On the way to Berastagi

We have left Bukit Lawang behind and set out for Berastagi today with a driver. On the way to the city near two volcanoes, we gained many insights into life here.

First, we drove for quite a long time through enormous palm oil plantations. We watched the harvest, and our guide explained a lot about it. Seeing firsthand the impact of palm oil cultivation on nature here really affected us. Sumatra is among the regions with the highest deforestation rates in the world. The conversion of rainforest into plantations threatens the local endemic species such as the Sumatran orangutan, tiger, rhinoceros, and elephant. In addition, the climate suffers due to palm oil cultivation. Furthermore, the palm oil industry is known for corruption and poor working conditions. Nevertheless, many local farmers opt for cultivation because it is simply lucrative. We already knew that palm oil cultivation is bad, but seeing the situation on-site made us reflect on our own consumption.

Because we asked so many questions about palm oil, our guide Imran spontaneously took us to his uncle. He owns a palm oil plantation, and we were allowed to look around there. As we were the first European guests on the farm, Imbran's uncle wanted to take a few pictures with us, as it would be good for his business.

After we had a tea together, we continued towards Berastagi. We were already able to admire one of the volcanoes in the area, Sinabung, on the way. Finally, we made a stop at a fruit market and at a traditional Karo-Batak house and a church.