Sumatra- Trip Report

Just back from 2 weeks in N. Sumatra. Here's some updates to the books and articles I read before I went:
1. You can get a direct minivan now from Medan airport to Berastagi- no need for changes or going to the Medan bus station. They collected my fare about halfway at a lunch stop. Bersastagi is a dusty unattractive place as noted. I didn't climb the volcano but got a van to Kabanjahe and then another to the road to Dokkan, one of the traditional Karo Batak villages, then flagged down car on the 2 mile road into town. I loved Dokkan, no other tourists, nothing set up for visitors, no one asking for money or to do anything or show me around. I've found in general if you sit down in a local cafe/store or wherever local folks are hanging out, buy a little snack, just be unobtrusive and patient, someone will offer to talk or show you around. In this case the son of the place's owner, who spoke some English showed up. In a few minutes you can stroll around and see it all. Best of all he took me inside one of the longhouses where 8 families live, each with their own bunks and fire. The 2 old ladies chewing betel were fine with that, and after hanging out for a while I asked if I could take a photo and they said sure. But please friends, don't start out with the camera thing and ruin it for the next visitors and make it an "attraction". There's a couple no name fronts of houses that are "restaurants" and I was able to have a noodle/veg stir fry. Spent a couple laid back hours and caught a van leaving that dropped me back at the main road and 2 more vans back to Bersatagi. I stayed at Wisma Sibarek, by the giant cabbage and it was fine and the map they gave was more detailed than in any of the books. Raymond Cafe is no longer up at the other end of town. It's now 2 doors from Wisma. Just a woman and her kid, but she'll make up a nice veg. curry and has Guiness, if you're tired of the lighter staples. Happy to leave Berastagi after one night. Good lomtong for breakfast, very similar to a mexican tamal (corn steamed in banana leaves). Next day 2 long long van rides and the back of a pickup with 15 others, no tourists on any of the rides, to be dropped at Friendship Guesthouse in Ketambe. Great friendly mix of mostly Europeans, some heading out on 1-4 day trips , others hanging out after returning. From what I've heard from others, Ketambe is the better way to see orangutans, as there's a lot of fake adventure going from Bukit Lawang, and guides feed orangutans there. I saw or heard nothing of that in Ketambe. The hiking is hard, all up and down. I did a 3 day 2 nighter and saw oran's on the 1st and 2nd days. The hots and swimming in the river were great, all the guesthouses pretty much do the same thing and camp in clear plastic tents by the river. And you run into other groups on the trail. Well worth doing and incredibly cheap. Down sides: all the guides smoke all the time, some groups are too talkative and you hear them from afar. and it's time for them to build a latrine area as everyone steps off the trails by the campsite to poop on the ground. Friendship Guesthouse was just OK, the people were great, but a bathroom that didn't stink, a working fan, not having to track someone down for a lock or key or light bulb isn't too much to ask. I'd go back but try a different guesthouse. The great thing was that Ahmad there answered my emails right away and all details and the prices were all worked out in advance, and when you could find him at the end to pay it all worked out. They cooked good meals there. I liked the veg. soup with cloves and cinnamon so much for dinner, I had it the next morning for breakfast as well. And even though they are just over the border into Banda Aceh province, they have beer, no problem. They all hung out and played guitars and sang at night and I joined in or harmonica, gave me guides some and gave the guitarist a new set of strings. Lots of Batak guys play guitar- bring both steel and nylon strings and picks. In Tuk Tuk they jammed on Pink Floyd, Creedence and Nirvana as well as their voluminous repertoire.