I have arrived safely in Java. I am back in Jogyakarta to be precise. I have some nice new friends already….amazing what a cheek to cheek, toothy, smile does for ones reception! One of the nice new friends is an oldish loner guy from Perth who has befriended me. He seems to drink beer from the morning through to the mid evening when he finally signs off. This I know because he occupies the room next to me and everytime I get near the room I am invited to have a glass of beer with him! He swears like a trooper and is critical of everything within sight and he doesn’t care if it or they are within earshot also. It made me laugh last night when he said he was going to join me for a bite to eat. I approved of this as he knew the area and I didn’t. Anyhow he guided us to a small restaurant that did a burger and chips in the basket for 75p! and it smelt and looked really good. That was his experienced choice and I joined with an equally delicious chicken curry for about 85p. Whilst we were waiting for the food to be served a nearby table became occupied with a Western looking couple that I soon got chatting too. The 30’ish year old lady who was showing about 3-4 months of pregnancy was very pleasant and was busy explaining that she’d got the sack from her ‘PR’ job back in London. With a smile she adjusted that description to ‘well…laid off anyway’ to which my Australian friend, who is called Barry (aren’t they all?!), commented loudly to me, in a vaporous alcohol breeze: ‘Well…she got laid anyway!’..I sat rigid with shock and waited briefly for some irritated or even angry response from her guy at least.. but they both fell back in their seats laughing. Barry you old bugger. Hey…he is from Perth!
However the place that I have stayed the first night are charging me too much and after the burger and chips lunch I will shortly eat at Barry’s restaurant choice of last night I am going to head back there and do a little negotiating. Jeeez I have just been to a hotel down the road with a swimming pool that will give me a room for about 4uk pounds a night but my present hosts want to charge me 5uk pounds a night for a run down room, Barry next door and no swimming pool.. but so friendly!
Oh yeah…on the health risk front everything is fine. No indication or suggestion that there is an issue here. I think the biggest issue is going to be losing Barry!
Life is great! Everywhere has rooms, the prices are good, the weather is hot, there are no queues and everyone is friendly!
I am sending this mail from a cooooool cafe called the Ministry of Coffee…art deco interior and furnishings, cobbled patios hosting chic table, chair n umbrella sets hidden amongst ferns and other shady plants rustling in the light breeze around the external perimeter; inside the ground floor can be observed from a 2nd floor that ponders above the ground floor in the shape of a circular internal balcony. Cool style!
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Down The Road 