So having finished our time in Sumatra, we hopped on a plane to the KL to spend yet another night in the airport; and, for a second time, they just so happened to be bug-bombing the Air Asia Departures Terminal. So, Margaret and I spent the night running from gate to gate trying to avoid the noxious gas (nothing was sealed off) before finally deciding to sleep outside on the bus benches like homeless people. Finally, after a sleepless night, we grumpily boarded...

Loud music, spicy food, no dancing, and about 1000 villagers were the crucial elements that made this truly a unique experience. Our first wedding we went to together will probably be the most memorable one for many reasons! Friday during our Jungle Trek with Jojohn, he mentioned casually that there was a wedding Saturday in the village. Since he was friends with the family, we were all invited. This sounded like a blast, so we eagerly agreed. Come Saturday ni...

The main reason for us to travel to the remote mountain of Berastagi, Sumatra was to climb the two volcanoes that reflect each other on the opposite sides of the city. Our first day hiking up Mt. Sibayak we opted to go it alone without a guide. Good decision on our part, as the trail was easy going up and close to town. The most difficult part of that hike was we had to walk up a paved road a few km's from the "ranger station" to the "trail head." Once we locat...

Our tour guide was born in a remote village deep in the Sumatran jungle. "My father cut my umbilical cord with a piece of bamboo paper and then washed my body in the river," he told us. When he got sick, he used herbs and plants from the forest. He had a massive scar across his right cheek. Jojohn was a true man of the jungle and the perfect guide for our two-day trek in Bukit Lawang, one of two places in the entire world where you can see wild Orangutans. I...

Everthing is more extreme in Sumatra. The trees are taller, the jungles thicker, the animals more exotic, the hiking treacherous, the weather more volatile; it the most exciting place I've ever been to. Just taking a public bus is an adventure, which in our experience consisted of 40 people crammed onto a karaoke-blasting minibus, with more than a few people even choosing to travel on the roof. Margaret, Neil and I were crammed like sardines for 3 hours while...