Mangrove and Lamaru beach, 2nd week trip in Balikpapan ~

   Dua minggu sudah aku hidup di Balikpapan, dari yang awalnya ngenes, ngeluh mahal, sekarang mulai betah dan bisa memilah barang mana yang dibeli di sini, mana yang bisa dibeli nanti kalo pulang ke Jawa (perhitungan dikit gapapa ya) dan mana yang ga perlu. Biaya hidup di Balikpapan memang tinggi dan gaya hidup di sini kebanyakan konsumtif, harus mulai atur strategi apalagi status gaji masih gaji anak magang yang cuma dapat uang tali kasih sekian rupiah sambil nunggu rapelan yang belum kunjung datang.

   Two weeks I’ve ben living in Balikpapan, suffering at first, shock for the lifecost here, now I start to love being here and wise about buying things which to buy here, which to buy in Java (sorry for fastening my seatbelt). Lifecost in Balikpapan is extremely high and most of people lifestyle here is consumptive. I should have strategy since my salary is still under level while waiting for the full payment that hasn’t come yet.

   Kerja di kubikel sempit, bergaul dengan kertas, mesin fotocopi, printer dan dokumen bisa membuat hidup berantakan bila tak pintar mengatur waktu luang. Alhamdulillahnya dua minggu di sini, dua weekend pula bisa jalan – jalan, dan gratisan kekeke. Sabtu ini, rencana touring motoran sepertinya batal karena motor kurang dan faktor kondisi medan jalan yang jauh. Untungnya mbak Resti diajak temennya dan disuruh ngajak cewek buat ngramein acara jalan orang Kanwil ke Sungai Wain. Ternyata itu kawasan hutan lindung yang lumayan terkenal. Akhirnya ke Kalimantan juga (baca masuk hutan). Di kawasan hutan lindung Sungai Wain ini pernah ada kejadian menggegerkan setelah ada seorang nenek dimakan buaya dan ada juga bule nyasar setelah seminggu mengeksplor hutan tanpa pemandu. Serem banget.

   Working in a small cubicle, being around paper, fotocopy machine, printer and documents can drive me crazy If I don’t organize my spare time well. Alhamdulillah two weeks staying here, these two times I got chances to have free trips kekeke. This Saturday, motorcycle touring that had been planned being cancelled due to transportation reason and the track that’s not friendly for motor users. Lucky me, Mbak Resti was invited by her friend to join a trip to accompany Kanwil buddies go to Sungai Wain and I can join. This forest is famous and finally I am entering Borneo (go to forest). In the area, once there was a granny being eaten by crocodile and there was a foreigner who lost the way for whole week while exploring the forest alone. How scary!

 

   Sabtu pagi setelah akhirnya jelas bakal jalan, kami bertujuh, tiga orang kasi kantor sebelah, mas Banu, mbak Resti, aku dan Arum berangkat ke Sungai Wain. Jalannya lumayan keriting bergelombang, katanya sih karena kontur tanah di sini labil jadi mesti jalan pelan – pelan. Sampailah kami ke Sungai Wain setelah jalanan mulai dekat hutan. Sayangnya kami ketinggalan guide yang memandu kelompok sebelum kami datang, satu guide sedang off dan satu lainnya memandu rombongan bule. Cuma sempat foto di depan gerbangnya dan kami ganti tujuan pada akhirnya. Daripada nekat mengeksplore hutan tanpa pemandu, bahaya juga kalo ketemu buaya, monyet liar atau ular bisa diserang kan berabe juga. Kami mampir ke soto lamongan dan memutar balik arah ke hutan mangrove.

   Saturday morning finally we are having trip, seven in total, three chiefs, mas Banu, mbak Resti, me and Arum go to Sungai Wain. The roads are pretty unstable and wavy, people said it’s because the contur  and we have lower our speed. Here we are arrive in Sungai Wain after reaching the forest. Unfortunately we are one step later after the guide takes another group to the forest, another guide is off and one left is taking the foreigners group. Just take photo in front of the gate and we change the destination after that. We don’t wanna be eaten by crocodile if going there carelessly. Stop to eat at Soto lamongan then change direction to mangrove forest.

Yeaay! Tak ada hutan lindung, hutan mangrove pun jadi. Untuk bisa ke sini kita harus buat janji dulu karena jumlah perahu  boat yang terbatas. Alhamdulillahnya kami kebagian bisa datang ke sini. Naik ke boatlah kami setelah beres mengenakan pelampung. Sepanjang kanan kiri sungai yang berarus tenang kami melihat pohon – pohon mangrove di sini tumbuh dengan bebas, dan di sini lumayan terjaga asri, tak terlihat banyak sampah mengapung sepanjang jalur. Cuaca sedikit berawan, lumayan lah daripada terang benderang kulit ini semakin sunkissed aja. Dari pinggiran sungai terlihat bekantan berlarian dan memanjat pohon satu ke yang lainnya. Mampir ke warung kopi setelah sampai daratan lagi, foto – foto juga sih.

Yeaay! No forest, there’s mangrove area. We have to make appointment before coming here due to the limited boat we can use. Alhamdulillah we are in! Jump off to the boat after wearing the lifejacket. Along the riverside we can see how mangrove grow freely and the place is quite natural, no garbage being threw away. The weather is a bit cloudy, lucky us we don’t really get our skin sunkissed. Look at the riverside and see how bekantan (monkey) run and climb one to another trees. Having a cup of coffee after coming back, taking pictures too.

Pulang sebelum ashar, lumayan bisa tidur siang. See you in another trip ~

Going home before ashar, take a nap ~ See you in another trip

Minggu/ Sunday

 

Bangun kesiangan, jogging tetep harus dilakukan lah ya. Udara pagi, suasana Dome yang ramai orang senam, jalan, lari atau sepedaan lumayan menghibur Minggu pagi. Siang atau sore aku, mbak Res, Arum, Icang dan Udik (sebut saja begitu) rencananya bakal ke vihara berburu spot foto bagus dan ternyata ada tawaran jalan ke pantai Lamaru berburu sunset.

Waking up late, jogging is a must do thing. Morning air, Dome’s atmosphere crowded by people who do the gymnastic, walking around, run, or ride the bicycle gives a moodboost in Sunday morning to me. This afternoon, me, mbak Rest, Icang and Udik (not the real name) have a plan to go to vihara hunting for photo spot. And here it comes the offering to go to Lamaru.

Bersembilanlah kami (berlima tadi plus Oliv, Andika dan Ismul) akhirnya jalan ke pantai naik mobil Oliv.  Pantai Lamaru memang tak sebiru pantai di pulau jawa tapi suasana di sini asik dan bersih, deretan pohon rapi dan menyenangkan untuk dilihat (mbayarnya juga lumayan sih). Sebentar saja kami main air dan foto – foto, ngorek – ngorek sarang kepiting dengan isengnya, maen pasir, dan pulang sebelum gelap sambil karaokean di mobil. Sebenarnya pengen lama – lama, pengen maen air basah – basah tapi waktu mepet . Well, that’s how my weekend ends. 

   
Nine of us (us five plus Oliv, Andika and Ismul) finally go to Lamaru beach for hunting sunset using Oliv’s car. Lamaru beach is not as blue as beaches in Java land but the mood here is good and clean, tidy trees and wellplanted ( the ticket price is also higher). We don’t stay long playing around, just several minutes to play, take pictures, digging the hole, play the sand and go hoe before it’s getting darker while singing along the way home. Actually, we still wanna spend time longer there, get wet, but the time we have is not long enough. Well, that’s how my weekend ends.

Living in Balikpapan, so far so good.. Let’s seek another chance to have a trip :D

Anggi R. Dewi