Yogyakarta 2015

I’m sprawled on the ground leaning against a pillar with my rucksack in the Jogja airport for the Silkair counter to open. The flight is late, already been 2 hours. Thanks to the heavy downpour in the afternoon. I couldn’t make better use of the extra time though – except to spend an additional hour or so to have a couple more Gudang Garams (it was Indonesia after all!). Now that brings pleasant memories-though a lingering headache for a system unused to smoking any more. The Gudang Garams were a treat from Pak Joko where we spent a companionable few hours at the dhaba serving student budget buffet for lunch on our way down from Mount Merapi – with the rain beating down on the aluminium sheets above, sipping filter coffee.

It had been an enjoyable morning, I checked out early from the hotel and we drove to Mt Merapi. Iuwan was the intrepid WWII surplus jeep driver showing off his skills and the stunning views of the area. The Mt. Merapi tip (blown away by the volcano) was itself obscured by the clouds but it didn’t hide the lush countryside. Surprisingly the trees and plants around had grown so fast after the 2010 eruption. The drive around to see the devastation of the villages and the still smouldering slopes was quite the experience. They’ve kept the artefacts which melted down including the clock that stopped when the eruption happened. I’m glad some of them are able to make some sort of a living after that. The destruction was eerie but human beings really do move on. Even Iuwan was talking about how he managed to escape with the evacuation. It was great weather, cloudy and breezy, got some great pics to capture the outing. Spent some time after the drive chatting with some of the other drivers and Pak Joko who shared their experiences of the quake and the tourists who came by. Danu, who claimed he was 19 (I doubt it!) was quite chatty and curious and shared his stash of Marlboro menthols!

En route to Mt. Merapi was a stop at the Marlioboro Street market – to pick up the Indonesian cardamom or kapulaga which Pak Joko managed to find for me. The tiny shop stall was manned by this sweet old lady who smiled her way into making me buy cloves and vanilla pods that I didn’t really need but for a steal! We looked but couldn’t find the Mahabharata or Gatotkaca wood carvings that I was looked for. Hopefully if I make it to Jepara…another trip. This was day 3 of my solo trip to Yogyakarta. Wrote a long entry in Pak Joko’s guest book and left a hefty tip. He was a gem – such a treat of a driver/guide/companion – looked after me well and had so much interest in Indian culture; of course he also likes Shah Rukh Khan. I didn’t get too much of a chance to ask him questions because he kept me busy racking my brains to come up with answers for his! Been sending everyone I know going to Jogja with his reference.

Day 2 was just as exciting. We started early in the morning with a longish drive to Jomblang caves. The trip is facilitated by Cahyo and his crew – you have to book well in advance. When I got there, Cahyo wasn’t there, but his crew was so sweet – language was a real barrier. Joko made sure someone took me down into the caves with the rest of the groups. It was a basic rustic place but what an awesome EXPERIENCE!! Goes to show how much fun you can have if you can just BE and let things happen! We got lowered down 60m in the harness; Novri the boy or rather young man from Jakarta got paired with me. He was more scared than me while getting lowered down! From that first landing point there’s another 30 odd metres to reach the cave, along one of the most muddy, slithery tracks I’ve been on in a while! It was quite hilarious as people kept sliding and knocking each other down. There was a rope tied to a tree which we could hang on to – but wasn’t much use as it was just tied on one end and not tethered and the rope by then had itself become a slushy mess. Then the long walk into the pitch dark cave with just that one guy who had the head lamp. Luckily inside wasn’t that slippery but so rocky – we had to keep a steady pace though since we had to reach the heart of the cave at a specific time. The sun rays come through this narrow opening on the roof of this huge cavern and light up everything in this ethereal light at around noon. It’s so simple and yet so breathtaking. There’s tiny water droplets in the air which catch the light and the light beams coming down, you can just stand there transfixed with the rainwater coming down in rivulets and just try and breathe everything in! Novri and his group were good companions, they made sure I got lots of pics for myself and did a mini modelling shoot with one of them shining the phone torch for that extra light! The crew member must have seen this every day but I thought the sight wouldn’t cease to be pleasing. The limestone formation in the centre was so pretty, though I wasn’t able to capture it well in a pic, the years of erosion had created such pretty ripple shapes into it. It just all filled the senses in a most fulfilling way. We made our way back, the climb up got even tougher since there was nothing to hold on to but each other. Another giggling slithering half hour later, we got our turn to go back up in the harness. The harness was being pulled up by about 10 men using a couple of trees as leverage. It should be a cause of concern I guess but sometimes you put more trust in humans than machines which may not be kept well maintained! We pounced on the lunch boxes, had showers (my tshirt had to be junked after all the mud and grass stains) and headed to town. It started raining again – luckily it had held out just enough to get me experience!

We stopped at Affandi museum – it was a pleasant surprise actually. Some of his works (Room 1, while I visited) was actually quite good. He’s good with faces and catching expressions with a few strokes. I quite liked that one of his mom walking away dejected when he told her he was going away to study in India. Lump in throat moment – I remembered saying bye to my mom the day she she left Bombay after getting me settled in to my hostel and institute – it was a rainy day too! We did some batik shopping and then back to the hotel for me to have a lazy dinner and a massage. Next time I want to pick up some batik bedsheets.

Did I mention the hotel was really charming? Hotel Phoenix – old colonial style, very well kept and great service. I didn’t even bother to have dinner anywhere else – it would have got in the way of my daily massages before bedtime J They left nice sweet treats in the room everyday – that works well with me, just fyi!
I’m working my way backwards describing the trip. So Day 1 started later than planned thanks to having to hover in the air for about a couple of hours and then another 30 mins in the runway. I must confess I had been a tad jittery about the flight, given the recent spate of air accidents. Well the fears were unfounded. Pak Joko picked me up and after completing the hotel check in etc, we left immediately for Prambanan temple. It was a fascinating complex. I haven’t seen Brahma being featured much in Indian temples. With the 2006 earthquake so much of their structures had crumbled. But the authorities have done a great job of restoration and maintenance. The entire grounds and complex have this discreet network of speakers which had the recordings of this nice soothing rhythmic chiming bells music. Spent a very pleasant couple of hours wandering around and taking pics. We stopped to have lunch at this tiny place which had these raised thatched platforms overlooking paddy fields on our way to Borobudur. The closing time was earlier than we had estimated so this was a rushed affair. But still completely worth it!  As it was cloudy I didn’t get the sunset view but we did catch a quick rain shower and the resultant rainbow and lovely vista of the mists on the distant mountains and paddy fields. Did do the touristy thing to reach into the bell shaped structures and touch the Buddha statue for luck. It was all just so lovely and peaceful.

I really liked the people in Jogja. Everyone seems so smiley and helpful – in a genuine shy way. It’s such a feel- good factor. It was heartwarming when on our way to Jomblang,  Pak Joko would greet all the farm and road workers on the narrow paths while driving by and they would all respond, smiling back warmly.

It was a perfect start to the 2015. Here’s to the positivity and many more happy experiences!