Danau Toba (Lake Toba), Sumatra, Indonesia

I arrived at Danua Toba yesterday.  Lake Toba is a large lake created by the implosion of a volcano.  It is about 3,000 feet above sea level and the largest volcanic island in the world.  There is an island in the middle of the lake, Samosir, which is where most of the hotels are and where I am staying.  It is virtually untraveled and since there is nothing to do, very relaxing.  There are a few tourists, and many locals.  No bank, slow internet and they don't even take travelers checks.  I don't understand how the hotels and the restaurants stay open, the hotels seem less than half full and I have been the only person in the restaurant for most of my meals.  They cook the food fresh, since they don't know in advance if they will have any customers, but is relatively bland in comparison to Thai food.  Most of it is fried.  There are chickens everywhere and I am certain I heard one being killed right after I ordered my last meal of chicken soya.

Because there are so few tourists, it is very cheap.  One of the best places on the island is only $10 per night.  On the flip side, everyone goes for the hard sell to all tourists.  Even walking down the street, I am approached by locals who attempt to befriend me, but really want me to take a tour or go to their bar.  

The people of North Sumatra are known at Batak people, a collective term used to identify  a variety of ethnic groups found throughout the Sumatra highlands.  Lake Toba is the center of this mixed culture.  The traditional Batak house is on stilts with a ladder leading to a 4' high door into the living area.  The photo to the right is of the lake and the roof of a traditional Batak house.  

Last night, I met up with some people to watch traditional Batak dancing.  Although the dancing was underwhelming, the Batak folk singing was fantastic.  There were drums, the playing of a beer bottle, yodeling and the guy introducing and explaining the music is officially one of my favorite people ever.  He was about four and a half feet tall and I am pretty sure he was wasted.  He spoke slowing and with intent as he explained that the Batak drinking song is sung by 'young people who often have too much to drink and get drunk'.  His stellar introduction was followed by what sounded like a drunken, slurred Indonesian-Irish song and included the continuous and nearly tragic stumbling of many of the performers.  It was awesome.

In Sumatra, they love their pot, magic mushrooms and bats.  Alright, maybe they don't love the bats, but they don't seem to mind them.  I hate bats.  Much more than lizards and geckos.  I really hate them.  I have seen them flying around the street, through the open air restaurants and they have gotten dangerously close.  Last night, a friend who had partaken in the magic mushroom tea offered at a local laundry facility tried to convince me it was a bird.  No birds fly at night.  I wasn't buying it.  Tonight when I was walking to dinner, I forgot I had a white jacket on and the bats, again, got dangerously close.  I went into the first store and removed the jacket so I would not attract the bats.  By temperature standards, Lake Toba is like heaven about 10 degrees (Celsius) cooler than the rest of Asia.  It was so nice to put on shoes and a pair of jeans and not need AC to sleep.

Finally, I have had my first, second and third motor bike ride.  Because of my bat scare at dinner last night, and the absence of cars on Tuk Tuk (Tuk Tuk is the peninsular part of the island), I had to hire a motorbike to take me to and from the Batak dancing.  It is oddly relieving to know that I can place control in the hands of a stranger.  I did not think it was possible.  However, today I moved to another hotel to avoid having to be taken anywhere.  Unfortunately I had to go via motorbike. 

Since I can only handle so much 'alone' time, and I have the urge to dive again, I am heading to North Sumatra tomorrow before going to meet Colleen in Vietnam on the 14th.

Cost of a room: 50-100 IDR

Preferred method of transportation:  walking or motorbike