Trail Run, Pak Aceng, and the wishes.

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

March 25th 2016, today all Christians are celebrating for Easter. All government office in Indonesia is generally closed (except for those in customer service office) and we all employees have holidays. I have been waking up lazy, but I push myself to get up, dress up and gear up, for trail running, in Taman Hutan Raya (THR), Dago, Bandung. Yes, I Looove going for a run in holiday morning, especially outdoor run. And I never thought how today’s trail run is special.

THR is one of the most visited outdoor places in Bandung. First time I went here, like a year ago, it was unforgetable. THR itself is a botanical forest park located in Bandung, Western of Java, Indonesia. The area is stretching from Dago Pakar until Maribaya, it will take you about 5,5-6 kilometers from Dago to Maribaya, the peak hills of thr, marked by oits Ci Kapundung waterfalls. It is currently managed by the Forestry Service of West Java Provincial Government. Here are some of my originally taken pictures of THR.

Running in THR is not something new for me. I have been there for several times, almost a dozen times. Since I haven’t been long staying in Bandung, so it can be considered usual for me to go running there. To me, running is not just running, it is  coping mechanisme, as much as writing. When I decided to go out running, I would prepare the outfit, shoes, the Hijab most importantly XD and other basic needs such as first aid kit, water, cap, running back pack, light raincoat (Bandung in tremendously rainy) and a piece of snack bar. Occasionally I would bring Peanuts or bananas for the Monkeys. Yes, there are still a lot of wild monkeys in this conservatory park. And giving peanuts to monkeys is a hillariously fun thing to do.

And, to tell you why today’s trail run was special, it was because I met this person for the second time. But this would be for the fist time I actually got to talk, and got to know each other. So  I go up, in the hills next to the the famous Ci Kapundung river Waterfall, called Curug Omas, for a glass of hot sweet tea and a roasted corn. Since my last visit in THR, I drank hot sweet tea and roasted corn there, it was amazingly relaxing.

Last time I went there, I was going with my sister. But I now I go alone. When I came, the old man was just preparing the mat and fireplace for roasting the corn. It seems that I came a bit early. Not long I got my glass of sweet tea. Yeaah, when you just running for 5,5 kilometers (mostly walking :p) then a rest with such drink would be marvelous.

At first I asked about how quiet was the business in the morning, and later on the conversation suddenly continued flowing. I introduced my self to the oldman, and he introduced me, his name iss Pak Aceng. He said that crowd usually will begin around 10 or 11 o’clock, so it usual to be as quiet as this morning. It was still 9 o’clock. He and his wife started their business there since 1975, while THR was opened in 1973. They told me about THR in the past, before, there is no bridge, and this whole area was only still used as a camping ground. My melancholy mind went back imagining THR in his old time.

In the middle of the chat, he told me that his wife, around a week ago got a coupon in one of coffee sachet from a leading brand of coffee, and the coupon said that they won Mercedes Benz and need to call certain phone number then had to transfer an amount of money to certain account number, along with a copy of STNK and BPKB. When he showed the coupon I was absolutely sure this was a fraud. Then I explained to them how false was this coupon and remind them to not transferring any sum of money to any account number.

After that, my glass of tea and my roasted corn was almost finished. It was a delicious sweet corn roasted with butter and salt. And the scenery of THR hills makes the morning even more relaxing.

We continued to chat, and they didn’t expect me that I’m already worked and I’m in the early of my thirties! XD They thought I was only a college girl, since they considered my face looked young! Hihihihi... *happy. And the chat goes with the mentioning of that I haven’t found my soulmate yet. Hahaha, always went to this topic. And noticing this, Pak Aceng’s wife replied and wished me that I could meet my soulmate soon, an honourble man, well educated, have a prosperous job and soleh. It was touching. She said it with a very heartwarming and sincere expression. I could’t replied a second but to say thank you.

I wished them partings, and I left back to Dago, and in my heart I was hoping that all angels would pray the same for them too, for their well being, happines and health for all the family, and Allah SWT granted it.

That day trail run was special. Pak Aceng and the families are a special. May be, next time I go there, I could introduce someone. My be my soulmate. ;)