Indonesia > The local market of Balige

Today I leave Lake Toba again. Just after seven o’clock, I am waiting on the pier with my travel bag. The weather is sunny, and the lake lies calm. The ferry crossing goes very smoothly—quite a contrast to the way here. From the rear deck of the boat, I can see the entire crater rim surrounding the lake. A magnificent sight. On the other side, bus driver Mario and his assistant Jogco are already waiting. Today I am going to Sipirok. Although the distance is only 160 kilometers, it will take the whole day. I will probably only arrive in Sipirok by late afternoon. This gives me a chance to close my eyes for a while—I didn’t sleep very well last night. When I wake up again, the bus has just stopped at a pineapple plantation. It’s a small-scale operation.

Indonesia - Chickens being sold at the Balige market

I walk among the pineapple plants and am surprised to learn that a pineapple takes two years to grow before it can be harvested. At a little stall, pineapples are prepared for tasting. Here, one costs just 5,000 IDR (about 35 cents). While enjoying my piece of pineapple, I realize there is very little profit to be made here. Around half past ten, I enter Balige—a medium-sized town with a large market. People come from the entire region to shop here. I wander through the market stalls. Everything is jumbled together. Sarongs are sold right next to the chickens. Dozens of chickens are packed tightly together. The chickens that are sold are also prepared on the spot. The head is chopped off, and the chicken is placed in a separate tray. I even see the chicken twitch. Although it doesn’t look very appetizing, the meat is fresh. I stroll up and down the main street until I reach the roundabout, then continue on the road. In Tarutung, it’s lunchtime. The travel group spreads out over several restaurants so that all dishes can be served on time. I choose to eat at a small Chinese restaurant. Upon entering, I immediately notice the large open kitchen. While the restaurant looks simple, the kitchen seems fine. To be safe, I order nasi goreng—it’s hard to go wrong with that. After the meal, a small dish of pineapple pieces is served for dessert.

Indonesia - The beautiful green color of the rice fields

Delicious! I am about halfway along the route to Sipirok. From here, the road becomes mountainous. Mario has to navigate the bus through narrow bends. There is also a lot of heavy truck traffic. Fully loaded trucks crawl up the hills slowly. Due to the twists and turns, it is not always clear when it is safe to overtake. Sipirok lies on the mountain ridge that divides Sumatra into northeast and southwest. From the mountain road, I can see the terraced rice fields on the slopes. Their bright green color creates a beautiful landscape. At one of the terraces, I get out to take a photo of the rice fields. Immediately, numerous curious children gather around the bus. The last part of the journey to Sipirok is over very rough road. In several places, the asphalt has been washed away by heavy rain. The bus has to proceed very slowly on some sections. Local youths give directions to help Mario drive safely—they hope for a tip. Mario knows exactly how long and wide his bus is. When passing oncoming traffic, he maneuvers the bus right alongside the trucks. Before it gets dark, Mario drives the bus onto the grounds of Sipirok Hotel—a hotel and conference center a few kilometers outside the town. I am really here just for the overnight stay; tomorrow I continue to Bukittinggi. At the reception, I pick up my key, pre-order dinner for the evening, and head to my bungalow for a refreshing shower. As I go to bed at night, I realize that today, for the first time, it hasn’t rained.