The alarm goes off, get out of bed, have a cold shower, put the coffee on, eat breakfast, start work. That’s been our routine for the past 3 days and it’s dangerously close to being lazy! Our homestay is perfection at the moment. We’re tucked away down a little street in a nice neighbourhood, there are no other guests, Delima (our host) is away most of the time, and we have the place to ourselves. The whirring of the fans keeps us company, as well as Shifu, her adorable fluffy cat. Delima had recommended a vegan restaurant to eat at, so we made our way there this afternoon.
Throughout our stay in Yogya, we have noticed a lack of Westerners and couldn’t figure out where they were all hiding. When we reached the restaurant, we found them. Little bars, cafes and restaurants lined the small street, filled with foreigners and tourists. Here there were hotels, hostels and tour operators, and very few locals. Despite the lack of authenticity, the street was quiet and had a really chilled vibe.
The vegan restaurant was amazing. We had burgers and tempeh steak! The tempeh burger was literally one of the nicest – meat or no – burgers that I’ve ever eaten. It came with vegan mayo, guacamole, salsa and lime. So delicious. Accompanied with a refreshing dragonfruit juice, I wish I could take this meal everywhere with me. As the evening closed in and sky turned purple, we sat and watched the world go by. We’re heading back out tonight for a few drinks, to go and explore some of those cool bars we passed earlier.
