Bukittingi is very close to the equator, so we would also be able to experience if it is true that the water spirals the opposite way out through the drain on the southern hemisphere.
At 7pm one of the agents ran to us and asked: 'Have you finished eating ? Have you paid ? Are you ready to go ?'. We were practically dragged out to a minibus with our backpacks. Another couple in the restaurant had been waiting too, but one of them had gone for a walk - they did not make it! Very fast, we drove out of town - we were not sure what was happening. Perhaps we were kidnapped by a communist terror organization. Well, perhaps not. Our bus waited 3-4km out of town. It turned out that the 'agents' had not seen the bus at the station until it had left - then they quickly had followed and stopped it. Our backpacks were placed on the floor next to the back exit. It was full and with only 3 seats left. It had A/C turned on, so it was freezing inside.
Then our bus trip commenced. To begin with, it was OK; we were in the mountains so of course the road had a lot of turns and ups and downs. We quickly tried to get some sleep, but it was hard to sleep for more than a few minutes; either they turned on the A/C; people scrambled around; we took some sharp turns; the position got unpleasant or ... In addition, they played loud music; Indonesian pop & Bruce Springsteen - even though everyone tried to sleep! Perhaps it was to keep the driver awake.
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| Day 44: Monday 11 March - Bukittingi (West Sumatra) |
The trip continued... At 1am we came to a bridge. It took 45 minutes to cross it. The first two trials failed and the drivers had to back up again. The second time we were on the bridge, I could see 50m (161ft) straight down outside my window. At last everybody were told to get out. Kurt and Niels were too slow and did not get out before the bus was on it's way over the narrow 'bridge'. It succeeded. We followed the bus and I could see that part of the bridge was landslipped - a small miracle that the bus had crossed safely.
We found the hidden button on the seat that made the seat tilt, and we got a 235o angle so it was a bit easier to sleep (they did not stop the music, though).
Around 6am, the sun rose. We started looking for the equator; according to the schedule, we should arrive around 8am. At 9am, we had a morning-stop and from our map, we could read that we would cross it shortly. And we were right; at the equator, there was build a big globe. It was a disappointment, we did not turn upside down or anything. The nature here is very vigorous and dense jungle surrounded us.
We arrived in Bukittingi about 11am (3 hours late). At our morning-stop, I had spoken with a businessman who also was on his way to Bukittingi. He had recommended us a small hotel, Gangga Hotel, which he always used - and it was even half price for tourists! (we had that confirmed later). We went together in a minibus to the place. We had a room with 3 beds for rs8500 (4.70$). Our friend paid rs10.000 (5.53$) for a single. While we filled out the form, a guide came and tried to palm different trips off upon us (the place had a tourist bureau too). He had a rather interesting round-trip in West-Sumatra the next day which we decided to take. Rs12.000 (6.65$).
After lunch and a bath, Kurt and Niels took a nap. I went looking for a postoffice to send the last postcards. Got a good impression of the town and my orientation was also better afterwards.
Our plans were to go to Pekanbaru wednesday and find a boat to P.Tanjungpinang and from there to P.Batam and Singapore. Then we would arrive in Singapore Sunday or Monday, depending on a lot of things. I had just seen that we could take a plane from Pekanbaru to P.Batam for rs73.000 - the sail would cost us around rs50- 60.000, depending). I passed the possibilities on for consideration and we talked about what we could do instead. We would be able to stay on Sumatra until Sunday if we took the plane. The Zoo was close by and we had thought of going there, but different complications meant that we never got there all of us. I thought Kurt had been robbed and had been desperately looking for him. He had been in a saloon instead, and he and Niels went there afterwards to have wash, headmassage and a cut. Rs7000 (3.88$). It was a very nice place and a good result.
At the hotel, we met 3 Danes at our age: Sanne, Peter and Thomas and they told us not to eat here - they had heard that the kitchen was very dirty. They knew a cheap, cozy place where a lot of backpackers came. We were allowed to come with them and Canyon Restaurant was really good and cheap. They had a funny ordering system. The pen hung from the ceiling in a string and when you let go of the pen, a lamp in the kitchen lighted up. We could get all kinds of western food here: tacos, steaks, omelets etc. They had brought a Danish music-tape with Johny Madsen which we listened to while we were eating and telling about our selves.
They had a week ago arrived with a bus from Prapat to here and it had been even worse than our trip. There had been a singtogether -video in the bus, that is music-videos where the lead vocal is missing and then the passengers can find out if they have a yet undiscovered talent. It had been happening all night! But their ride had only taken 14 hours - amazing. A lot of stories and experiences were told here.
Next door was another travel agency and we found the same flight for only rs68.000 (37.65$), and got good pieces of information. But we decided to wait with the tickets till the next day. In the evening, Kurt and Niels went to bed early. I sat in the hotel's restaurant writing my diary and my friend who showed us the place, came and we talked for a while. He sold computers and software and we talked about education systems etc.
It was obvious that we had come to a more Muslim dominated part of Sumatra. The churches are replaced by mosques and many girls wear traditional Islamic clothing. But they are just as friendly as the people in the north.
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| Day 45: Tuesday 12 March - Bukittingi |
Got up at 7am and breakfast at Canyon. We decided to buy the plane tickets next door. We waited with booking the bus tickets for Pekanbaru. It is a science to find the cheapest place. There are two big companies, ANS and PMA; one of them is 2x2 seats, the other 2x3, but if you want A/C busses, both are 2x2 (maybe!) - and then all the different prices, depending on where you book the tickets! (differs from rs4500 to rs7500 (2.50$-4.15$) Mohammed (our guide) picked us up at 8:30am and we took off. Besides us, there were a couple from Singapore; he was a general manager for a shipping company, we discovered. Also an Australian (35 years) and an English couple. The first stops were 'Panoramic Views' and it was very pretty in the mountains with views over the rice fields. We looked closely at cinnamon trees - they looked like normal trees with red top leaves. We then saw a coffee-mill. Water powered. After the beans were stamped, women sieved the coffee. Outside we saw a 10cm (4 inches) long spider. It's web took up 1m2. The village was called Sungai TaRab. Next stop was the King's Palace, from the Minangkabau kingdom - 14. century. It was only a 'copy', but still impressing. Muhammed spend 15 minutes talking about how the throne was passed through the queen's family and not the king's. Rather simple. Nearby we saw some Sanskrit-rocks from the Buddhist period. Lunch in Bt.Sangkar. Then some less interesting traditional houses. We also had time for a swim in the volcano-lake Singkarok. The last stop was in a village where everybody either carved wood or weaved. Some of the weavers spend years on the same dress and they also used gold threads. We went into some of the carpenter shops and in one of them the Australian guy went to the poor woman who sold the furniture: OK, I buy the whole shop, how much? -The woman failed to understand his humor. We saw a large hand carved cupboard with glass and everything - rs300.000 (165$). When we told the man that a similar machine-made one would cost 20-30 times as much in Denmark (5-9 million rupees), he would not believe it.
We were also supposed to have seen a bull-fight in a village - it used to be twice a week, but the Rammadan had just begun and the event canceled. Our 3 Danish friends had told us that it should be very interesting. A fight could last from a few seconds to 30 minutes. Two buffalos are released; then they fight and the looser runs away. The winner stays and a new challenger is released. It was supposed to be very exciting and stalwart. People stand close by and bet on the buffalos and when they 'crash', people hurry away - the looser don't look for anything when it runs away.
Back in town, Kurt and I go for a walk to the market. I wanted to find some cinnamon. We met a young guy who wanted to practice some English and he tried to help finding some. All the places were closed, but he told us it would be no problem tomorrow - it would be market-day tomorrow.
Ate at Canyon (of course). When we counted our money, we found out that we only had rs20.000 (11$) per day for the last week.
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| Day 46: Wednesday 13 March - Bukittingi |
Kurt and I get up 7:30am so we could go to the market. Niels wanted to get some more sleep. We had made plans with the 3 Danes to go together down the Grand Canyon after breakfast.
We did find some cinnamon (powdered, rs1250/ounce (69c)). I had looked up cinnamon in my phrase-book so it was no problem to find. It was really a big market. We looked at some shoes. The price was around rs30.000 (16.60$) for college/laced shoes. A bit more for patent-leather shoes. Then we found a T-shirt place. Puma/Nike/Esprit for rs2500 (1.38$). Bought a couple each. All 6 of us met at Canyon. It was a nice day; cloudy and the temperature was about 26o (79F) - one should think it would be much hotter at the equator. But it was nice expedition weather. Here, you really enjoy that the sun is hidden. The expedition should go to the Grand Canyon - a big canyon close to the town. We met several classes of students (junior/senior-highschool) who also were on expedition (in uniforms). The descent was very stunning. Saw some mega-spiders (at least 15cm (6 inches)). There was a river at the bottom of the valley. The 3 had been here before and they had heard of a place with flying foxes (big bats) which should be in a cleft, somewhere. They kind of knew the direction. We got further directions from an old guy who could speak Dutch and German. Further on in the canyon, we passed a scout camp where perhaps a hundred children were bathing in the river. We found some mega-beetles (7cm/2.8inch.) with a big hook. We made an arena and a beetle-fight. Our 'Champ' could take all of the challengers. When they had had enough beating, they flew away. It looked very stalwart.
Now we had to cross the river, well now it was more like a stream. Kurt wanted to show us that he could cross it without taking off his shoes. After 15 minutes he succeeded - with only one of his shoes wet. Tough luck for him because we were going to cross the stream 20-30 times more. The cleft is a bit difficult to describe. |
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