Bukittinggi And Around

Crossing The Equator

So I eventually reach the small town of Bukittinggi, one day late but at least in one peice - even if it was one very tired peice. There was no time for sleep though - I had things to explore. Actually, while I was here I did three amazing things in just 24 hours, and none of then were actually in Bukittinggi itself.

First i checked out the town of course. Bukittinggi is 930m above sea level and thus climate is quite cool at night but still hot in the day-time. It lies in the shadow of three volcanoes - Gunung Merapi, Gunung Singgalang and the distant Gunung Sago. The town is quiet and relaxing but lacks any real interesting features (apart from the volcano views of course). There is a clock tower in the centre of town which the locals think looks like Big Ben - I suppose it does if you squint. There is also a Dutch fort (Fort de Kock) but to me was pretty uninteresting. The park (Panorama Park) has some good views of the Sianok Canyon and Singgalang in the distance though.

The first amazing thing I did was take a 30 minute bus ride to a man standing on the side of the road (don't worry - this was intentional and was not the amazing thing). We then trekked through incredible scenery and then deep into jungle - where it proceded to pour down with rain on us. Eventually we made it. Through wind and rain and clambering over many a slippery slope - there it was. The Rafflesia Flower. I had come all this way to see it - it's the largest flower in the world!!! It is found mainly in Malaysia, the Philippines and some parts of Indonesia and it is not easy to find one. It takes months for one to bloom and when it does it only lasts for 7 days. I just happened to be here on it's 6th day of life - to catch a glimpse. This one was about 60-70cm in diameter (they can grow to a meter) and for a flower - it was impressive.

Afterwards I headed further away from Bukittinggi to the small town of Bonjol. Just south of this town is a line. Not just any line - it's an invisible line but it is a very important invisible line. It is situated on a latitude of 0 degrees and it divides the Earth in two. It runs through Equador, passes across Kenya, travels Brazil and it also flows right across Bonjol in Sumatra - it is of course - the equator. They have put up a statue here and drawn a line so people like me can take a photo with one foot on each hemisphere. I had now been there, done it and sad to say - I have bought the T-shirt.

The final amazing thing I did in just 24 hours, was at a great height, far above the clouds and where smoke rises from it's fiery crater.........