~ a beautiful mountain crater lake ~
“Maninjau, 38km west of Bukittinggi, is another of Sumatra's beautiful mountain crater lakes. The final descent to the lake on the road from Bukittinggi is unforgettable. The road twists and turns through 44 numbered hairpin bends in quick succession, offering stunning views over the shimmering blue lake and surrounding hills. Compared with Toba, the lake is quite small – 17km long, 8km wide and 480m deep in places – giving the true feeling of being enveloped in a crater. Maninjau is well set up for travellers but remains relatively unspoiled and peaceful” (Attribution: South-East Asia On A Shoestring Lonely Planet Publications 2001)
Tues. March 09. Was I heard to complain about the noisy nearby mosque!?. Well this morning, there's a very beautiful duet call...at 4.30am. Admittedly that's early but it's the loveliest recital of the Koran I've ever heard. I've endured a few in the old days of living and traveling in Indonesia. Nice thing I've found, is that after being woken by the early morning call to worship of “Alluah Akbar...Allah is Great", I'd have the clearest, most interesting dreams in that light, half-sleep. I'd finally awoke around 8. In those days...I'm talking 10 years ago in eastern parts of Indonesia... in Moslem-dominated parts of towns. Here, one would inevitably find the cheapest hotels, costing maybe Rp.15 or 20k right next to the mosques. So, once again this morning, it's back to sleep, dreaming nicely. Then I'm up for coffee and cigarettes as usual. I head out for a breakfast of lontong...then off to the travel agency recommended by the German owner of the Rajawali called the “Jogja”. It's near the place where the Malaysian photographer and I had that early morning coffee just off the freezing bus. Does he get a cut? Probably. The the German I mean. The friendly, competent travel agent lady there knows I'm coming! Small town. I book the ticket to Surabaya with Lion Air with a short stop-over in Jakarta. The shorter, the better.
I go past the rip-off dentist's to the BCA ATM to pull some cash out. No problem. My Vietcom card is dead...not active...definitely expired now. So I've got a 'dead' $500 sitting like a nest egg for the future. But I have to be in Vietnam to access it. Right now though, I pull out Rp.2.5m from Sacom my other Vietnamese bank OK. I saunter back across the plaza with the town clock and down some steps and a downhill alley to the agency. I pay the Rp. 900k/$US 100 for the ticket and that includes a taxi down to Padang airport leaving at 5.30 in the morning in about 4 days' time from Bukittinggi. It's about 1,500km Padang-Surabaya. That's $30 an hour. And if you compare this to the cost of taking a bus...it's cheap. And convenient...as long as you don't have an interest in seeing the intervening countryside. In the “old days” of traveling here, it used to be that land transport was the cheapest and least comfortable way to journey. It's still the least comfortable! And now it's cheaper to go on one of the thriving Indonesian budget airlines. Safety? Worried? Man, I haven't flown in 7 years. Nothing's gonna happen 'cept I get safely to Surabaya!
Back at the Rajawali I check out and take an opelet for Rp.2k to the 'terminal bis'. Hanging around the bus station and taking some snaps in the heat of the day, I catch the rickety looking Maninjau-bound local bus about 1pm. This is just a short journey of a couple of hours. It's probably going to be more dangerous than the plane to Surabaya, come to think of it. It turns out to be interesting...along busy roads to begin with just a basic two lane road crammed with traffic. Could this be the main Sumatran highway? After the Maninjau turn-off, it's along and up at the end to the outer crater wall...before plunging down the hair-pinned hill to the lakeside. There are some magic vistas...and the breaks on the bus hold.
A friendly old man on the bus advises me to get off when we stop at the intersection at the bottom of hill. We just passed troups of small monkeys playing happily in the roadside trees and I'm not really listening...or thinking. This is not 'Bayer' where I intended to get off! No great shame. It's all good. Living in Saigon it's easy to forget how lovely is the planet! I end up walking with weighty pack right along the lakeside road in the same direction as the bus that dropped me! I have to take a breather at a quiet lakeside coffee stall with nearby very photogenic mosque.
It seems to far on, so I retrace my heavy steps back towards the intersection and luckily end up at the Beach guest house. Rikki's an amiable young guy and I have a great room for Rp.40k. This is largely thanks to his granny [or mum...can't figure out which...], who's been to visit her daughter...married to an Australian and living in Cairns. After I relax and cool down the usual stuff ensues. I upload my pfotos and recharge camera batteries even though there's no power in the room. Same as in Bullshittinggi. Damn this is getting annoying!
There are no other 'travelers' are in evidence. Since I got off the bus at the bottom of the hill and walked, I haven't seen anyone...great! The Beach isn't much to look at....but it's one of the most relaxing places I've so far this trip. Right on the lake. A few of the other rooms are occupied by couples... short-timers by the looks. As it turns out, yes and no. The couple next door couple I gave the benefit of my doubt. A boyfriend and girlfriend I concluded...but then again, the way I caught her looking me up and down.
Just being happy...an introspective haiku-like piece happens:
Sounds
lake water lapping
rain on the roof
takes me back
hushed voices too
The setting here reminds me of various parts of my life before now...camping as a kid especially. Maninjau is a reflective sort of place. It's quiet now, although there's this feeling around. Like I don't know how long ago it blew...but the energy that was around here then. And now, it's like all the energy is used up. It's so quiet and peaceful. The mosques are strangely quiet too. Just as well I booked the ticket to Surabaya before I came here! Or I could end up here forever!
Life's full of coincidences. Wasn't I thinking that a place such as Maninjau was on my agenda! As it stands I've got 4 days to chill out here. Now I'm really on holiday. This is what I came to Sumatra for. This is what that overland journey was about.