Selayar, South Sulawesi – Slow Living Experience

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

Since early 2024, I have taken on a new professional role in my company—not entirely new, but with a stronger focus on being a spices planner, while still supervising the procurement division in a smaller capacity

A spice planner generally monitors and coordinates orders from start to finish—from procuring the raw materials to ensuring the order is completed and shipped. The spice I handle is clove.

I ever posted about this spice in this link: clove back in 2023, and never guessing it I will handling it

Our company is committed to adding value at the origin, so we’re building networks in the areas where spices mostly grow, one the areas is Selayar.

In detail by Wikipedia Selayar is the main island of the Selayar Islands (Kepulauan Selayar). It lies off the coast of Cape Bira of South Sulawesi Province. The Selayar Straits separate it from the mainland of Sulawesi. Its principal town is Benteng, while much smaller towns to the south are Tanabau, Padang, Tile-tile, Pariangan, Galung, Layolo, Pa'garangang, Barangbarang, to Appattanah. To the north are Parak, Barugayya, Batangmata, Onto, and finally Bonelohe. The island is over 50 miles (80 km) long and very narrow at the northern and southern ends; its area is 798.58 km² (308.33 sq mi). Benteng is the starting point for diving tours.

Selayar in similar to Bali, where beaches are around, however, here people more depend on the plantation products, such as; copra, clove, nutmeg, and vanilla.

Every year there will crop season for clove and in this past 5 years, I always visit this island and stay around 1 - 3 months to make sure the clove procuring and drying are running and meet the expected target

From Bali to Selayar it will take total around 7-8 hours, and usually I will take afternoon or evening flight from Bali to Makassar, stay a night, in the next early morning continue the trip to Bira (port) by land for 5 hours, and then by ferry crossing to Pamatata (Selayar's port) around 1.5 - 2 hours, and from Pamatata to my company's site will take 15 minutes by land. Tiring!

Since I’m based in a fairly remote area, my company has provided complete facilities, room to stay, pantry, a cook whom serve the food everyday, and this year I get a bicycle to workout ✌✌

Mostly I already visit places here like: Puncak Tanadoang, Pantai Punagaan, Masjid Tua Gantarang, Pulau Bahuluang, and Makam Karang.

Another thing I love about staying here is that there are lots of mosques, so I never have to worry. Whenever it’s prayer time—whether I’m on a field trip or just hanging around—I can fulfill it, alhamdulillah.

I hope that in the near future, the local government will pay more attention to the potential tourism destinations and open the airport for flight options, as this is really important to speed up travel and bring more visitors to this beautiful island, and I hope that my presence here each year can contribute to building solid teamwork that leads to a strong, valuable, and sustainable company

---Life is Good---

Part 3 : Turkey - A Religious Adventure

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim

Here I am to continue sharing my another adventures, a religious adventure to a country that in Indonesia quite famous with its city called Cappadocia, it is Turkey

So after finishing the Umrah, the group is continue to hit Turkey, by leaving Jeddah on April 19th in around afternoon and arrived at Turkey in the evening (4 hours flight). During the tour, there was a guide that accompany the group and his name is Hakan, lets called him Hakan, as I forgot his complete name 😆

On the way to the hotel, we had dinner, and the main menu was kind of burger without the bread, just grilled flat meat and served it with rice and salad, the taste is ok, not bad tho.

After dinner, the trip continue to hotel as its getting late, and yet most of the group member was very happy because the hotel was good, a level of 5 stars hotel....or I think, it was like studio apart, super!!

D-2 Yasss, finally I will have chance to visit Hagia Sophia, the museum that now turn into a mosque. However, before to reach this mosque, got chance as well to visit the Tulip garden, as the season still spring (perhaps) and flowers were flowering. The garden I must admit, it was beautiful with colorful Tulips everywhere, feel like you're in Amsterdam 😂

In Hagia Sophia the group was lucky to have chance to praying Ashar in the mosque, even I lil bit disappointed because didnt have chance to see another parts of Hagia Sophia. This part of the museum area was need you to pay kind of entrance fee, actually I dont mint to pay, but I cannot separate my self from to group tho, we need to always stay together, anyway it's ok, at least the main goal to pray inside the Hagia Sophia was happen, Alhamdulillah

The rest of the adventure with the group was also visit; Blue Mosque, Green Mosgue (Bursa), having chance for Bosphorus cruise, to shop at spices market and hang around at Taksim Square.

In overall, again this is my personal opinion and from my point of view, I think the hospitality in Turkey compare to Bali, Bali is better, especially when you are shopping at local market. And the food, the main course mostly failed to meet my taste, except the dessert, its taste is good...very good

Not really interested to go back to Turkey again, for now, but who knows later I change my mind. Alhamdulillah for the opportunity to visit Turkey, and Allah smoothen all the journey from Medina, Mecca, and Turkey, and back to Indonesia...even though I bring the cough home, because the weather was challenging during the journey and lucky to get sick after back to Indo and not during the trip 😉

ILY Allah SWT

--It is about time, He will make your dreams happen in His ways--

Part 2: Religious Journey - Umrah (Mecca)

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim

The journey continue from Medina to Mecca on April 15th, 2025

It was around 5PM by express train (Haramain) leaving Medina to Mecca and the Umrah was also starting, because during the trip, it will passing the Miqat point in recap here are the steps of Umrah:

1. Entering the state of Ihram (a sacred state of purity and dedication).
2. Passing the Miqat (the boundary from where it becomes necessary for pilgrims to enter Ihram)
3. Entering the Masjid al-Haram and performing Tawaf (circumambulation) around the Ka’aba.
4. Performing two Rak’ah at the Maqam Ibrahim and to drink Zamzam water.
5. Carrying out Sa’i (walking/running between the hills of Safa and Marwa).
6. Finally, either shaving the head (Halq) or trimming the hair (Taqsir)

Source: Islamic Relief

My group was separated, majority of the members were taking the bus to Mecca, and only around 9 people including me whom taken the train to reach Mecca faster and having longer time to take a rest.

On April 16th, around 2 AM the guide lead us to perform Tawaf, Sa'i, and ended by Halq or Taqsir.

In Mecca, the group was staying at Anjum Hotel, a 5 stars hotel and I feel satisfied with the all the facilities and the food, various options and the best thing was no lift "war". Alhamdulillah

There were willing while doing the Tawaf to have chance to touch Ka'aba but I dont have that chance due to lots of people around, and I think by Allah SWT allowed me to visit this holy land and seeing Ka'aba directly are full me and I feel blessed

I couldn't describe my feeling while doing the Tawaf and Sa'i into words, all I can say I thank you for the opportunity, I thank you for the calling, I thank you for smoothly touching me in Your way, so many thank you for this blessing, hasbunallah wanikmal wakil nikmal maula wanikman nasir.

The above picture was all the women member, the men has their own pictures tho 😁

Another smooth things that given by Allah SWT, all the members in the group was nice, helping, and support each others. Alhamdulillah

The next day there were city tour and we're visited: Arofah/Jabal Rahmah, and passing Muzdalifah, Mina, Hira cave and then having lunch at Al Romansiah Restaurant, where I will taste my first camel's meat 😉 

During the visit to Jabal Rahmah, the weather was hot, and Alhamdulillah eventough was hot and I was like going to have cough but again everything was ran smoothly. I can maintain my health and keep going following the tiring schedule.

Yes, then finally reaching the Al Romansiah Restaurant, and tested the camel's meat for the 1st time, and its was good, and I think its better than beef, the kebuli rice was perfect and  the kunafa dessert were closed the culinary journey with score 8/10 👍

As usual the trip was ended before Zuhur time, so from the restaurant we're went back to hotel which was very close to the mosque area. Alhamdulillah

The rest of the day usually was spent to praying, back and forth from hotel to the mosque. Eventough is tiring but I feel happy to do it, because this all the reason me, and other people that doing Umrah is to optimise the time to praying as much as possible at the mosque

Mecca will always be missed inside my heart and mind, this was a journey that I dream it, because I want to visit His holy land and praying one my utmost wishes directly here, especially to one of my grandpas which I never meet. Al-Fatihah

After the Umrah, the journey will continue to Turkey and see you in Part 3

--ILY Allah SWT--

Part 1: Religious Journey - Umrah (Medina)

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim

Ya Rabb, Allah SWT, I thank You as always, for every signs, every sounds, every lights, that guiding me closer to You step by step

I was disappointed my self that I wait, I delay, I postpone, things that I should did earlier, however, You are still in Your way reach me out and moved me to follow your path, I am blessed to experience what its called "Hidayah"

This religious journey - Umrah, something that I wish I could do it, and You make it happen 

It was 2 years ago, when I mark in the plan that Umrah is one of life goals and I wanna do it, isn't easy because I need to save first, and alhamdulillah in 2025, Allah SWT grants the wish, financially I have the money, my office responsibility is quite low, and everything around me is in good condition, so this is the time to go for Umrah. 

I started to source the travel agent, lots of options, and I need to do it around April - May, as during this time the workload in the office is quite slow, after sometime I found a travel agent named: Namira Travel (IG: @namiratravel). They're offering good package which is Umrah + Turkey (I want to visit Hagia Sophia badly....)

And yes, in starting in April 12th, dispatch from Jakarta - Medina, it took around 10 hours flight, kind of longest flight I ever experience as earlier when I go abroad the longest was around 4 hours.

When arrived at Medina due to time difference like Medina is 4 hours behind Jakarta, so feel like supposed to be night but when landed its still in the evening, need to have body and mind to adjust the time.

In Medina, the activities mostly spent at Nabawi Mosque its Prophet Muhammad SAW's mosque.

Everytime will do praying, will go to the mosque....the unique things is since of lots people staying in the same hotel, and they're mostly doing Umrah, and want spend praying in the mosque, so when the praying timing come, there will be "war" for the lift :D ....and yet sometime I will go down from 12th floor to lobby by stairs 

The most touching moment in Medina was when I got the chance to visit an area in Nabawi mosque called Raudhah ( It is considered one of the holiest places in Islam after the Kaaba in Mecca). I can have time to pray and wishing all my wishes to Allah SWT, a moment where I feel Allah never leave me and helping out thru all the difficult time my life, during all the hard days, during the downs, and He just always giving endless helps in His ways. Alhamdulillah, Allahuma Barik.

In Medina, the travel is also having the group to visit several places such as; Quba Mosque, Kurma Farm, Uhud mountain, and passing the Qiblatain and Khondaq, the city tour was took around half day, and ended close to Zuhur praying time.

The period the group in Medina was in between April 12 - 15, 2025...and continue the journey to Mecca, it will be in Part 2.

--ILY Allah SWT--

January 2025

The year has changed, and now we are in 2025.
How’s life? I’m doing well. Of course, there were ups and downs, however, every trouble will pass; you just need to go through it.

Always have faith that with God’s blessings, we, me, you, and us will be okay.
We don’t know when this life will end. Therefore, let’s live happily and enjoy it in our own way. Don’t worry too much about what people think of you. Just strive to be the best version of you

Treat yourself better before treating others.
Love yourself before loving others.
Be proud of yourself before praising others.
It’s okay to walk slowly and enjoy the journey. Your timing and others’ timing are different.
Thank you, Allah, for Your never-ending blessings

Allahumma yasir walatuasir