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Monday June 23, 2008 - So after a long bus ride from hell, I got off in Parapat and got a lift to the ferry. Lake Toba is a large lake, about 450 m deep, and is the largest lake in SE Asia. It has an island inside of it called Samosir, which is about the same size as Singapore. This was my destination. Specifically a small town called Tuk-tuk. The ferry left almost as soon as i got on, and being the only westerner, I was talked to for the entire thirty minutes so the boys could "practice their English." Man that gets old. Plus they all wanted to see me a place to stay, but I came with a recommendation and went there. One of the guys on the boat works at Bagus Bay, the place I stayed, and carried my bags for me. His name was "Capitan." Nice. But I got a decent room for one, huge bed, bathroom outside the room but with a HOT SHOWER!!! For about $3 a night. Yay! So I settled in, took a hot shower, and went down to the lake to sit and relax. This is about the time of year
i would normally go to Wisconsin to the lake to see my grandmother, so I sat at this lake instead, and thought of her. It was a nice sunset, more a nice dusk. After this I headed down for dinner. There was an English couple there, but I at behind them and ordered and ate alone. I was exhausted so I went to my room, read, and fell asleep quite early. And sleep I did. It was great.
Tuesday I got up and had breakfast. Was planning to get something done but it started to rain at 9am so I went back to my room and sat outside writing in my journal. Next time I was ready to leave, it started to rain. So I wrote some more. Capitan comes up and sits down. He starts talking to me and basically offers up a suggestion of what we can do on a rainy day. I remind him that I am "married" and ask him to leave. The kid is like 20 - ridiculous and disrespectful. Freaking Christians.
Finally around noon I get ready to go out - trying to decide if I will walk around or rent a
bike. I met Tim, and we chatted for a few while he waited for his lunch to arrive. When it did, I decided to go for a bike ride. There are two close towns that I biked to. One has an old kings tomb, the other old stone chairs that people used to sit in to decide who lived and who dies. Both were ok to visit, but difficult because there were so many people selling things and no tourists. So they are having a hard time and want you to buy something. And I wasn't shopping. Toba used to be an amazing tourist area but has suffered over the years, as have many of the Indonesian sites. It's been a rough thing for the people who live there.
On the road I met a guy that I spoke to briefly. He was walking while I was biking. I also met a couple of girls looking out on the lake after a walk out of town. Nice people to chat with while I caught my breath. On the way back I passed a few pigs who were tied up and screaming on the side of the rode. I peddled
faster. Once I got back to the guesthouse I met Sebastien, the French guy I had talked to briefly in the street. I was surprised to see him there before me but he caught a motorcycle ride back. So I'm not slower than a walker. We chatted and it turns out I had already heard a story about him from Tim. He invited me to hang out with them later and i said I would. They were staying at a guesthouse down the road but would be back at mine for dinner. I showered, got ready, and found them playing pool at my place after looking for them at theirs. I went to sit by the lake for a few minutes to relax, and eventually Sebastien joined me. As did two little boys and a bar of soap - the lake is also a bath. After they scrubbed up we headed back for dinner. Now the party had grown to include Simon and Tim, from england, and a Dutch couple. We had a nice meal and really good conversation. It was a good night. Sebastien and i were both leaving the next day, so we agreed to meet at 8:30
and get the 9am ferry together. I didn't sleep well that night, but it is so often that way for me.
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