We departed from Bukit Lawang at approximately 8:30 am, embarking on an eight-hour journey to Lake Toba. I woke up with a mild hangover, but it fortunately subsided after about ten minutes. As we progressed towards Medan, my discomfort increased to the point where I needed a break. Fortunately, we had a stop in Medan, likely to pick up other travelers joining our van.
Hang-over or Food Poisoning
Given my condition, Michael, the Tobali Tours operator, advised us to take a 45-minute break. I crossed the street to a contemporary Chinese hotel, where I was fortunate to find Western toilets. I took a pause and recuperated in their facilities, as I was feeling quite unwell at that moment. After 15 minutes, I left the restroom.
I met Jamie and Maguire at McDonald’s, located 50 meters to the left of the Tobali Tours office. Despite feeling unwell, I ordered something to eat. Afterward, I began to feel much better and decided to search for a pharmacy. I purchased some Norit, a product I had relied on during these days. I was surprised when I noticed a leaflet attached to the medicine, which is mandatory in the Netherlands. I hadn’t expected Indonesia to have similar warnings. Amused, I read the leaflet, discovering that the manufacturer also recommended using this medicine for excessive drinking or hangovers.
We continued our drive, and during the journey, I felt significantly better—perhaps a placebo effect, but I believe the Norit medicine played a role. As we neared our destination, the port town of Parapat, we had to pull over for Maguire, who was feeling nauseous. After parking the car, we waited outside while she sought to relieve her discomfort on the other side of the road. While waiting for Maguire, I noticed many macaque monkeys nearby and decided to capture some close-up shots.
Maguire was unable to vomit, so after ten minutes, we resumed our journey. Another ten minutes later, we reached Parapat, the gateway to Lake Toba.
Lake Toba
Lake Toba is a breathtaking destination! The lake spans an area of 100 by 30 kilometers, and the peninsula within it, Samosir Island, covers 630 km²—just a tad larger than Texel for our Dutch readers. This awe-inspiring landscape was shaped around 75,000 years ago when a massive caldera formed as a result of a powerful volcanic eruption.
This eruption is recognized as the most significant explosion in the last 25 million years. The caldera formed within a week, while the formation of the lake extended over approximately 1500 years. Samosir Island, too, stands as a remnant of the volcano—a resurgent dome pushed up by the lava beneath around 30,000 years ago. Adonara Mucek and Shan de Silva elucidate and illustrate this fascinating process in their video.
A Ferry to Samosir Island
At the ticket office, a gentleman inquired about our accommodation plans on Samosir Island. Although Michael and Gaya had recommended Hariaras a few days prior, this individual managed to persuade us to opt for Mass Cottages. With the boat departing an hour later, we strolled through the quaint port town of Parapat and enjoyed some drinks at an internet cafe named B Caro.
Samosir Island was visible from Parapat, but the journey across the lake took a whole hour. As our ferry set sail for Samosir Island, nestled within Lake Toba, we soon discovered the reason for the extended crossing time—the ferry moved at a sluggish pace! This leisurely speed somewhat dampened our excitement. After an exhausting eight-hour drive, an additional hour for the journey felt excessive. Initially concerned about our loosely tied bags, I quickly realized that at this leisurely pace, there was little risk of them slipping off the ferry.
As we departed from the port, I took photos of the mainland (Parapat) and later captured shots of Samosir Island. Upon reaching Tuk Tuk, the town where we planned to stay, we noticed that some accommodations appeared to be quite expensive.
Arrival at Mass Cottages
We reached Mass Cottages at approximately 8 pm, and I secured a room for 110,000 IDR per night. After settling in and taking some time to unwind, Maguire visited my room an hour later, and together we headed to the lobby to order some food. Jamie, who was napping, would join us later.
Jamie arrived just as our food was served. I opted for something western due to my stomach concerns, and the meal was delicious. Despite my initial skepticism about the accommodation, the only drawback was the slow WiFi. It took a literal minute for an internet page to load, disrupting my planned blog uploads. Despite multiple attempts, I couldn’t upload a photo to Facebook, so I eventually gave up and went to bed.
