Cimoja: Pondok Kencana; coordinates: S 06 57 517 E 106 29 299. Oh, waauw: set in a nice garden and equiped with a small swimming pool. A surfers place. I was there apparently during low tide, had a bungalow for myself and paid just174.000 idr. You can park your bike near your bungalow.

Bogor: Pensione Wisman; coordinates: S 06 36 100 E 106 47 646. The coordinates are from hostel Puri Bali, recommended by Lonely Planet. Puri Bali doesn't exist anymore or has moved but next door is Pensione Wisman which hasn't moved and is certainly not recommended by LP. Well, it's not the Ritz but my room had everything I needed, the people are friendly and parking is safe inside the compound. More: you can hiphop to the botanical gardens or to Salak Sunset Café where you can get an ice cold Bintang for 30.000. What do you want more??

Jakarta: Kamar-Kamar; coordinates: S 06 17 206 E 106 48 132. Kamar-Kamar, at the Jalan Fatmawati and near the inner ringroad, might be a good place to stay if want to visit Bintaro BMW motorbike shop (S 06 16 856 E 106 42 629) or downtown Jakarta. Bintaro is a quite expensive neighbourhood while downtown Jakarta is a nightmare to ride by bike. At Kamar-Kamar I paid 270.000 idr, which is cheap according to Jakarta standards, for an aircondioned but windowless room. Staff is helpful and friendly, receptiondesk is staffed 24 hours and there is a small parking place for your motorbike. Kamar-Kamar has a website.

Garut: hotel Augusta; coordinates: S 07 10 735 E 107 52 931. On the long way from Jakarta to Yogyakarta Garut is a pleasant but not really exciting stopover. Augusta is an old fashioned sober hotel but has everything you need. The parking lot is guarded, I paid 235.000 idr.

Trenggalek: hotel Widowati; coordinates: S 08 03 632 E 111 41 955. Nothing special, a motel-like dig, though useful as there is not that much accomodation in that part of Java. I paid 100.000 idr and for that price i parked my motorbike in front of my room.

Malang: Kampong Tourist, on the roof of the Helios hotel; coordinates: S 07 58 391 E 112 38 075. Jesus, avoid the dormitory: infested by mosquitoes, bedbugs and flees! I paid for the dorm 55.000 idr. The "bungalows" seem to better. Friendly staff. Your bike is safe on the parking lot of Helios, which is guarded. It's a good base to explore the Bromo.

Probolinggo: hotel Ratna; coordinates: S 07 45 180 E 113 12 740. A comfortable motel-like hotel but nothing special. I paid 330.000 idr which is a tat overpriced for the place. You don't want to find dead in Probolinggo but it's a good base to explore the Bromo.

Sempol (Ijen Plateau): Guesthouse Arabika; coordinates: S 07 59 946 E 114 09 064. Arabika has the worst reviews on Tripadvisor I ever read but I experienced it as fairly comfortable. However, the bedsheets are not changed after every client and the atmosphere is as cold as ice. Luckily you will only stay there part of the night, to climb the Ijen and view the sunrise. To the Ijen is just a 15 minutes ride and it's a good though narrow road. There is parking lot at the start of the track. You might even consider not to sleep at all and make some friends at the parking lot before climbing up at 1 AM or so. I paid at Arabika 300.000 idr which is a lot of money for a few hours sleep.

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