Contemplation journey? Why not?
Honestly I decided to make this journey a few months before but it was only on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 I got confirmed that I could visit Gedono, a place somewhere in the foot of Mount Merbabu. On Wednesday I packed my 45 L backpack (I even carried it to my office) and in the afternoon went to Rawamangun bus terminal for a bus to Salatiga.
It was around 5.00 AM when I arrived in Salatiga. The spectacular view I got in Tingkir bus terminal was awesome. Mount Merapi along with two twin peaks of Mount Merbabu stand in the background of this terminal. Awesome, the smoke coming out from Mount Merapi was apparent at that time. I had to use a motor cab (commonly called ojek motor  ) after having my breakfast in a waroeng near the terminal.
Quietness and contemplation are two rare things in a metropolitan city of Jakarta. I did find it in this monastery whose official name is the Pertapaan Bunda Pemersatu, there their life could be such a good example for dedication, simplicity and love. It was so quiet something that I long to find in Jakarta. Here I met some guests also coming from Jakarta (but they booked the rooms many months before not like me).