After spending a night at a sleazy dungeon of a room, Dennis and I decided we will not spend the rest of our Yogyakarta stay in such a sorry state. This was our honeymoon, goddammit, and we deserve to be pampered.

So after searching through Traveloka, I found Griya Inap Moeslem Kemala Seturan. The daily rate was thrice what we paid for the dingy room, but the photos looked lavish and honeymoon-worthy.

Thus, we packed our bags, got on an Uber, and got the heck out of that dump. #sorrynotsorry

By 3AM, we were already at the foot of the greatest Buddhist temple in the world.

It all felt so familiar. The flashlights. The steep climb up the stone steps. The thrill. Here I was again, on the age-old stones of Borobudur, waiting for sunrise – with my husband this time.

I watched as the handful of people blossomed to a veritable crowd, all tuning in to the east. Soon, there was a soft blue light that grew quickly into a glittering golden dawn. Bright and warm and beautiful.

Some experiences are worth repeating. This was one of such.

Merry Christmas.

Storytime is a series of  stories about my most memorable travel experiences. Read more here.

Yogyakarta holds such a tender spot in my heart that even when we had to wait six more hours after the 13-hour train ride from Banyuwangi, I was still in good spirits. Last time I was in its folds, it taught me a lesson on beginnings and endings. Now, it seemed to be testing my resolve.

Exploring Indonesia would not be complete without commuting by train. It's a great way to see the countryside and to experience how locals commute. If East Java, particularly Bromo and Ijen, and Yogyakarta is in your itinerary, maybe this experience will help you should you choose to take the train.

Halfway through our one-day Bali jaunt, we paused to fill ourselves up with some Balinese grub.

It was late evening when we arrived in Bali, and I wanted so much to have Babi Guling for dinner. Unfortunately, all the places that serve it were already close, so we asked our hostel receptionist for a recommendation.

He pointed us to Warung Bu Umi. "Very delicious and very cheap," he said, holding three fingers up, with his thumb and index forming a circle to emphasize his statement.

Hey, like what any reasonable traveler would say: go where the locals eat.

Bali deserves more than just a day, I know, but what if, by some circumstance, you find yourself having just a single day to spend in this place?

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The comfort of the night seemed to flee as we descended. Cloaked by fumes that burned eyes and throat, Ijen before dawn looked like a witch's vat. Our feet did not reassure us. The ground, strewn with rocks, was deceitful: firm, one moment; unsteady, the next. But after a few more steps, I gained more confidence. What was ahead reeled me in. In the gloomy haze was a spark.

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Silver-sheet, sodden pavement felt dangerous under my running feet. The streets were empty. The lights were off. Bali at first light is lonely. With one of my backpacks slung across my back, the other in front of me, my husband and I sped through the silent, bluish morning light. We were leaving for East Java and we were late.