The train station wasn't as manic as many others we have visited and our train was already waiting for us despite it being over 30 minutes until departure.

We found our seats, put our packs in the overhead luggage racks and waited. The train journey was 10 hours overnight arriving at around 4am but we had bought cheap business class tickets (2nd class with no air-conditioning) which were seats rather than beds. We chose the cheap seats for the experience and what an experience!!

Many of our fellow passengers put down small pieces of carpet or newspaper to lie down on rather than continue sitting. It was hot, not boiling hot just clammy hot and there were innumerable noisy hawkers walking up and down the aisle selling all sorts of foods and drinks each time the train stopped. The seat and the journey itself were comfortable enough and the 10 hours flew by - it was just a shame it was pitch black out the window.

On time we arrived at Pasar Senen, our stop in Jakarta. It was bizarre - the night-time darkness together with the journey making it feel to us the time it was (4am) but it was a hive of activity with street vendors, taxi and tuk-tuk drivers and buses all sharing the rather small station front. We wandered outside the train station ignoring all the taxi drivers and tried to walk towards a hostel. A hundred metres further on we gave up and flagged down a tuk-tuk, literally squeezing ourselves and our bags into the back before setting off.

It was deceptively far to Jalan Jaksa, the backpackers' area but after safely negotiating the one-way system we got dropped off at the start of the street. With the time around 4.30am it was time to search for a room negotiating both the kids either side of the street throwing fire-crackers at each other (why aren't they in bed?!?!) and also the rats scurrying for cover from both us and the fire crackers.

Since we had a fair bit of time to kill (with check-in not usually until midday) and as it was quite cool in the dark we did a thorough investigation of the rooms. Clearly Jakarta is a destination most backpackers pass through and our investigation highlighted there were slim pickings on the quality of rooms.

With great relief we found one that met our requirements and were even happier to know we could move in straightaway. We took our bags up to the fourth floor, dropped them on the floor, got into bed and immediately went to sleep.

At about 10 we awoke and our first job was to get some breakfast. Suitably refuelled at a local café we set off in the stifling heat towards the train station less than a kilometre away. In a couple of days we need to be at the airport and had read that we could get a bus for the airport from the train station. With all information we have read we wanted to check that this was still reliable and relevant information which happily in this case it was.

We then went round Merdeka Square (Independence Square) which is a huge square partly herring-bone brick and partly green areas with the centrepiece the National Monument with a height of 132 metres. This is apparently Jakarta's number one monument.

Our next destination was a shopping mall where we could both do some window-shopping and get some relief from the relentless sun. When we eventually reached the mall we were disappointed to learn it was full of boutique shops and upmarket global brands, certainly not a great deal for two unemployed backpackers to get excited about. But it was interesting to see many wealthy Jakartans spending their Saturday afternoon here.

The locals are definitely huge car lovers. I don't know if it's because it's Ramadan or because it's a Saturday but walking along the streets of Jakarta you don't see many people at all. It makes for a poor atmosphere and it's weird because the roads are full of traffic obviously because all the people are in their air-conditioned cars driving from their air-conditioned houses to the air-conditioned shopping centres. Only mad people or the destitute spend any time on the streets in the heat.

At the mall we had a stroll around, buying some pastries from a bakery before sitting outside to eat. Outside again we headed for a neighbouring mall passing a street full of food stalls (having just eaten we didn't try). The other mall was just as exclusive - it seems locals have a lot of money - so we decided to call it quits and returned to the hostel along a long leafy avenue.

Exhausted with the walking effort we took a little time to rest in our fan room (really should have paid extra for the air-conditioned room!) before using the free Wi-Fi and having a drink in the hotel lobby.

At 7 our tummies were rumbling and we wandered back out. With it being after sunset the locals were a lot more visible with their socialising and street stalls. We went to a restaurant at the end of the street for some food before returning to the hostel via the supermarket.

Kirsty was clearly tired the following morning as a result of the night train. When she eventually rose we showered and dressed and went next door for our complimentary breakfast in the hostel café. Almost all rooms in Indonesia include breakfast which suits us foodies!

While eating we discussed our plan for the day. To be honest we're only in Jakarta because our flight leaves from here. We had heard the city wasn't great and nothing we had seen to this point had challenged this view. On one hand we just wanted the equivalent of a duvet day, on the other we were aware that we were spending our last day in Indonesia and were lucky to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience and so should make the most of every day. So we decided to visit Chinatown which sounded to us like it might be an interesting and busy place.

Despite the beating sun we thought we would walk there and with most of our walks the destination was to be only one aspect of it.

Half a mile in we took our first kerb-side rest. It was early and there was a small breeze and plenty of shade. Despite this it was still tough going, even our bottle of water was warming nicely. While resting at the side of the road, a car drove by with children waving enthusiastically at us. We did as we always did and smiled and waved back. As a result they were almost beside themselves with excitement. Glad to make someone's day!

No sooner had we started walking again than this happened again with another car-load of children. With the same result! We started to question whether we were famous around here!!

Shortly after we passed a couple of Jakarta landmarks; Merdeka Square and the unmissable National Monument and Istana President, presumably the President's dwelling.

On we pressed finding ourselves walking alongside a busy highway, safely on the pavement before ducking in a mall, Gaja Madah Mall. In contrast to the mall of yesterday this was a shopping centre of the everyman. We had a well-deserved sit down with a Pepsi before discovering the hypermarket in the basement. This was a hypermarket worthy of the name and we took full advantage. With India and Africa being two of the next three stops on the Hanes Honeymoon we were uncertain when we would get the chance to stock up on everyday items such as deodorant, hand sanitizer and batteries.

We spent a while filling our basket before grabbing a sweet treat for the journey! I opted for a cheese doughnut, all the rage here. They sell the normal chocolate and plain doughnuts and up until now I'd been intrigued but still avoided the ones topped with grated cheese. It wasn't awful, not too bad to be honest but I think my taste buds and brain had a hard time!

We plodded on until, thinking we had made it, we turned left off the main road. Instead of Chinatown we had stumbled across a poor area of the city. We received quite a few stares and lots of shouts of "Hey Mister!" from both children and adults. One boy clearly not understanding the words even shouting it at Kirsty! There were open sewers full of stagnant water and at one point we passed a small boy using these sewers for their purpose. It was eye-opening, a little intimidating (especially some of the staring and calling out) but not particularly threatening.

Threading our way through these alleys we came across Chinatown and a few connected alleyways full of market stalls selling everything and anything: fruit, hot food, fresh fish, shoes, toys, clothes, mice, books. And it was heaving! Always good to be in the heart of a thriving market and get carried along on a wave of people. Kirsty nearly bought a cheap pair of pumps but they were a bit small sadly for her.

I did buy some lumpia (spring rolls) in a nice peanut sauce, sold to me in classic Asia style in a plastic bag. The street seller even thanked us in English which was a nice touch.

Having seen enough we then headed back to the nearest bus stop and caught the bus back towards home. Like Yogyakarta, Jakarta has an exclusive expressway in the offside lane for the buses to run along (to beat the maddening grid-locked traffic). It is a flat fare no matter how far you travel (3,500Rp or 25p) payable on entry to the platform. If Indonesia can have something like this, why not England?!?

We got on and were lucky to get seats (as the bus got absolutely swamped a few stops later) before alighting at the stop advised by the bus company employee who sold us the ticket. We then rested our weary limbs and had an ice-cream at a nearby McDonalds before returning to the hostel on foot.

A couple of hours later we ventured out for some food choosing a Padang-style restaurant (where the food is cooked in the morning and kept warm in the window on plates above hot water). You just point at what you want and get a couple of spoonfuls from each of the plates you pointed at before paying for what you've chosen. Sounds weird but the food is amazing!! Spicy, speedy (like so many local places) and so delicious! In our experience, these Padang-style places do the best fried eggs in the whole world.

Paying the bill (28,000Rp or £2 for both) we left well and truly stuffed and satisfied before going to a local bar for a chat with an iced-chocolate and a cappuccino (which cost more than our dinner!) We then returned to our baking-hot room to pack in readiness for our flight to Singapore the following day.

Indonesia is a great place, definitely one of my favourite places so far and even Jakarta has grown on me!