A Breath of Fresh Air Please

Friday, February 27, 2009
A Breath of Fresh Air Please
Arriving in Medan and taking the taxi back to where we made base camp gave me a familiar feeling. The hustle of city life, the chaos of traffic and being back in Indo was interesting. Medan is a big city, the heart of Sumatra, and its business as usual for its locals. Just putting the bikes together, making last minute purchases and the long flight didn’t take us long to want to put our heads to rest. A sleeping pill, ear plugs and fatigue still doesn’t drown the noise beyond the walls of our homestay. We did get some rest and found ourselves waking up way before dawn ready to take on the day.

After our modest breakfast of coffee (kopi) and toast with peanut butter we loaded up the bikes and headed out of town towards Berastagi. The roads are busy with buses, motorcycles, scooters and cars. The traffic is intense as well as the exhaust fumes from them. They have their own communication system; horns blowing, taps and competing poll positions for the best path forward. We are just another vehicle on the road and that is exactly how we have to ride; aggressively! It doesn’t take long to figure out how the cycle works, if you are ahead then you have the right of way. But you have to watch it, the buses and cars will stop right in front of you without warning and you have to keep your wits about yourself, especially traveling with a loaded bike with heavy panniers and handlebar bag. It gets old after a while; the sound of buses humming by, usually too close for comfort, the smell of exhaust and the burning piles of litter at the side of the road. It didn’t take me long at all to realize I am in need of fresh air and the charm I was hoping this country has to offer. I was not impressed anymore with being in foreign surroundings, I needed more and arriving in Berastagi didn’t offer that at all. It was a very long ride to get there, about 75km of uphill, and I could’ve used a hot shower to wash off all the grime. I didn’t get that.

It’s modest here in Sumatra. Living is a daily ritual and getting through each day is just that, getting through the day. Berastagi is a busy city with a mix of Christians and Muslims and other religions living in harmony. Padangs are a mainstay in these parts; little shops or stalls with various spicy foods displayed in a window served with cooked white rice. You pick what you want – they charge you by what you eat – and it’s super cheap. It’s easy for us to choose these stalls as we ride all day and by the time we head out for a bite to eat we are too tired and hungry to sit around and wait for anything to cook. These make very good instant hunger fixes for us.

Sticky fingers also lurk in these parts and it didn’t take me long to realize I must always be on my guard. Someone took my camera off my bike. It was my little point and shoot but that little camera was the fun little toy I enjoyed the most as I was able to shoot on the fly from my bike. The day was gone and I just had to come to terms that this is what happens in these parts. The camera can, and will, be replaced but the day cannot. That is what bothers me the most, losing a day in my life. I am now forced to use my Canon 5D and Tamron 28-300 VC lens. I back-up all my photos each day now and will not take any chances anymore. Suffice to say the following day wasn’t a good one for me. I was upset and I was ready for the charm I was hoping for!

We still had a long day ahead of us, about another 120km of riding to get to Prapat where we will take the ferry across to Tuk Tuk on the Island of Pulau Samosir. This is the island in the middle of Lake Toba which sits inside a fallen volcano. This lake is bigger than Singapore and is surrounded by the crater wall with a sweet island in the middle. The view from the top was breathtaking; definitely worth all the hard work on the bike. We took the ferry across and while on the ferry were approached by a man to stay in his “hotel.” Based on the fact that we would be arriving in the dark, had our bikes and seven pieces of luggage between us (2 panniers each, two handlebar bags and one rucksack) he didn’t have to convince us that perhaps this is where we should stay. And we were pleasantly surprised. The room is a traditional Batek style building (picture an a-frame) with dark hand carved wood and modest amenities including a warm shower, a rarity in these parts, with a nice view of the lake. We have access to a restaurant and cold Bintang beer and after a good meal it was time to retire.

Landing at Lake Toba was, without a doubt, a breath of fresh air; both literally and figuratively. The morning was beautiful and peaceful. The sounds of nature filled the air; birds, crickets, frogs and fish jumping in the lake were music to my ears. It sure beats the sounds of beeping horns, motorbikes and bad loud music coming from blown speakers. It is here that I feel good.The villages on the island are small and though this was once a hopping tourist destination now appears to be a ghost town. Not too many tourists come here and those that are here seem to be more mature. I find there are a lot more Europeans than Americans. But I am also happy to say being American isn’t so bad now that Obama is President. If I say I am American the locals will recite his name with a gleeful smile. After all he did go to grade school in Indonesia so for him to become President of the United States is something the locals can be proud of.

Today is my day to gather my thoughts, soak in the surroundings and write my blog while Anthony goes off for a training ride. Tomorrow is back on the bike and very hard going travel. Kutacane is our next destination with some time to check out Gunung Leuser National Park. This park is one of the most special parks on the planet with all its threatened wild life and delicate eco-system. I am not sure what to expect yet but I am certain biting insects will be key to avoid. Then it’s off towards the Aceh province, Banda Aceh (the hardest hit by the 2004 Tsunami) and Pulau Weh Marine Park for some diving. I doubt I will have many Internet options so this might be the last blog I post for a while. So until then, wish us safe travels and send your good energy our way as we will be approaching the unknown soon! Thanks for stopping by!