Transportation

They haven't quite come up with a time machine -which would have been very handy- but there are many ways to get around the city...

Another week has flown by (no pun intended) and still there are so many new things to see, do and taste each day. This time I'd like to introduce you to the organized chaos of Banda Aceh. There are about 200.000 people in this city and of course they all have to move around from A to Z and everywhere in between. As you can imagine, it is a true hussle and bussle with so many unofficial shops and no official closing times (they even sell fruit at 04 at night - the perfect time for a midnight fruitsalad!).

Even though the UN provides us with big, beautiful, blue and white UN vehicles, the true way to get around is on motorcycle, aka Honda (even though yours has a different brand). They resemble small scooters and carry an average of 2,5 people on them - I have seen families of 5 on a single Honda and have even spotted a mother breastfeeding her baby while balacing on the back of a bike!!

With so many motor bikes in town, petrol becomes more popular than pineapple juice, but where do you get it? With only one official petrol station in the entire city, people become creative and start their own. Every 50 meters or so, you'll see a family gathered around a collection of obscure looking jerrycans - this picture is probably the best visible 'petrolstation' I've seen!

If you do not have a bike (or you have rented yours to a foreign NGO intern - no comments necessary), then you always have the option to ride a becak: bike with sidecar. Be sure to wear your Muslim clothes so that you don't get harrassed or super dusty! If a becak is too expensive for you or if it rains, then you can choose the comfort of a labilabi. This is Bahasa (Indonesian) for 'turtle' - you can imagine why. They are generally ovens on wheels and the passengers always leave the back doors wide open for some natural air conditioning. As a last resort, one can always put on some comfy no/low heeled shoes and do some jalang (walking). Crazy as it may seem, this is probably the most dangerous choice of moving around town, there are pitfalls every other meter and you feel like you are the leading figure in a computergame, jumping over holes and dodging bikes..

I suppose if you are really not in the mood or position to move (this would not be my preferred town if I were an invalid), then you can always wait until the shops come to you. You name it and you can find it on wheels - including a donut shop!