After travelling from Pesisir Selatan, we ride bakc to Padang as the main city. I have a good recommendation of homestay from the traveler I’ve meet in Bukit Tinggi and it was a satisfied option to stay. The location is nearby Siti Nurbaya fly over and boat port. As I’m planning to join a trip to Mentawai by riding fast boat, the place is perfect because we can walk to the port. You can browse River Bridge hostel for your reference if you ever have a chance to visit Padang.
I visit Aia Manih beach to see the famous Malin Kundang stone, one of the legendary story about a child become a success, forgoten and pretend didnt recognized his mother when he got back to the hometown and end up being curse into a stone by the mother. I hear the story so many times during childhood and it is really exciting to find the stone on the corner of the beach nearby the food corner and almost hidden since so many plastic chairs around it. Then I visit the one of the snack shop famous for the spicy chips known as Balado nearby the hostel, they provide a packaging service so you can shop and send it directly without have to carry it by yourself.
Approaching sunset time the Siti Nurbaya (another legendary story from Padang) fly over crowded by food vendor, mostly they sell corn, satay and cofee so people can sit and enjoy the sunset from the fly over. The bad part is, it is difficult to walk on the side walk as almost part of the sidewalk full of plactic chair by the food vendor. Not far from the fly over you can walk slowly to the Chinatown, it just like another forgoten part of the city with old house chinesse traditionally, some still in good condition some is just like left empty but they all still have their own charming as I walk through it.
I’m going back to the hostel and packing for 3 day 2 night trip to Mentawai, I’m packing lighly and leave my backpack at the hostel and booking another stay when I get back from the trip, so its really helpful you dont have to bring lots of things to the forest.
Ansella 