Surviving Sumatra's National Highway (Pulau Rakyat to Tanjung Balai by Bicycle - Indonesia)

My goal was to arrive in the small coastal town of Tanjung Balai early enough to visit the Indomal Fast Ferry ticket office and pay for my ticket to Malaysia. To that end, I woke up early, and then I pretty much just rode. On the previous day of cycling, I stopped often to explore and sample local drinks and chat with people. It was a long slow day.

But this day was different. Perhaps I was inspired by the near-constant thunder of the passing trucks, and I just kept pedalling. I had two cartons of cold milk to start the day, and then I stopped for another two cartons along the way. And that was it for stopping. Other than that, I simply turned the pedals. And it was an easier day than I expected. I was going downhill a lot more than I expected, and that made the cycling easier.

Even though the ride itself went smoothly, I was not so lucky when it came to being back in Tanjung Balai. The little things just went against me: from being hounded by a somewhat loony man to smashing the mirror on my bicycle, the little things just went wrong. But I did manage to get my ferry ticket. And that was lucky because my tourist visa expired on the same day as my ticket was for. If I missed that boat, I would have been really stuck.

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CHAPTERS
00:00 - Setting the Stage
08:52 - Riding the National Highway
40:34 - Turn-Off to Tanjung Balai
48:53 - Buying Ferry Ticket
53:15 - Conclusion
01:02:08 - End Credits
01:03:42 - Relive 3D Map