The next day was to be a long twisting drive on the crowded Indonesian roads to the cultural capital of Java... Yogyakarta (pronounced Jogjikarta). But like GAP, Intrepid sometimes offers the ability to upgrade to something more comfortable for an additional fee. How about 1 hour by minivan to a train, where we travel by Businis Class (Indonesian spelling) train to Yogya in about 3 1/2 hours. Unlike our earlier Executif Class train, Businis is not air con, and the seats are not quite as nice.
So, for an additional Rp 100,000 (about $10) it was possible. I think the vote was 8 - 3, so train travel it was to be!
The train station was in a little out of the way town where they never see Westerners. We wandered about town, and like everywhere in Java, were greated with smiles and hello. The people here are just wonderful.
Four on a motorbike/scooter is quite common here, and is how the whole family gets around as most people don't have cars. The photo below is very very typical... youngster up front holding the handlebars, Dad next driving and usually wearing the only helmet. Behind him is Mama holding the baby on her lap, or strapped to her body. We see this all the time, and the traffic is very busy and congested. Thank goodness we have not witnessed an accident of any kind so far.
The train was right on time, so off we went, zipping through the Java countryside at about a 80 km/hr (50 mph). The seats were OK, and overhead fans and open windows kept the 33 degree heat bearable (bearly) for the trip.
Sylvia and I enjoying Nasi Goreng (fried rice) and Ayam Goreng (fried chicken) in Businis Class.
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