Never Again...
Trip Start
Sep 10, 2011
1
17
27
Trip End
Ongoing
Pulau Weh, Aceh, Indonesia
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Part 1 - Ketambe to Takengon (8hrs apparently)
Part 2 - Takengon to Banda Aceh
We wanted to spend a little more on a shared taxi to take us to Takengon so we could at least guarantee a little comfort but we were told (on the morning of our departure) that there were no other enquiries into the shared taxi and therefore would not be running. We must take to Public bus. Hopeful for a good bus and the fact that we were told that the roads in the North of Sumatra were much better than in the south we thought we'd go for it.
It left at 8.30am (we were told). It showed up at 10am. Local ladies jumped out the front and moved back a row so we could sit together . Nice we thought (until we realised). The bus looked quite battered. When we got in the first thing I noticed was the screwdriver sticking out the side of the dash as a make shift gear stick. Okay I thought. We set off slowly and loudly. The next thing I noticed was that the clutch was non existent so changing gear was nearly impossible and painful to watch. 'That's probably where the gear stick went' I thought to myself - snapped it off trying to get it into gear. About 4 Miles down the road, which was hilly, smoke started bellowing out of the engine, which Amy was sitting on, next to the driver, into the front of the minibus. The driver stopped and everyone jumped out in seconds, our bags still in the back. The driver indicated to someone to put a rock behind one of the wheels (because the hand brake was broken). With the engine off the smoke died down and after about 15 minutes we pulled the front seats back to expose the engine. His radiator cap was knackered and what at first looked like smoke was thankfully steam. Still - with no water left in the radiator surely the engine can get so hot that it eventually catches fire. Especially in this heat. Anyway, we were too far to walk back so got back in. I sat on the fucking (sorry) engine. After 5 mins we found a stream, the driver stopped and filled up the radiator with a golden teapot. That took 10 minutes. We set off again. We both felt really uneasy - Really uneasy. It was so hot in the front of the bus. The locals go off after about half an hour. 'great' we thought. We moved seats, Amy sat a row behind me, both of us next to the door, one hand on the handle ready to jump out. 45 minutes on the edge of our seats before stopping for lunch. We had an instant noodles each. Didn't fancy the fish head curry. Reluctantly we got back in for the remainder of the trip. My seat was too hot because the twat (sorry) didn't park in the shade. 20 minutes further down the road The bus filled up with steam again. The driver stopped, I put a rock behind the wheel, moved the seats back and the driver filled up the radiator again from his magic pot. Another 30 minutes down the road I told the driver to stop near a stream and I filled up a big bottle for when it happened again, which it did. The last time it happened the local guy in the back couldn't get his door open. I pretty much had to kick it open so he could get out. The bus trip to Takengon actually consists of 3 hrs on this bus, a swap onto another bus in Blang Kejeran, then 5 hrs the rest of the way to Takengon.
We sat in our seats, one behins the other, desperate to reach the bus station so we could just get off this piece of shit bus. By the time we reached Blang Kejeran I noticed that the fuel gauge, temperature gauge and speedo were all bust. The windows didn't work, it had holes where the rear lights once were, no seat belts, tyres smoother than a babies arse. These collectively drew me to the conclusion that the driver was also an absolute tosser. We arrived in Blang Kejeran, I actualy paid for the journey which took 2 hrs longer than it should have - 5hrs instead of 3, wished the driver good luck then walked on, not looking back.
2pm.
The next bus left Blang Kejeran for Takengon at 3pm. Someone kindly put our bags into the back of the next bus, which looked 1000 times better. but he drove off at 2.15pm with our bags. I immediately went to the guy who sold us our tickets and asked him where the bus was going. He said in very poor english 'don't worry it will be back for you at 3pm'
"No fucking chance, Pal"
"Ring you're mate, get him back here with our bags now."
He did. The were only out of sight for 3 minutes, and quite probably would've been fine, but we were in no mood for taking the chance. We shared a few jokes with the locals for 20-30 minutes and the next bus left on time. We had the only two back seats and a pile of everyones luggage so it was reasonably comfortable. A local chap travelled with us in the back. Not on a seat, just half on the floor, half on everyone's luggage. After a brief chat with him we discovered that he was the night bus driver for when we reach Takengon. He drives through the night to Banda Aceh (our end destination). Our original plan was to stay a night in Takengon and get the bus the following day. This changes things, we thought. I offered him my blow up pillow which he appreciated and used. The next 5 hrs to Takengon were actually ok. We were reasonably comfortable and we got to meet the next bus driver, but WHY do they pump out this awful music. They really pump it out. Maybe its to keep the drivers awake??
Once in Takengon we asked our new driver mate if there was anywhere to get food before the 8pm-5am journey to Banda Aceh. He indicated something to the driver who pulled up to a local market, we got out with our mate, had some food for 25 mins (while the whole of the bus waited) then got back into position for the night trip. That was good of them we thought. There were only 4 people doing the night trip so we had a row each. We laid down and got some extremely broken (maybe 2hrs) sleep before arriving in Banda Aceh bang on 5am, right when there's nothing to do. We did find a seedy 24hr internet cafe and coffee before completing the last leg of our journey (ferry from Banda Aceh to Pulau Weh) arriving at our guesthouse / paradise hut about 1pm the following day. We sat in hammocks for the rest of the day. Never again. Fly next time.
