Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur.

It's been a while since my last post. 

From Yogyakarta I traveled by train to Jakarta a seven hour long but pleasant journey and then things slowly turned to custard for me. The next day I went for a walk to Merdeka square felt a bit light headed, walked back to my hotel and promptly fainted in the hotel lobby. This was probably more traumatic for the hotel staff then me and I came too again within seconds. So spent the remainde of that day and all of the next in my hotel in the air conditioning and started feeling a bit better. I did go out again after that but still feeling pretty weak most of the time. Then last Sunday I left Jakarta for Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, had an ordinary flight, breezed through customs and immigration and promptly got pick pocketed on the way to my hotel. They worked in a team and I immediately realised what had happened but by then the doors on the train were closing and they were off down the platform. Welcome to Malaysia!  

On arrival in my hotel I cancelled my credit cards and rang Mum to transfer some money via Western Union, I leave money in her account for exactly this type of emergency. Then spent way to much time and money ringing Visa to get a replacement card, but to their credit it a arrived within 48 hours. 

Now I'm back on my feet but feeling a little more weary of fellow men. 

Sunny Jakarta, where the air is fresh, Not!

Borobodur.

I don't really feel like writing but as an explanation the pictures below are all taken at the Borobodur the largest Buddhist monument in Indonesia between six and eight in the morning. As you would expect there are a lot of Buddha statues here including in stone lattice cupolas. The last picture is Mount Merapi just coming clear through the clouds. 

Here is one I made earlier.

A short video of my drive from Ubud to Lovina earlier in this trip. 

Solo Batik Carnival

While I was wandering around town I came across a large commotion of people

A gentlemen conveniently selling cold drinks

And this contraption. The little carts move by a chain and lever arrangement that the proprietor drives with his feet just like a bicycle. 

And then there were the costumes. Absolutely stunning and hundreds of them. 

Here is a small sample. 

And here a large one. 

And some of the spectators. 

Solo

I've been a couple days in Solo now where I'm staying at the Indonesian equivalent of Fawlty Towers. Not sure if they haver ever ran a hotel before. That said they're friendly and cheerful and the room I have is nice enough. I'm the only guest though. 

Anyway I went for a look around town and had a look at the Kraton, which really only functions as a reminder how not to set up a museum. Dark and dusty glass cases with no descriptions. And a collection of carriages including this hearse that were being consumed by woodworm. 

Outside was far more interesting, everywhere in Solo rickshaws are still in full use and in this photo I managed to get a ninja in the background as well. 

I love the colors of all the stalls. 

And the lights once they setup at night.