Cycling to the West End of Indonesia (Zero Kilometer Point Sabang)
"Goals are static, but the process to achieve those goals is dynamic." That's the principle that I adhere to to this day when I'm on an adventure anywhere. It all started with a dream, that's for sure. As long as we are willing to try and enjoy every process to achieve the goal.
Before I tell you more, I want to explain the purpose of the location of the title of this story, namely the Indonesian Zero Kilometer Monument in Sabang. The Sabang Indonesian Zero Kilometer Monument is a monument that marks the 0 Kilometer point in Indonesia which is one of the icons on Pulau Weh. This monument is one of the tourist attractions in Sabang which must be visited as proof that you have visited this westernmost island of Indonesia. We can find the same monument in Meurauke, Papua. Actually, the Indonesian Zero Kilometer Monument should be on Rondo Island, because this island is the outermost island in western Indonesia which directly borders Nicobar, India. This island is located about 19 miles from Sabang (Weh Island). Because access is not possible, this monument was built at the northern tip of Weh Island.
This trip took me to cross the border line at the end of the country at the end of June 2022. After leaving Medan and a few days before i visited Lake Toba and Samosir Island, i decided to continue my journey to the very tip of Sumatra Island, namely Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD). None other than that, Banda Aceh as the provincial capital is the transit point that i have to reach.
The bus from Medan took me away at night. Some of the snacks I bought at the terminal were enough to fill my stomach for the next 15 hours or so I was in this vehicle. I think I should use this very comfortable bus to rest before I start my journey back in a new atmosphere later.
I woke up in the morning when the bus arrived in one of the cities in Aceh Province, namely Sigli. It turned out to be true, the atmosphere in Aceh was very different. The accent of the language i had just heard and the body shape which i thought was similar to that of Arab people. The bus continued its journey, i opened the Google Maps directions application, Banda Aceh City was only a few hours away.
Exactly at noon, the bus dropped me off at the final stop at Batoh Terminal. I took a deep breath of the air in this city which is known as the 'Veranda of Mecca'. My stomach had been rumbling since morning, making me immediately look for a restaurant not far from the terminal. Finally, I decided to go to the city center on foot because I didn't know what transportation could take me. It's okay, just an hour's walk doesn't make my guts shrink.
Like other cities, Banda Aceh is quite busy with transportation traffic. I enjoyed every inch of this city. The first interesting place to visit is the Aceh Tsunami Museum. Didn't wait long, I went inside.
The Aceh Tsunami Museum, apart from being established as a monument to the tsunami disaster that occurred in Aceh in 2004, this museum also doubles as a place of education as well as an emergency shelter if a tsunami occurs again. At the beginning of entry, there is a hallway that depicts the atmosphere when the big tsunami disaster occurred. Apart from that, there is documentation after the tsunami incident which is shown to visitors who come. I can't imagine how resilient the people of Aceh were at that time. At that time I prayed that a disaster like this would not happen again in the country where I was born in the future.
I continued my journey on foot to one of the monuments, a silent witness to the enormity of natural disasters that had occurred on this land. A large ship stands proudly but looks like it has a feeling of sadness within it. PLTD Apung 1, is an offshore diesel power generating ship weighing 2600 tons which was pushed 5 km inland by the enormity of the tsunami that hit Aceh last time. I shudder to imagine what the tsunami waves would be like that would crash this giant ship.
In the afternoon before night arrived. I hurriedly walked to one of the places that had been wandering in my mind. The Baiturrahhman Grand Mosque, the white and holy building, can be seen from a distance. I took the sarong that was in my backpack and entered the mosque courtyard. The Maghrib call to prayer sounded, I immediately washed my body with ablution water. After prayer, I stood in front of the large yard. There was a miracle from the Almighty when the last major disaster was unable to destroy that place. I took a good look at this magnificent building. Very beautiful.
In a coffee shop not far from the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, as usual I looked for a place that was willing to accommodate me for some time to come as a traveler in this place. I'm looking for the contact for Mapala Leuser, Syiah Kuala University, one of the oldest organization in Aceh. I sent messages one by one to the contacts I had. Gaung replied to a message from the other end. He will pick me up and is ready to take his secretariat for me to ride. That night, I got to know several members of Mapala Leuser who were there. Gaung informed that several other members were undergoing expedition simulations so the secretariat was not as busy as usual.
Banda Aceh would not be complete if it were not filled with coffee days. Of course we, Gaung, Fiqra, Rudy, Fuad, always look for coffee shops at night around the city of Banda Aceh. Coffee is not just a drink, but a daily necessity for the people of Aceh.
One day Ola invited me to visit the sumatran elephant sanctuary in Aceh Jaya District. Gaung and I agreed to the invitation. Eight of us and Ola's friends left in the morning for the Conservation Response Unit (CRU) Sampoinet, a distance of approximately two hours by road. CRU Sampoinet is one of the conservation centers for sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) in Aceh Jaya. The reason for choosing this location is because there are often conflicts between elephants and humans. Another friend and I, accompanied by a mahout, saw a female elephant named Isabela being bathed and playing with us. Really, this is the first time I have seen one of the largest mammals in its natural habitat and rejoicing along with us humans.
The day I had been waiting for arrived, after the previous day we camped on Lhok Mata Ie beach. Sabang Island is very visible from there, the desire is getting higher. I made up my mind and determination to try other things to get there. A bicycle crossed my mind as a means of transportation to get to him. Bicycle? Indeed, there is no other transportation that can be used to get to Sabang. Actually, there are lots of transportation that can be used to get to Sabang and its surroundings. Moreover, Weh Island, where Sabang City is located, is a favorite destination for travelers from various regions. What comes to my mind is that the most important thing is not the destination, but how to travel to reach that destination. Fuad kindly agreed to lend me his bicycle for me to use for the next few days. In the evening, he and I took our bicycles to his boarding house. I got the bicycle from Fuad's loan. Tomorrow morning will be a long day for me.
Banda Aceh was cloudy that morning. The light rain since dawn did not dampen my intention to ride a bicycle. I closed the door to the Mapala Leuser Secretariat where the people inside were still asleep. "Bro, I'm going to Sabang first," I sent a message to Fiqra which she probably read when she woke up from sleep. I tie my shoelaces tightly, don't forget to wear a helmet as safety equipment. The first bicycle pedal stroke begins.
Drizzle accompanied the start of my cycling trip in this city. A few minutes later, I stopped first at a coffee shop on the side of the road, not far from the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque. As usual, every coffee shop in Banda Aceh is always busy in the morning. There were police, employees, college kids, all busy with their own cups of coffee. A bowl of Uduk rice and a cup of Sanger coffee are enough to fill my energy. I continued my bicycle pedal to one of the ports that could take me across the ocean.
Ulee Lheue Harbor is already crowded with prospective passengers who want to cross to Weh Island. I immediately rushed to the ticket counter which was not far from the port gate. An announcement was heard from a loudspeaker, informing that the ship was still stuck and could not sail as usual due to a storm and high waves. Anxiety came over me, what can I do to hope that this trip will be fine?
After waiting for quite a long time at the parking lot for loading and unloading vehicles, finally we passengers were allowed to board the ship called KMP. Aceh Besar 2. Motorbikes take turns entering the ship's deck. There was a motorbike community group, foreign tourists using motorbikes that they probably rented and there were couples making out on the seats. I was the only one using a bicycle behind the crowd of vehicles that crowded the parking lot inside the ship. I put the bicycle I brought next to the car and motorbikes which were neatly parked in a row.
An hour later, the ship began sailing through the ocean to Weh Island. I went aboard the ship, looking for a place to lean back and stretch my legs while resting my body. Nasi Island and Breueh Island to the east are clearly visible across the blue expanse. This is the first time I've cycled and crossed the ocean by boat. Slowly the sinking signal made me sleep for a while.
After more than an hour, the ship started to dock at Balohan port, the entrance to Sabang City. I hurriedly got back on my bicycle and started taking turns getting out of the ship. The atmosphere at Balohan Harbor is quite busy, perhaps because many tourists also go to this place. I opened Google Maps to direct the way to the city center. The "Welcome to Sabang City" gate made me even more enthusiastic to continue this journey.
After just a few minutes of pedaling, I was faced with a very steep incline. I swallowed hard. Having gathered my will, I shifted into first gear, and slowly my calves began to suffer from this incline. Several vehicles took turns following me while giving their horns a sign of encouragement. Thank God, there are still people who care about me too.
The sun was shining directly above the competition. Resident's houses still accompany me on the left and right of the road. I'm used to these inclines. I stopped at one of the stalls on the side of the road. Orange ice and a few cigarettes were enough to recharge my energy and also to wait for my cell phone battery to be fully charged after I left it at the shop. I forced myself to pedal again to reach my destination.
The view has changed from concrete to trees. My current journey is accompanied by a shady forest beside the road. Occasionally you can see the expanse of sea at the end there. I spend a lot of time stopping to take pictures that are pleasing to the eye. One of the things I was waiting for was a sign indicating the way down, I immediately smiled when I saw it. However, after that I frowned again when I saw the sign indicating the road going uphill there.
Several times I had to get off the bike and push it uphill after steep hill. My calves felt tense, cramps hit my feet. Understandably, I haven't done this sport for a long time. My daily routine used to be far from sports activities. What can I do, I will force what I have to finish this.
Exactly at four in the afternoon, I arrived at Iboih Beach. Indeed, my goal today is to rest one night before my final destination is the Zero Point Monument. In my opinion, this beach is suitable for a check point because it is busy and there are lots of resting accommodation. I immediately looked for a place to eat because my stomach hadn't been filled since noon. I ordered a portion of rice and side dishes from the stall keeper right on the edge of Iboih Beach. After that, a cup of coffee accompanied my afternoon rest. Rubiah Island is visible across this beach. Tourists take turns moving to the beach after returning from the island. Indeed, Iboih Beach and Rubiah Island are famous tourist spots in Sabang. Many visitors come to enjoy the underwater beauty by snorkeling, diving or swimming on the beach.
After paying for food and drink, I asked the stall keeper and her husband. I asked for suggestions on places to stay that I could stay at an affordable price. Please note, the cheapest price for renting accommodation for one night in this area can be IDR 250,000 - IDR 300,000. I need to rack my brain about this. The stall keeper suggested asking for accommodation at the very end of the row of souvenir stalls. There I can find affordable lodging prices, he said. I immediately rushed there.
I asked one of the ladies who was sitting in front of the stall exactly as directed. With a sad face, I asked the price of accommodation there. The mother told me there was a basic room, only equipped with a fan and an outside bathroom for IDR 100,000. For me, that price is more than enough, especially since I'm too lazy to look for a place where I can ride for free, plus I have to get enough rest because I still have a long journey tomorrow. I was escorted into the room after he had cleaned it up. It turned out that my arrival on a bicycle attracted the attention of the people around me. As usual, I answered questions about where I was from, where I was going, etc. and made them enthusiastic. I immediately cleaned my body and fell asleep quickly tonight. I muttered, I hope I won't wake up late tomorrow morning and my body won't be sore.
The alarm woke me up from sleeping. I immediately packed up the things that were still scattered on the bed. I said goodbye to the innkeeper because she liked me well. I pumped the bicycle pedal again this morning with more enthusiasm than the previous day. Zero Point here I come!
That morning I was immediately faced with another incline. Fortunately, fresh air still accompanies the lush trees. The area leading to the Zero Kilometer Monument is a protected forest area, it is not surprising that I saw the forest was so dense and provided cool air. Several groups of long-tailed monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were seen playing in several trees on the side of the road. Because my energy has been drained from the previous day, is it okay for me to start pushing my bike again. A group of Harley motorbikes with loud voices took turns following me from behind. I smiled, maybe our goals are the same but our 'struggle' to achieve those goals is different.
I don't know how many strokes I took to get here. The sign indicating that I had entered the Zero Kilometer Monument tourist area was visible. I speed up my bicycle pedaling. Rows of souvenir stalls were neatly lined up, I gave permission to one of the guards to take my bicycle inside. And there I saw him.
The monument 43.6 meters high and looks like the number zero and at the top there is a statue of an Garuda displayed in front of your eyes. There are two circles like the number zero and on two sides of the number there is a rencong, which is a typical Acehnese knife or dagger. I immediately fell silent in front of him. I went to the top of this monument by passing several stairs. A wide expanse of sea stretches out there, indicating that this place is the last land at the end of the red and white area boundary. I remember what I have gone through so far, starting from the beginning of the journey I took until I got here to reflecting on what I have gone through in this life.
I don't know what goals I should pursue for my life. It's all like pseudo, temporary. I can't predict what happens next. One thing I know until now is that life must be useful for other people. Enjoy what happens, even though it's bitter or sweet, it's all just a taste, not the end. What is clear is that I really enjoy this process in life. And the most important thing, everyone has the right to smile and be happy. Hopefully one day we will meet a more perfect soul and mind.
Thank you for meeting, West End of Indonesia. Let me one day meet your partner in the Eastern End of Indonesia. Hopefully.
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