26th - 28th April 2007
As usual we decided to turn up at our next destination without booking
accommadation in advance, which hasn't been a good idea from the get
go, let alone Medan at night with no guide book/map/transport/real idea
what to do), so when we arrived at the Medan International airport we
knew we were going to have some fun!
Lets start with the airport, everyone was so eager to get their bags
from the straight conveyer belt (that was smaller than the ones the have
at Sainsburys!) and much like Sainsburys if you weren't quick enough
dumped your bags on the floor at the end! One lady got pushed over in the riots - allah forbid the bags fall off the end of the conveyer belt!
After running the gaunlet of the baggage reclaim (there are no pictures
as we were both too scared!) we took the only option and asked a taxi
driver to take us to a good local hotel, local being the only word they
took from our instructions, we got taken to a back alley 'hotel'
(obviously cousin Rahid's place), after inspecting this flea pit we decided to ditch the taxi to try to find our own place, as the only I'national hotel that we knew Medan had was old reliable friend the Novotel chain this is were we ended up after a journey through Medan on a trishaw moped.
The hotel was ok, fairly expensive for what we've become used to, but
safe (and James got refered to as Mr Beckham by the chap on the
reception desk - which we think helped for a small discount)...
Not really much else to say about Medan except we don't like it and
wouldn't recommend anyone WE LIKE going here without very good reason
(Adam, a first class ticket to Medan is on the way to your home,
compliments of us!)
Onwards to Lake Toba!
