From Kuta on Bali we grab a taxi into Denpasar. The Ubang bus terminal is everything you would expect… grubby, busy, fumey and full of buses. Indonesian bus drivers secure their qualifications by demonstrating that they can reach level 4 in ‘Need for Speed’. The sprint to the ferry crossing at Gilimanuk is a thrilling fairground ride through serene rice terraces.

The ASDP ferry across to Balywangu is the same style of vessel that plies the Sunda Strait around Flores and Timor.

The bus continues on through terraces which get steeper and steeper, eventually giving in to the dense tropical forest and volcanic peeks. The enigma of Indonesia is more apparent here than anywhere… chaos versus tranquility, and never anything in between.

Kalibaru has been described as “a peaceful village of Dutch colonial origin, set on a hillside amongst plantations”. The bit about the plantations is correct. The only real advantage that Kalibaru offers to the traveler is that the railway crosses the highway. There is a resort here, owned by the person that wrote the description of Kalibaru for Lonely Planet. Hot water finally became available at 11pm. Without TV, we had to make our own entertainment. Fire crackers!

Dinner is a hawker degustation from a selection of roadside vendors. Late at night nature returns the favour and the skies light up. Much more impressive than our efforts earlier.

The train onwards from here leaves at 0700.