village
This Indonesian village, Bukit Lawang, is located 80km outside of Medan on the island of Sumatra. I went there less than a year after the nightclub bombings in Bali and days after the parliament bombing in Jakarta. Despite these occurrences, the most dangerous thing in Indonesia was quiet desperation and the touts layered in touts, dipped in touts. It seems that nothing can help you deal with this kind of constant hassle (one of the things I'm most worried about in India).
I tried to get out of Medan as soon as possible- it was congested, noisy and stinky. But I like to think it was my fate to experience the motorbike of death- an essential experience in Asia. There is a free bus from the port to the city innards and a gentleman, whom I thought worked for the bus company (good one, Maya), convinced me to get off the bus with him so the "company car" could take me to catch the correct bus to my destination. We waited in a roadside restaurant, and after a while a friend of his showed up on a motorbike with trekking photos. He wanted to sell me his services. I was very frustrated (and famished because everything left me on the ferry of death, but that is for another time), and insisted that I get to the appropriate station. One of them took me with my bag on the bike and left his friend. I was a little worried, but even though we took a lot of back roads, there were always people around, and I knew I could yell for help! It turned out okay, and he never asked for any money.
Bukit Lawang, a small village known by its proximity to a dense jungle inhabited by the gorgeous orangutan houses a rehab center set up in the park. There are only three places in the world where these guys live on their own; the other two are in Borneo (two weeks previous to the village I was fortunate to see Sepilok in Malaysian Borneo. The third location is located in the South of Indonesian Borneo). The morning after I arrived, I made the trek up to a feeding station to see them. There were dozens! It was fantastic to see them interact after talking about them so much in classes. Lucky for me, there were not too many macaques to spoil the view.
The village is just east of a roaring river, the Bohorok. Tourists used go there like pack wolves, but it is suffering a drought in that way- like the rest of Indonesia. I go back to this photo more than any others from the trip. I long for the private room for under US$2 and the village woman carring a tray of snacks wrapped in banana leaves. It was raining when she came by, and I bought nearly one of everything. Maybe I can go back some day. For now, I'll try to find a Bukit Lawang in my upcoming travels.
Next up: How much does this cost? I'll tell you exactly what I spent, and what I spent it on
I tried to get out of Medan as soon as possible- it was congested, noisy and stinky. But I like to think it was my fate to experience the motorbike of death- an essential experience in Asia. There is a free bus from the port to the city innards and a gentleman, whom I thought worked for the bus company (good one, Maya), convinced me to get off the bus with him so the "company car" could take me to catch the correct bus to my destination. We waited in a roadside restaurant, and after a while a friend of his showed up on a motorbike with trekking photos. He wanted to sell me his services. I was very frustrated (and famished because everything left me on the ferry of death, but that is for another time), and insisted that I get to the appropriate station. One of them took me with my bag on the bike and left his friend. I was a little worried, but even though we took a lot of back roads, there were always people around, and I knew I could yell for help! It turned out okay, and he never asked for any money.
Bukit Lawang, a small village known by its proximity to a dense jungle inhabited by the gorgeous orangutan houses a rehab center set up in the park. There are only three places in the world where these guys live on their own; the other two are in Borneo (two weeks previous to the village I was fortunate to see Sepilok in Malaysian Borneo. The third location is located in the South of Indonesian Borneo). The morning after I arrived, I made the trek up to a feeding station to see them. There were dozens! It was fantastic to see them interact after talking about them so much in classes. Lucky for me, there were not too many macaques to spoil the view.
The village is just east of a roaring river, the Bohorok. Tourists used go there like pack wolves, but it is suffering a drought in that way- like the rest of Indonesia. I go back to this photo more than any others from the trip. I long for the private room for under US$2 and the village woman carring a tray of snacks wrapped in banana leaves. It was raining when she came by, and I bought nearly one of everything. Maybe I can go back some day. For now, I'll try to find a Bukit Lawang in my upcoming travels.
Next up: How much does this cost? I'll tell you exactly what I spent, and what I spent it on
posted by Maya at 8:37 AM
6 Comments:
I'm hanging on with baited breath and I LOVE your notebook!
I'm interested in your near death in the Guatemalan mountains. I also experienced a sort of near death in the jungle there...just curious.
oh -- ferry of death -- that reminds me.
If you're going anywhere near Koh Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand, don't take the night ferry between that island and the mainland -- we had a near-death experience, and apparently one of those ferries does indeed sink every few years. (my rule of thumb: if there's a choice of ways to get from A to B, the cheapest way is generally that cheap for a good reason)
I'm kind of getting the impression that I'm teaching my grannie to suck eggs here. ;) but that's the one thing I would really tell anyone going near that part of the world, it was a horrific experience.
* Thanks ozma!
*jm, That granny of yours, she was quite impressive.
Thanks for the advice, I'm definitely not the cheapest-trip-no-matter-what type. I'll pay double the $3 fee to stay alive.
I heard that India is not only filled with touts but that they get at you before you're even off the plane! Enjoy
Hey.
True, there are touts in India, but knowing Indians helps - and I'm one!
would love to help out in any way - information, contacts... gimme a shout anytime you need one. Touts can be avoided, if you know how!
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