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Here are some photos taken while I was in Surabaya. If you're looking for scenery pictures, you'll be sorely disappointed because there'll be none. This trip was all about education, professionalism and networking all the way (...and the fact that I had very limited camera battery to play with...d'oh!)
My first meal in the city. I had a craving for Mozza Burger just a few days before the trip so when I saw Restoran Khas Amerika, I didn't think twice!
My travelling companions.. Never leave home without printouts from Wiki Travel!
The purpose of my visit to Surabaya
I wuz 'ere..
Mr John Chang (the past immediate president of Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society) promoting my study. Heheh..
This photo is especially dedicated to Madam Dhaka.. remember those simple days when the highlight of the day was just how much tips we received? Yup, Hanamasa is still alive and kickin' mate!
Nope, I didn't visit the zoo while in Surabaya. These deers (and there were many of them!) were found at the compound of Dr Soetomo Teaching Hospital that I visited. I still couldn't figure out the purpose of having deers there... therapeutic maybe?
Japanese delegates happily performing their ritual dance. They performed this dance at every single ACCP if I'm not mistaken! Meanwhile, the delegates from China came on stage wearing Olympics T-shirts and actually took them off at the end of their performance and threw them all to the pleasantly surprised audience. Unfortunately, my friends and I were too 'engrossed' in a couple of big boobs that I didn't realised the others were going for the lovely T-shirts until it was too late. Yes.. Big Boobs 1 - Olympics T-shirt 0. Sad. But we had a lot of laughters though!
A view from the conference hotel lobby... it was too hot to actually go any further than this point!
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On my last day in the city, I had one horrific experience that brought the meaning of'friendliness' to a different level altogether. But I am pretty sure that this was one isolated incident and it didn't changed my warm regards towards Surabayans as how I blogged earlier...
After checking-out from the hotel, I boarded a pre-booked taxi to take me to the airport which is about 45 minutes away from the city centre. As the other taxi drivers before him, this particular guy started making small talks as soon as I got into the car and asked the 'standard' questions such as what brought me to Surabaya, what I do for a living etc etc. But unlike the drivers before him who would stopped asking after 4-5 questions, this bloke went on and on, from one question to another. If you know me well, you would know that I don't easily warm up to strangers and I would never give my personal info to those I don't know. So, when this chap started asking for my name, I became suspicious but not to be seen as rude after being asked several times, I gave a false name (one that I'd use when get chatted up by strangers ever since my UK years). He then went on to ask for my mobile phone number (gilo ke apo?) and when I flatly refused to give, he insisted for me to take his number. He even insisted that I gave him a missed call just to see if I've copied down the right number. He must have thought he could easily fooled me... He would definitely get my number if I did just that, right? So, of course I refused, by telling him that I didn't have international roaming. Stupid bugger!
My pulse started to race fast when he insisted to take me around Surabaya free-of-charge there and then although I kept telling him that I would be late for my flight home. By this time, he already drove faster than earlier and the car doors were all locked (yes, I already thought of jumping out of the car at this point!). The fact that the roads he took weren't familiar to me and that he kept mentioning his intention to come to Malaysia with me really didn't help with my sky-high anxiety level either, so I did the only thing I could think of at the time.. I quietly smsed a good friend (who was thousands of miles away in KL) giving him the name of the crazy taxi driver, his car number and all sorts of numbers that I could see in his car. I knew it wasn't much but if anything bad were to happen to me in Surabaya, I hope this friend would come over and take revenge.. heheh!
Anyway, when refusal after refusal from me seemed to make him more determined and he started to talk rubbish, I changed tactics. Of course, I was still scared to death but I took a chance and told him gently that it was nice of him for wanting to take me for a spin and that I would surely take up the offer in the future. I told him that I have to catch my flight because I have 3 kids (yes, THREE!) waiting for me back home and a couple of friends at the airport that if I didn't turn up, they would surely come looking for me. I also reminded him that the hotel personnel would have his taxi details and that would give him trouble too.
After further persuasions which seemed like forever, the crazy driver finally agreed to send me to the airport and we continued the last 20 minutes of the journey in complete silence.....
Pheww!!
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