The Jayakarta Jakarta Hotel & Spa

... is huge and so interesting that I would like to return and spend more time. I will have to see if I can fit that in maybe when I return to Jakarta after having visited other parts of Java.<br><br>Next day, I decide to visit the Old City (Old Batavia also referred to as Kota). Since it is too far to walk I decide to attempt the bus system here. It turns out to be quite easy as Jakarta has a few express bus lanes (called Busway Corridors) and ...

... br>After a lunchtime swim I was off to the Prambanan Hindu temples which had been buried under volcanic ash until the dutch later re-discovered them and began restoration. In 2006 there was a big earthquake in the region which flattened a lot of the temples and the Japanese are currently repairing the damage. Anyway, by now I was a bit "templed out" and was obviously bored - something which a Welsh geography teacher from Brunei instantly picked up on (I know, bad times when you take to ...

... and we did a few tours visiting Borobudur the Beautiful buddhist temple, it was rediscovered by a brit in pieces and half buried and they put it back together one brick at a time. Apparently trying to fit every brick together and numbering them..basically a process of elimination...i don't think i'd have the patience! But the end result was stunning, though we spent a lot of the time be harassed by people taking our photos and autographs and filling out school children's questionnaires ...

... so eventually had to make a run for it to the nearest restaurant. We were soaked! The ground was like a swamp and the rain didn't stop until we were halfway back to Yogyakarta on the bus. Back in town we had pizza for dinner. We were horrified to find 3 enormous cockroaches in our room when we got back, and even more horrified that the man at reception laughed when we told him. They flew as well. Horrible! The next day we took the bus to another temple, Hindu this ...

... out to be about 6 hours to our destination which was ok because the transport was downright luxurious but it became a real pain in the ass literally for the last 2 hours because as we entered the primordial forest once again, the pavement began to give way. First it was just a few pot holes and then it was giant chunks of pavement missing........and then it was just crumbled asphalt strewn about the jungle. It wouldn't have been so bad but our driver ...

... to walk around. Its a weird landscape of Mars-like proportions. The floor is made of rocks coated in the chalky yellow of sulphur, the air is almost suffocating with the smell of rotting eggs. As you walk closer to the centre, the rocks change from yellow, to orange and then purple. You really feel like you are in the middle of the end of the world here, the only thing alive are the resilient ferns. The whole 'hell's gateway' feel is magnified when you ...

... grabbed her butt!" We got back to the city at about 1pm after visiting a couple more (very minor in comparison!) temples. Being "smart", we asked our driver to drop us off at "Food Fest", a restaurant that Kate had recommended. Since it was not featured in the Lonely Planet (the street wasn't even on the LP map), Kate had drawn us a lovely map with all sorts of useful landmarks - one being the "Steak &amp; Shake" restaurant. We were suckered in ...

... Bumi Johar charged 45k Rp - that's like UK Hotel prices. By 9 pm the tour group had gathered and I was slightly disappointed to find that of the 12 members, 10 of us were British + a Swiss girl and an Italian matron who was actually older than me - just. And 7 of the Brits were young girls, 3 of them the same age as my elder daughter. That's ironic, having spent the past few years parenting teenage girls, no matter how far I ...

... Although there are many variations of the wedding costume, all feature tassels covering the face and a red dress. The bridegroom - in striking contrast - dons a costume derived from Arab and Indian Sources. Government Due to its very extensive size and population, Jakarta has been given the status of province, similiar to the other 33 provinces throughout Indonesia. As a province, Jakarta is headed by governor who is directly responsible to the President of ...

... we walk by or the ubiquitous "JapAneese?" thrown Ana's way. At some point in history Indonesians thought it was cool or clever to yell at foreigners and guess what country they came from, either to show off their manner ineptitude or lack of global knowledge, either way it's immensely charming to all the tourists I'm sure. Malaysia has buses that go places, fast Internet, and the occasional bathroom with toilet paper, oh the good life. Things are looking up.