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Sumatra Part 02

Pacific JetStar Ferry from Port Klang to Tanjungbalai

I had a booked a seat on the 11 a.m. JetStar ferry from Port Klang in Malaysia to Tanjungbalai, a small town on the coast of Sumatra. My day began in Kuala Lumpur, and I ...

From Tanjungbalai Ferry Dock to Kisaran

This is Part Two of my journey from Kuala Lumpur to Kisaran, Sumatra. Here, I'm met by my driver, Iwan, and we head off for an interesting ride in his van. This only brought us ...

Long Journey from Kuala Lumpur to Sumatra

I just took the ferry from Malaysia back to Indonesia, so I thought it was a good time for an update. I wasn't terribly active while I was in Kuala Lumpur. I had plans to ...

Buying a SIM Card in Kisaran

I set out in the morning from my hotel in Kisaran, Sumatra, to buy a SIM card for my phone. That errand was taken care of quickly, and then I went for a short walk ...

Recovery Day in Kisaran

I hang out in Kisaran and ramble on about random topics that pop into my mind ...

Iced Sugar Cane Juice

Mobile drinks and snacks stands are everywhere in Indonesia. This one sells pure sugar cane juice by the cup or by the bag. It's extremely refreshing (with lots of ice) on a typical hot Indonesian ...

Students on the Streets in Kisaran

While walking around Kisaran, I happened to be passing some schools when the students were let out for lunch. Here is what I experienced ...

ATM Troubles in Kisaran

It's a fact of the modern world that we end up on the other side of the planet with a computer standing between us and our money ...

Transportation Contrast in Sumatra

This fancy motorcycle caught my eye while walking around Kisaran. Then I noticed the vehicles around it ...

Hordes of Students on the Streets of Kisaran

I had stored my bicycle and trailer at a friend's house in Kisaran, and I took a walk there pick it up. His house was about 4 kilometers away, and brought my camera with me ...

Impromptu Dance in Kisaran, Sumatra

I met a lovely family while walking around Kisaran, Sumatra, and they invited me into their home for a drink and a snack. I learned that among the many accomplished children in the family, one ...

How You Get to Your Rice Paddy in Indonesia

A friend of mine invited me to go with her on a trip to do some work at her rice paddies about 25 kilometers outside of Kisaran, Sumatra. She picked me up on her Honda ...

Empty Streets of Kisaran on Independence Day

August 17 was Independence Day in Indonesia. I missed all the big celebrations and activities (through the usual miscommunication and misunderstandings), but I managed to go out for a walk around a market and a ...

100 Seconds in the Kisaran Market

I walked through a very quiet market in Kisaran on Independence Day and shot some video. The final video was too long to upload easily at this time. Here is 100 seconds of that trip ...

“I Don’t Speak Indonesian.”

100 more seconds wandering through the market in Kisaran. We've got fresh produce, dried fish, music, selfies, and someone calling me "father." ...

Where Is the Children’s Park?

100 seconds of wandering through the streets and markets of Kisaran as I search for a children's park that I'd spotted earlier. Oh, and I enjoyed a frosty mango shake ...

100 More Seconds in the Children’s Park

Checking out some of the rides for children at the park in Kisaran. The park, like most carnivals, is designed for the night with lots of bright lights. I visited during the hottest part of ...

Evy’s Rice Paddies – Part One

My friend Evy took me on the back of her motorcycle from my hotel in Kisaran to her rice fields 25 kilometers away (sort of on the way to Tanjung Tiram). This is the first ...

Evy’s Rice Paddies – Part Two

We meet up with Evy's worker and talk about the work ahead. Then we complete the final kilometer or two on Evy's motorcycle to get to the land that she owns ...

Evy’s Rice Paddies – Part Three

We arrive at Evy's hectare of rice and go to the picturesque storage shed to get her water pump equipment. There, we meet a woman busy replanting 5-day-old rice seedlings ...

Evy’s Rice Paddies – Part Four

I see rice seedlings being replanted, and I confess how difficult I find any kind of farmwork or gardening ...

Evy’s Rice Paddies – Part Five

Evy and her worker set up a water pump to irrigate her rice fields. There had been little rain, and the fields were getting dry ...

Evy’s Rice Paddies – Part Six

I check out how the rice paddies are divided into sections with low mud dividers. With these, the farmers can control the water level in all the different parts of the rice paddies ...

Evy’s Rice Paddies – Part Seven

I watch and learn as Evy and her worker prepare a diluted mixture of water and pesticide and then spray it over the fields ...

Evy’s Rice Paddies – Part Eight

At lunchtime, I hopped on the back of Evy's motorcycle for a trip to a local market in a small town a few kilometers away. Getting there involved driving out of the rice fields and ...

Evy’s Rice Paddies – Part Nine

I go with Evy when she visits a friend's palm oil farm. I watch as the men cut down the palm oil fruit and collect it. Another type of fruit is in season, and friends ...

Evy’s Rice Paddies – Part Ten

The final video clips from my trip to see some rice paddies outside Kisaran in Sumatra. Evy and I return to the rice fields to check on the irrigation and the application of pesticides. Then, ...

Those Horns Will Drive You Crazy

Walking along the streets of Kisaran, Sumatra ...

Kisaran Life

Shivering bunny rabbits and Independence Day preparations in Kisaran, Sumatra ...

Overnight Wackiness in a Wonky Hotel

(Don't feel like reading? Click the arrow and let me read it for you.) Wednesday, September 28, 2016 5:00 a.m Small town in Sumatra I'm still in Sumatra. My current tourist visa is expiring in ...

“You stupid! You stupid! You stupid!”

Don't feel like reading? Click the arrow, and let me read it for you. Thursday, September 29, 2016 6:00 a.m. Room 9, Tamariah Losmen, Siantar, Sumatra Today is the day that I go to immigration ...

Going to Immigration – A Complete Disaster

If you don't want to read, click on the arrow, and I'll read it for you. Friday, September 30, 2016 5:35 a.m. Tamariah Losmen, Siantar, Sumatra My trip to the immigration office was a complete ...

Desperate Search for a Sponsor

Don't want to read? Click the arrow and listen as I read for you. Saturday, October 1, 2016 5:15 a.m. Tamariah Losmen, Siantar, Sumatra The call to prayer has just ended, and the insane roar ...

Basking in the Glow

Don't feel like reading? Click on the play button and listen instead! Sunday, October 2, 2016 7:30 a.m. Tamariah Losmen, Siantar, Sumatra I've gotten in the habit lately of getting up with the 5 a.m ...

My Own Personal Sisyphus

If you don't want to read, hit the play button, and I'll read it for you in my raspy, tired old voice. Monday, October 3, ?2016 6:30 a.m. Tamariah Losmen, Siantar, Sumatra Sleep is such ...

Successful But Predictably Weird

Don't want to wear out your eyes reading? Click on the play button and listen instead! Tuesday, October 4, 2016 6:15 a.m. Tamariah Losmen, Siantar, Sumatra My trip to immigration for the interviews ended up ...

Staring at the Camera Like a Buffoon

Hit play if you want to just listen instead of read. Wednesday, October 5, 2016 7:00 a.m. Tamariah Losmen, Siantar, Sumatra Today is the big day. I was told I can pick up my passport, ...

Getting a 30-Day Tourist Visa Extension in Indonesia

I'm no expert in the process of getting Indonesian tourist visas and visa extensions, but I thought I'd share my most recent experience in case it might help someone else go through the process.( I ...