For complicated reasons, I did this trip twice.

The first time involved the Argo Dwipangga, the very comfy train that takes you (fairly slowly but so, so scenically) through a large chunk of Java. It was late arriving at Gambir station in Jakarta (and more information available at the platform would have been a helpful thing), but once you're on board, it's very, very pleasant. Heaps of legroom, comfortable seats, footrests, and plenty of staff ready to serve you stuff to eat and drink whenever you want it.

And, of course, during the eight hours you're travelling, you get a never-ending supply of the most fantastic Javanese scenery. Vibrant green rice paddies, coconut trees, banana plants, aquaculture pools, vegetable patches -- you can see why this island has supported comparatively large populations for a very long time. After a while, you start to see big, beefy mountains on the right-hand side, and then you cross the range, slowly weaving your way up the pass, and then down again. All in all, a great introduction to Java.

Flying back from Jakarta in the early morning was also memorable. It was a clear day, and as I neared Yogya, I started to see a whole family of perfectly shaped volcanoes marching down the island. Swirls of mist in the valleys, but the tops of the cones were totally clear. Stunning.