03"Actions prove who someone is; words just prove who they pretend to be."

What can you expect when you visit Sumatra? Many people think it’s the same as Bali and even though both are in Indonesia, they are completely different. Bali has become very westernized to accommodate the tourists, and it has expanded exponentially. Sumatra (and referring specifically to Krui, where we spent most of our time) has also grown because of tourism, especially amongst the surfing community. However, it is still off the beaten track in comparison to Bali. 

Krui is an six hour's drive from Bandar Lampung. I don’t think my pelvic floor has ever worked so hard in its life to hold in my wee (I just prayed that I didn’t ever require a number two stop during any of the rides! 🙈) Remember that almost all of the toilets there will be  “squat-toilets” with no toilet paper and then a bucket of water so that you can clean yourself. Some of the places have western toilets to accommodate the tourists, but they are few and far between. The drive is beautiful, though - driving through the rainforest and seeing trees wherever you look.

I wouldn’t want to be the one behind the wheel, and during our stay, we only rented one scooter since I hopped on the back and Vicus drove. Road rules and guidelines are merely that - a suggestion that you can use or not use at your own discretion. And most people there prefer to follow their own intuition while driving. Crisscrossing past one another and honking their hooters to say 1. hello, 2. warn the other driver that they are going to pass him, 3. suggest that it’s clear that the other driver can pass, or 4. warn that something is up ahead… How do they know what honk of the hooter means what? I don’t know! Maybe I’ll figure it out the second time around.

So, I was very relieved when we got to our accommodation at C-point Krui. Christian, the German owner, and his wife, Yuli, run the establishment. It immediately felt like we were reuniting with old friends. Well, for Vicus, they were old friends because he had stayed with them every time he’d been to Sumatra. But they embraced me with equal love and respect. 

Christian, who came to Krui on an adventure with one of his friends years ago, lost his heart to the island and eventually also lost his heart to one of the local girls. Watching him as he told the story of how they met with so much animation and passion was so beautiful. 

He showed us all the different dives and shortcuts to the best fruit stalls and where they made the best “ayam mie goreng,” or chicken fried noodles. But honestly, we didn’t have to drive anywhere to find the best local food. His wife, Yuli, made the most amazing food. Yuli can speak German and Indonesian very well, but not so much English. Her official love language is definitely food! 

Part of why I want to return is that she can show me how she makes her fried chicken. I’m telling you!  - KFC has nothing on this woman! It made me think of a quote: “Actions prove who someone is; words just prove who they pretend to be.”  By the end of our stay at C-point, I was so sad to go. I felt I knew Yuli, even though we barely spoke to one another. Her actions and her demeanor showed her loving and caring heart.