South East Asia Travels 2007 Index

South East Asia Travels 2007 Index

I decided to fly out of Australia instead of paying £100 to extend my visa

So I decided being in Asia would give me time to think without spending too much money and a fresh perspective.
I had a week in Singapore, but with Chinese new Year and traffic chaos coming I knew I had to move on.. maybe to Bali or Borneo and then someone told me there was a cheap flight to Sumatra. So I decided to take the easy option and fly to Padang.
From there I travelled in West Sumatra and up to North Sumatra with one place in Aceh before reaching Medan at visa finish after 30 days So I took the boat to Penang in Malaysia

Summary -
Sumatra was certainly cheap, but given the many problems it's probably not worth it given the hassles
Grimey Cities * Lake Chillout Places * Volcano's * Long Houses * Jungle and Orang Utans * not spoilt by over development * friendly people * different indigenous cultures * comfortable climate
- (cos even though we are on the equator many of those places are at at altitude so are cool)

Locals moaned about the lack of tourists, it seems from 1980 to 1998 riots there were hordes, now mostly only a trickle.
There's bad economic problems so roads and infrastructure are bad, but it's not terrible. All places have electricity, but the general level is well below Malaysia. I wrote the article The Don't Visit Indonesia Decades I didn't mean that everyone should stay away from Sumatra just that there are 20 good reasons why mass tourism has died there.

Sumatra Links

Handbook to North Sumatra by Mahmud Bangkaru - very good
Sumatra info by Frank & Anita
northsumatratravel.net

More Postcards

Some more background
- Counting Muslims : A Club You can never Leave
- Economy is Screwed means opportunity

Topic List
- Counting Muslims : A Club You can never Leave - Economy is Screwed means opportunity - PC341 Central Sumatra, Indonesia Unbelievable fly all the way and then back Met Paul Wed - Padang City Hot, dirty, busy, noisey, untidy, unquaint typical of SE Asian cities. Going to Bukittingi - bus is cheap 50p for 2 hours, but hassle Thursday walking tour of town with Paul - internet café wiped my memory card PC342 Maninjau Volcano Lake biked around the lake Tourism killer - loudest mosques in the world Sun - exploring - Met some village People Confusing money : being a millionaire hiked from lake to top of the rim at Lawang top Indonesia - Tourist dis-Information Ugh Leeches Wed - Another waterfall in a rainstorm with Febby, Arhit and Manual Tourism Killer - anti-western prejudice Thursday - back to Bukittingi -PC342a Minang Kabau Tour with Andre Chinese Massacre Story Another reason why no tourists - Fri - One Person motor bike tour for $12 Sat - computer fix - nightmare bus to Lake Tauba Reason for no tourists in Indonesia #6 Natural Disasters Earthquake Postscript -PC343 Lake Toba Touristy setting with no tourists Reason for no tourists in Indonesia #7 no tourists Monday exploring south Reason for no tourists #8 no cooperation Tuesday exploring North Weds - day off from tourism , working etc let's blame everything on Americans bandwagon Pushing on Indonesia not a country , but a continent of many different races -PC344 Berastagi - highland market town under a volcano "you can't climb the volcano without a guide" the hotel insisted Reason for no tourists in Indonesia #8 Lies and disinformation Sunday - walked around Karo Villages Karo Folk Performance Great English spoken - a Reason to visit Indonesia no laundry - find this guy who does your laundry without pounding out the pattern, in 30 mins and for free Reason for no tourists in Indonesia #9 Low standards Orang Utan spotting zoo or circus ? -PC345 Aceh Highway Robbery ? Roadblocks Ketambe In Sumatra always take a guide with you, then you don't get hassled by guides Easing in Master of Languages ... NOT wednesday - useless guides Jacks joke : about Indonesian police Thu -jungle trekking ! Ha ha JUNGLE DOES NOT EXIST ! - The truth is Asian food is awful Fri - Forest park with Simon Saturday - with Guide see Orang Utans You Don't need a guide but take one once PC346 Medan City not so bad Sun to Tue - Exploring Medan City Mon walk - got to know it Tues walk PC347 REPORT Why 1998-2018 is the DON'T Visit Indonesia Decades After this PC348 Malaysia Index

<-- PREVIOUS PC HOME SE Asia Index TRAVEL INDEX stew@stewgreen.com NEXT -->