Indonesia: "Hello Mister!"

Borneo and Brunei Indonesia (Sumatra) Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore Thailand Vietnam

Wearing a mud mask made of volcanic mud, soothing yet reeking of sulfer, Sumatra
My memory of Indonesia was the constant greeting, "Hello, Mister!" wherever I went. If you're a woman, you'll probably hear Batak house, Sumatra that greeting, too. It's sad to hear about all the turmoil and tragedies that have scarred this nation the past couple years. My experience there was completely different, of course. The pace of life was slow, the people were kind, and the fresh food was plentiful. My time in Indonesia was mostly spent on Sumatra, so that's what I'll concentrate on. Although I understand there is a lot to see in Jakarta, I got out of there as soon as I could. To me, Sumatra was an undeveloped paradise. It takes hours to get anywhere, but the journey is worth it. Towns like Bukitingi and Bukit Luwang are very provincial yet friendly, and of course, you need to spend several days at Lake Toba, which is probably my favorite place on Earth.

  • Toba

  • Around Sumatra


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