Another one of those unfortunate days awaited us where our timetable was dominated by the railways. The alarm went off at 04.05 as bags had to be packed and in the lobby by 05.00. This was the time breakfast was served as well. We left for the 20 minute drive to the station through the awakening streets of Yogyakarta.
Some morning markets were in full swing with just enough room left between the parked vehicles and stalls for through traffic to get passed. Mayhem in the darkness. Add to the chaos, the muezzins were wailing their call to prayer for all good Muslims from loud speakers atop minarets… perhaps they need to take singing lessons.
Outside the station… note that the name can be spelt either Jogjakarta or Yogyakarta.
Wooden lockers inside the station.
The station sign indicates we were 512km from the capital.
Early morning trade was brisk for the stall holders on the station platforms.
We boarded our train for Minggu at 06.45… right on time, according to my ticket.
There was a three and a half hour ride ahead of us. Lots of people waited for us at the crossing gates… most of them were on bikes of one kind or another.
Away from the city, we passed many newly planted rice paddies.
For kilometre after kilometre there was nothing but flooded rice paddies.
Many trains past us… all sorts of other trains, transporting goods around the country. But as the windows of our train became increasingly unhelpful for photography, I gave up the effort of recording the scenery and just sat back to enjoy the ride.
A mini-bus was waiting for us at Minggu even though we arrived a little late.
On the way to our overnight stop we made a brief ‘loo’ stop at a service station. Across the road was the local recycling depot… baskets were filled with various items from paper to bottles and plastic. Not as much waste there as we generate in our cities and towns!
Finally, we arrived at our overnight accommodation… an eco-friendly resort that was surrounded by a large garden that was both ornamental and functional as it grew much of the food served in the restaurant. It reminded me very much of a similar place that Jennie and I stayed at in Costa Rica. There were chalets scattered all over the hillside.
Each chalet had a terracotta motive atop it’s roof which related to the chalet’s name.
The accommodation was rather basic with an outside loo and shower enclosed in a private courtyard. There is something rather liberating about getting one’s clothes off in the outdoors to have a shower. The loo was of the Western variety but the ‘shower’ was a large blue tile-lined tank with a dipper. The water was cold and was inclined to take one’s breath away on the first dousing.
A two bedroom/share cabin became my ‘home’ at the resort!
It was Brian’s turn to have the single room and large bed.
Dinner was at the resort’s “Pesto Alas” Restaurant. I gave the resort full marks when beer was specially brought in for us, from who knows where, even though the place was run by Muslims. Mind you, it was the most expensive beer on this trip… with the exception of what we drank in the Sky Lounge on the top of Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore.
This was my choice from the somewhat limited, but adequate menu. Freshly steamed vegetables from the garden, toasted coconut and boiled rice. Delicious.
More anon
David
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