Bandung to Purwokerto / Bayumas Central Java

A Long Day - 

We got up at 5 am...yikes... EARLY OR WHAT????

We had a train to catch - and needed to be at the station one hour early.  All went well and we actually departed out of Bandung right on time...8 am!

 We sat "eksekutif" - and so we were comfortable.  We enjoyed out trip very much and saw some beautiful scenery!

 Our window was shaded so these sights are more colorful....and we are traveling at a speed of around 50 km per hour.

 But so pretty - most of the land is cultivated in rice fields ~

There were other tourists on board - some Dutchies - 

                                                                  Beautiful huh?

 The farmers have levels of rice fields on the mountains...so each level has been leveled with a ridge and then the lower area again is leveled and so down the mountain - can you imagine how much work that took all by hand!!!!!

Just a house along the way~

 At the Train Station - waiting we meant two friends traveling together - Djumilah who is born in Java but has been living in Holland for many years .......

 ......and her friend Willy both from Leiden -

 We had such a nice talk on the train - first Milah came to join me and chat and then she sent Willy back to us...and it was a lovely time!  Yes - Ellen and the ladies had to get her 35,000 words out! ha!
Willy had always wanted to come to Indonesia and so the two friends planned this trip together!  Milah has a chance to come to Java to meet her immediate family and for Willy - she got to experience Indonesia in a intimate way meeting friends and having a "guide" who knows the custom's, way's and areas well!

                                                             Way to Go Ladies!  It was lovely to meet them and we were invited by Milah to call when we come to Holland - and she would prepare an Indonesia meal for us!

WE WILL BE CALLING YOU MILAH AND WILLY!!!!!!! WHEN WE GET TO HOLLAND!
                                                                Hardstikke leuk! 

                  Cute little villages along the way these 5 hours on the train! See the hatchet roofs?

We arrived in Krayo at 1:30 pm and there we were in this tiny train station!  We thought - well we will take a taxi to the town we had made a hotel reservation in - Purwokerto - but the Train Station attendant - said Taksi? NO Taksi!  Becak - to bus terminal...BECAK? Nick thought he was kidding - becak is a tiny little thing....?  No he was serious!  NO WAY! Yep Yep...the only way!!!!!!

 So with suitcase and back-pack - purse and camera....in one Becak and Nico -

in the other one...off we went to the bus terminal - ! Oh my goodness I thought...if our family and friends could see us now????!!!!!!

I was able to catch a picture of Nick when we had to wait up ahead at the train tracks to cross over.... Hey Nick....are you comfortable over there????  I got a big smile and a wave! And the driver - he was smiling & grinning...those American's! 

We were all lining up and more motorcycles and cars showed up....

We laughed and enjoy the ride - held onto the suitcase that was half hanging over the edge of the becak...but it made it and we got helped by the driver - when we arrived at the bus stop - the attendant for the bus took our suitcases - so big they are in this little bus...and the bus was already jammed with people and baskets - some people had gone to the market - and the bus was full of people and stuff - and YET....

 the attendant grabbed our suitcase lifted them up into the bus - rearranged the other baskets etc and told people to move over and - yes even though Nick & I never thought there would be even a place to stand - we got in there ...anyway!  They just make it work - the people are used to being close together when in a bus etc.

I didn't take a picture I had the backpack on my lap...and my purse and could hardly even get my camera out...believe me I wanted to!  But when people started getting off the bus - I quickly took a few!  Nick was able to set his backpack on the seat - but the seats are SO' small you guys...everything built for very small people! ha!

After almost an hour drive to this town Purwokerto - we stepped out of the bus at the terminal and found a taxi (in town taxi!) to bring us to the hotel Nick had booked on Agoda.com my - it was a brand spankin'

 new hotel - 6 month young!  We felt very spoiled - my so fancy!

 The Indonesia horeca - is very very particular to offer excellent service - so doors are always opened for you, suitcase always taken from you, handshakes, polite bow's and always a warm greeting and kind gestures and many many smiles!

The hotel front entry - has a guard house - most hotels we have experienced -

We were glad to arrive - 3:30 pm and we were HOT! Coming out of the mountains - to sea level again - the weather was up in the mid 90' again!

 After a refreshing shower we went down to the restaurant and sat outside on the patio- ah....so nice -

....and what did we order?  Yes...you guessed right.... Nasi Goreng and Gado-Gado again - we're hooked on that! With two small dishes of Sambal of course  (the hot sauce!)

                                               See the Sambal - yes with shrimp chips ~ Krupuk! 

Well time to relax and see plan what we will be doing tomorrow! 

My father, siblings & parents lived in Banyumas,, while he was growing up and Nick's mother was born here too...so we are going to drive around a little - rent a taxi for the day and look around a bit ~ all I have is that Papa lived on a sugar plantation and "klampot" - this might be a little area/village/or even the name of the plantation - hope to find out!