"Ya, Ya"

The bus ride into Solo two days ago was an experience, but so was the taxi ride from the bus terminal to the Cendana Homestay. The homestay had been recommended to us by another traveler, and recommendations are almost always better than wandering aimlessly in a foreign city after dark. Besides this homestay was new, and new usually means clean.

We gave our wilted map to the taxi driver. The Cendana Homestay was marked by a large arrow and the homestay address. "Can you take us here?" John said poking at the point of the arrow.

"Ya, Ya," the driver said.

"Ya, ya, you can take us there?" I asked, "or ya, ya you know where it is?" There is a difference.

"Ya, ya, I know where," the driver said. We loaded our packs into his dilapidated car and pulled into the street.

Well, "Ya, ya" probably meant he could take us there, but it certainly didn't mean he knew where it was. Four times he took the map from us and rushed from the car to ask directions. We passed the Warung Baru three times. There might have been three of these restaurants in the city, but I doubted it. We were going in circles. Each time the driver returned to the car he handed back the map (now virtually unreadable) and shined a toothless smile. "Ya, ya, ok," he said, then we went around the block and started the process again.

What should have been a five minute ride took thirty. I was tired, I was hot, I couldn't roll down the car windows because the handles were all broken, and I was irritated. A lethal combination for anyone who knows me well. After twenty minutes, the taxi driver turned on his taxi meter and I started watching red numbers increment in front of me. "I'm not paying him anymore than the 4000 RP we agreed on," I whispered to John. "Why should I pay because he got lost?"

Just as the meter clicked over to 3800 RP, we pulled down a narrow alley not really wide enough for a car, and his car headlights illuminated the Cendana Homestay sign. "Ya, ya," the taxi driver said with a big smile on his face.

"Ya, ya," I responded managing a weak grin.

The Cendana homestay was clean, just as we had expected. The polished white marble entry-way was sparkling and the rooms were big and comfortable.

Kini greeted us when we walked through the door. Her smile wiped away any trace of our frustration in finding the place. "How much for the best room with an attached bath?" we asked. "15,000 RP including breakfast," she said. That worked out to about US$6.00. We took it.

It felt like we hadn't eaten in ages and we asked if we could still get some dinner. "Of course," Kini said and again with a smile she placed a traditional Javanese meal in front of us. After dinner we unpacked just enough to locate the sleep-sheet and the toothbrushes. Each time we travel by bus, the days seem endless. This day was no exception. We were exhausted. "Selemat tidor John." "Good night Janet."