A Farewell with Kindness
January 18th, Yogyakarta. This morning I left the hotel where I had been staying for some time. The reason I remained so long, of course, was my visa application. The last time I tried, the system failed, and so I had no choice but to wait until it worked again.
Near the hotel, there was a fruit juice shop I visited almost every day. Before leaving, I asked to take a photo with the young man who worked there. He was genuinely kind, always welcoming me with a smile. To my surprise, as a farewell gift, he handed me a pineapple juice.
It was such a simple gesture, but it touched me deeply. His kindness is something I will never forget. Even though I may return to this area again someday, this memory will always stay with me.
Preparing for the Road Ahead
Before heading to my new accommodation, I went looking for a few missing items for my journey. In a small shop, I found a portable camping stove for about 500 yen. It was a bargain, and I knew it would be useful once I reached Australia, where I planned to camp more often.
From the camping goods store, I wandered into the streets again and soon found myself at a food stall.
Dining Beside the Tracks
This particular stall was built right along the railway tracks. People said the charm of eating there was watching the trains pass while you enjoyed your meal.
I ordered ayam with rice, imagining the excitement of eating while a train rushed by. But as it turned out, no trains came at all during my meal. In the end, it was just a simple plate of food, but I didn’t mind. Sometimes travel is like that—you follow an idea, and it doesn’t happen as expected, but the small moments still hold value.
A Warm Showers Welcome
Later that evening, I headed to my accommodation for the night. This time, I was staying through Warm Showers, a community where locals open their homes to cyclists. For someone traveling the world by bicycle, it is an incredibly valuable network.
My host welcomed me warmly and offered me a special place to stay—inside a small prayer room within the house. It was quiet, peaceful, and felt like a sanctuary after the day’s journey.
As I lay down that night, I felt grateful. From the kindness of the juice shop owner, to the small joys of street food, to the generosity of a stranger offering shelter—Yogyakarta continued to teach me that kindness appears in many forms along the road.
