Articles in Sumatra Part 02
Desperate Search for a Sponsor
For a few minutes yesterday afternoon, I stood on this hotel’s balcony and watched the beehive of manic activity at the intersection nearby. I reflected that all of this behavior represents a type of economic activity. In a very real way, that flow of giant trucks, buses, motorcycles, vans, and bicycles can be viewed as money flowing along the streets.
Going to Immigration – A Complete Disaster
My trip to the immigration office was a complete disaster. It could not have been a bigger failure. The details might be confusing or boring, but bear with me. It’s important to note that I wasn’t doing anything unusual or complicated. It’s a standard procedure to get a 60-day tourist visa before entering Indonesia and then extend it for 30 days at a time if needed (up to four times for a total of six months).
“You stupid! You stupid! You stupid!”
Today is the day that I go to immigration to apply for a 30-day visa extension. I hope it goes well. If there is a serious problem, I still have options, however. I wouldn’t be happy about it, but I could probably go back to Tanjungbalai and take the ferry back to Malaysia. Then I could make my way up to Penang and apply for a fresh 60-day visa. I’m confident I could get that. But it would be better at this point to get the 30-day extension locally.
Overnight Wackiness in a Wonky Hotel
I’m still in Sumatra. My current tourist visa is expiring in a few days, and I’m on my way to a town called Siantar to visit the immigration office and apply for a 30-day extension. This may or may not go well. You need official documents from a local sponsor in order to get a visa extension. I have a sponsor and the documents already prepared, but this sponsor lives in the town of Kisiran, not in Siantar.
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, after a break to drink some iced tea and take some pictures, we leave to drive back to Kisaran.
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 arrive to pick the fruit from our shade tree. Then it’s time to head back to the rice fields, but first we stop in a small town to buy some …