Sumatra

We hit Medan and it was 39*Celcius.  Pretty hot, but we are not finding it too uncomfortable, which makes me quite nervous about returning to Dawson in March.  we will have to wear about 6 layers of clothing to stay warm, I think. 

 

the email is not so good in Sumatra.  We're in one of the larger cities right now, Medan, and are stuck here for a few days because there's a big bank holiday (can you imagine...banks closed for a week straight!) and we can't get anyone to change canadian dollars for us.  this is the end of Ramadan, so it's a big holiday.  I'd have a big holiday too, if it meant that I didn't have to fast anymore.  Can you imagine ME, FASTING!? HAHAHAHAHAHA!  So we are hanging out and walking around a mostly deserted city, but still eating (!) and there are few places open that we have been able to visit.  But if the email is so-so here, it's going to be even worse in the smaller places, so please be patient with our lack of correspondence.

 

We went to a mall for instance, yesterday.  It would appear from looking at the population at the mall that about 75% of residents of Malaysia are below 16 years of age.  Also, they are all quite petite and short. They watch us and grin at us and we try to avoid stepping on them (especially Nathan whose bulk might break bones if they bump into him) because they seem to have very little awareness of people behind them or in front of them and just kind of walk without looking.  This is okay if someone of your own size is behind you and about to step on you, but with people like Nathan and I, there is danger...for them. So we have to be careful.

 

the place that we are staying is 60 000 Rupiyahs.  We spent a total of about 200 000 Rupiyahs yesterday, which is the equivalent of 22 dollars.  The month that we spend here should cost us about 7 million Rupiahs.  Very weird to be handling money worth 100 000 anything, though not so unusual since we have done the same in Vietnam and Turkey...but still kind of awesome. 

 

"What about love" (by Cheap Trick?  Pat Benetar?  Heart?) is playing right now.  LOUDLY!!! Who sings this?  Very 80s.  Eighties music is very big here.  And everyone SMOKES! At least they smell like cloves.  They're allowed to smoke in restaurants AND IN THE MALL! Ugh.  It's still fun, though.  As long as the rat that we saw run from the kitchen to the toilet yesterday doesn't come into our room, I'll be fine.