Monday, March 7, 2016

The 16-Hour Train Ride with Gajayana

What would you do if someone offered you a ticket to hop on a 16-hour train ride across the Java island? Well, we took it right away. It was like an impulse buying, but it wasn’t the expensive dress you regret once you’re at home. It was one unforgettable journey.


Despite many road trips I have had taken throughout the years, I've only been once on train rides and it was back in middle school. Only a two-hour sleuth to Bandung. So 16 hours sounded like a crazy idea at first. Our fellow travel mate asked “what would the children do during that 16 hours?” Gadgets, believe it or not, have their limits. Books may not hold and train car isn’t a place for hide and seek and other outdoor games. Then comes the other question of dinner and breakfast.

But we departed anyway. So here’s the beginning of our extended weekend journey to Batu, East Java. We took a 5.45 PM Gajayana train ride from Gambir Station, Jakarta. Passing through 16 stations including Cirebon, then moving south through Purwokerto, Jogjakarta, Solo, Madiun and Kediri.