PANORAMA TOUR

 Written By: Aurel ezmarelda ratu imang

Class: XII-6

 

Hello everyone! How are you today? Who misses reading my blog? Hahaha. This time I would like to share my travel experience to Central Java, precisely to Semarang, with Panorama Tour. In my opinion, it was quite an enjoyable journey. Interestingly, from this trip I even started to like drinking coffee.

 

 On the first day, we gathered at the Samarinda bus station and headed to Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan. The bus was comfortable enough that I fell asleep during the long ride. After arriving at the airport, we went to the ticket counter, boarded the plane, and finally landed in Semarang. The situation was very hectic, but our tour guide was very careful, so no one was left behind. We then went straight to MG Suites Hotel, which was big and elegant. After resting and arranging our belongings, we gathered again at 4 p.m. to have an afternoon meal at one of the most popular restaurants in Semarang, although I forgot its name because it was too complicated to remember.

 

Overall, the trip felt fun and well organized, even though the schedule was quite tight and some places were visited only briefly. The hotel was comfortable, the transportation was decent, and the tour guides was very responsible and helpful but not all of them. The culinary experiences were also interesting, although not all of the food matched my personal taste. Still, the journey gave me many new experiences that made the trip more memorable.

 

 One of the most unforgettable moments for me was visiting Esman Coffee House. I am not a big fan of coffee, but their creamy coffee was surprisingly delicious and not too bitter. Since then, I have started to enjoy drinking coffee, especially creamy ones. It tasted light but flavorful, with rich creaminess and crunchy granola in every sip. On the second day, we visited Warung Soto Segar, which lived up to its name because the broth was naturally fresh, although it was not my favorite dish. We also went to Lawang Sewu, which actually has 429 doors, not a thousand, and learned many interesting historical facts. After lunch at Rizky Lamongan, which served ordinary ayam geprek, we continued to Kota Lama, a beautiful area with European-style buildings that was perfect for taking photos. We later enjoyed ice cream at Toko Oey and dinner at Gudeg Bu Tjitro, although I did not eat because I was already full. On the third day, we visited Gedong Songo Temple, a cold place with stunning mountain views, and learned more new facts before having dinner at Kedai Sego Pedes Mami. On the last day, we returned to Samarinda via Ahmad Yani Airport and Sepinggan Airport, the tour guide’s explanation that day was a bit unclear.

 

In conclusion, this trip was not only enjoyable but also meaningful because I gained new knowledge about history, culture, and local food that I usually do not learn at school. Even though the vacation was short and the number of destinations was limited, the experiences, atmosphere, and small discoveries like finding my love for creamy coffee made it worthwhile. Therefore, I would give this trip a rating of 7.8 out of 10.