continued to another town, Kyoto, via Shinkansen the most speedy train. Distance between Osaka and Kyoto is around 75 km and it took only 15 minutes. First visit was Kiyomizu Temple, the big and well known temple in Kyoto. We prayed and bought the amulets at that red temple. Along was to Kiyomizu area, we found small shops selling souvernirs and snacks both side of our way. But we prefered to take photos with the temple and sakura, sightseeing made our time up for shopping. But lucky me, I bough matcha ice cream cone to try and that’s yummy. I always love ice cream. We had lunch at local buffet restaurant, then went to Lake Biwa which was the largest lake and had a love sign :D Then we spent the night at Kanazawa, Kanazawa New Grand Hotel Annex. The hotel was good and they served delicious western food for dinner. After dinner, Fansep and me walked around the city,the shopping centers was closed at 8.00 pm, so we just had sightseeing of the city. The small city that had lots of branded shops like fendi, lv, salvatore, and others. Wow, Japan :D Before we went back to hotel, we bought hot green tea at Starbucks, the green tea was much better than Indo :D

The Shinkansen

Selfie with Sakura @ Kiyomizu Temple

Kiyommizu Temple

Konichiwa from Kanazawa! The first for today was Omicho Market, one of the famous fish market in Japan. I bought several ingredients here like seaweed, miso soup, and etc. :D The second we visited one of the largest garden in Japan called Kenrouken Garden, lots of sakura here and the atmosphere was awesome :D I tried sakura ice cream here, never forget ice cream on my trip, and we tried egg filled with octopus at street stand near the garden. After that, we continued our trip to Shirakawago,ancient Japanese house, one of the world heritage, UNESCO, this place was awesome and so damn beautiful. The view made me so speechless and lucky us, we had lunch at one of local resto here. We got beef miso traditional Japanese set for our lunch and the taste was damn delicious. After lunch, we moved to Takayama, small city, saw the castle town Takayama. We prayed at a  Buddhist temple here, thank you for the chance :D The last stop was Ramen house, we saw the process of making ramen and tried their homemade ramen. Of course I bought several packs :D We spent the night at Hei An Hotel, Yamanashi, which has traditional Japanese home, no springbed, just tatami for sleep and we tried onsen, the hot water bathe for tonight, felt so good.

Kenrouken Garden

Shirakawago Village

Morning from Yamanashi, today we gonna visit Mt. Fuji, the giant mountain in Japan. There’s saying, if you’re lucky enough to see Mt. Fuji clearly, you’ll have another chance back to Japan. #fingercrossed. The Mt. Fuji was seen so clearly from Lake Kawaguchi but I only had the chance till first step because of the landslide. When the Fuji erupted, it produced five lakes with the biggest one Lake Ashi, we took sight seeing cruise to see the view around Fuji and the lake. I had udon set for the lunch near Gotenba, hurray. We continued to Hakone Peace Park, peace for the world, the park was so beautiful of sakura and so peaceful of Buddha statues. I felt I was so lucky having the chance prayed here though we should take express praying ya Fan :p The last place was Gotemba Factory Outlet, the luxurious shopping center, shop till drop here :p We spent the dinner at 48th level in a resto at Tokyo. Cheers for Tokyo! As usual, after we being dropped at hotel, we continued to walk around the city, shopped several souvernirs at local supermarket and ended at local standing sushi bar, Uogashi Nihon Ichi, near Shinjuku Area. The sushi was so cheap accompanied with sake and we really ate while standing because it was so small, that’s what they called standing sushi bar. Fyi, 10 pieces of sashimi costed 1200 yen and for two pieces of sushi around 160 yen. At Tokyo, the people understand English more or maybe because wer’re near office area too :p But, no need to worry, if the waiter at resto knows you’re not local, they will give you menu which has pictures of the food. How can’t I fall in love with this country, so polite, so care, and so awesome. We stayed at Sunshine Prince Hotel tonight.

Standing Sushi Bar @ Tokyo

Ohayo from Tokyo! Before we left Tokyo, we visited Asakusa Temple, the most famous temple in Tokyo for praying of course then last stop shopping at Nakamisme Avenue. Before lunch time, we already arrived at Disney Sea, the place where your dream comes true. We skipped lunch, only ate a shrimp bun packed with Donald Duck plastic, so cute, costed 480 yen. We tried several games here, Storm of Rider, Town of Terror, Temple of the Crystal Skull-Indiana Jones Adventure, and of course saw the fantastic parade like Easter in New York and the most fantastic parade the Legend of Mythica showed at the large lake, the center of Disneysea, so cool. Last dinner in Japan we had at Hanamasa and we tried Kobe Beef which was highly cost, 200 gr Kobe beef for 10.000 yen. Wow! But it tasted so good :D anyway couldn’t try it at other country, so it’s worth. We spent last night near Narita Airport, Marroad International Narita Hotel.

I only used wifi in hotels to connect and share my photos during traveling. And for some shopping centers and cafe, I payed with my creditcard (visa), but for some street shops like souvernir shops around temple, they couldn’t receive payment via creditcard. Let me tell you, you should visit Japan, it’s an awesome country and I hope I can get another chance to visit other cities of Japan. The culture, people, view, technology, cleanliness, politeness, uniqueness, Japanese snack, Japanese food, cute things, oh how i miss you Japan J and the last for the awesome Sakuraaaaa.

Thank you for my traveling partner, Fanseptiani Wijaya, thanks for our time together, our lost, our culinary experiences, our shopping time, our adventour time, and everything. Let’s pray we’ll get another chance to be back to this beautiful country.

Sayonara Japan! See you in another chance!

PS :

You can see my photos on my instagram (@liviasalim) or my facebook Livia Salim (https://www.facebook.com/liviasalim97).

Feel free to ask me about Japan, happy to share with you all.

9th Month in 23rd

Holla dear! How do you do? Hope everything going well... There's not so much special things this month.

1st week i went to Borneo again for my audit task and 2nd week I did my report. The 3rd week I had another task to do and preparing my business plan. I went to Bandung and felt the terrible traffic jam during the weekend and was so tired. I 'm feeling not delicious. The last week of this month i'm going to spend for my Japan trip, hope I'm getting well very soon for the spring trip. Can't waittttt. Finally fear, another dream comes true. Then, i gonna have some counting down ahead that make me so much excited. Two trips ahead in next month. 

Sure, i gonna share to you the cheery blossom trip and hope the sakura stil blooming because the full blossom was on last weekend. #fingercrossed. So, I guess you gotta wish me have a nice and wonderful trip. I'm excited to go and back because another counting is coming.

Hello April! Surprise me.

Cheers to LDR!

Hey, dear, this time gonna share things about long distance relationship. There’s a famous quote:

“Distance means nothing, when someone means everything.”

These recent years, I have a lot of long distance relationships with my beloved people. Actually, when I was in primary school, I had some pen friends from other cities. Oh, I came from North Sumatera, but got some friends from Kalimantan and Java, I made friends through national magazine for primary schools. So, I’m just of someone who can express my feeling through writing like now what I’m doing to you. But it’s just for fun or hobby, I thought at that time, till I felt the real long distance when I moved from Medan to Bandung for my bachelor degree. I just felt alone far from my hometown with all those new people, new environment, everything just changed in my life, it’s just like I had a new life and my life really started at that point I left my hometown with all my beloved people, friends, memories and moments. But, there’s one thing for sure will be always on my mind and heart, the place I call “home” is always there, that’s the only thing never change. Lovely bed in my lovely room can never be compared with any kind of comfortable beds in this world, homecooking from my mom can never be compared with any kind of food in famous restaurants made by famous chefs, messy things, sharing moments, having time together, those things can be compared with nothing, and I realize, it’s always be my family and home. For me, home is where my family come from. After 3,5 years I stayed at Bandung with all those ups and downs, then I moved again to Jakarta. The same feeling happened, everything changed again and it’s just I started everything alone from zero, welcomed myself to a very real life, where I ought to work and earn for my life. It’s like de javu, new people, new environment, and new condition, that I wanted or not, I must walked through them.

And from one place to another place, I get to know people and left them, so keeping long distance friendships with them,lots of hello and goodbye, people come and go, I’ve ever felt them all. It’s somehow hurt but also precious moments to be remembered. Those kind of memories, good or bad, those all color my life. Nowadays, there’re lot of medias and social medias to keep in touch with our beloved people, so I think that’s not that hard in maintaining long distance relationships.

One critical point of long distance relationship is the moments. In long distance, I really appreciate the moments, spending time with your beloved people is really precious and I can’t get that every spending time I want, so I highly appreciate that never enough time. Being with people and having limited time with them is really precious.

The other point of long distance is missing. I gonna miss them everyday and counting down till I meet them. It’s really make me excited when day by day down, night by night passed, and morning by morning came.That feeling support me day by day, because one night down, one morning come, it means a little closer till the day I meet them again. That miss will always be in my mind and heart.

The next point is little fight. It will be little flight between me and them. It’s because the meeting time is limited, so we gonna spend it lovely not with unimportant fights, and we gonna accept that long time no meet, there’s some changes for sure, that we miss in absence meetings, so we prepare well for the changes and can accept more the way they are.

The surprise is something make your feeling blossom. It means someone far away there still remember your special day, your special occasion,or maybe just random gift to cheer up your bad days. It feels like maybe they’re not physically beside you but I’m always in their mind and heart.

Through all those long distance relationships with my beloved people that I can maintain till now, there’re lot of them I’ve ever failed because of the distance. But for me, that’s not really matters. Because, when someone is important to you, distance doesn’t matter. What matters are trust, faith, communication, understanding and commitment between us.

So, thank you to all of you my long distance parents and beloved people. Thank you for keeping in touch with me. The long distance relationships are never easy and not all people can do it, but I’m sure when we all can go through it, we can highly appreciate our people, moments, memories, because they are precious, priceless, and limited.

Cheers to all long distance relationships! :)

ladies need to be assured of her position in your life

Guys, just showing ACTION is not enough. Don’t think that you can always getaway with “action speaks louder than words” because sometimes words are what they need to hear. I think that the ladies need to be assured of her position in your life. And you need to tell her that you love her. I believe that every time you tell her just how much you love her, it’s like a printing a tattoo on her heart. It will stay in her life forever. 

8th Month in 23rd

Hoollaaa dear! 

This month I'm writing faster than usual because I gonna be busy till 2 weeks ahead. Actually this month, not so much things I had to say to you... For the first week of this month, I had an audit task again, 4 days left Jakarta and so much busy with the task, for sure less sleep. Anyway, Happy Valentine Day dear :* xoxo. This year I spent another year of this love day alone again without any spouse I mean but never mind, I had dinner with teammates and auditee, a delicious seafood dinner for last night there and maybe cheer my Valentine night too LoL.

The weather was terrible, there was smoke everywhere because of forest fire so the flights delayed for my departure and worse because the eruption, so my flight back to Jakarta delayed for 5 hours. During that time, we enjoyed lunch at the riverside, not so much things to see in the small city.

Back on Saturday, the airport traffic was not so hectic, and I met my bestie who waited me for hours. I did apologize and had nothing to do. We went to Central Park mall to have dinner, took photo with Teddy Bear Valentine decoration then went back to my place. When I arrived, I saw that box sent by someone as Valentine gift, I was so surprised and had no idea because that gift sent from my hometown. So much thankie to my bestie who helped for this liltte surprise. Tired but yet happy to get the late Valentine gift which I ever wanted.

The second and third week was usual busy weeks at office with the reports and after office hours I went to the fitness center. Anyway, my weight is constant when I got reassessment last Thursday, not even less 0,1 kg but muscle more and less fat, not so bad right? Haha... The third week, my body was not delicious so I should take a rest for gathering power, I gonna have out town task for 10 days and hope my plan for Japan trip going well because till now still not sure because of the quota. #fingercrossed. Okay, dear see you ahead.

How do you think me with the glasses?

Another raining moment

It's raining now and I'm lazy going out to have a lunch so end up with delivery order and turn on my lappie, writing and talking to you dear. The raining moments are part of some sweet things happened to me. Two raining moments together with someone special there.

Hmm... what should I tell you... These recent three months I enjoy some kind of feeling similar to happy, so it's a positive one, dear. There are so much things I gonna share to you, but sometimes there are something we just can keep them by ourselves. Sharing to you is the best thing to express all my emotions but having those things are also one of the best decision in my life. It's not I'm different now and become closer, but sometimes the one who read this from you have their own perception which out of my control and can't respect what they've read just for reading hobby not gossip or others. I'm not saying they're wrong. As I don't want others know, i just don't write down this to you, but some habits make me still write everything of me for you, so I can't say others wrong, I just can say I can't stand not sharing to you.

When we first met, I had no idea you would be so important to me.

Dear You There,

Yeah, that new person came into my life in most unexpected way. Though my mom gave me the sign through that way but still I never believe that's the way till I met you and I believe again, my mom really has that six sense thing. Through years I have practiced to see someone from their character, not their performance. None say this is an easy thing to do, because we all look someone by our eyes, but I can keep improve them through the practices. So, first meeting with you, I tried to read the character of yours, and that click came, I could accept that quick analysis character, so we went on the second meeting which you made it in perfect way and became one of the most beautiful thing in my life, what I thought at that time, I was afraid to fall for you and gambled again with the weak part of mine called heart. Then, the third meeting was a very surprise ever for me. I knew it's a coincidence but still something new experience that most of old times I always avoid but in the third meeting, I did it. I didn't know how I was thinking at that time till I did it. Then within the distance, you just knew how to get in me. The next meeting both of us knew, this not the kind of feeling about two new friends meeting, it's different, and hell yeah you proved it was so different express experience I've ever had before and again I had to gamble this feeling, but I'd chosen not to fall but for being in. Being in with you together through our long journey ahead. 

Remember the song "Before I Fall in Love" dear? It's my most favorite song.

I'd give my everything just to hear you say, someone to have and hold with all my heart and soul, I need to know before I fall in love, someone who stay around through all my ups and downs, I need to know before I fall in love.

You told me, "not all things came fast, ended fast" and at that time I was just not sure about that statement till I read this quote and you kept convincing me.

Sometimes you meet a person and you just click-you're comfortable with them, like you've known them your whole life, and you don't have to pretend to be anyone or anything.

You often tell me that everyone want to be appreciated, complimented, and pleased, so you often do those things to me and make me more melting to you. The care, patience, and affection, I know that's all for me, and I'm gonna take it dear and have a responsibility of them. Again and again, through the times till now, I still say...

I'm not a perfect girl, but I'll try my best as you promise to stay.

We both ever failed and being hurt so we know well how that hurt feeling broke us and how those beloved people had the power to make us into pieces. So, this time, we take a walk together and hope none of us break each other and stay no matter what going ahead. It's not matter of the distance, but the commitment, faith, and trust that bring us way back together. :) Both of us know clearly, we're different and can't be perfect to each other, but we both try our best and commit to take the path together. It's more than enough for a good start. 

I'd like to thank you for accepting all my flaws, showing me I'm worth and precious, becoming a good partner, staying through my good and bad moods, worrying my loneliness, caring through little stupid things I do, having patience in handling spoiled, saying random surprise statement in the calls, sweet complimenting, missing me and keep counting down through our next meeting. I can't wait to see you, dear. 

7th Month in 23rd

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese New Year dear! Let's make this year to be mine, yeah this year is Horse Year which is my chinese zodiac and this year I'm getting 25th.

Flash back to my first week of the month, there're beautiful moments with someone special far away, thank you for making me special and precious, you know who you are. Since the distance between us, hope to see you soon. Those several days being with you were great moments. 

Then I got my beib coming from Bali, yuhuu, but poor her, it was flood, the annual flood as usual. But we still had good time bein, always happy. Move to the third week, one of my colleague getting married, happy for her, entering new life with her husband. I went to Bandung for the wedding party and had a gathering with my college friends, long time no see the girls. Before went back, i had time to meet my business partner, hope can begin soon.

The last week, let's say can be the beginning of something big, if everything going well. I celebrated my chinese new year at makassar. Yeah, last minute surprise from someone. I was unlucky, got delayed flight for 6 hours without any clear announcement and finally the plane took me meeting someone who was waiting for hours. Just slept for 3 hours and got ready for the new year celebration. It's all worth dear. Tired feelings flied away when you were around lovely people, new family. I got new people for new year. Got time to go around and tried the heaven culinary of the town. 4 days less moved so fast and that distance came again.

Airport see more sincere kisses than wedding halls.

Now I'm missing memories being among them, the love of apho, the care of them and the warmth of you.

See you when I see you all again.