We stayed at Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta. Hyatt hotels always know how to treat their guests. The front desk invited us to the VIP lounge, served us fruit juice and while helping us to check in. The entire process was very quick and enjoyable. That's the way to welcome your guests!

It was still early when we arrived, so we decided to start the first activity of the trip. It wasn't the typical "hanging out by the pool and drinking pina colada" activity that I usually did. Instead, we went on a jeep tour (my first time) to explore Mt. Merapi, the most active volcano in Indonesia located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta. I know what you are thinking. I'm asking myself the same question too, "What was I thinking?" 😅  "What if the volcano suddenly erupts?" "What if its pyroclastic flows killed us on the way down?" I still love my life- the list of fear went on. But then, the adventurous and curious Crystal in me said: "Shut up and go." So after almost 2 hours driving up under the hot sun (if I can still remember well), here I was posing in my jeep car, looking like a badass on Mt. Merapi. Poor the jeep driver, though, he had to take many photos to get one good one. I hope his photography skill has improved since, so he can have many happy customers.


The most active volcano was sleeping while I was there. If you consider doing this tour, ask your guide to drive along the slope of Mt. Merapi that is totally destroyed after the last great eruption of Merapi in November 2010. It was fun. While doing so, let's pray that the volcano didn't erupt as I did.


Along the way to the mountain, you'll see many Instagram-worthy spots like this heart-shaped deck where I was standing. Instagram truly changes our lives, including the people at Mt. Merapi. I bet 10 years ago, no one in Mt. Merapi thought this woody spot could generate income for them. Do you want to have an Instagram photo? $2 and the heart-shaped deck is yours for 3 minutes. Easy money!


After Mount. Merapi, we drove down to visit Prambanan temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site also known as the largest Hindu temple site in Indonesia and the second-largest in Southeast Asia (according to Wikipedia). Prambanan temple is built in 10th century and is a complex of 240 temples. You heard it right. 240 temples. It's impossible to visit all of them, so I could only walk to the main temple and decided to admire this magnificent beauty through my photos and memories I had of this place. I didn't know what to do and where to go in Yogyakarta because I had someone else planned the entire trip, so when I got here, I was overwhelmed. I couldn't stop looking up.



From Prambanan temple, we moved to Candi Ijo (Ijo temple) as our tour guide said this is the best place to catch the sunset in Jogja. He clearly knew what he was doing. Look at this sunset view.



I'd do anything for the sunset photo including climbing up to this unstable deck so I could look like a Wonder Woman looking over Yogyakarta


or standing at the edge of the rooftop while looking like my knees wasn't feeling weak at all. Crazy things we do when we are young, you know.



I had no idea what to expect and I was trying to wake myself up while walking in the dark, all the way to the top of this temple. By the time we arrived at the top, I was wide awake and blown away by the stunning view. This temple is beyond your imagination.








Behind us, that's the cave entrance. There is any road for you to climb up or walk down, hence, this place is definitely not for the faint heart. You need to wear proper footwear (rubber boots given by the local tour), helmet, and master the single robe technique. Then, they'll lower you down 30 meters to the ground.


It was scary at first, but as soon as I placed my feet on the ground, the excitement kicked in. In front of me was the gigantic, dark, mysterious cave that is full of hidden surprise. The tunnel is 250 meters long approximately. The further you go, the darker it gets, and you'll need a torchlight to be able to see things inside. It's dark, muddy and slippery. I wasn't too sure about what I was doing and why I let myself get into this situation. But as the saying goes "The cave you fear holds the treasure you seek," I indeed found my treasure upon reaching to this spot called "Light of Heaven."




As if Jomblang Cave wasn't impressive enough, the tour guide recommended us to try river tubing at Goa Pindul.  Goa Pindul is a cave formed by karst with an underground river located about 7 kilometres south of the city centre Wonosari, Gunung Kidul. All we had to do was to sit back, relax, and let the crystal clear river take us to discover the hidden beauty of Pindul Cave. 

They say good friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you know they are there. I'm lucky that I have many shining stars around me. They are there during my good and bad time. They don't just lend me their listening ears. They offer their helping hands when I need. I wonder “what have I done in my previous life that I have many guardian angels with me in this life.” They are like my brothers and sisters. Some I know for more than ten years, others I meet less than a year but feel like we already knew each other for a long time. I’ll probably have more bridesmaids than I need by the time I decide to be a bride. I'm not complaining. It's a happy problem to have.



Every girl loves being a princess on her wedding day. Some take a longer time to find their true love story than others. I’m very good at managing other parts of my life (Work, Health, Family), Love is the only thing that makes me feel out of control. I lost count how many times in the past 16 years (since I started dating), I looked up at the sky and wondered: "Where and who is my Prince Charming? Why it’s so hard to meet him?". Every time I fell in love, I had my heart broken over and over again. After so many heartbreaks and lessons, I learned that Love is not just a feeling. It's not just a word. It's not about the number of expensive presents a guy gives you. It's a choice, a commitment, and an action. We chose to love someone and accept them for who they are, including their flaws. Loving someone means we'll do everything we can to make the other person happy. We are inspired to be a better version of ourselves. We are willing to stay with them during the tough times and be their best supporter. In one of my love stories, I came to realize that loving someone also means letting them go and wishing them all the happiness whether you are a part of it. They say “God knows when you are ready for a marriage, he'll send the right man to you at the right time.” Apparently, I wasn't ready.


I wanted to get married at the age of 25. It didn't happen. I set my marriage goal at 27 years old. Again, I broke up. The same thing happened when I was 29 and 30 years old. All these years, I asked myself "Why do I want to get married?". The answers were: I want to get married because I'm getting old; My parents want me to get married; I need to find stability and security, and the list goes on". None of the answers was "I want to spend the rest of my life with him." Not that I didn't have a feeling for any of my ex-boyfriends at that time, I just had too many doubts and fear in my head. I didn't feel "right" like what everyone kept telling me "You'll know it if he is the right one."  So I walked away before things got worse and wanted to focus on loving myself first before I can love someone else.



Now,  I still don’t know if and when I will get married, but I no longer have the pressure of "I'm getting old" or "My parents want me to get married." I'm self-sufficient and enjoying my single life to its fullest. I love myself and I'm content with what I have. I don't need a man to give me financial stability. I'm not looking for a man to bring me happiness because I'm already happy. When I think of getting married to someone, I think of how much I want to share my positivity, joy, and my life with that person. Life is not always sunshine and butterflies. I won't mind going through storms with that person as long as he respects, trusts, and loves me as his life partner. A great relationship requires hard work, open communications, honesty, and a whole lot of bedtime activities. I get that.