Up into a volcano (Mar. 3/09 - Danau Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia)

We were breaking a sweat even before daylight this morning as we packed up (including our mountain of wet laundry - nothing dries in the jungle!) and walked by headlamp in the dark to town. The only place that was open for breakfast so early was a grubby little shack built of 2x4s and plywood, but it would be better than nothing! Indonesians usually have noodles or rice for breakfast, so Ken ordered a plate of 'mie goreng' and some of Sumatra's especially good coffee. He actually ended up buying coffees for four other guys too, as he made conversation with a random strange guy with an afro that was trying to sell him a stick that he claimed was a fossilized orangutan's manly parts and river rocks that were precious gems (he wasn't quite 'all there' if you know what I mean). Then our guide showed up, and our driver, and another random guy wearing head to toe ripped denim and an ugly western hat, who claimed to be an Indonesian cowboy that had "about three" children in various countries around the world. He said maybe Canada would be a good place for number four. Ewww! Anyway, breakfast for half of the town, all for $1.60.

We had determined earlier that the Czech couple we hiked with wanted to go to Danau Toba next, as we did, but they too weren't too crazy about the nine hour bus ride. So we all shared a taxi and would be there much faster, and without having to transfer buses in Medan. We returned the way we came as far as Binjai, where we veered east to skirt the mega urban sprawl of Medan rather than have to go straight through it. Outside the city, we drove south past never ending rubber and oil palm plantations that stretched to the horizon for hundreds of kilometres. We started heading up into a natural forest just as it started to rain, eventually leveling off and descending on the other side with our first glimpses of our destination.

Danau Toba is a huge lake, some 70km long and 25km wide that fills the oblong crater of an extinct volcano. In the center of the lake is a large island called Pulau Samosir, which is likely the former volcanic dome which measures about the size of Singapore. With its higher elevation, resulting cool weather, and stunning lake views, Pulau Samosir has become a stop on the backpacker trail as a serene place to unwind. The town of Tuk Tuk occupies a small peninsula on the east side of the island, along the shores of which are a couple dozen guesthouses and a few restaurants. We got on a passenger ferry that crossed over in half an hour before cruising the shore and dropping guests off at their chosen hotels. The spot we chose has a nice stretch of lakefront for swimming, a big room with hot water and a nice view of the lake, all for $5! We soon realized that this was the first warm shower we've had in well over a week! And good timing too, as the air is cool enough here that a cold shower would pretty much be torture!