Bukittinggi to Parapat (Sumatra, Indonesia)

For a revised version of this post, go here.

July 14^th, 2009 - I think my ass is busted. It hurts. A lot. I just spent 14 hours on a motorcycle traveling from Bukittinggi to Parapat. That's 14 hours sitting in a seat designed for a petite ass (My ass is petite just not Southeast Asian petite). Did I want to drive for 14 hours? Negative. You can't always get what you wa-ant....

I asked a few folks in Bukittinggi how long it would take to drive to Parapat. I might as well have asked the Magic 8-ball. Throughout the course of the day I received no less than eight different responses, none of them accurate. Three people in Bukittinggi told me it would take 9 or 10 hours. One person said 12 hours. The book actually said 14 but was referring to public transport which usually takes longer than a self drive. After traveling a few hours a woman at a roadside restaurant told me it would take one night and one day, some dude said it would take 3 or 4 more hours, another person said 8 more hours. When I was 5 hours away a woman told me it would take 3 more hours. One gentleman said once I reached the lake it was another hour to Parapat. It took another two and a half hours. Feeling me?

Let me tell you what's not fun. It is not fun to drive a motorcycle at night on a North Sumatran road with a crappy headlight. The light functions but it is slightly askew and points a bit upward. I'd never really noticed before because I make it a point to avoid driving after sunset. So every yahoo coming at me thinks I have my brights on and starts flashing their headlights spasmodically. With each passing vehicle I'd scream, 'WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT FROM ME!!!!!????' into my helmet as they drove past. Let's just say I was a bit punchy. By following other vehicles at a slow rate of speed I managed to use their lights to view the track ahead and keep my bike on the road. Bonus.