Last night in Indonesia

15 August 2012

Well, it’s been a cultural shock that’s for sure. July 1St we were invited to spend three days with a great family in Timur, six weeks later I am sitting on the couch of another great family, in Medan, Sumatra.

Very hard to tell you in a few words how this experience has been. The generosity, the smiles, the open minded people, the length at which people go to help, the food, the country itself, it’s just been magic. I don’t know if all Asian countries are as open and generous as this one but it’s a smack in my Western face, for sure.

Driving on the other hand, is a nightmare. No rules apply, trucks drive at 40kmh and spit their black smoke in your face, while kids (yes kids, 8 years old for some) ride the motorbikes like there was now tomorrow. Of course, rearview mirrors or helmet are optional. Roads are either in perfect condition, smooth as a baby’s bum, or look like Baghdad after Desert Storm. Traffic is insane, pollution is everywhere, there’s litter of course, but there’s the pollution from the cars and truck, but worst of it is the burning of palm plantation, creating a thick cloud over Sumatra, even polluting Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (no kidding). You can’t see blue sky, let alone the Sky, in Sumatra. It’s just haze.

Indonesian people are sometimes odd : riding a motorbike (extreme loud exhausts) with the jacket back to front seems compulsory, for instance. Or chain-smoking, eating rice with potatoes, eating desert before the meal (rice, what else), pouring sambal (hot chili sauce) on lasagna, is also common, so are the two tablespoon of sugar in every cup of coffee, or the condensed milk with Fanta or Sprite… Everyone has a mobile phone, and a blackberry or a smartphone, and they use both all the time, including at dinner, while driving, walking, cooking, probably in the can too. Then, like anywhere in Asia, there are no toilet as we know them, just a hole to squat over, then you clean your privates with water in your hand. No shower either, just a bucket with a plastic cup, with cold water.

The food is also great, when you are invited somewhere, or pretty boring when you go to a warung. It’s always bakso (meat balls), overcooked sayur (vegetables) and something gorend (fried, they fry everything, and I do mean everything). Ayam of course (chicken) is the cheapest meat, but there’s also fried eggs (telur), fried fish (ikan), fried beef (sapi) or fried tofu or soya beans (tehu and tempe). Everything is deep-fried, in palm oil of course. Even veggies can be fried.
The best is the fruit and vegetable juice. Avocado, carrot, tomato, cucumber, melon, pineapple, … Best fresh fruit juice ever.

I’ll never forget my many hosts along this six weeks. I just hope Malay people don’t eat rice for breakfast 🙂

PS : Troopy has been loaded in the container this afternoon, with Sander’s. They tied it with strong ropes and bits of plywood… Hope it’s all fine 🙂

Distance to-day: 979km, total: 28894km