Chapter fifty six - Somewhere in Java

Day 216: Somewhere in Java, Indonesia 02/05/2012

Wake up slightly the worse for wear after yesterday's drinks (quite a lot by recent standards) and with this our bonus day in Pangandaran (as decided last night) we are soon at the beach trying to decide on our next move. Reading the Lonely Planet when have a brainwave...why not travel overnight?

Straight to the internet cafe to check the train times, when on the way in we see a baby monkey tethered to the tree outside. As I run back to get the camera there is a seven year old boy feeding the monkey using a baby's bottle. Take a moment to stroke him. The monkey that is, not the boy...

It soon becomes apparent that the overnight train is a possibility to get to Mount Bromo tomorrow. We hurriedly gather up our stuff, head to the bus station and learn the last bus to Sidarejar (the nearest train station) has sailed and the next one is in the morning. However, there is an alternative route according to the old bus conductor, going from Banjar to Surabaya - check this online and he is right. So, we jump on the bus to Banjar, hopeful we would be on time for the train, get dropped outside the station in good time and after a quick tea we bunk down in the train carriage ready to cross a fair chunk of Java by the morning. Reasonably comfortable to be fair.