In my previous blog I wrote that i expected Sumatra to be local and a complete different adventure from Bali and Lombok. Well, it certainly was! I had thought that I couldn't hear more 'Hello Misters' then in Sumbawa, but it was possible... Youngsters on scooters, overtaking me, driving next to me, stopping to overtake me again, only to get a glimpse of me, a smile, or if they were lucky a 'Hello' (I made the intention to only say hello to those who called me Miss instead of Mister, which decreased my replies with 95%). The word 'selfie' even protruted the dark jungle of Sumatra, so the daring ones asked for a selfie. Sometimes I succumbed and let them take the selfie (which never was a actual selfie, since friend B had to take the picture of friends A, C, D and me, and then friend A took a picture with friend BCD, etc.) But also many 'thumbs up' which gave me some power to continue.
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| some of the 'lucky ones'; the girls had the day of their lifes |
But it was the most beautiful route so far! Started in the sticky, hot Padang, up the mountains riding the Trans-Sumatra highway (which was mostly just a small road, sometimes not even paved, with not too much traffic). Through the jungle with its monkeys and tiny settlements, with every so often a larger town that had a (crappy) hotel where I could sleep. Since i was depending on those hotels, there were some long, long days (110 / 130 km; 8-10 h). But I always made it and cycling through the mountains I enjoy most!
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, I crossed the equator (I almost missed it) and continued on the northern hemisphere (felt more familiar suddenly :)
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| I just crossed the equator.. |
I noticed a gradient change, from mosques prayer calls to church clocks. Suddenly, also the first Bintangs (beer) and babi pangang (pork) were available, girls wearing shorts and no headscarfs and evenings filled with singing & guitar playing locals. In this Muslim country I had entered the area of the Christian Batak people.
At lake Toba I had some 'rest' days (during one I challenged the record of cycling around the island (7.30h); it took me 1h more..). My actual plan was to continue further north, before heading to Medan. Unfortunately, erupting Mt Sinabung blocked the way..
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| Mt Sinabung |
So I decided to go straight to Medan, back to sealevel and the sticky heat. So hot that the only thing I could do when arrived is taking a cold, splashy, mandi (kind of local shower) and lie naked on the bed, while the fan was blowing over.
After 2,5 months, I left Indonesia. I really loved that country, with so many different faces. The country of the Hello Misters, the spicy GadoGado, the surfing and surfdudes, vulcanos, delicious fruits, and so much more.. Would it be that it was the first country of this trip? But now I feel that I will definitely come back! Sampa Jumpa!
Then I entered Singapore, such a different world; western, white people, english, expensive, cars, airconditioning.
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| Also a city can have a nice silhouette during sunset |
I felt more at home in Chinatown and little India then I did in Orchard Rd with its many malls. But also the hometown of Isaac, who I met in Bali and who invited me to stay at his place :). He showed me around, let me try the multicultural diversity of delicious food and gave me a home for some days.
Today, I arrived in Malaysia. First impression: many cars, highways and way more developed then I had expected it to be. But also many familiar words and be able to speak some (little) Indonesian again (similar to Ｍalaysian). So let's see how the rest of the country will be...
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| girls walking home from school, preferably barefoot |
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| they do learn English at school, but they're to shy to speak |
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| my diary |
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| some people use their mandi for other purposes... |
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| bike ready for transport :) |
