Closing the Indonesia Book + Link to all pictures

So we continued our gypsy cyclist lifestyle and charged north to Danau Toba, which is the largest volcanic lake in the world. This gigantic crater lake is 60 miles long by 15 miles wide and contains an island the size of Singapore. Undoubedtly the tourist who used to be many in number and full in pocket have chose to go elsewhere with their vacation time. Add a ton of 'resorts' to the decreased demand and you've got the ideal situation for some tired cyclers looking to pay nothing for a eutopic and relaxing paradise. It was just what the doctor ordered....Charlie and I awoke at 7 am the next morning like two kids who were wiping sleep from their eyes when all of a sudden they realize that it's Christmas morning and sprint downstairs to bask in the glory of their new presents....

I probably hadn't teeter tottered in 15 years....

After giving our legs (and buns) a much needed break and doing absolutely nothing for 2 days, we headed northeast towards Medan with a brief layover in Berastagi. We also joined traveling efforts with a really cool Dutch couple that we met in Toba. As we set out on bicycles from Berastagi towards Medan, our Dutch traveling companions took the same route via bus. Normally we get smoked (both figuratively and physically) by buses but this day was one full of steep grades all downhill. It was amazing, we would pass our friends in the bus on a downhill stretch then the bus would overtake us on a straight stretch. Our friends counted 5 of these leapfrogs until the straight stretch became longer and they zoomed past us. It was one of the funnest (and easiest) days of riding we've had thus far. We averaged 25 km/h for 3 hours.

So after arriving in Medan, we met up with our Dutch comrades and traveled north to Bukit Lawang. Bukit Lawang is unique in that it is one of only two places in the world that contains wild orangutans. So we took a trek through the jungle.....

Our guide informed us that we probably had a 70% chance of actually catching a glimpse of our wild red headed cousin. So as we hiked through the exotically lush jungle, we caught a vague resemblance of a red dot in the trees. And with a little persuasion by some yellow snacks, it took a break from it's hectic life of lounging in the trees and came a little closer.....

After we stared in amazement, people snapping shots like the paparazzi, we walked back to where our guide was mischeviously hanging back. Then out of nowhere, walking nonchelant up the trail, a mother oranguatan with a child hanging from her teat appeared. She walked right up to me, put her arm over my shoulder and pulled herself into a cuddle position. It was unexpected (to say the least) and amazing. It was almost as if I was the mother, holding the mother who was holding the baby

And here's one of the baby

So after our excursion, we returned to Medan, said our goodbyes to Indonesia and grabbed a ferry to Panang, Malaysia where we relaxed for a few days before catching a 20 hour train ride back to Bangkok. We've cycled some 700 km (430 miles) through Sumatra, which was kind of like the appetizer before the feast. We're currently laying over in Bangkok, about to join forces with Spencer and Breckan to head up north.

I also uploaded all of my Sumatra pics to my photobucket account. Here's a link:http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z93/lineker119/Bicycle%20-%20Sumatra/?albumview=grid