The driver and I in Tanjung Pinang

I want to explore the area. At the reception I am told that there is the city where I disembarked I could visit. I can drive. Which I don’t fancy. Decades ago it took me ages to get used driving on the left side of the road, I am not attempting to do it here at any cost. I can have a driver as well I am told. We start off in a rather luxurious car until the driver gets a message and we have to swap for a smaller car. The driver uses a translator to inform me about it.

A short while later a heavy rain starts pouring down at which I exclaim my usual O dear! The driver says something sounding like yeah.

He repetitively offers to stop so I can take pics. I am observing all the motorcycles on the road. Mothers transporting two kids, one in the front, the other in the back, a little child standing in front and holding on to the bike, a father holding his sleeping child while riding his bike. Seems like there is no public transport. 

As the rain sets in again I see various school kids walking barefoot in the heavy traffic while getting drenched.

I ask the driver to stop in front of a café and I manage to talk him into getting one for him, too. He has a cigarette during the wait. The cafés usually come with an offer for some meat or other. The one in question has beef dishes while another one serves chicken.

The speed on the way back has significantly decreased. I am wondering if the driver thinks that I need to have the 3 hours I booked. I don’t.