Traffic Free, Almost

After a two (2) hour ferry trip to Bakauheni on the Indonesian island of Sumatra I immediately notice a big difference from Java, there is less traffic, less road madness, and far more room to move, oh, and the rain had stopped. I am weeks behind schedule, so with limited time left in Indonesia I plot my course up the coast of Sumatra. I ride some long consecutive days, through jungle mountain roads, potholed coast roads, some more like a super cross track than a highway and stop overnight in the coastal towns of Kalianda, Krui, Bengkulu and Mukomuko before reaching Padang for a couple of day off the bike.

 

 

 

 

I spend my time wandering Padang streets, taking in the sights and chatting to the friendly locals. Padang is a coastal city, the road along the water front was a hive of activity, by day men made a new fishing boat, right there on the edge of the road, by night the road side came alive with numerous eateries serving up seafood delights, which suited me, I feasted on Ikan Bakar (BBQ fish) and prawns.

 

Well feed, rested and ready to move on I made tracks towards the other side of the island, along the way I spend several days in the cool mountain air climate of Bukittinggi. The first night my sleep is disrupted by the local lads racing their noisy scooters around the city block where my hotel is located, from about 10.00 pm till 2.30 am, they raced flat out, the occasional police siren breaking the drone noise put out by the straight through exhaust of  the scooters single cylinder engine. The following morning hotel staff inform me that it is a regular Friday night affair, and the under resourced  police can do little to stop it.

 

A popular weekend retreat for Padang residents, Bukittinggi's "Sabai Nan Aluih Park" proved the popular hang out with market stalls and food stalls doing a brisk trade, all under the famous symbol of Bukittinggi, the big clock called "Djam Gadang".

 

 

 

While based in Bukittinggi I day trip to Bonjol, a small town located just South of the Equator. During the morning ride to Bonjol I pass many small trucks and scooters carrying dogs and wonder why, when I reach the Equator monument I find out why, the local men hunt pigs in the jungle surrounding Bonjol. Utes and scooters filled the road side verge and parking areas, hundreds of dogs were unloaded as man and his companion set off into the jungle for the days hunt, from what I understood through limited English translation the pigs are not killed, just chased and cornered for the thrill of the hunt. Anyway I  was here for the photo opportunity, I have now crossed into the Northern Hemisphere.

 

 

 

 

The rainy season is not due in this part of Indonesia till late March, so it is a relief not to be wet nearly every day, but as I cross Sumatra fires pose a bigger issue, air pollution. Jungle forests are allegedly being illegally burnt to make way for Palm oil plantations. The air is thick with smoke, visibility for scenic views is non-existent, so after departing Bukittinggi I ride on through the dull sky to Pekanbaru, an uninspiring city where the locals tell me the town highlight is the shopping mall. My hotel accommodation is new, and comfortable, the locals are friendly and welcoming, the nearby Rumah Makan Padang serves an excellent Randang (beef curry) and the street market provides better entertainment than the shopping mall.

 

 

 

After a weekend in Pekanbaru I ride to my Indonesian departure point, the town of Dumai. In hindsight it was not the best choice for my departure to Malaysia, while a passenger ferry provided guaranteed transportation for me, transportation for my motorcycle proved more difficult to find in the small town of Dumai. A visit to a local shipping company provided a lead to the harbour Master's office, he was confident and after an hour or so came back to his office with an agent who said he could help, I thanked the harbour Master and his staff for their assistance and accompanied the agent to the Customs office where upon contacting the agents boss for confirmation of transportation received the bad news, the agent could not help. My final chance was there in the Customs office and after numerous phone calls and in office discussions by staff another agent came to the Customs office with good news. 

 

I meet with the agent and the boat Captain later that Monday afternoon and transportation was arranged. It was not an ideal situation, but I felt comfortable with the individuals involved and after providing quick operation instructions for my motorcycle to the tallest man in the office, I left my bike and key with a young Customs officer, who would deliver the bike to the boat the following Tuesday morning, supervise loading and then it was the Captains job to transport my bike to Muar, Malaysia. Back at the hotel I ready myself for my mid Tuesday morning ferry departure to Melaka, Malaysia.

 

So with arrangements made to meet the Captain and his boat in Muar, Malaysia at 7.00 am Wednesday morning I boarded the passenger ferry Tuesday morning for the two (2) hour trip to my next adventure destination Malaysia, all I could do was trust instinct, leave Indonesia before my bike and hope my motorcycle would (a) make it to the boat, (b) be loaded and fastened safely and securely (c) arrive in Malaysia on time if at all.