Emily and I got up early to plan the next few days ahead - and decided that we should fly later that night to Yogyakarta (the most last minute flight we have ever booked). We went out to explore Jakarta for the day and got the train from Cikini to Kota to explore the old town with its Dutch influences.

As we arrived in Kota the weather was terrible - absolutely pouring with rain meaning the main square really did look like Europe with Netherlands inspired buildings and raining weather (although still super hot). We took cover in a restaurant and got a traditional Indonesian meal for lunch which was delicious. We got some sort of chicken with rice, sesame bean thing and tofu with a chilli sauce on the side. The first
of many great meals here I'm sure. We wandered around a bit longer and got the train back to Cikini.

Our flight to Yogyakarta was super easy and within a couple of hours we had arrived! We got a local bus to Malioboro and then a super fun ride in a trishaw/becak which is like a three wheeled powered cart with the driver behind you and the carriage in the front. It was hysterical both of us squishing in with our huge backpacks and whizzing through the streets.

Our hostel - Casa De Raffles - was no exaggeration like something out of a horror film. I will try my very best to describe the place but it was so unbelievably weird you could only possibly understand if you experienced it yourself. The building was like a 1920's house with a huge open plan ground floor with leather sofas, an old school TV and a winding staircase. There was one flashing light and aside from that the place was completely empty and dark. There were glass cabinets all over the place with old ornaments inside - one with only teddy bears, and an old piano in the middle of the room. There was one small Christmas tree. There was a huge kitchen with absolutely nothing in it and the sound of dripping water echoing throughout the emptiness. Up the stairs we found one football table, an armchair, a locked huge industrial safe and two ancient pieces of gym equipment in the middle of the corridor (the description online had said it featured a "fitness centre") and a few doors that led to nowhere - just door frames. There was a sink that was just for show and lots of wooden benches. It was just so weird and so creepy and we couldn't wait to leave the following day!

We went for a wonderful street side Indonesian dinner of duck, Nasi goreng and kangkung which was absolutely delicious before returning to the horror hostel and hoping we would survive until morning....!