Blogs from Bukittinggi, Sumatra, Indonesia, Asia - page 5

For my last day in the area Aaron and I rented motorbikes again to explore a route that a french anthropologist, who is living here, reccomended to us. It basically took us around Singgalang volcanoe which is one of the two large volcanoes that looms menacingly over Bukittinggi. This time Aaron tried to get a quieter motorbike as the last one was so incredibly loud. Seriously I never imagined it possible for a motorbike to make so much noise. I think removing the exhaust completely would have actually made it quieter. It did make me laugh constantly though as even the locals (who are used to loud bikes) would turn to stare as they heard the bike approaching. If we were going up a steep hill and he dropped it down a gear I would have ... read more

I was glad to get out of the sweaty industrial town of Dumai, although the overnight bus trip wasn't exactly bliss. I arrived in Bukittinggi early in the morning, and with the help of a local girl found my way to my hostel. Walking round Bukittingi was an interesting experience. I really came to appreciate that I was in a foreign land. Bukittinggi is rather unique; it is 930m above sea level meaning that it is rather cool. Mountains rise up around it and clouds float by, just out of reach. I managed to be befriended by a local who guided me to a nearby village on the other side of the canyon. This place is beautiful. Rice paddies either side of the road, stretching off into the mountains. I was in awe. Sitting having dinner ... read more