Java is one of the only islands in the huge archipelago that has a public train system. So rather than paying a lot more to take another flight, we decided to utilise the system and save our pennies.Having bought the cheapest tickets for the nine hour train a couple of days before, we arrived at the station feeling a tad apprehensive. Amelia was envisioning the worst - a long cramped journey in smelly, dirty conditions on bum numbing wooden benches. I was trying ...

The last minute flight from Labuan Bajo to Bali was on a very small propeller plane. Both Chris and I were a little nervous as we climbed the small and very few steps into the plane and took our seats in the second row. We had reason to feel nervous since an aeroplane had gone missing in Eastern Indonesia a couple of days before. However, as soon as we were in the air the incredible views over the world's biggest archipelagic state were enough to take our min...

The wooden boat we boarded to embark on our trip was far from what we'd envisioned. We were 'welcomed' on to the rotten boat by an old captain, and his two young crew members. Amelia and I were first to board the cramped, rotting boat, to be told we had to squidge up and wait for six others! Whilst we waited for the other six to join us, we made ourselves ‘comfortable’ and tried to make conversation with the crew. Unfortunately, with our l...

From Sengigi Chris and I were driven in Priscilla to a bus station in Mataram, about half an hour down the road. Prepared with a takeaway nasi campur for lunch, we sat on the curb and tucked in, eating with our hands whilst we waited to board the bus. Unbeknown, the new, clean, luxury bus with toilet and wifi waiting in front of us was not our bus, and we were ushered into the back of a pickup truck along with numerous parcels and boxes of all sizes. It was a bum...

Just the thought of more hiking after Rinjani almost made our legs seize in protest. But with things to see and do before returning 'our Cilla' to the rental office, I managed to put my legs into gear and drive us to a place called Senaru. The route to Senaru took us along some very twisty narrow roads. On a motorbike it's enough to whizz around the bends, but when your car is almost as wide as the road it's a must to warn others of your presence....