Singapore Trip 2024

It really has been a while for yours truly, Simon Parno Bong. I never thought of going to Singapore for the fourth times after the Japan trip in 2023. I thought I was grounded for good, but my friend Anthony insisted that I had to go there, taking part in Drinking With Eday. The annual tradition had been going on for a decade, so it was quite a milestone!

Two days before I went to Singapore, I did say to my Mum that I would meet my friends in Singapore. She responded by telling me to wear a nice shirt, hahaha. 

The journey happened to be a long one. The day of my departure, I still opened my shop. Later on that day, I bought yammie, a special delicacy from Pontianak. When I reached the Supadio Airport, I directly went to the gate, but the officer stopped me and he demanded to see my boarding pass. Silly me, so I rushed back to the counter and tried checking in for the flight to Batam. Much to my surprise, I was told that there was no flight to Batam! 

Boarding pass to Jakarta. 

I was redirected to the ticket office. There, the officer in charge told me that I could still go to Batam via Jakarta. Upon hearing that, I felt extremely disappointed, contemplating if I should cancel my trip. I texted Anthony and he said the show must go on. I could imagine missing the last ferry to Singapore and therefore spending a night in Batam. With a weary heart, I boarded the flight to Jakarta. 

When I landed in Jakarta, I ran to the gate to catch the flight to Batam. The boarding time was 21:55 and I touched down in Jakarta at 21:35, so I couldn't help thinking that I was going to miss my connecting flight. Turned out that the flight was delayed, hence my effort was wasted, haha. As I sat there waiting, I became hungry. Bought a bread and and pre-heated rice. When I read the group chat and saw my friends worrying about me, I told them I was okay.  

One night in Batam. 

I eventually reached Batam in the middle of the night. Quickly rushed to the hotel, but before I retired to my room, I asked the receptionist to help me putting the yammie in the fridge. Since I had lost so much time, I wanted to take the earliest ferry to Singapore. By the way, it was 00:55 when I dozed off, so I only slept for three hours. 

Early in the morning, I took the Maxim bike ride and headed to Batam Centre. It was literally smooth sailing and I had no issue entering Singapore. But Anthony and friends didn't pick me up this round. As I wasn't sure where to go, I kept walking by following the signages. To make it worse, the internet on my iPhone didn't work. I was upset, tired and angry. I was desperate for a good connection, but it sucked big time.

Suddenly Anthony called me and advised me to buy a one way ticket. I asked the information counter, but the one way ticket was no longer available. I had to buy a card with five dollars stored inside, so I did exactly that and took the MRT. For a while, I thought I would be stranded in Singapore, haha. 

Reaching Anthony's house. 

In Sengkang, on a wet rainy day, Anthony called and guided to his house. When I arrived there, I was so overwhelmed by tiredness that I lashed out at Anthony and Eday for sitting at home and enjoying their coffee leisurely! Ahh, what a day, but it all paid off with the party we had that night! It was the first time I vomited after drinking too much beer. 

"I won't drink anymore..."

Anyway I am thankful to Anthony, Eday, Yardi and his two daughters, Landak, Taty, Rend, Mr. T and Mei Ing. Thanks for the unforgettable night that I will always remember!!

Drinking With Eday.

Editor's note: editing Parno's work has always been fun but challenging. Below here is a diamond in the rough. Literally!

Its been a while for me as simon parno bong i never thought to go to Singapore for the fourth times well after a japan trip exactly in 2023 , further speaking i thought i was grounded for good but eventualy my friend anthony insist me to go there just for a drink with eday ng for a dacade of memory to remain therefore anthony n friend did persue me to go sg haha 

      Well 2 day before i went to sg , i did said to my mom that i will to meet my friend to sg haha she said ware a good looking shirt hahaha , the long day has come for me to go sg ,the day i depart to sg , i still open my shop thought later i bought yammie a special delicasy from pontianak , n so i arrived at the airport i directly go to the the gateway but the officer stop me n demanding a boarding pass how clumsy i am n then i rush to the ticket to queqe but when i mention a boarding pass ptk batam please, the officer said there no plane to batam today , then he told me to go to that counter n ask explanation he said you can go to batam but must transit to jkt first n then go to batam after hearing that i feel desperate i thought should i cancel my trip ? N i text anthony reply go on ! Wahaha i smile i gonne miss my ferry to sg n ask again what time i be at batam he said 9 pm! What i said i will have a night in batam!! There no other choice i obey the rule with a tired heart go to the gate for boarding to jkt ....

     After i reached jkt i was so in the rush to transit to batam that boarding time is 955 cos the time i touchdown in jkt is 935 so i was so desperate i gonno miss my flight , after rushing to the mentioned gate i was there n find out the flight was delayed i kinda wasted my time on rushing to here , hahaha n sitting there make me hungry n i buy a bread n microwave rice that just like in plane ahahaha there i was sitting just waiting for boarding, my friends in WA group were concerning me , i said i m ok 

     And then finallyi v landed in batam n quickly rush to hotel that i intended before i get in to the room , i urged the receptionist to help me to put my goodies in the freezer cos thats the goodies is for eating , n so he help me to keep it fresh in the freezer , into hotel room , my friend anthony confirmed me to take the early ferry to sg haha i thought i got a little time there , so i choose the early departure haha, by the way the time i was in hotel room was 1255 in the night its almost morning ! N the i slept for 3 hours 

The early morning i took an online bike to go to batam center n then i departed for sg , after i arrrived there i thought i will be hard to enter sg but frankly said its was smoothly done , but this time anthony n friend did not welcome me at the exist haoburfront haha i dont know the where im going to , i just keep on walking see the sign here n there , not for mention the sg number that i got was a shit thing its unusefull ,its me grow my anger to certain emotion yet mix with tired ssome condition , desperated to have a good connection but still suck!! suddenly anthony called me with the phone , he guide me to buy a one way ticket ticket to sengkang , so i ask the information n said to me there is no one way ticket to buy anymore , you have buy a card for 5 dollars n Refill with 5 dollars valued for taking the mrt , so i did it , make my way to sengkang with 5 dollars value card haha , i thought i will be stranded in sg ,   

      At sengkang , i was guided by anthony to reach his home on the wet rainny day , n arrived there i was so emosional tiredless i suddenly mad at anthony n eday ng whose at home enjoying koffee! Ahh what a day , but its all pay off with a friendhip drinking dacade ! ! N the first time i vommited after too much drinking beer

      But anyway i thankfull to anthony , eday ng yard n his 2 daughter landak taty rend mr t n mei ing thanks for Unforgettable night i will always remember!!