Sumatra Adventure - hanna masala!

...as they kept repeating in Aceh - no problem.
There is too little and too much to write, so instead I'd like to just upload pictures, but of course I've lost the computer chord... so you'll just have to imagine.

Medan, traffic everywhere, rickshaws, advertisements made out of flowers, dirty, busy, friendly people, curious people, me getting on the right bus is everyone's business, me eating and being comfortable on the 14 hour bus is also everyone's business, and not even my business to pay for.

Banda Aceh, what is this place, 4 in the morning, dark, bus station, the friendliest people ever, no paying here either, tsunami, huge boat 5 km from the water, ferry port, sun goes up over the sea and the sleeping city, moto drivers sipping their kopi aceh, the first call to prayer for the day can be heard all over, curious men.

Pulau Weh, Tom, scary moto ride on the winding roads, Iboih beach, goats everywhere, blocking the path running along the shore, enjoying the view like everyone else, locked up in the bungalow, hammock, endless rain, green vegetation everywhere, colourful fish, nemo fish, constant electricity black outs, walking barefoot around in the jungle, Japanese fort?, surrounded by huge spiders, chased away by mosquitoes, the never ending sound of the waves, the wind, the rain on the roof.

Banda Aceh again, hothothot, all women covered from top to toe, even wearing socks, sitting on the grave yard watching the sun go down over the graves with funny Dutch names, hearing stories about family members dieing in the tsunami, city rebuilt with a modern feel, no sidewalks, hotel room looks and smells like a dungeon, too hot to be anywhere else, no restaurants, cafe after cafe after cafe, kopi aceh, little cakes, My bread and ice cream, AC, savor.

Lampu'uk beach, white, neverending, empty beach, with the random group of cows here and there, palmtrees swaying, neverending days under the unforgiving sun, avocado and tomato salad, death if it weren't for the sea, the breeze and the shade, the sound of the waves and the crickets, and something else, a snoring monkey? rock climbing and bats emerging from the cave at sunset, moto ride through the fields and groups of palmtrees, water is salt, sky is blue, sun is strong, everything is white, white, white

Momong beach, sleeping in too small a tent, dragonflies surrounding us, suddenly gone, swallows surrounding us, fire on the beach, can of mushrooms for dinner, sunset the most beautiful so far, I say that every night, swimming in the warm water under a sky totally starlit, so many stars, so beautiful, too many stars, too beautiful, the moon so bright we don't need any light, no one else on the beach after the last fisherman walks back to Lampu'uk through the forrest, rocks, sand, green vegetation, beach surrounded by hills, let's just lie here and never get up

Banda Aceh, foodstore, internet, ATM, hothothot, friendly people, visiting homes.

Medan, bus station, 14 hour busride later.

Bukit Lawang, ride on the roof of a Lapi lapi (public bus, minivan) through palmtree plantations, walk along the river, live in Rainforest, little rain now and then, hammock facing the river, three days trek, Thomas monkey, Macaks, Orangutangs, wild male, Sandra, Minna, Suma, Jackie, all with babies, 96,4 % same genes as I have, Jackie smart, gets down from the trees and holds me hostage until the guide gives her fruit, a hug from an orangutang, the face inches from mine, her long fingers around my arm and neck, her baby hanging from her hair, indescribable, up and down and up and down, green, green and green, view over more hills covered in green, camp by the river, sleeping under raincover, and boy does it rain, thunder and lightning, right above us, lightning lighting up everything several times a minute, thunder making Tom jump, climbing up a waterfall till Erwin, our guide, thinks we've died, while the others are chased by a bear or a tiger, rafting back in three inner tube tractor wheels, feeling the stares, we weren't alone with the monkeys after all, jungle juice and hippie guides singing and playing guitar.

Medan, busstation, goodbye Tom, for now.

Dumai, 6 a clock in the morning, sun going up, ATM, tickets, motos everywhere, hello miss, hello miss, where am I, where should I go, visiting home and an English school, getting on ferry, friendliest people ever, falling asleep on the deck where they let me sneak up, waking up with a sunburnt face and feeling empty... goodbye Sumatra, I will be back.

//H