pakbrian78

Update on Arrangements Leave a comment
Hello everyone,

I have posted an updated program below with notes attached on a variety of admin issues and providing information in general. I’m writing these as though you are all first time travellers so if the information is not needed by you individually – scan it and get any information that may be helpful.

We now have- Airfares booked
Accommodation booked
Language learning arrnagements underway

Things that should be happening or issues to consider:

Passports should have been checked for validity or the process of getting a passport well underway.
Those who have pasports please photocopy the information/photo page and send a copy to school.
Innoculations should have been considered- read internet travel advice and consult doctor.
Please start the process of arranging for a debit card for each student so they can access money in Indonesia through ATM’s. It will need to be Visa. Tests need to be made in Australia to make sure the process works.
Most students should have received their travel insurance in the mail. Please photocopy the policy page in the booklet and send to school so I have a record.
Is there anybody on medication that we will need a doctor’s letter to carry internationally?
Consider how students are going to carry their money and cards safely- eg money belt, pouch etc
Consider the luggage that will be used- it needs to be easily moved so needs good wheels. Your backpack on the plane cannot weigh more than 7 kilos and there is a size limit.
Start thinking about how you are going to get to Melb on Sunday the 25th of Sept. We may be able to share transport.

That’s enough for the moment. hope your holiday is restful.
Posted July 10, 2011 by pakbrian78 in Uncategorized — Edit

Hello everyone,

I have posted an updated program below with notes attached on a variety of admin issues and providing information in general. I’m writing these as though you are all first time travellers so if the information is not needed by you individually – scan it and get any information that may be helpful.

We now have- Airfares booked
Accommodation booked
Language learning arrnagements underway

Things that should be happening or issues to consider:

Passports should have been checked for validity or the process of getting a passport well underway.
Those who have pasports please photocopy the information/photo page and send a copy to school.
Innoculations should have been considered- read internet travel advice and consult doctor.
Please start the process of arranging for a debit card for each student so they can access money in Indonesia through ATM’s. It will need to be Visa. Tests need to be made in Australia to make sure the process works.
Most students should have received their travel insurance in the mail. Please photocopy the policy page in the booklet and send to school so I have a record.
Is there anybody on medication that we will need a doctor’s letter to carry internationally?
Consider how students are going to carry their money and cards safely- eg money belt, pouch etc
Consider the luggage that will be used- it needs to be easily moved so needs good wheels. Your backpack on the plane cannot weigh more than 7 kilos and there is a size limit.
Start thinking about how you are going to get to Melb on Sunday the 25th of Sept. We may be able to share transport.

That’s enough for the moment. hope your holiday is restful.

Cathedral Indonesian Trip – Sept-Oct 2011
Sept 26th to Oct 12th
Day/ Date Program

Sunday the 25th Sept 2011 Travel to Melbourne to arrive no later than about 9.30pm. Check in should really be completed 2 hours before departure. We would be best to check in together.

Monday the 26th of Sept AirAsia flight to Kuala Lumpur departs Tullamarine.
7.00am Malaysian time we land at KL LCC Terminal which is located about an hour’s drive from KL Central. There is a bus that costs about $5 each. Depending on where we are staying we might organise our own transport. Three times the cost but would take us directly to our hotel.
Transfer to Maytower Hotel.
About 9.30am arrive at hotel. Hotel may not let us have our rooms until about midday. 2pm is official check –in time. Another choice could be to pay more money and get room or we could explore a bit of KL while we wait.

Rest of the day available to explore central KL. Some shopping , get used to being in Asia, perhaps some late afternoon resting and Dinner out near the hotel. The hotel has a pool.

Tuesday the 27th of Sept Very early morning wake up call for transfer back to the LCC. We have to be there by 5am for a 7am flight to Yogyakarta. Leave the hotel at 3.45am.
7.00am Depart KL for Kuala Lumpur on AirAsia Flight.

8.30am Indonesian time arrival in Yogyakarta after about a 2 and a quarter hour flight. You can buy breakfast at the airport or on the plane.

We must clear Immigration and Customs and purchase our Indonesian Visa on arrival. Visa cost is US$25 and can be paid in Australian dollars. Must have cash for this. Suggest smaller notes as they give a poor exchange rate.

Transport organised to Duta Guesthouse Hotel Yogyakarta. Unfortunately the Duta Garden Hotel was booked out so we are booked in nearby. Immediate access to rooms. Time to settle in and then rest of day at leisure and/or a becak tour of central Yogya for orientation.

Wednesday the 28th Sept Early morning Breakfast at Hotel. ( Included in Tariff) Then organised transport for Brian and students to Alam Bahasa Language school for an 8.00am start. Four hours of lessons with a half hour break in the middle. Lessons finish at 12.Organised transport back to hotel.

Thursday the 29th of Sept 2nd Study day

Friday the 30th of Sept 3rd Study day
Saturday the 1st of Oct 4th Study day

Sunday the 2nd of Oct Study Free day

Monday the 3rd of Oct 5th and last Study day

Tuesday the 4th of Oct Rest Day

Wednesday the 5th Oct Train to Surabaya – Will try for earlier train. If not train leaves at about 4. Home stay accommodation

Thursday the 6th of Oct Surabaya – Program here organised by Sister school with our input

Friday the 7th of Oct Surabaya

Saturday the 8th of Oct Surabaya – Depart for KL leaving at about 6.30pm – arrive in KL late – Transfer to Maytower Hotel for a 3 night stay.

Sunday the 9th of Oct KL- easy morning then play tourist. We have the option of the geton-get off bus which continuously tours the popular spots.

Monday the 10th Oct KL – Play tourist, relax or a full day tour to Melaka, the old Portuguese colony. This option would require a lot of time on a bus.

Tuesday the 11th of Oct KL- Last minute tourist activities and early evening transfer to LCC airport . Late night departure ( 10.30pm) for Melb.

Wednesday the 12th of Oct Approx. 9.20am arrival at Tullamarine.

Tourist activities in Yogya
These activities slotted in afternoons or on Sunday and rest day. Visit Borobodur – at least half a day
Visit Prambanan – at least half a day
Visit Kraton ( Palace) – 2 hours
Visit Kota Gede ( Silver town)- 2 Hours
Visit Parantritis ( Beach) 3-4 hours
Visit Bird Market and old Palace – 3 hours
Possible trip to Dieng Plateau- all day (long)
Day trip to Solo ( All day)
Possible visit to SMP/SMA ( Schools)

Costs

Airfares already paid.
Study costs paid from LOTE Grant
Travel Insurance paid from LOTE Fundraising
Transfers hopefully paid for from AEF Grant
Students pay own accommodation costs.
Students pay own meals costs.
Students need own spending money.
Accommodation and most meals in Surabaya will be relatively free if homestay.
Maytower Hotel in KL is approx $55 a room on the way over ( no breakfast) and $70 a room on the way back. I have booked better rooms for the three nights. Those sharing a room can halve the cost.
Duta Guesthouse Hotel in Yogya is about $37 a night for the single rooms and $40 a night for the twin rooms. We are there 8 nights. This is with a 15% discount as I have stayed before.
There is a departure tax of about $15 when leaving Indonesia at Surabaya. (rp150000)
Train to Surabaya approx rp130000 which is about $15.
Cost of side trips n Yogya to follow. The trips with Yogya city will be inexpensive. Trips to Borobodur may be $25 or $30.Will advise later.

Notes

Breakfast included with accommodation all except day 2 in KL as we leave very early in the morning.
Meals costs would be unlikely to exceed $20 a day unless buying Western Takeaway.
Single rooms have been booked for Pak Brian, Mrs Crosse, Mrs Thorp and Mac. The four girls have shared twin rooms.
I would like each student to have a mobile phone- we will buy local SIM.
Students and parents should study inoculation recommendations and arrange early.
I will give out a suggested packing list later but remember to pack as lightly as possible as excess luggage is very, very expensive.
Laundry is available in Yogya and KL at very reasonable rates at the hotel. Maybe in Surabaya we will save up our washing for back in KL..
For those who haven’t travelled internationally before it is handy to have a pen in your hand luggage for filling out all the forms.

AirAsia

Air Asia is a budget airline. It has won the best budget airline award for the past 3 years. Basically that means that you get your seat for the airfare price and nothing else. The $1100 we paid gets us airfares, taxes and luggage allowance. I have booked more luggage for the return journey than going over. It is all listed on our booking sheets.
During the flight we have to buy any food or drinks that you want although it is inexpensive. ( approx $8 for a meal and drink) They also do not supply blankets or pillows although you can buy an AirAsia pack for about $10. There is no entertainment supplied. The staff are good and the planes are the newest of any airline flying to Asia.

Communication & other matters

We have 3 netbooks at school which are available for us to take for emailing. I will carry one and if we have two others who will do the same that will allow us access to email as the hotels we stay in will mostly have WiFi and I also have an Indonesian modem.
Indonesian electricity is 110 volts and a two point round pin plug. I can organise adaptors when we arrive in Yogya for 2 or 3 dollars. I have Malaysian adaptors. I also have 2 Indonesian extension cords.
As mentioned earlier I would like mobile phones with local SIM’s for everybody but definitely for all students. I have had advice from a teacher who has just returned with a group from Surabaya and Bali that phones need to be unlocked to work in Indonesia- locked pre-paid mobiles won’t accept the local SIM. I will investigate alternatives.