My Indonesian adventure....

I said I will be back....

What I culture shock I had. This is a world totally unknown to many westerners and I suggest one must try to experience it once in your lifetime to appreciate what you have.

I had been to the city of Medan in the northern island of Sumatra in Indonesia and this is like stepping back into time. It started at the airport where you have to walk down the plane to the terminal building that is really just a big bungalow on steroids. Check in and out is a simple affair.
The airport is smack in the middle of town - ala hongkong sans the skyscrapers - with a single airstrip. You drive about 50 meters from the terminal in you in a main street of Medan
I am told that the northern island is way behind the southern one and Jakarta light years removed from Medan..

For what is worth, here are my personal views and experiences.

People: In general very friendly and helpful, but language a big problem trying to communicate. These people are dwarfs compared to me - women on average are about 4 - 4.5 feet tall and men not much more and that's probably the very reason I was looked upon as a god
Women are very beautiful and very few less so and you are hard pressed to find an overweight Indonesian.
There are only two classes of people - the wealthy with their black 4x4 and the working class on motorcycles...

Religion: Here we have a paradox - most of Medan is Islamic with a temple and singing speakers all over, but the majority of women wears dresses or shorts closer to heaven than the knee As said, this place is littered with temples and my photos shows a few.

Food: This was a highlight of my visit. Every meal was different and they are masters in the arts of spices. Curry is never used and everything has that sweet chilly taste without the bite. Even the breakfast at the hotel was a grand affair with a choice of about 10 Indonesian meats brews to go with everything else - more like a massive dinner.
Food is very cheap for what you get, but soft drinks and sweets are hard to get with a little variety available. They are keen on bottled or canned tea however.

Shopping: Some great shopping centres around that is very expensive with all the brand names and hype and then there are the malls ordinary Indo's visit and that's where I had done my shopping.
Clothing are more expensive than in South Africa and the same with electronics, computers etc. Shoes on the other hand are very cheap and the same goes for perfume and the missus had a ball with that

Weather: Not so hot compared to SA, but the humanity off the scale and that makes it a place for the brave. Although this is now the rainy season, I never had any rain

Transport: This place has the best drivers in the world, period. You have to experience this to believe it. It is just horns, people driving all over the place, four rows of vehicles on narrow two line streets. Traffic lights are ignored most of the time, people driving the wrong side of the road against oncoming traffic etc etc. And yet, I never seen on drivers pointing a finger to another, or shown any interest in another Hooters are used to make another aware you are approaching or passing someone. Never seen an accident happenend.

Taxis are in abundance and the local taxi is a three wheel affair called a "bekak" in Indonesian and literally means "**** yourself" in my language. People travel in this affair by the family with there shopping which may include a fridge! And a passenger may also ride shogun behind the driver. My wife took a liking traveling in these contraptions and was my main mode of transport.
Then there are motorcycles and this is the main mode of transport for the masses. I had seen up to 5 people on one. Babies grows up on motor bikes.

I had been to USA, Britain, OZ in the past and nothing was new there and it felt like Im only in a different town whenever I traveled there. Indonesia - moreso the northern region is a mind ****....and what an adventure it was

Will I go again? Yes

Post Script: During my week stay in Medan I never saw another European, this place is way off the tourist trade route which makes it special.

 

Great pictures. Sounds like you had a great time and wanted to stay longer.
You must have been a giant man to them. Are there any boat building firms there? What type of adult beverages do they consume there? Thanks for sharing your experiences> Stan Beiing right on the water did you happen to get any pics of the harbor and local boats?

 

I never saw a liquor store. I stayed in a 4 star hotel and the resident restaurant (24/7) strongest brew was coffee. In the same hotel was a Chinese restaurant run by Chinese and there I was offered a beer in whisper but the brand was unknown and suspicious and I kindly declined

The closest lake is lake Toha which is about 2 hours drive but a port city Belawan is about 25 km from Medan. Never went there, but caught an eagles view of it taking off in the plane. Boats are non existing in Medan in my view.

 

Very interesting photos, Thanks Wynand.... You have a Buddhist? temple in image #11 with the carving/statues on top and everywhere, is it still functioning as such? in a strong Muslim region (hence no alcohol) - quite a surprise to me....

 

It´s a Hindu Temple, but that does´nt matter, there are as many Buddha temples too, and some christian Churches. Nothing is strong in asia in religious terms.
Regards
Richard

 

Good one mate