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The lovely Lake Toba
We just came back from an amazing trip: three weeks, seven flights, three countries! Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. We had this opportunity because there is an elective course in the exchange program and by choosing the other one - Special problems in Operations Management - you have a three-week period with no classes! (Surprise surprise, there was nearly no participants on the other course!)
We had a really hectic time before the vacation with lots of visitors and left the final detailed planning of the trip quite last minute. My advice for people coming to an exchange in Asia, where travelling is a big part of the exchange, is plan ahead ! Even though it feels odd to make plans in advance, it will pay off with cheaper flight rates etc. When the exchange program starts, start booking flights!
We started our trip from Indonesia. We flew into Medan to get to Lake Toba, which is a three to four hour ride from the airport to the shore of Lake Toba. Just as a remark, when arriving to Indonesia, you have to pay the visa in USD (25), so exchange at least that amount in advance. Just outside the arrivals gate, you will be surrounded by taxi drivers who all want to take you to the city of Parapat (where you are heading!). But here you want to be smart, because the taxi can cost you a lot. If you see people on the flight, who look like they're going to Lake Toba, ask them if they maybe want to share a taxi, because you might save a lot of money. You can also take the bus, but we arrived to Medan so late that that wasn't an option. Also the bus stops a lot, so the trip takes more time. And you have to negotiate the price with the taxi driver, because they start it from about fifty-euro price. For me, the taxi ride to Parapat was maybe one of the scariest things I've ever experienced! The fast driving in the dark, the overtakings, the winding roads… I've never been so happy to be anywhere than Parapat when we finally arrived! From Parapat you should take one of the colorful ferries to the island of Tuk-Tuk.
The beauty of Lake Toba really hit us in the morning. First of all, the climate: it's nothing like the rest of Southeast Asia. The air is misty and the temperature is cool. It's like a whole new world after the rest of Southeast Asia. And this goes for the whole Lake Toba experience. Lake Toba used to be a tourist destination in its time, but something happened leaving it to be this beautiful, almost ghost-like place. The town of Tuk-Tuk is filled with nearly empty resorts, which are incredibly cheap. Rent a scooter and drive to the hot springs, as on the trip you will see the beautiful nature of the lake. Also, try the Sumatran coffee!
Lake Toba reminded me of Finland in a funny way. It's hard to explain, but the climate and the atmosphere combined with the nature just made me feel at home. Somehow, it feels like time had stopped around Lake Toba.
What can I say? I left a little piece of my heart in Lake Toba!
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