Hari Rabu 8 April 2015 Bali kedatangan tim Digital Business nya Garuda Indonesia yang memperkenalkan situs Garuda Social Miles.

Acara dibuka dengan perkenalan dari Vice President Digital Business Garuda Indonesia, Daniel Tumiwa. Daniel menjelaskan mengenai bagaimana sebagai flagship nya penerbangan Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia merasa memiliki suatu kewajiban untuk turut mewakili Indonesia di ranah Internet dalam memperkenalkan khazanah pariwisata Indonesia. Tak ketinggalan, dengan dikumpulkannya destinasi wisata menarik di Indonesia di satu website ini, diharapkan menjadi alasan yang baik untuk bepergian mengunjungi pelosok Nusantara.

Dengan situs Garuda Social Miles ini juga, Garuda berupaya untuk lebih mengidentikkan diri dengan kekhasan Indonesia melalui dunia digital dan komunitas di dalamnya.

Anatomi Situs Garuda Social Media

Amalla Vesta Widaranti (@swankytraveler), Commercial Expert Garuda Indonesia selanjutnya menjelaskan mengenai bagaimana Garuda Social Miles ini dirancang sebagai platform untuk berbagi pengalaman wisata, sekaligus untuk menemukan destinasi wisata menarik di penjuru Nusantara. 

Situs Garuda Social Miles ini terdiri dari dua bagian utama, yaitu Travelopedia, dan Discover. Travelopedia menyajikan informasi menarik mengenai tempat atau obyek wisata Nusantara, sedangkan Discover membahas mengenai kuliner dan budaya yang khas dari berbagai pelosok Indonesia, termasuk koleksi tips yang berguna untuk membuat pengalaman bepergian kita lebih berkesan.

Reward GarudaMiles!

Adapun sebagai keunggulan website Garuda Social Miles, tidak hanya sekedar menjadi platform untuk berbagi cerita, namun setiap foto dan review yang pengguna upload di website ini akan diberikan apresiasi berupa GarudaMiles.

GarudaMiles ini sendiri setelah terkumpul bisa ditukar dengan tiket pesawat, maka dari itu Vesta menyampaikan, bahwa partisipasi di Garuda Social Miles ini sebenarnya merupakan suatu cara yang termudah untuk mendapatkan tiket gratis Garuda untuk berwisata! Siapa tertarik?

Untuk mendaftar menjadi anggota situs, kita bisa memilih untuk mendaftar melalui jejaring social media Twitter, Facebook, atau Google+. Untuk saat ini belum tersedia pilihan sign-up selain melalui metode ini, namun ke depannya dimungkinkan ada metode pendaftaran lainnya.

Setelah mendaftar, pengguna disarankan untuk mengaitkan account nya dengan account GarudaMiles, supaya perolehan rewards nya bisa tercatat.

Menyertakan elemen Storytelling dalam foto

Di sesi penutup, Anto Motulz (@motulz) menjelaskan bagaimana situs Garuda Social Miles ini sebenarnya mirip dengan situs berbagi foto dan ulasan, namun dengan ganjaran reward yang menarik.

Motulz lantas berbagi tips menarik mengenai bagaimana kita bisa bercerita dengan maksimal melalui tools yang sangat sederhana: ponsel berkamera, dengan cara memasukkan elemen storytelling dalam foto-foto yang kita ambil. Motulz membagikan juga beberapa trip praktis pengambilan foto yang bercerita, berdasar dari pengalamannya menjelajah nusantara dalam beragam proyek film dokumenter. 

Bonus!

Menyambut perkenalan ini juga, Vesta menjelaskan bahwa khusus untuk foto dan review mengenai Bali akan diberikan bonus double point reward selama sebulan mulai 8 April hingga 8 Mei 2015! 

Tertarik?

Ayo upload foto-foto keren perjalanan mu di http://GarudaSocialMiles.com dan raih GarudaMiles nya! (byms)

for Bali Food Adventure in picture!

#Bali #GarudaSocialMiles #GSMiles #blogger #traveling#promo #Garuda @garuda.indonesia #Indonesia.

While it's not my habit to order food on airplane, however after repeatedly seen Air Asia Café promo, inviting passengers to satisfy their hunger for, eh, with the sexy chef Farah Quinn, I was curious to find out myself whether the food is really good? Or it was just another hype? Would chef Farah Quinn suddenly popped up from the plane's pantry to explain the dish?

And so, on our trip to Bandung for a quick getaway with Air Asia, I finally got a chance to try it out and ordered... Nasi Lemak.

Here's the stylized photo of the packaging.

As to why I ended up with Nasi Lemak Pak Nasser, instead of Farah Quinn's Nasi Minyak Palembang, there's two version of the story: first, since the idea is to compare, I have to choose something I already familiar with. As I haven't tried Nasi Minyak Palembang before, so the choice went to Nasi Lemak Pak Nasser.

The alternate version are involving my wife @hypnoticade craving for Nasi Uduk hence the choice. While I'd like to think it's the first, but for you who's married I'm sure you know how your wife tend to govern most of your choices.

For you who's still young and alone though, I'd recommend you watch Rio 2 and remember the mantra deep in your heart: "Happy wife, happy life."

Here's what you get inside

The portion turned out to be not bad at all, it's a proper meal with proper amount of side dishes, and the size that's enough to make one happy tummy. Despite study shows that one's taste bud tend to lose its sensitivity the higher in the air you get, the Nasi Lemak still tasted fine. Not something to die for but it's a decent meal.

Beside you can't beat the view.

For the drink I ordered Coke Zero as they don't have Tonic Water or plain soda. Sparkling water pairs well to fatty and creamy dishes.

Would I give another try? Well for sure yes! Given that the price itself is still comparable to the hip cafes on the ground. Plus you can't beat the view! (byms)

p.s.: If you're landing in Bali during day time, don't forget to book a seat on the right-side window, as you might catch a glimpse of Bali's newest landmark, the Bali Mandara Tollroad. Stretching above the Benoa Bay, this is the longest tollroad in Indonesia that stands over water, and the fastest one built as well, thanks to the absence of land freeing issue.

Recently I found this new website on Indonesia Travel which published and maintained by our very own Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism; check this link out.

I think it's well designed and looks very "current" in both looks and information architecture; it might even be the first website created by Indonesian government which tries to appear and appeal pleasing to the international audience. What do you think? (byms)

Having your eye glasses broken on a vacation in Bali? Don't let your holiday interrupted! I discovered this place that can repair / service your eye glasses for a mere IDR 35K (around USD $3). The store name is Optik Ayu, it's located in a small store near Simpang Enam area, see map below.

For Google Maps location, click here: http://tinyurl.com/eyeglassrepairdenpasar

For a more serious damage, unrepairable damages, you might want to consider buying a new one. As replacement, or "acting" replacement until you managed to return to your home town and visit your favorite optician. In this case, you can visit Optik Global at Jl. Imam Bonjol No. 322, Denpasar, Bali, or call them via (0361) 483966. They can prepare your new glasses in just half a day, and they have a lot of nice looking and cheap frames to choose upon.


View Indonesia Eating Places in a larger map

Though not really related with good food / eating, I believe this information is essential for "four eyes" epicurean like your humble writer is. (bay)