Yogyakarta

So I made it to Yogyakarta, which is on the island of Java. I thought it would be less friendly and more hectic here then in Bali. I was proven wrong. I have had many chats with friendly local people and the city is just as hectic as Kuta or Ubud in Bali. One difference though. As Yogyakarta has a lot less tourists than in Bali I have been stared at all day! The funniest was when I sat down at one of the street stalls to have some lunch. Every single person stopped talking, turned around and stared. The guy that I was ordering with suddenly got extremely shy and was giggling the entire time I was talking to him.

Knowing that Java is a Muslim island and not Hindu as in Bali, I am trying not to disrespect the culture and the religion by wearing the shortest shorts and smallest tank tops, also they people stare at me enough just by being a foreigner, so showing more skin would probably make things worse. Instead I have been spending this sticky 38 degree day wearing long trousers and a t-shirt. There was a point when I thought I was going to melt onto the sidewalk! The local girls should get standing ovations for being able to withstand this heat being fully covered from head to toe, only skin showing is hands, feet and face.

I am a lot more impressed with Yogya as I thought I would be. Have been hearing from other travelers that there isn't much to do or experience here, however I have found loads to do. Also here they have some real Batik painters such as the ones Ubud was supposed to have. Having already purchased 3 beautiful handmade batik paintings, where about 75% of the money goes to a charity helping orphans.

Tomorrow you will get to see some of my pictures from my random walk in the rice fields, a jungle trek and ending up at a cockfight. Indonesia is so wonderfully random. There is always something new and different around every corner just waiting for you to discover it.