Our Qatar Airways flight touched down in Jakarta and after paying for our visas we picked up our bags and headed for customs. Thinking Jona was travelling alone the customs official wasn't too impressed with the passport stamps from Peru and Bolivia and with the big sign over his head stating drug smuggling still carried the death penalty in Indonesia he asked " Do you travel to South America a lot?, "Erm, well, I, err.. no!" Emma had caught up by this point and realising we were travelling together waves us through without another glance. It's only males in their twenties travelling alone that raise suspicion apparently!

We grabbed a taxi and watched the teaming mass of polluted humanity that is Jakarta roll past the window. We found a hotel in Jalan Jaksa and set off for the train station to book our tickets out of town. The city may be polluted and ugly but you cannot say the Indonesians aren't friendly. Everyone wants a chat and not for an ulterior motive to flog you something, they just want to pass the time of day with you. After helping a few local school girls with their English homework we ducked into a bar, ordered up some Bintangs, looked at each other and blinked in realisation. We were actually travelling again and it was brilliant. The previous months of New Zealand, Fiji, Sydney and even Singapore had all felt too western. We were in the thick of it again and it felt great.

7.45am the next morning we were stood in Gambir train station awaiting our train and watching the commuters on their way to work. Never again shall we moan about the state of trains in the UK. Packed carriage after packed carriage rolled past people spilling out the broken doors, clinging on for dear life. Not quite the 7.50 fro Hove to Victoria. Although they did all appear to be on time!