Indonesia Losing a wallet made me some new friends
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Johan Kruseman
Updated on 28 October 2024
Updated on 28 October 2024
Now, heading over to Banda Aceh, I find myself back in Binjai. But guess what? Binjai‘s showing its totally opposite side today. I‘m at a restaurant, just chatting away with this guy for like half an hour. And then, boom, he‘s suddenly gotta dash. I figure I‘ll follow suit, so I ask for the bill, only to find out the guy paid for my whole meal! Couldn‘t even thank him. Talk about a surprise.
In a super good mood, I hop onto the bus, wallet chillin‘ in my open pocket, and I slide into my seat. Kinda half-asleep, I wake up hours later, all refreshed ‘cause we‘ve arrived. I jump up, grab my bag, check for my phone, and in like 30 seconds, I‘m in a tuk-tuk headed to catch a boat to Pulau Weh. Now, picture this: I‘m at the harbor, digging into my pocket for my wallet, but it‘s MIA. Only my phone‘s there. Trying to be funny, I tell the tuk-tuk driver the only way he can get his cash is if he takes me back to the bus. He‘s all for it, he‘s like, “Sure, let‘s do it!” So, we‘re cruising for like half an hour, he‘s on the phone non-stop, and bam, we find the bus before it even gets cleaned! My tuk-tuk hero‘s talking to the bus driver, and you won‘t believe it—my wallet‘s back! The dude waves it around from his motorbike like a champ. I give him a big hug, and I‘m so grateful I hand over some cash as a thank-you bonus. Hug number two, initiated by him this time. And my tuk-tuk buddy, who‘s been watching the whole show, gets to take me to a bank to cash in on his three mini trips.
But guess what? Life‘s not done with me yet. My card‘s acting up, and I‘m like, “Really?” Lucky me, I got a 50 euro bill, and I manage to sort things out at the bank. As if things couldn‘t get better, the bank teller lets me know that her giggling coworker thinks I‘m cute. All those forms I filled out? Totally worth it.
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Traveled route: Bali, Denpasar, Buleleng, Boengkoelan, Gili Air, Lombok, Pemenang, mount Rinjani, Komodo Island, Flores, Labuan Bajo, Sumatra, Medan, Bukit Lawang, Banda Aceh, Pelabuhan Balohan, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Imogiri Pine Forest, Borobudur Temple, Malang, Mount Bromo, Ijen, Banyuwangi, Surabaya
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