Bus “SEJAHTERA” from Medan to Toba Lake, North Sumatra

I would tell my journey by Bus “SEJAHTERA” from Medan City to Toba Lake. The distance was 170 km and bus fare was IDR 40,000 (USD 2,85). The special thing wasn’t on got into the bus but in curiosity along the trip to immediately met the largest volcanic lake in the world.

Yes that is the Dazhong Backpacker’s Hostel lobby….Bored.… became a first guest who woke up on early morning, but my plan failed to catched the first departure Bus “SEJAHTERA” on 6 am. One hour pacing, I made noisy sound with a hope that hostel owner would get up. Starting by pushed bell many times at reception desk or got in and out the door so the “WELCOME” sound sensor rang. Crazy activity aimed to got back my deposit money in hostel.

6:10am He woke up.…but, I didn’t immediately get GORIDE (online base transportation in Indonesia) because of a weak signal, I decided to got close to center of Little India area, precisely at Shri Mariamman Temple. Around 6:34am GORIDE picked me up. Didn’t breakfast yet I immediately went up, I would definitely arrive at Amplas Terminal 5 minutes before bus departed. It was true that GORIDE hadn’t entered yet into terminal. The bus looked out from terminal, I rushed down from GORIDE and waiting for bus to approached me.

Here, I got a photo of Amplas Terminal on a day before when I arrived from Kualanamu Airport:

10 minutes into bus, drizzle turned into heavy rain. This economy bus often stopped for raising passengers before entering into highway. Rain requires all windows to be closed. It was the challenge.… how to set my breath so didn’t inhale much smoke along the way. With closed windows and many passengers smoked, when they finished one cigarette then they would smoke other ones.…crazy.

When starving, no one food hawker came into bus. I was only occasionally chatting on Facebook Massanger with “The Beauty” Eloise who kept asking how I was going to Toba Lake, She was an Australian solo traveler who met me at dormitory in Medan City. She would go to Toba Lake in the day by copying what I did. Also, She asked where I got a guesthouse in Toba Lake for IDR 60,000 (USD 4,3)… Later I would tell to you how finally we were both riding a motorcycle on exploring Samosir island.

Noisy sound of worn wipers together with Batak songs accompanied me to enjoyed view of streets, villages, and oil palm plantations.

At 11:25 my eyes were stunned on appearance of wide waters after bus descended a ridge somewhere. Yesss … it was Toba Lake … It was cool.

Driver’s change to bus return trip to Medan was did before arriving at Tigaraja Ferry Port. I almost went too far from drop point because bus conductor didn’t tell me where the bus was, I just monitored “Your Position” on Google Maps. It looked like I stayed away from Tigaraja Port. I decided to get off from bus and walked in a drizzle to port.

Didn’t want to lost the moment of photo hunting along Tigaraja Port then I bought umbrella for IDR 50,000 (USD 3,5) in the market around the port.

Several corners of Tigaraja Port

Toba Lake … I came!