Seven children and three husbands were left to fend for themselves last weekend. Not all mine I hasten to add.
 
It was a trip my two good friends and I had been looking forward to for a long time. The chance to unwind and relax without having to wipe snotty noses and answer countless questions starting “where’s…?” And that was just the husbands.
 
We’d decided that, although mostly content with our privileged expat lifestyle, we needed to be pampered. “We” needed to be “me” for the weekend.
 
I know I’m going to regret telling you this secret for I whole-heartedly intend to return as soon as I can justify another weekend away.
 
We were heading to Batam. The island itself sometimes gets a bad rap. “Why go there?” is probably the most frequently asked question. But if you’re looking for an excellent spa, a short journey from Singapore, with friendly staff and a budget that leaves you in no doubt that a return visit is a necessity, than that’s why you head to Batam.
 
The Tempat Senang Spa and Resort is only a 40 minute ferry and 10 minute car journey, but given the contrast to the hustle and bustle of Singapore you may as well be on another planet.
 
What we liked
The spa: The treatments are amazing. The three day, two night package, includes three treatments, which lasts three hours. The staff are excellent and well trained in the art of relaxation. We sampled the house speciality massages: the Balinese and the Office, which are both designed to beat out the knots and cricks in your body. The Office included an element of Thai massage stretching too.
 
The ambience: This isn’t a place for children. We’d left ours behind and there was no fear that we would bump into someone else’s – children under 15 are banned. The artifacts and décor are tastefully selected; the swimming pools are pretty and inviting; the outside verandah dining area is the perfect place to catch up after a pampering.
 
The food: Whether you’re looking for local or Western cuisine you’ll find it here. We sampled the seven course dining-around-the-world dinner, which offered a flavour of regional and global dishes. If you’re looking for a full-service hotel, this isn’t it, and it doesn’t make any apologies for not being so. The Tempat Senang has developed its own niche, and it works like clockwise, helped by preordering meals and treatments during the booking-in process. There’s even an honesty bar if you need a beer or quick nibble.
 
The service: As soon as you step off the ferry you’re looked after. A complimentary pick up from the ferry terminal meant the stress of working out where to go and what to do was lifted. The check in process was relaxed and organised, which meant our dinner and spa times were all booked, allowing us to focus on the important task of relaxing.
 
What we’re not so sure about
The rooms: While a good deal of effort has been made to create interesting and uniquely decorated bedrooms (each room is themed based on a country), I’m not sure the layout of the rooms worked for a girls’ weekend. Each room has a double bed, and some have an extra bed or two depending on the size and price bracket. This is fine for couples, but three ladies at the start of their fifth decade (shhh – don’t tell anyone. My daughter still thinks I’m 21), don’t want to share a bed. (Be aware that you’ll also be sharing a massage room so make sure you go with good friends.) The rooms would offer greater flexibility if all the beds were single or detachable doubles. We felt a little like we were making do rather than having a restful night’s sleep that matched the quality of the spa. Most of the rooms are well positioned, but we stayed in the Japanese room, which had a window looking out on a dark passageway, and a generator or water pump that disturbed our beauty sleep.
 
Would we go again?
Absolutely.
 
How do you get there?
Ferry from Habourfront, next to Vivocity, takes you to Sekupang Ferry Terminal, where you are met by a driver who will take you to Tempat Senang Spa and Resort.

Telunas is a place where you don't need to be good at photography. As long as you have a camera, and click the button, you will have beautiful memories.

Sounds like I'm starting the write their advertising slogan, but it's a place that's easy to fall in love with.

As soon as you chug past Sentosa Island, Singapore’s playground, on the Batam ferry, you literally leave everything behind to maroon yourself on a tropical island. Think Robinson Crusoe, with a luxury edge.

The relaxation is almost forced on you. No phones can reach you; no emails invade your peace and quiet. You're cosseted in nature. It's a relief to leave the technological world behind. Life is put on hold.

Telunas Private Island has only been open six months, but it's right across a short stretch of water (1.4km in case you wish to swim it) from the Telunas Beach Resort, which has already celebrated a decade as one of the best-kept secrets.

Here's what to expect

• You stay in beach cabanas on stilts. For some reason a shed on sticks is an exciting place to stay. Madeleine, our seven-year-old, has declared it to be "the best place on the planet".
• The cabana has two bedrooms, a lounge, a private balcony and a bathroom. One bedroom in on a mezzanine reached by a ladder, but rather thoughtfully, a stair gate is provided at the top of the ladder, to prevent young sleepwalkers from tumbling. The main bedroom opens out onto the balcony. If you get into the au naturel spirit, just mind the fishermen rowing by.
• The rooms are comfortable and simply decorated in sympathy with the surroundings, and there are none of the modern trappings or distractions of a city hotel (do you really need a trouser press, when you live in shorts? Do you really need a full-scale gym, when you can take out a paddleboard or swim in the infinity pool?), although the bathrooms are impressively appointed with rain showers, toiletries and flushing toilets (you're in a villa on stilts, remember). 
• That's not to say the resort doesn't make an effort. Every day there is a different activity: a jungle walk to the area's only waterfall for a refreshing plunge; a cooking demo; a bonfire complete with marshmallows; a relaxed dining platform with children's books and family games. There's even a nod to technology: A Kindle loaded with books is also on loan for the duration of your stay - just don't drop it over the side. 
• You are completely surrounded by lapping water, open sea on one side, twisted, knotted, impenetrable mangrove on the other. 
• The island, surrounded by a handful of tiny fishing hamlets, is accessible only by boat, which means that all supplies, including diesel for the generators and food and drink, are brought in the same way, except for brown water, captured from rain water and put to work in the toilet system. 

The sky is endless; the sea breezes bring cooler air; you can watch the sun rise over the water and then set again; you can sit on your balcony in perfect tranquility. What more do you need to help you recover from life in the city?

---
The practical bit

What you need to pack: passport (you’ll be visiting Indonesia); US$15 per person for the visa on arrival in Batam; your ferry ticket; swimming costume; sun glasses; sun hat; sun crème – can you see a theme developing here?

Transport: You’ll need to book a ferry from Harbourfront to Batam. We used Batam Fast. You’ll need to liaise with the Telunas booking staff as they will collect you from Batam and you’ll take a second boat (bumboat) to Telunas. The second leg takes an hour and a half: the scenery is beautiful, but little children may get bored. From Habourfront to Telunas the journey takes about three hours in total.

Cost: A weekend would cost around S$1,300 in January. This is based on two adults and two children sharing a cabana for two nights, and includes three meals a day, activities and transfers from Batam.

Websites:
www.telunasresorts.com
www.batamfast.com

We’d like to thank the Telunas team for hosting us and making us feel so welcome.

For more photos please visit our Pinterest page

Kids and bike in tow: Bintan Triathlon
After living in Singapore for six months we decided we needed an antidote to the urban jungle so we booked a weekend away on an island paradise.

If you’re thinking that we lay on the beach letting the warm, blue sea lap our toes, or sipped cocktails by the pool, you might be misled by thinking this was a relaxing trip. I decided to enter the Bintan Triathlon, and packed my bike, running shoes and family cheer squad.

I like sport, and I like active holidays, so combining this with travel is the perfect solution. And the Bintan Triathlon is a little different. Yes, it’s full of adrenaline-pumped athletes, with jangling nerves, and pent-up anticipation. But it’s also a family event and a great way to introduce your children to the sport.

I took part in the Sprint event, which given my speed, I’ve always thought was a rather inaccurate description. After a 750m swim and 20km bike ride, I managed to break a record in the run; for the slowest time I’d ever recorded. I blame it on the environment. The scenery is breathtaking, and therefore rather distracting, with swaying palm trees and sun bleached beaches. And it was rather hot and a little hilly compared to Singapore. Like every athlete I can make excuses for my lacking performance.

The Bintan Triathlon isn’t a “turn up and go” event. It takes a little planning. You need to book accommodation and a ferry ticket. You need to get your head around the logistics of where your bike should be. But it’s well organised and a great weekend away for the family. After all, you need your children to be on the sidelines so you can high-five them on the way round. Although, I wasn’t exactly chuffed when my four-year-old sprinted down the finishing chute, beating me across the line, and claiming my medal.

While I was huffing and puffing around the bike course the children were well entertained, building sandcastles on the beach, riding elephants (what other triathlon can claim that?!) and wallowing in the produce of a huge foam machine. They also got to taste the excitement and feel the electricity in the charged atmosphere that makes events of this kind so compelling. 

It’s not necessarily about being the fastest. It’s about the camaraderie, the shared experience and the achievement of reaching a goal.

I won’t push my children to take part in triathlons when they are old enough, although I hope they enjoy sport and keep healthy, but if they understand the importance of making a goal and working towards it, sport has taught them something.

If you fancy taking part in a triathlon, take a look at our kit list. Have we missed anything off?

Celebrity interview: Chris “Macca” McCormack
The start line is a unique and exciting place to be, with nerves and energy at straining point. This year we shared our start line with sporting royalty. Two-times Ironman champion Chris McCormack joined the race. He couldn’t decide whether to race in the Sprint or the Olympic race – so he ran, and won, both.

Macca, a Aussie, started his triathlon career when he took part in his first race at the age of 18. He’s now 41 has three children of his own, aged 10, seven and three.

He said: “I’ll be doing this for the rest of my life. I love it. I forced myself because I have a dream to chase. I encourage my kids to find their way and I’ll support their dreams. It’s a great way to get rid of adrenaline before settling down to study.”

The practical bit:
Several companies operate ferry services to Bintan. Your choice will depend on your destination; there are several ports on the other side depending on where your hotel is located. The Bintan Lagoon Resort has its very own terminal and immigration staff. Your hotel will often help you with your booking. The ferry leaves Singapore from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal near Changi.

Bintan is part of Indonesia so you’ll need a visa, which you can buy on arrival in Singapore or US dollars. Indonesia is also an hour behind Singapore.

If you want to take your own bike to Bintan you need to pre-book it onto the ferry. Remember to take off all the bits that you hang on your bike so they don’t fall off: water bottles, pump, fluffy dice.

The Bintan Triathlon celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. Over the past decade 11,113 people have taken part; 509 athletes joined the race in 2005. This year there were 1,300 competitors. For more information on the Bintan Triathlon: www.bintantriathlon.com

We've just put together a triathlon kit list to help you get your stuff together on race day. Have we missed anything?

Day 13
After a pretty lazy day by the pool yesterday, we decided to strike out and discover Bali. Having not seen barely a Western face in Java, it’s immediately obvious that travellers flock here, but what is the magical hold?

Well, for a start, the architecture here is stunning, and it lends a mystical vibe to the island. But it’s not all authentic. For example a third of Tanah Lot, one of Bali’s most famous temples, is artfully constructed artificial rock to conserve the structure from continuous crumbling. There are obviously several opposing views to this: should buildings of historical interest be preserved to a point that there is no history left? Isn’t architectural preservation just as important? At what point do you start reconstruction? Should surrounding structures be built in the same designs? History is a matter of evolution and over time things change. The issue is really about tipping point, but where that point is, is anyone’s guess.

Our first stop today was Batuan village temple. It is a stunning structure, and even if there has been some reconstruction, it has been done sensitively. The designs and thought behind the creation are still intact and visitors can get a glimpse into the past through the stone carvings, which tell a story.

Ubud draws visitors like bees to honey. A mix of rich culture, interesting crafts, cafes and shopping makes it a major pull and travellers often find themselves staying longer than they planned.

Our main focus for the day was the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, or Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana, home to more than 600 Balinese macaques. The jungle surrounds several 14th century temples, and in the humid conditions the green moss clings to stone. Cheeky monkeys own this place, and visitors are not allowed to forget. Leave your glasses on your head, or a guidebook in your hand, at your peril. As if to demonstrate that they were in charge, they surrounded our three year-old and took the water bottle from out of her hands, untwisted the lid, and drank greedily. They may be used to people, but they are not pets, and a visitor hoping to make a new hairy friend will be disappointed to realise that wild animals are exactly that.

It is, though, a great way to get up close to these creatures, watch them playing and nurturing their young. And it seems that they do have a caring nature. We saw one mother carrying a tiny kitten in her mouth and feeding it. One of the first things a baby monkey learns to do is grab on to its mother for a lift. A kitten is unable to do this, so the adult monkey had adapted and carried the kitten like a mother cat.

Take time to visit the silver and carving workshops too. The artisans’ skills are still very much alive and it makes shopping a more enriching experience when you understand how a product is made, and how the community is supported by its creation.

For an outline itinerary for this two-week trip, please click here. It involves a lot of travel, but the sights are spectacular. It is possible to hire a car and drive though Java yourself but we strongly advise you to hire a local driver. Not only does this make the trip more relaxing, but drivers make excellent tour guides as well. It also gives you the option to take a train for part of the journey to view life through a different window.


For more photographs, please click here.

As soon as you drive from the airport or ferry into Bali you can’t help but be impressed by how different the island is from the rest of Indonesia, and for that matter the rest of the world. Everywhere you look there are temples, and hidden courtyards, and the feeling of spirituality can be immediately uplifting.

Bali is predominately Hindu (Java is predominantly Muslim) and the number of festivals is pretty staggering, but travelling in late March, early April, out of the main tourist season, is a special experience as it coincides with when Hindu’s celebrate Galungan, the creation of the universe. The central focus of the holiday is an expression of gratitude to the Supreme God through offerings of flowers, incense and fruit.

For a whole month, the streets are decorated with towering bamboo palms, called penjor, each still traditionally and lovingly crafted by households. The penjor is embellished with coconut, cabbage and banyan tree leaves. The upper edge curve down to symbolise the mountain, and the pole is decorated with rice, coconut and fruits. A piece of white fabric symbolises purity.

The island is home of many mystical stories and the legend of Rahwana and Hanuman is one of Bali’s most famous and enduring. It is often narrated through dance, known as the Kecak or fire dance, with as many as 50 dancers.

It is thanks to Hindu and Buddhist teaching that Bali came to adopt the story, which is originally from India. With roots dating back to 100BC, the audience is presented with religious, moral and cultural lessons through the Kecak dance. It is a story of love, faith and bravery.

While the story unfolds, a circle of male dances, wrapped in black and white check sarongs, surrounds the stage, waving and chanting rhythmically “Caca cha, caca cha, cakcakcak...”.

A beautiful princess called Sita is kidnapped by the demon Rahwana. While trying to rescue his wife, Prince Rama and his brother Laksamana are attacked and tied up by Rahwana’s son. The King of all birds, Garuda, frees the Princes. With the help of the supernatural powers of a white monkey called Hanuman, and surrounded by flames, the Princess is rescued.

This is of course, a very simplified version of a hypnotic dance that leaves the audiences swaying and entranced. Hanuman, the incarnation of Lord Shiva, a Hindu deity, is a central character.

The costumes, make-up and choreography are immediately recognisable, and it is difficult to leave Bali without a lasting impression of this spiritual introduction. If travel is about learning about how we come to live like we do, then this introduction is an essential step in understanding Bali.

Day 11
Indonesia’s islands are small and compact, each one a unique jewel box full of promise. Sometimes the contents are an insight into life as it flashes past the car window; a women combing her child’s hair, chickens scratching around, a tethered cow chomping grass in a paddy field, a fruit market. Often it is the poorest elements of life that line the street. It is the poorest elements of life that can not afford the luxury of privacy.

Sometimes the contents of the jewel box are something glittering; a glimpse of a temple, streets decorated for a festival, the split second when you realise the Kodak moment has passed uncaptured, untrapped, still free.

Indonesia might geographically be small and compact, but the distances are deceiving. Each country seems to measure distance in a different way. When we lived in the States, the answer to the question: “how far is it to the shopping mall?” was a sensible; “twenty minutes”.

Ask the same question in the UK and the answer isn’t a matter of time, but of distance. It might be five miles to the shopping centre, but it could take you 15 minutes or an hour depending on the traffic.

And in Indonesia the answer is different again. It’s non committal. It could take you three hours or five hours. And this is dependent on a range of factors: the state of the road, which are only single lane; the number of mopeds that buzz around you; whether you get stuck behind a lorry. I frequently cast a furtive glance over the speedometer to reassure myself that we were going faster than 40 kph. Each time I was disappointed. This makes planning a trip quite difficult. Of course, we’d seen a map before we’d left, and made rough estimates of how long it would take us to do each leg of the journey. We even sought advice on how long it would take us to get from point A to point B. But then we choose to ignore it. After all, how could it possibly take us seven hours to drive 200km. We were so widely out on our estimations. So the lesson learnt is that, if travelling with young children, or even if you don’t want to be stuck in a car all day, listen to advice!

That said, I don’t think you can learn so much, or experience real life, without spending time on a road trip.

Today we drove from the plantations of Kalibaru, and hopped on a ferry to Bali. And all of a sudden life has changed. Where Java is predominately Muslim, Bali is predominately Hindu. The streets are lined with life and every second house is a temple. The architecture is absolutely stunning.

So I suppose the lesson is, even if the road you travel is long and winding, you’ve made a decision and, whether right or wrong, out of the decision you will be rewarded with new experiences, sights and sounds. And that’s what travelling is all about.

Ferry Crossing: Ferries leave every hour from Ketapang in Java to Gilimanuk in Bali, and the crossing takes just over an hour. Don’t expect luxury, but it’s a fun way to arrive on the Island. You can buy tickets very cheaply before you board.

Accommodation: The Westin, Nusa Dua, family suite. Superb five-star hotel with excellent children’s facilities and spa. www.westin.com/bali

Day 10
Another day spent in the car with the scenery whizzing past went surprisingly fleetingly with new sights to keep us entertained. When you set out for a day trip you’re searching for something. You want to learn something new, and the endeavour is about the destination. A day spent travelling is practically the reverse. Yes, you are heading to a final destination, but the journey is the point of the exercise and instead of searching for something, life comes to you. You couldn’t walk into a village with a list of today’s sights to tick off. We’ve seen horses being led at speed downhill by mopeds; trucks overfilled with sugar cane with half a dozen or so farm labourers bouncing on top; bikes carrying half a field of sugar cane or boxes of live chickens as big as a minivan; mopeds carrying beds; snails and spiders practically the size of a child’s fist; bamboo shoots as tall as a four storey house and landslides that have turned roads to mud baths. Although long drives can be frustrating, especially with young children, the cliché exists for a reason: it’s journey not the destination that matters.

This is a great area to explore the rural way of life, from the plantations to the farms. The children were fascinated to see cacao beans, with sticky white fruit inside, and peanuts growing underground, not on trees where monkeys could find them. We met one man whose job it was to shimmy up the palm trees, without a rope, to gather the sap for a special potent home brew. With incredible agility and speed, just using little cut outs in the trunk, he had climbed to the crown of the tree almost before I could get my lens cap off. When you're on the road you never know what you are going to see.

Tonight we’re staying tucked up in a small guesthouse deep in the forest, surrounded by the deafening sounds of crickets and rivers. The sides of the mountains are carpeted with coffee, tea, rubber and cacao plantations. It’s a petty place to end our Javanese tour. Tomorrow we drive to the ferry port at Ketapang and cross to Bali.

Accommodation: Margo Utomo Hill Side Resort. Beautiful infinity pool overlooking the mountains. Well-maintained gardens surround the simple but clean bungalow-style bedrooms. www.margoutomo.com

For centuries, people around the world have soaked, scrubbed and rubbed the day-to-day stresses away with massage. And with its long connection to this ancient practice, I find one of the spiritual homes of massage in Indonesia.

The source of Javanese massage comes from several places and so elements of this healing ritual are drawn together to create a unique experience. And those are two key words: healing and ritual. This is a physical and a spiritual experience. Relaxation is often the key to health, but other benefits include easing muscle and joint pain, improving circulation, and muscle tone, and so massage also becomes a beauty treatment.

So what is the secret recipe? Start with a mixing bowl and add ayurvedic medicine, a traditional medicine based on plants from the Indian Subcontinent, and then add ancient Chinese medicine. Then a sprinkle of Hindu religion and Buddism. Finally, introduce a drop of trade, brought by the winds on Arabian boats searching for spice.

Each massage experience is different, depending on who is looking after you, the ambience, the environment and the patient’s state of mind. It was a real sacrifice, but in the name of research I underwent two massages and gained two completely different experiences.

Apsara Spa, Hotel Tugu, Malang, Java
As soon as you cross the threshold of Hotel Tugu you step back a thousand years to be surrounded by the legend of the beautiful Cambodia dancing goddess, Apsara, and her love story with a Javanese prince. This is a tale of opposites, and the Javanese massage offered if based on this Yin and Yang.

Like waves, the ritual starts with a hot aromatic soak, which includes lemon, ginger and a larder of herbs. This is followed by lots of oil and a strong, deep tissue massage. Javanese methods mainly focus on the use of the thumbs to invigorate, while the Balinese offer a more relaxing approach, using the palm of the hand. Pushing and stroking techniques ease knots and tension from the muscles to aid post massage relaxation.

Westin Spa, Westin Hotel, Nusa Dua, Bali
If you are looking for a more dreamy experience, the eternal beauty ritual should not be missed. Originating from the royal palaces the Javanese lulur is an ancient ritual that leaves you drifting off to sleep. Each step leads you down into a complete state of relaxation, washing away the stresses of everyday life. Starting with a sandalwood body wash and a spice scrub, the highlight is a full-body massage that breaks down even a fisherman’s net of knots. And at the end of this two-hour pampering there is a soak in a milky bath decorated with candles and frangipani flowers. The only trouble is you’ll be so relaxed you’ll have trouble dragging yourself out of the bath.

Understanding the context and history of a type of massage only helps you to enjoy the experience more. Imagine yourself to be a princess in a palace, as you inhale the fragrances deeply, and try to carry the Zen-like state back with you to the real world.

The practical bit
·       Hotel Tugu, Malang: Apsara Herbal Massage, 60 mins, www.tuguhotels.com
·       Westin Hotels and Resorts, Bali: Eternal Beauty Ritual, 120 mins, www.westinnusaduabali.com

Day 9
We had hardly been in bed for two hours and we were hauling ourselves out again, the girls sleepy and disoriented. An early start was needed for this special trip, but I thought that meant 5am not 1am. That isn’t getting up early. That’s going to bed late.

So in the middle of the night we drove two hours to see a spectacular sunrise over Mount Bromo, complete with fog below the volcano, and steam rising above.

After a two hour drive into the mountains, we swapped our hire car and driver for a Jeep and a local Tengger driver. This is the only way to get to the top of Gunung Penanjakan. Not only is this entrepreneurism a way of earning a living, it helps keep the narrow, steep roads from getting clogged. A snake of Jeeps slithered its way around the switchbacks spitting us out at the summit where a crowd of a couple of hundred people had gathered to witness the new day. We vied and jostled for the best photographic positions, and once trigger fingers had snapped the unforgettable scene we headed to a wunung, or coffee shop, for an injection of caffeine and a packed breakfast.

The Jeep snake slipped and slithered down the other side of the mountain to the “sand sea”, the wide river bed at the base of the volcano created from the black ash spewed from the fiery mouth. Tribesmen on horseback offered rides, at a price, to the foot of the steep steps that took us right to the volcano’s rim, where we could peer inside into the smoky mouth of a sleeping dragon. Bromo is one of three volcanoes in this 10km crater, which also includes Kursi and Batok.  

With this bleak, almost baron moonscape, it is not surprising that, as mist clings to the sides of the volcano, legends surround Bromo. The Tengger believe Bromo was once part of a kingdom ruled by King Joko Seger and Queen Roro Anteng, who in desperation for a child, prayed to the god of the volcano. They bore 25 children, but the god demanded that the youngest, a son called Dian Kusuma, be sacrificed in return. When the Queen refused, the brave boy threw himself into the fire to save the kingdom. Today, people still throw dried flowers, food and money into the pit, but unfortunately, a few plastic bottle and waste items have started to find their way into the pit.

So what else could you ask for: tragic legends, stunning scenery and… of course, some sleep. It really is a trip worth doing, even if it’s an early start. The rest of the day was spent recovering. I didn’t really need an excuse, but a massage was a perfect way to do this. 

Day 8
Ten hours locked in a tin box on wheels with their children is more than any parent can take – apparently. My friends will know I’m particularly hard on our girls, but I have to say, with a little smarm, that it seems to be paying dividends. I could be wrong, and the fact that they have used a month’s iPhone time in one day, is what pacified them. But we all survived.

To break the journey we climbed the slopes of Gunung Lawu above Solo to explore a small temple. Candi Sukuh is known for its stunning location and erotic carvings, this time on show for all to see, leading to some interesting conversations with the girls. This isn’t a Hindu or Buddhist temple, and its origins and meaning are a bit of a mystery, even though it was only built in the 15th century. Even in the mist and rainclouds, the location was magnificent and the atmosphere intriguing – I’m sure the carvings had something to do with that.

The weather took a while to clear, but not before a massive downpour, which flooded the streets with a foot of muddy water. Cyclists and motorcycle riders braved the flooded roads like cap crusaders in their plastic ponchos on a mission. As suddenly as the rain started it stopped, the flood water disappeared and the roads were practically dry again.

Accommodation: Tugu Hotel, Malang. An historical gem with attention to detail. The hotel is a family-run business, and the owners have paid particular attention to antiques, practically turning the corridors and bedrooms into a user-friendly museum. www.tuguhotels.com