Heat. Sweat. I was struggling again; it was a scorching day in West Sumatra. It always was when there were heavy storms the day before. It was only 11:00 but I needed a break, I guess it will have to be an early lunch. I am always taken aback by the kindness of people when a dirty, sweaty and smelly cyclist turns up.
The owner of the restaurant even sent her daughter home to get a fan to help me cool down. She gave me a free lunch and allowed me to stay for a few hours to avoid the worst of the sun. It was a good thing too; I went through 2 t-shirts with sweat.
I hadn’t realised how undulating this part of Sumatra was. Up and down I went all day. You never really feel you get anywhere. I also realised this part of my journey in Sumatra would be a chorus of cars, lorries and the biggest pest of all, motorbikes with overly loud exhausts!
Plan, plan and plan again
I hadn’t planned Indonesia and realised this was a big mistake. I was heading towards Kerinci with the idea of it being a few days away. In reality, it would take me 4 days. I needed to get a Health Certificate as well, but on entering a health centre, they stated they had no doctor available! People were still on holiday after Eid. This didn’t bode well for me to get my visa extension in Sungai Penuh. Were the immigration officials still on holiday as well?
My plan now relied on getting a hitch to the top of the hill otherwise it would be 5 days! However, this is where the kindness came to an end. I assumed no one wanted to put a dirty bike in the back of their dirty truck! The usual heavy rain started. Whilst I was waiting out the rain, I did some basic maths and realised if I couldn’t get the visa done there I might not be able to get out of the country in time. I dropped Kerinci in favour of getting to Bengkulu and a larger immigration centre.
Hey Mister
As you cycle, you get a chorus of ‘Hey Mister’ at every turn. It was like being back in Central Asia with the children shouting ‘Hello what is your name?’ Occasionally, I would have a motorcyclist pass me asking ‘How I was doing?’ But they would instantly carry on and not wait for the answer. I guess the nuances of English might not have been taught perfectly.
I started to notice smoothie stops. It was just ice, sugar water and powdered flavouring, no real fruit, but it was welcome when you are dealing with so much heat. One such stop involved sitting with lots of children. You become the centre of attention very quickly and have to endure the same questions from all of them.
Roads and Mud
I was setting off at 6 am and cycling for an hour before breakfast. This way I could cycle in the only ‘cool’ bit of the day. As a bonus, there was little traffic. To handle the long days in the saddle I turned to many podcasts. Music is good but I find podcasts keep the brain more engaged. My favourites are the High-Performance Podcast, The Intelligence from the Economist and The Adventure Podcast.
On my last evening before Bengkulu, I came across my favourite campsite so far in Indonesia. It was on a cliff overlooking the beach and sea. A small breeze kept me cool through the night. However, my lovely night was spoiled the next morning when Komoot sent me down a mud track which might have been a shortcut but cost me more time. But with any luck, I should be in Bengkulu by the end of the day.
I was also cycling more along the coast now and this meant flatter! No more up and down. I was happier and enjoyed my lunch break at a family-run restaurant on the coast. However, I did not enjoy the resulting food poisoning!
I made it to Bengkulu and found a hotel. I had tried to book a cheaper one online but couldn’t because my card had been blocked. Now I had two issues, sort my card out and get my visa extended. The next day was straight to immigration. This is where I found they differ from the Government rules and want a sponsorship letter for a 30-day extension. I had no chance of getting this. Later that day I managed to get the card sorted at least.
I now have to come up with another plan…
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