Mbah & Atok go to… tour of Java - Day 1

Mbah & Atok go to… tour of Java — Day 1: Malang - Semarang

Saturday 13 July 2024

You want adventure, you get adventure. For the next eight and a half hours, let's get comfortable with the uncomfortable. 

Before going any further, maybe a little introduction is in order. Since we were already in Java, Indonesia for Mbah’s sabbatical stint (if you miss the postings read all of them here), we decided to give this island a proper tour. And we wanted to give Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) a try after looking at how extensive its rail network is in Java. We also wanted to revisit Bandung since there were places we missed in our last trip there 10 years ago.

There is something about train rides that excite us

So our first leg of this eight-day trip was a train from Malang to Semarang, and it wasn’t too bad. The seats were unfortunately the fixed, rigid type, so you could only sit up straight. But at least they were nicely padded. The air-conditioner was working fine, and the train was neat and clean. The toilets were cleaned regularly, although they became smellier as the journey went on.

Nice, Kereta Api Indonesia 👍

During purchase, there were no pictures in the app to correspond with the seats you were buying. The description said you were paying for economy class. Being an intercity train, I assumed, like everywhere else we had been, that the seats would be adjustable individually to make long journeys more comfortable. And you probably know all that jazz about assumptions. Since I lacked prior knowledge, it’d be wise to remember where I am. Oh well, c'est la vie!

The mobile office

Even while travelling, work must go on, at least for Mbah. Since the office was the train, it offered some really nice views. I was soaking up the scenery as much as I could to compensate for what my better half was missing. Usually, she’s the one plastered to the window and clicking away with her camera.

We can never grow tired of Indonesia’s landscape

Almost the whole day was spent on the train, but the two young lads sitting across from us shared some enlightening conversations. We talked about Indonesia, Malaysia, and life in general. As they say, time passes quickly when you are having fun. Thanks, boys.

By the time we got off, it was nearly dark. The Gojek car that took us to the hotel went through the old town. Being a Saturday evening, the place looked alive and happening. But us oldies were too hungry and tired to partake in the scene. After a quick dinner and a long shower, we spread ourselves lazily on the bed, awaiting sleep's embrace. We’ll leave the exploring till tomorrow.