Blogs from Sumatra, Indonesia, Asia - page 15

If you ever need to take the Pelni ferry to Medan from Bedan in Sumatra you just have to upgrade to 2nd class. The standard, though very cheap economy class is seriously unappealing. 2000 souls with baggage and kids, a 24 hour journey with appalling toilets ( floating floaters, need I type more) and dormitories to, well, avoid really. I'm now in Medan at the upper end of Sumatra. Just had a chest xray at the request of Australian immigration office, cost 10 pounds for the film, a report and a CDRom! Amazing. Especially as , having gone and got it, the Ozzies, blessem' have decided I don't need the bloody thing! Actually it's quite reassuring to see a nice normal CXR about 40 years after I had the last one. Meanwhile, I'm off to the ... read more

Our next destination was the Harau Valley, and getting there was the longest, most complicated journey I have ever undertaken. It involved the following: a shared taxi, a ferry, two aeroplanes, two buses, a minibus and a motorbike taxi. We had a small break in the middle of this journey for an emergency trip to the hospital for Zena. She had a high fever, aching muscles, headache, fatigue and vomiting. Classic symptoms of malaria. If untreated, some cases of malaria can be fatal. So we headed to Medan hospital with the greatest of speed. The hospital was clean and surprisingly efficient. We were attended to immediately, assigned a bed and blood samples were taken faster than you can say "antiprophylaxis". Within two hours Zena was diagnosed with a "miscellaneous viral infection", thankfully not malaria. The fever ... read more

Dear travel Lord, There comes a point in a backpacker's odyssey when the knots in his back and dirt under his finger nails come together and demand a higher standard of accommodation. With a bag full of stinky clothes and the anticipation for a soft mattress, I stroll up (going comando no less) to the counter at the Cambridge Swissbel 5-star hotel in Medan. "I have a reservation for three nights," I say as a member of staff hands me a complimentary fresh-squeezed pineapple juice. "Of course," the receptionist responds then informs me about in-room dining, the spa, and pool. "Enjoy your stay, sir." Recuperation and relaxation here I come! I arrived in Medan by a small van twisting and turning once again through the mountain curves. My driver and his buddy chain smoking the entire ... read more

Our next stop was the jungle village of Bukit Lawang to visit our furry primate cousins, the Orang-Utans. Our journey took five hours, and on the way we stopped at a petrol station. There was a small cage of dogs outside, and I wondered whether these were guard dogs that were let out in the evening, or whether they were being transported for someone's dinner. Dog is eaten in some parts of Sumatra, although it's seldom written as dog on the menu. It's simply written as B1, and pig is written as B2. These correspond to the number of letter Bs in the name (dog is called Biang and pig is called Babi). I had seen plenty of adverting signs written with B2, but had yet to see B1. One strange thing I noticed about some ... read more

After weeks of frantic preparation, my World Tour Number 3 was underway. Leaving friends and family behind once again to explore far flung countries, climb mountains, discover exotic foods and hack through jungles with my trusty machete. And not forgetting the less glamorous side of squat toilets, sunburn and mosquito bites. In the week prior to my departure, my preparation had mainly consisted of eating all the food and drink I would be missing on my travels. My last Roast Dinner. My last Bacon Sandwich. My last pint of English Ale (actually, i had quite a few "last ones" of those). Each meal was eaten with great ceremony and reverence, although it was actually just an excuse for a week of gluttony. By the end I was like a fat little seal with an extra layer ... read more