Becak. Andong. Kraton. Losmen. These words were all unfamiliar to me as I headed towards the teeming city of Jogjakarta. However, after settling into my losmen (it’s an Indonesian homestay – perfect for backpackers) for the night I headed down the street towards the kraton (a Javanese term for the Sultan’s palace) and spotted heaps (Australians use this term instead of “lots”) of becaks (a bicycle taxi) and andongs (a horse carriage). Of all these things, it was the becaks and their drivers that were the most enduring. The drivers would usually spend a vast majority of the day sleeping the heat away in their personal becak, and then run rampant during the evening transporting passengers around the bustling city. The becaks themselves were marvels of creativity and personality. Each one would be decorated in various colors, usually of the bright attention grabbing variants. When the becak owners where actually awake, they transformed into persistent but not overbearing salesmen, coming alive with pitches as creative and varied as their decorated rides.
A ride in a becak is obligatory while in Jogjakarta, with the journey being of far greater importance than the destination. Seeing these iconic vessels of land-based transport coloring the streets of Jogjakarta like mixed vegetables in a meal was just one of many things that left a soft spot in me with regards to the city. Jogjakarta, which initially was meant to be a base in which to explore the breathtaking temples of Borobudur and Prambanan, ended up being a fixture as one of the special surprises of my trip. Sometimes the journey is the destination, and it becomes much more meaningful if you realize this when you are on the journey, not after reaching your destination and reflecting back on it.
Look at these guys feet-the 3rd picture down of the guy in red especially. Fascinating. They also run up and down the streets, pulling human beings, next to motorized vehicles, in flip-flops. Wow. Good work Brian-keep it up!