Getting to Know Yogyakarta
Greetings,
After the last update, I went off in search of a room. The lady at the Koto Hotel (recommended) hooked me up with Kristina Hotel (also recommended) and both are ~5 minute walk from the Yogyakarta Train station. Get to Kristina and it’s fully booked, look around for other places, all booked except one and it has a squat toilet and looked dirty. I go back to Koto and the room the lady told me I could have for the night for 230,000Ru ($23) is taken. Great.
At this point I go back to the dirty place as it is only one I could find, taken. They have one, an “economic room” for 88,000. It has no private bathroom / shower and only a public squat with no shower. I find this out after I book it. I am laying their sweating from 48 hours of “being on the road” without a bed and say ” I can’t do this”.
Check out and cross the street to the Pumetera or something like that, it’s actually QUITE NICE with a pool everything. The rooms remind me of hotels I’ve stayed at for business except the bathroom. It’s good just the shower is lackluster compared to North America. They want $42.50+tax. I tell them I”ll take it for $40US total. Done deal. I take a shower and go for a swim. Suddenly I have issues bending my knee.
I had a small cut on my knee before this trip. While showering I notice it’s massive now compared to the other and incredibly sensitive. I shower and pass out. Wake up and the knee is literally throbbing so I hobble for some anti-biotics. Listen if you take some of these strong ones, eat some food. If not I guarantee you that ~1-2 hours later … Ya you know what happens and it’s not pretty in some back alley, haha.
I’m chilling on Gang II which is just left of the train station when you hit Maliboro. Found rooms for 50-350Ru a night. I got a nice one with a/c for 100,000 and I transfer there tomorrow. How did I find it? I’m walking and this guy starts talking to me. Typically I’m guarded maybe too guarded and get a “decent vibe” so decide “Whatever, I’ll go with him”.
He shows me a bunch of places including this then dumps me at an art store. The art is exceptional but I don’t buy art. I wish I did because they do some amazing batik(sp?) work. He also showed me places to get tours for a few sights around here. I regret not checking Bromo but I think I’ll be back to Bali only a different time of year. Near the end I wasn’t going surfing much as the water was getting dirty as sin with tones of dead fish and garbage washing up. Ok I would of but like most I got some infected cuts and the Doctor said since the water isn’t that clean you can’t go into until it heals. Lame.
Update: Off to medical treatment for the knee. I cannot stand on it without horrific pain. Last night it was horrible, couldn’t even tolerate the pressure of the sheets on my knee. At the internet cafe, the guy next to me is a med student, he urged me to get treatment. As a result, I am off to get treatment and he believes the infection has moved from the surface into the joint itself and that is what is causing so much pain. Been taking amoxicillin 500g as yesterday I knew something was up, it’s helping but not that much. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic. Either way, not so cool and doesn’t look like I’ll be doing any tours. At least this hotel has wifi!
Good day.
