Pandora Experience

A couple of days ago, my cousins and I went to Kelapa Gading to play at this famous escape house in Jakarta named Pandora Experience. You see, we were basically escape-house virgins, so we were not familiar with how this game goes, let alone how it works. I booked a slot over a phone call for the Forest of the Dead, which is the theme of the game. There are numerous theme for one place and, turned out, I happen to chose the most extreme one of all the themes available. “The difficulty is five out of five, the fear factor is five out of five as well, while the physical activity is four out of five,” said Nuning, a cousin of mine, reading the information written on the official website about the theme we were about to undergo as we were driving to Mall Kelapa Gading. Shit, I thought to myself, I’d probably shit my pants playing this escape game. 

Left to right: Gavin, Nadja, me, Nuning, and Adji

Imagine going to a cinema to watch a movie, but instead of doing so, you are going to a dark building with splashing color of black and red and being put inside a chamber for two hours to find your way out by finding clues and solving riddles; that’s how the escape game works. Within each theme, the duration of the game differs, as well as the amount of players needed to play the game. Mine needed, at least, four persons to play, and it can be up to ten persons. 

Out game started at 8:30PM. We arrived a bit early, got briefed by the game master about the dos and don’ts, stored our belongings inside a locker provided by Pandora Experience, and went to the third floor to our game chamber. We were given a walkie talkie. That’s it. No flash lights, no candles, nothing to light up the expected dark and eerie chamber. The walkie talkie is used to communicate with the game master in case we stumbled upon a dead end and needed a help from the game master himself to solve the mystery. Very handy and useful, and we used the particular equipment a lot during our entire two and a half hours roaming around the maze.

What we experienced inside the maze-like chamber was none like we have ever came accross with before. We had to crawl, we had to climb, we were trapped in a very small room with minimum lighting, we were surrounded by speakers that blare creepy sounds and music, and we also were separated halfway through the game not because we were lost, but because the story line required us to. “Only one can go inside the maze and it has to be a.. woman,” said the game master through the walkie talkie. Nadja was terrified, as well as Nuning. I was as well, but I had to be the one who do this task otherwise we won’t finish the game and we might get kicked out for not being able to finish it under the specified time period. So I did. It was the most terrifying moment in my life as I had to crawl my way into a narrow and dark passage, clogging my ears with my fingers so that I won’t be hearing much of the very very loud sinister background music that was booming from the speaker. I had my walkie talkie with me and kudos to the game master for being very patient with all of my distress calls. “I can’t do this,” I said, trembling, “I’m too scared.” which was then replied with a soothing, “Just calm yourself. Everything will be okay.”. 

The storyline was great. We got to know the background story of the theme we chose as we travel from chamber to chamber, maze to maze, discovering the secrets that lies within the Aokigahara forest while we struggle to find our exit. 

The physical activity was amazing, although very much exhausting. It wouldn’t be a problem for those who work out regularly. Unfortunately, the five of us never touched a barbel, or run a mile, within the month. We ended up running out of breaths at some points. 

Last but not least is the fear factor, which exceeded expectation as the five of us were very very terrorized even by the background music itself, let alone the jump scares. The props used were twisted and fucked up, that's for sure. 

Seriously, Pandora Experience is not like any other haunted house you’ve ever encountered before. It frustrates you in a good way and it scars you for life. Surprisingly, despite all the terrors, it gives you this addiction that makes you want to play again, but with a different theme. It definitely satisfies your rush for adrenalin and lust for a good horror. Not recommended for the faint-hearted and those who are claustrophobic and scotophobic. 

Pandora Experience

Jalan Boulevard Bar. Raya, No. 46

RT002 RW009

Kelapa Gading, jakarta Utara 14240

To book your game, you can go visit Pandora Experience's official website here. 

Seraya Kopi

Salah satu sahabat baik gue dari Curug baru aja membuka kedai kopi pertamanya di daerah Meruya. Memang, sih jarak tempuh antara Bekasi ke Meruya itu memang nggak ada yang nandingin, apalagi kalau kondisinya hari Jumat sore, hujan deras, dan sedang macet, tapi tetap gue jabanin perjalanan lintas planet tersebut demi meramaikan kedai kopinya. Namanya Khairil, gue jarang bercerita tentang dia di sini. Nah, biarlah posting-an blog gue kali ini berputar di seputar dia dan kedai kopinya. 

Seraya Kopi

Kedai kopi mungil di Meruya Selatan

Iya, ini Khairil

Khairil adalah teman sebangku gue semasa gue masih menempuh pendidikan di STPI, Curug. Selama kurang lebih dua tahun lamanya, selama masa pendidikan ground school kami, kami berdua menjadi alarm berjalan untuk masing-masing: dalam artian, semisal salah satu dari kami sedang pulas-pulasnya tidur dan dosen, atau flight instructor, sudah datang, kami langsung membangunkan satu sama lain sebelum pengajar sadar bahwa kami sedang enak-enaknya melayang di alam mimpi. Nggak lama, gue dan Khairil berselisih jalan karena dia harus melanjutkan pendidikannya menjadi pilot helikopter di hanggar sebelah, sementara gue sibuk dengan rentetan piper warrior di hanggar fixed-wings. Sempat, pada dua tahun yang lalu, hubungan gue dan Khairil terputus karena situasi dan kondisi yang memaksakan gue untuk memutus semua hubungan dengan banyak orang yang ada di dalam hidup gue. Untungnya, gue berhasi keluar dari dalam lingkaran setan dan gue pun bisa berteman baik lagi dengan Khairil. 

Yang lagi melet namanya Dheddy

Khairil in the midst of trying to keep his cool

Kalau yang ini namanya Mas Luqman

Hari Jumat kemarin, gue dan Gavin, beserta rombongan teman-teman sekelas gue yang berbeda kendaraan, serentak datang ke Seraya Kopi dan membuat rusuh kedai kopi tersebut. Nggak ada maksud jahat, memang kami anak-anaknya rusuh aja. Khairil yang saat itu tengah melayani tamu, yang berdatangan ke kedai kopinya, pun kewalahan. Tapi, namanya juga anak Curug, ya, semua bisa diurus dengan baik dan cepat. 

My support system

Yang ini namanya Robby, doyannya Queen

Seraya Kopi adalah nama kedai kopi kepunyaan Khairil. Saat ditanya alasan kenapa dia memilih nama tersebut, jawabannya cukup puitis, meskipun nggak berhasil disampaikan dengan keren. “Seraya itu artinya sambil,” kata Khairil, “jadi lo itu semisal “seraya membaca” berarti “sambil membaca”, “seraya nyebat” berarti “sambil nyebat”, nah ini seraya kopi.”. Namanya juga anak-anak Charlie, semua orangnya nggak terimaan, jadi kami langsung menyoraki Khairil seraya menertawakan kegugupannya. Namun, kalau dipikir-pikir lagi, memang pemilihan namanya cukup puitis kok. 

Semua menu makanan dan minuman yang disajikan di Seraya Kopi memiliki harga yang sama, yaitu hanya Rp15.000,00. Satu porsi sosis, satu ember kentang goreng, satu cangkir cappuccino, satu gelas minuman Red Velvet, semuanya harganya nggak lebih dari satu lembar dua puluh ribuan. Gue, yang notabene orangnya medit banget, mah senang banget pas tau harganya nggak selangit karena udah jarang banget sekarang ada kedai kopi yang menyajikan minuman berkualitas dengan harga bersahabat. 

Menu Seraya Kopi

Tiwus dan Aceh Gayo

Yang gue suka dari Seraya Kopi adalah bahwa tempat ini menyajikan berbagai macam minuman non-kopi untuk mereka yang doyan nongkrong, tapi nggak doyan kopi. Jadi, untuk kalian yang kalau setiap nongkrong minuman andalannya adalah Iced Lychee Tea, atau Iced Peach Tea, kalian nggak perlu khawatir karena mereka punya kuncian kalian di sini. Minuman-minuman dingin berbasis bubuk juga ada, kok, seperti contohnya minuman Red Velvet dan minuman Matcha. Gue pribadi senang dengan minuman Red Velvetnya yang segar dan manis. Meskipun rasanya agak lebih mirip dengan Strawberry Milkshake, tapi gue tetap suka. 

Nah, untuk kalian yang doyan kopi, apalagi kopi-kopi manual brew, di sini pun ada pilihan V60 dengan biji-biji kopi yang ciamik, seperti Tiwus dan Aceh Gayo. Gue otomatis memilih Tiwus sebagai teman minum gue malam itu. Disajikan secara sederhana di dalam botol kecil, dilengkapi dengan shotglass yang mengingatkan gue akan akhir pekan terakhir gue di De Hooi, sajian kopi dari Seraya Kopi sama sekali nggak mengecewakan. Memang agak lama proses pembuatannya, gue harus menunggu kurang lebih sekitar 20 menitan, tapi tetap nggak mengecewakan. 

Bagian dalam dari Seraya Kopi

I spot a new Instagram update with that wall

Dibandingkan dengan sosis gorengnya, gue lebih suka dengan kentang gorengnya yang berbalut bumbu dan sedikit taburan rempah-rempah di atasnya. Asinnya cukup, gurihnya dapet, dan mecinnya pas. Langsung bikin pinter! Terlebih lagi, potongan kentang gorengnya nggak kurus-kurus seperti kentang goreng McDonal, melainkan agak gemuk dan lumayan panjang. Jadi makin sayang, kan. 

Kentang Goreng - 15K

Cappuccino - 15K

Selama 6 jam lebih gue menghabiskan Jumat malam gue di Seraya dan, mungkin karena akhir pekan, tamu-tamu terus berdatangan meskipun tamu yang lain baru aja keluar. Karena kedai kopi ini cukup mungil dan selalu dipenuhi dengan anak-anak kuliahan dari kampus sebelah, gue lebih merekomendasikan tempat ini untuk nongkrong, ketimbang untuk mengerjakan tugas. Kalau kalian adalah tipe orang yang senang mengerjakan tugas di keramaian, be my guest. Tapi, kalau kalian adalah tipe orang yang senang dengan kesunyian dan susah fokus kalau banyak suara seperti gue, mending nggak usah coba-coba, deh, ngerjain tugas di sini. Mendingan kalian kumpulin rombongan anak-anak kelas kalian, bawa gitar dan segepok kartu remi, dan habiskan malam akhir pekan kalian dengan segelas cappucinno dan sepiring kentang goreng. 

Seraya Kopi

Jl. H. Lebar No. 38

RT007 RW002, Kembangan

Meruya Selatan, Jakarta Barat

Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 11610

Opening Hours:

MON - SUN: 10AM - 10PM

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