Monday 12th Tues 13th - Padang and Bukittinggi

Arrived safe and well in Sumatra .

I had a hair raising journey from Padang to Bukittinggi, the standard of driving here is really poor. I’m usual quite sanguine (joeism) about bus and taxi drivers driving. This was different. I was in one of these small minibuses which was full. The driver had no qualms about overtaking round blind corners and overtaking and then having to force his was into his lane to avoid on coming traffic. I nearly called out involuntarily on a few occasions, “NOOO don’t do it”. However I survived but I’m not sure he will for much longer.

There were some amazing sights on the way up here Palm trees, Paddy fields, waterfalls, jungle and shanty towns. Bukittinggi is a fairly large town up in the mountains.

Indonesia is clearly a much poorer than Malaysia and the state of the streets and buildings shows that. However the people appear friendly although English is not as widely spoken as in KL but I am managing to get by so far.

I’m staying in one of the hotels recommended by the Australian girl Emma who stayed here for 3 months. At first I had a room on one of the lower floor which wasn’t great, a bit damp and the bed was solid. However an English couple who were staying in the “penthouse room” (recommended by Emma) moved out today. So I now have a great room with a view over the town for 4 pounds a night.

I’m hoping to get out into the countryside for some day trips soon. I have already been approached by a number of guides but they are not at all pushy so I may take them up on one of there trips. Tomorrow I think I’ll jump on a bus to one of the nearby smaller towns an see what the countryside is like.