I think I might be getting a little tired...

Why do I get into these conversations with people?!? Went to breakfast with Elias, went back to Bedudal Cafe, the weather was perfect (about 65), my "shower" felt really good, my bug bites weren't bothering me at the moment, all was good...and then we started talking about politics and religion and other issues that always mean the conversation will lead to a frustrating and unresolved end. Two hours later we were still debating--much more heatedly than before--the legitimacy of shariya law and the feasibility of religion in general. Let's just say we don't agree on a few, or any, aspects of the situation.

Now to be fair we discussed other things, including our backgrounds as an American with a stereotypical, conservative, suburban childhood and a German from an unconventional, liberal, global upbringing. This probably explains a lot of the differences in our values and views. It was kind of a trade-off in the end: to learn some interesting things about one another and get to know each other better we had to put up with getting a little worked up and pissed off. Sounds like every other friendship ever. 

I just don't understand how I keep getting into these arguments in the first place.  And why is it so hard for someone to concede that you could at least be a little bit right???  Phew.  Anyway.

Not much to report for today, really.  After a leisurely breakfast we packed up (Elias took forever; what a Sally), said goodbye to the ridiculous bathroom that I tried not to use, had one last lunch at Turret, one last walk around town, and one last chat with Rajawali's owner, Ulrich.  He's an odd one, that Ulrich.  He was traveling through SEA and decided to move to Bukittinggi for good about seven years ago.  He's married to an Indonesian woman who I think already had children because he said he's a new grandfather.  He helps his kids run the hotel and in his spare time treks around Indonesia trying to create the most accurate map of the country everyone has ever made.  He's sweet, but once you get him chatting get comfortable because you're going to be there for a while.

Around 6 Elias and I boarded our bus to Danau Toba, a twelve-hour drive away over roads that made the 44 Hairpin Road seem straight and smooth.  We had paid for a non-smoking, non-air con bus (cheaper), but the one that arrived had AC and a smoking section in back.  We were told they didn't have seats for us so we would have to sit in back; they didn't know what happened to our bus (yeah, right), so we should just get on this one. 

(Quick note about buses: they are never on time, but as soon as they pull in you had better be standing on the curb ready to go or you will get an earful from the driver: "Let's go! Let's go! Hurry! Must leave NOW!" Sometimes they would grab my bag, to which my response would be to yank it back and move even slower. Seriously, dude, chill the hell out. It's not like I'm packing on the platform, just give me a minute.)

And so we got on. What a mistake.

Not only were they non-reclining seats right next to the pit toilet (don't ever touch an Indonesian road with your bare hands), but three men promptly came back there and lit up.  No, there was no ventilation or open windows.  I immediately felt nauseous and said I HAD to sit somewhere else.  They gave me the very back row of the bus next to the door to the smoking cabin, which may have actually been a step down in comfort and quality.  Again, seats didn't recline; instead, they rocked back and forth because they weren't actually fastened to the floor.  Also, after the man in front of me laid back, I had exactly 20" of space for me and my stuff.  Elias had joined me after about half an hour because he couldn't take the smoke either

For all of you smokers out there, Indonesia is the place for you.  The smoking cabin was really something for them to put on the brochure, because the whole bus became the smoking section.  I was able to catch a few guys (the only women that smoke are prositutes) and ask them to move to the back, but they definitely thought I was crazy and a pain in the ass.  At one point they tied the door to the smoking cabin open; I very nearly got into a fist-fight with one of the drivers because I kept untying it and pushing it closed and he would keep trying to push it back open.  It got so ridiculous that at one point I was leaning my whole body against the door and yelling repeatedly, "I will throw up!  Smoke makes me sick!  I vomit!".  Ridiculous, right?  Well, thank god Elias was there because as soon as "my man" stood up and spoke to them, all was well and the smoking cabin stayed shut. 

SOMETIMES I REALLY HATE BEING A FEMALE.  FREAKING MYSOGINISTS.  On a side note, I wonder how many cigarettes I will have effectively smoked this vacation.  I really feel sorry for the kids who grow up in these conditions and the wives who have to kiss these men.  Ick.

Anyway, between the rocking seats, cigarette smoke, and the bumpy winding road I was feeling horribly sick.  But Elias rescued me again, giving me water and telling me to look at the back of somebody's head in the front of the bus.  Worked like a charm.  After about 30 minutes I just felt tired, which presented the final challenge of the trip: how the hell were we going to get some sleep?  Leaning on the row ahead or the window was out because the bouncing smacked your head around.  Leaning back was out because there was a wall and we were sitting at 90 degrees already.  The only arrangement that worked was when I bent over and laid my head in his lap and he kind of folded over me.  And that was how we--sort of--got some sleep!  I woke up in the morning with cankles and a fire in my back, but thankfully the bus had started showing bad music videos again, so I had at least had something to direct my venom at.

Stupid crappy stupid pop music in stupid Bahasa.  Stupid.