Sinabung Jaya Part III

I was set to leave Berastagi and head back to Aceh. On the left is our family fruit stand. Sad to leave but the first thing I needed to do was get back on the sinabung jaya back to Medan to catch the evening bus for Banda Aceh. I gave myself three hours for a trip that usually takes two. On a crowded Sunday afternoon and some unexpected flooding, the traffic was really bad on the direct two lane road that winds back and forth down the volcano. I got in the front seat snug between two batak guys speaking their local language. These guys are notorious even as migrants in Jakarta as extremely aggressive drivers.

I was worried I was not going to make the bus I was chasing back to Aceh. Sitting in traffic, the two guys I was squeezed in between, yelling in my ear, decided to just go for it. We took off into the other lane into oncoming traffic and both of them with their heads out of the car yelling for motorcycles to move out of the way. As the cars got too close we squeezed back into our lane and waited for the next opportunity. Everyone honking. We must have zoomed pass several police men and I was starting to worry whether I would make it down the mountain in one piece. I had more reason to worry.

We passed the major holdup of the flooding and then we really began flying. From the video you can see the man hanging onto the dashboard and the extreme concentration (and aggression?) on the drivers expression.

We were starting to get close to Medan and picking up speed when suddenly there was a big explosion in the van. The five women crammed into the backseat started screaming and yelling “stop shooting” or “somebody has been shot.” Tension grew as we slowed down a bit but as the bang returned as a sputter the driver looked over me to his friend, “it’s just the muffler,” and he began flooring the gas petal again. We drove on godspeed with what sounded like firecrackers exploding in the back. But it was just the muffler. The traffic had held us up and I was beginning to worry about making my bus. I was somewhat torn about the reckless speeding because I didn't want to spend a night in Medan. Just then, my friend Taufik called me and asked me to check my ticket. Our bus had apparently left the night before because we had the wrong date on our tickets.

To make things worse, a lazy motorcyclist started crossing the road in front of us. To avoid us he had to veer quickly off the road but there was an oncoming motorcycle next to us. They smashed into each other. Debris shattered everywhere as we crunched over plastic/glass and other motorcycle parts. I was really worried about the people. I hope they are ok but I will never know because the driver quickly made the decision that it was not our fault and without skipping a beat we zoomed into Medan.

I rushed to the bus station and as the bus was pulling out they said they had room for the three of us who had been given the wrong dates and got safely on the bus. I was still somewhat in shock but I cuddled cozily into my spot on the sleeper bus and I was on my way back (home) to Aceh.

I finally got back to Banda Aceh at 5 in the morning. Although the AC was blasting on the bus the night before, and I tossed and turned through the night, I woke up refreshed. I got in a becak—local public transportation (unique and innovative sidecars attached to motorcycles). The becak had some lights attached to the car and as the driver took me home I noticed that the harder he gassed the brighter the lights would shine. I asked him how he put the electrical system together. “It’s attached to the engine. I can’t gas too hard though, because too much energy would shatter the light bulbs…”