AL Madheena Restaurant

<—-Previous Story

Darkness was still overshadowing Kochi’s sky when the time pointed at six. Making my guts shrank for stepping towards the inn which was only one and a half kilometers away. I decided to still seated in the arrival hall’s waiting room at Cochin International Airport Terminal 3.

But it turned out….

I was so sleepy, I even sat asleep while hugging my backpack….

A few minutes after eight o’clock, I jerked awake. The bright light had penetrated the airport’s glass walls. I walked past a soldier armed with a long barrel who had faithfully guarded the airport’s exit door since early morning.

I walked across the drop-off zone, passed the edge of the car parking zone, crossed the bustle of Chili Restaurant, and then arrived at the main gate of Cochin International Airport which was beautifully adorned with the sun on the eastern horizon.

After passing through that exotic gate, I stood at a very busy roundabout with vehicles which going in and out of that main airport in Kerala State. Standing on a side, I could see the existence of a row of modern buildings on a side street.

“There’s no mistake, my inn must be there”, I thought.

“Very close,” I happily smiled.

Now, I was right on the south side of the straight road and getting ready to cross to the modern building complex. The crowds of vehicles that morning made me difficult to cross. Being on the streets of foreign countries has always been something that I always pay attention to, I don’t want to do silly things and endanger myself, because half of my journey wasn’t over yet.

I trudged across Airport Road to arrive on its north side and then started looking for the whereabouts of the accommodation which I had booked through leading travel e-commerce for 800 Rupees.

Yiiaaiiyy, I found it….

I’ve left the main gate of Cochin International Airport.

A roundabout on the west side of the main gate of Cochin International Airport.

Rows of modern buildings on the north side of Airport Road.

This was the Royal Wings Hotel, where I was staying that night.

Back again in advance of my backpacking departure, it was so difficult to consider the location of the inn which I would choose. My desire was so strong to stay around the beach which would certainly provide many opportunities to enjoy the exotic west coast of Kerala for a longer time.

It was just that, the next morning to Dubai was a limitation for me not to be too far from the airport when choosing a lodging. Finally, I decided to stay at the Royal Wings Hotel and decided to just spend the whole day enjoying the situation in the Fort Kochi area.

“Hello, Sir. Can I put my backpack here?”….I asked a male receptionist.

“I have booked a room in this hotel. This is the e-confirmation”, I added information.

Receiving the confirmation letter, he started surfing on his desktop and checked the whereabouts of my inn order.

“Okay, Sir. I have checked your order. You can put your backpack here and you can check on at 1 pm…Come!”, he started to direct me to a small room behind the reception desk. The room was specifically used to store the belongings of the inn guests.

Half of my backload had been deposited at the inn, then I would step away to start exploring.

But before going any further, I decided to look for breakfast around the hotel.

Smelling the sweet smell of a cafe, I was intrigued to approach it, seeing the tempting Indian-style breakfast menu, I decided to enter and took a seat.

“Cafe Sulaimani …”, I read the name of the cafe on a wall.

I decided to buy a simple breakfast like the locals did in the cafe. This was my breakfast menu that morning.

Appam, Elai Adai, and Samosa and a glass of Chai for 55 Rupees….Hhmmhhh looked delicious too.

After breakfast, I rushed to the roundabout near the main gate of Cochin International Airport to find a bus to Fort Kochi….I would tell you how I got there later.

Still regarding Hotel Royal Wings….

I was only able to enter the hotel after exploring Fort Kochi.

I arrived back at the hotel by taking the airport bus from Aluva Station. Towards six o’clock in the evening, I immediately asked for the key from the hotel owner who was at the reception desk.

After getting the key, I was escorted by a room boy, I carried a backpack to the room upstairs to immediately bathe. Oh God, the last time I took a shower was 30 hours before I arrived at the hotel.

Want to know how the hotel I stayed in, here it is:

Accessibility

Remembering the location of the Royal Wings Hotel which is close to the airport, of course, this hotel is very close to various public facilities that make it easy for its guests.

At least I could easily go to Fort Kochi using the KURTC bus that departed from the airport. Apart from that, it was also easy for me to get halal restaurants, money exchange, and minimarkets around the hotel.

The distance which could be reached in fifteen minutes from and to the airport, makes it easier for me to catch the next morning’s flight on time than when I had to choose accommodation around Fort Kochi.

Reasonably priced restaurants around the hotel.

Kerala Urban Road Transport Corporation (KURTC) bus bound for Fort Kochi which runs on Airport Road in front of the hotel.

In the end, visiting India was always fun because that country has hotel facilities and a wealth of culinary delights at very affordable prices for a backpacker.

Therefore, never hesitate to travel to that Sub-Continent Country.

Come on, visit India.

Next Story—->

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Gelap masih menaungi langit Kochi ketika penanda waktu menunjuk angka enam. Membuat nyali ciut demi melangkah menuju penginapan yang sesungguhnya hanya berjarak satu setengah kilometer. Aku memutuskan untuk tetap duduk di ruang tunggu arrival hall Cochin International Airport Terminal 3.

Tapi ternyata….

Saking kantuknya, aku malah duduk terlelap memeluk backpack….

Sedikit melebihi pukul delapan, aku tersentak bangun. Cahaya terang telah menembus dinding kaca bandara. Aku melangkah pergi melewati seorang tentara bersenjata laras panjang yang dari dini hari tadi setia menjaga exit door bandara.

Aku berjalan memotong drop-off zone, melewati tepian car parking zone, melintasi kesibukan di Chili Restaurant lalu tiba di gerbang utama Cochin International Airport yang cantik berhiaskan surya yang membulat di ufuk timur.

Selepas melewati gerbang eksotik itu, aku berdiri di sebuah bundaran jalan yang sangat sibuk oleh kendaraan yang keluar masuk dari dan ke bandar udara utama di Negara Bagian Kerala tersebut. Berdiri di salah satu sisinya, aku sanggup menatap jelas keberadaan deret bangunan modern di sebuah sisi jalan.

“Tak salah lagi, penginapanku pastinya ada di sana”, aku membatin.

“Dekat sekali ternyata”, aku tersenyum senang.

Kini, aku sudah berada tepat di sisi selatan jalur lurus dan bersiap menyeberang menuju kompleks bangunan modern itu. Ramainya kendaraan pagi itu membuatku susah menyeberang. Berada di jalanan negara orang memang selalu menjadi hal yang selalu kuperhatikan, aku tak mau berbuat kekonyolan dan membahayakan diri, karena alur perjalananku setengahnya pun belum usai.

Susah payah aku menyeberangi Airport Road untuk tiba di sisi utara jalan dan kemudian mulai mencari keberadaan penginapan yang telah kupesan melalui e-commerce perjalanan terkemuka dengan harga 800 Rupee.

Yiiaaiiyy, aku menemukannya….

Aku sudah keluar dari gerbang utama Cochin International Airport.

Bundaran di sisi barat gerbang utama Cochin International Airport.

Deret bangunan modern di sisi utara *Airport Road*.

Ini dia Hotel Royal Wings, tempatku menginap malam nanti.

Kembali lagi di jauh hari sebelum keberangkatan, begitu sulit menimbang-nimbang lokasi penginapan yang akan kupilih. Hasratku begitu kuat untuk menginap di sekitar pantai yang tentu akan memberikan banyak peluang untuk menikmati eksotiknya pesisir barat Kerala lebih lama.

Hanya saja, penerbangan pagiku di esok hari menuju Dubai menjadi sebuah batasan untuk jangan terlalu jauh dari bandara ketika memilih penginapan. Akhirnya aku memutuskan menginap di Hotel Royal Wings dan memutuskan untuk seharian ini saja menikmati suasana di kawasan Fort Kochi.

“Hello, Sir, Can I put my backpack here?”….Aku bertanya pada seorang petugas resepsionis laki-laki.

“I have booked a room in this hotel. This is the e-confirmation”, aku menambahkan informasi.

Menerima selembar surat konfirmasi itu, dia mulai berselancar di desktopnya dan menggecek keberadaan order penginapan tersebut.

“Ok, Sir. I have checked your order. You can put your backpack here and you can check-in on 1pm…Come!”, dia mulai mengarahkanku ke sebuah ruangan kecil di belakang meja resepsionis. Rupanya ruangan itu memang digunakan khusus untuk menyimpan barang-barang para penginap.

Separuh beban punggungku sudah tertitip di penginapan, kini aku akan melangkah pergi untuk memulai eksplorasi.

Tetapi sebelum melangkah lebih jauh, aku memutuskan untuk mencari sarapan di sekitar hotel.

Mencium bau harum dari sebuah cafe, aku tergelitik untuk mendekatinya, melihat menu sarapan ala India yang menggoda, aku memutuskan untuk masuk dan mengambil tempat duduk.

“Cafe Sulaimani…”, aku membaca nama cafe itu di sebuah dinding.

Aku memutuskan membeli sarapan sederhana seperti yang dilakukan oleh para warga lokal di dalam cafe itu. Ini dia menu sarapanku pagi itu.

Appam, Elai Adai, dan Samosa dan segelas Chai seharga 55 Rupee….Hhmmhhh, lezat juga rupanya.

Selepas sarapan, aku bergegas menuju bundaran di dekat gerbang utama Cochin International Airport untuk berburu bus menuju Fort Kochi….Nanti akan kuceritakan bagaimana aku menuju kesana.

Masih mengenai Hotel Royal Wings….

Aku sendiri baru bisa memasuki hotel selepas mengeksplorasi Fort Kochi.

Aku tiba kembali di hotel dengan menumpang airport bus dari Stasiun Aluva. Menjelang pukul enam sore, aku langsung saja meminta kunci kepada si empunya hotel yang sedang berada di meja resepsionis.

Seusai mendapatkan kunci, aku diantar oleh seorang room boy, aku menenteng backpack menuju kamar di lantai atas untuk segera membersihkan badan. Alamak, aku terakhir kali mandi adalah 30 jam yang lalu.

Mau tahu kan bagaimana hotel yang kuinapi, ini dia:

Aksesibiltas

Mengingat lokasi Hotel Royal Wings yang dekat dengan airport, tentu hotel ini sangat dekat dengan berbagai fasilitas umum yang memudahkan para penginapnya.

Setidaknya aku bisa berangkat dengan mudah menuju Fort Kochi menggunakan KURTC bus yang berangkat dari bandara. Selain itu aku juga mudah mendapatkan restoran halal, tempat penukaran uang dan minimarket di sekitar hotel.

Jaraknya yang bisa ditempuh dalam lima belas menit dari dan ke bandara, memudahkanku untuk mengejar penerbangan esok pagi dengan tepat waktu daripada ketika aku harus memilih penginapan di sekitar Fort Kochi.

Restoran dengan harga terjangkau di sekitar hotel.

Kerala Urban Road Transport Corporation (KURTC) bus menuju Fort Kochi yang melewati Airport Road di depan hotel.

Pada akhirnya, berkunjung ke India selalu saja menyenangkan karena negara ini memiliki fasilitas hotel dan kekayaan kuliner dengan harga yang sangat terjangkau bagi seorang backpacker.

Oleh karenanya, jangan pernah ragu untuk melancong ke Negara Anak Benua itu.

Yuk, berkunjung ke India.

Kisah Selanjutnya—->

Tag: AL Madheena Restaurant

Hotel Royal Wings: Tasting the Appam, Elai Adai, and Samosa

Hotel Royal Wings: Mencicip Appam, Elai Adai dan Samosa