I remember when I first tried hitchhiking some four years ago in Thailand, I was like “what the hell are we doing?” Can we just take a bus or something, I was scared, shy and it felt a little weird. I've seen hitchhiking in some movies but I never thought it’s possible in real life. Then I went back home and tried it again, and again and again. And so now, this is I how travel.
Before I left Philippines, I was doing some research about hitchhiking in Indonesia. I read in some Couchsurfing group about the people who were successful in doing it. As I arrived in Sumatra, I've heard from locals about the dangers of traveling here. I know that danger is everywhere, but who cares now. I know now how to trust my instincts and decide quickly should danger arise. I've probably learned this skill when I was still living in my city. I got used to anticipating dangers especially when I was commuting at night in Manila. Sometimes I felt more unsafe in my own city than in any other place in this world.
I’m quite lucky that my host in Dumai in North Sumatra is very much familiar with this kind of travel. He had already hosted a lot of travelers from all over the world who hitchhiked in Indonesia. Hearing this, I got excited. That time I couldn't wait to get out of Riau and head to Padang. As you know, most of the locals are not open to this kind of traveling, and expect them to bombard you with warnings until you get so scared you won’t do it anymore. I guess I got so immune to this, although sometimes I could make use of some precautions here and then. I got to understand that it’s normal for them to worry, especially when they are not so used to a foreign woman traveling alone and hitchhiking. But of course I don’t let all their warnings stop me from traveling this way. It also pays to be extra careful sometimes, and it's totally normal to protect your life in every chance that you have. So in the end, I was successful in hitchhiking in Indonesia. And now my memory is loaded with amazing experiences with people I met on the road.
My host dropped me in the middle of the hazy highway somewhere in Dumai where I could easily get a ride. Riau was full of smoke due to forest fires, a big issue in Sumatra that time. It was like that scene in Silent Hill. Only it was not scary, it was a health hazard and it was very annoying. It was kind of hard to look around as my eyes hurt due to the haze. It was really bad. It was good that I didn't have to wait for a long time to get a ride.
My favorite one was when I was in a coffee truck. I was lucky that the driver, this nice old guy could speak a little bit of English, so we could understand each other a little bit. He dropped me somewhere in Pekanbaru, and then he gave me some coffee. He just snatched some packs of local instant coffee at the back of his truck and handed it to me, just like that. It was really funny!
My advantage I guess is that I look like a local here. So the car and truck drivers who passed by were just curious as to what this Indonesian woman doing on the side of the highway, alone with all her luggage and stuff. And so they stopped and asked me as to where I was going, in Bahasa of course.
My hitchhiking trip in Sumatra is really unforgettable. I've met a lot of amazing people along the way. And I was able to learn a little bit of Bahasa too, thanks to my English teacher host in Dumai. I lost the list that he wrote for me, but I've had it all memorized as I've used all it most of the time during my travel here. So I’m gonna end this post with some useful phrases you can use for hitchhiking in Indonesia.
Boleh saya numpang? – May I get a free ride?
Saya turun disini – I get off here
Saya numpang saja – I hitchhike only / free ride only
Mau kemana? – Where are you going?
Saya mau ke “Padang” (Name of a city in Sumatra) – I go to Padang
Terima kasih – Thank you
Hati-hati – Take care
Utama ke? – Highway to?
Tidak mengerti – I don’t understand
Sebelum “Padang”, ok – Before “Padang”, ok.
Sesudah “Padang”, ok – After “Padang”, ok.
Saya tidak punya uang – I don’t have much money.
Dimana saya? – Where am I?
0 comments :