Thorn Tree travel forum

1

Hey,
Indonesians often have some odd ideas about travelling in their own country: principally that it must be absurdly dangerous, and impossibly difficult. And travelling alone is anathema to most Indonesians, consequently the idea of doing so baffles and alarms them: this is about cultural differences rather than real conditions you are likely to meet on the road.

On motorbike journeys (and sometimes even on public transport)in Indonesia I could scarcely begin to count the number of times people have stared at me in jaw-dropping astonishment (and not a little horror):

Them (astonished): "But do you know the road?"
Me: "Nope, never been here before..."
Them: (eyes ever wider, concern more apparent) "But how will you find your way????"
Me: "I have a map, and I can always ask..."
Them: (tutting, head-shaking, obvious concerns about my sanity): "But there are many bad people..."
Me: "Where?"
Them: "On the road."
Me: "Have you met these bad people?"
Them: "No way! I'd never travel anywhere, I might get lost; I might meet a bad person..."

Travelling alone and with no spoken Indonesian in Sumatra you will be absolutely fine, really, absolutely fine. For me - and many others - travelling solo is the most enjoyable way to go: you meet more people; you interact more with locals than if you're in a neat, closed-off unit of two or three.
There aren't a great number of tourists in Sumatra, but you'll probably meet someone to hang out with in Bukittinggi near Padang (which should probably be your first stop), and also at Toba and Bukit Lawang...
If you happen to get on with one of these people you meet, and if you happen to be heading in the same direction, then why not travel together for a way...
But as for arranging to travel for all or a significant part of your trip in advance with someone you have never met, and with whom all you can be confident of sharing is a "Western" culture: it sounds like an awful idea - and possibly a recipe for trouble - to me...

The moral of the story is this: although obviously it's their country, and they will certainly know a lot about its culture and its history, will probably know details of specific transport and facilities, and will definitely be best placed to point you in the direction of the best food, or the coolest places in a particular town or area, they are, very often, the worst people to ask about independent, solo, low budget travel for pleasure in Indonesia (because the idea is so alien to most of them).

words and images

2

Their philosophy, one that applies to many things besides travel is: if I have to do it alone, with no one to help me or accompany me, no way I'm gonna even try it.

3

Even travelling with locals, not everything you hear is true.

You should not abandon scepticism when you first set foot in Indonesia. These are some of the things, I have heard from locals:

The Kaaba in Mecca floats in the air - a servant in Palembang

The Dutch stole the emeralds out the eyes of the buddha statues at Borrobudur - a guide from Yogjakarta

Showering in the nude is pornographic - a female Phd graduate from Jakarta

There are no buses from Padang Bai because of the rough weather - hotel employee from Padang Bai

All the seats are booked out - a tout at the Surabaya Railway Station

4

my favourite is:

Them: "are you married?"
me: "no"
Them: "why not??"
me: (shrug, various replies to this one, my answers got whackier and whackier as I got asked this so often, at least daily)
Them: you have friend?
Me: no
Them: you very brave.....

I spent 2 months in Sumatra last year, joined other people for some of my travels and enjoyed their company. Did meet up with one guy I'd met via LP and he was the most selfish man I've ever met in my life and I was climbing volcanoes and camping in a tent with him! So be very careful about committing to doing something with someone you don't know. (OTOH I spent a wonderful 2 weeks with another chap in Vietnam I met through LP until he had to abort due to a bad case of Dengue fever, also while climbing a mountain ha ha!)

http://whatsnextnaomi.blogspot.com/