Thanks. I guess a situation like that - being on a boat - shows some of the advantages of using a 360 camera. It was a lot fun.

Thanks. It was a fun video to shoot as well. Just being on a boat like that was a nice change from walking around or even riding on a scooter. You just have more time and energy to enjoy the experience and play around with your camera and record things. 🙂

Thank you. Even days before I got to Port Dickson and to the harbor, I was thinking ahead and trying to train myself to just "go with the flow" and work through the steps until I was safely on the boat. I knew there was the potential for chaos. There always is. So I try to mentally take a step back and sort of observe what is going on and just stay calm. Though, to be honest, it was a lot easier than I expected on the Malaysian side. The only real issue was checking in the bike and gear. If I was there with just a backpack, it would have been as simple as can be. It was quite a bit more challenging when I arrived in Sumatra, but even that wasn't that bad. I remember I did the exact same trip years ago but on the ferry to Tanjungbalai. And THAT was much more difficult.

That's definitely part of using a 360 camera. It increases the time required for editing dramatically.

Thank you. I guess shots like that are the main advantage of having a 360 camera. You could hang a GoPro off the back of a boat, but it would be very difficult to try to line it up so that you know what you are filming. 🙂

Thank you. Of course, Christmas has come and gone, and the holidays didn't really happen in Dumai. The days felt like normal days to me. I remember seeing tiny hints of Christmas decorations in a couple of places, but not much more than that. Still, I enjoyed myself. Coastal towns are always interesting.

Thanks. On the boat, I really could have used one of those very long selfie sticks. It would have been more secure. I had to attach two sticks together or attach one stick to an extended tripod base. And that felt a bit risky, especially with the high speed of the boat. I thought the pole could snap and I'd lose the camera. But I wanted to try to do it anyway. 🙂

That sounds like a nightmare trip. Luckily, I didn't have any of those issues the times that I took that Tanjung Balai ferry. Fortunately, it always left more or less on time. I remember that there was a lot of unusual activity on those ferries, particularly going from Indonesia to Malaysia. People, for example, had to demonstrate that they had enough money to support themselves in Malaysia. And a business had sprung up where people could rent sufficient money (in large blocks of cash) just to get through immigration. And then they would give the money back. It was probably activity like this that led to the crackdown and scrutiny that you experienced.

@@PlanetDoug exactly Doug. Too much of corrupt practices on that travel sector. I am surprised they have done away with the Port Klang - Tanjong Balai route. I remember there were 3 Ferry companies operating providing competitive rates and services. The Porters then handling luggage were never anywhere near the superb handling of luggage of the Indomal Ferry.

I guess that's the main feature of a 360 camera, like the Insta360 X3. It actually records video in a complete sphere. It films everything around it at the same time - everything above, below, and to the sides. And then when you edit the video, you can choose which part you want to include in the final video. So I just held the camera as close to the top of the water as I dared, and the camera recorded everything it could see down there. I recorded video of the water, the sky, the boat, and me. And then while editing, I could move the camera angle around aim it in any direction I liked. It's very cool, but it also takes a lot more time to do than using normal video from a normal camera,

I'm writing this a bit down the road. Just a bit, because I haven't managed to get nearly as far as I was supposed to by this point. Perhaps I underestimated the adventurousness. 🙂 If you've seen any of the later videos, you might know that for some reason, my knees haven't been cooperating. A mere 250 kilometers down the road, my right knee is back to normal. But my left knee is still screaming at me to be a sensible person and stop cycling. We'll see if it remains 10/10 for adventurousness or 10\10 for dumbness.

@@PlanetDoug I'd be tempted to stick my thumb out and throw the bike in the back of a truck. I used to hitchhike quite a lot in Indonesia and it was quite easy to get a ride. The novelty of picking up a foreigner almost guaranteed you a ride.

I was thinking about that as I was groaning away as I pedalled. I wasn't thinking so much about throwing my bike in the back of a truck. But more about the option of hitchhiking as a way of getting around. I don't really like the idea of just taking buses to get around. That just doesn't feel very exciting or much of an adventure. But thinking back and considering how this trip has turned out, I think making this a hitchhiking trip from the start would have been a good idea. Cycling these roads isn't a great option, really. But I wouldn't want to arrive in Dumai and then just hop on a bus to Bukittinggi either. That seems kind of ordinary. But it would have been a fun experience to hitchhike there from Dumai. Just bring a backpack and, as you say, stick out a thumb. If I could do this trip over from the beginning, I think that would have been a better choice.

Thank you. I'm glad to be here. I've had a rough start to this little bike ride on Sumatra, but I'm enjoying myself nonetheless. I just started working my way through the videos on your channel. It looks like you are doing a lot of adventurous and interesting things, and you put a tremendous amount of work into your videos. I'm looking forward to watching the rest of them.

@@PlanetDoug Thanks Doug, that's really nice of you to say! We are really enjoying watching your travels and seeing parts of Sumatra we haven't had a chance to. Hope the next stages of your journey go smoothly! ☺

I'm also glad you introduced me to Kristian Hansen through your videos. I wasn't aware of his KZfaq channel or his trip across Indonesia. He's got a pretty nice set-up for his journey. And with that motorbike, he can cover a lot of ground fast and include a lot of varied scenery and places in his videos.

@@PlanetDoug Ahh yes - Kristian is having an amazing journey and doing so well for himself! Well-deserved, and we love watching his amazing videos.

I think you're right. I never asked anyone on the boat or investigated, but I assumed it had some kind of water jet propulsion. It felt like a hydroplane kind of boat.

Yes, this same company, Indomal, operates ferries from Melaka to Dumai as well. My original plan was to take that ferry.

Thanks!

No, I didn't get a tourist visa in advance. They DO offer a visa-on-arrival in Dumai. I got a 30-day VOA in Dumai when the ferry arrived there. It cost $35 US. It was no problem at all. In the Dumai port, no one asked about covid or covid vaccinations. It never came up at all, and I didn't have to present proof of vaccinations or anything at all. However, later on, I flew from the Kuala Lumpur airport to Sumatra, and THEN I was required to show proof of vaccination. At least three "jabs" are required to enter Indonesia.

@@PlanetDoug Thanks for the info i asked you this same on IG. Thank you ! Enjoy the last “freedom” travel destination.

That's interesting. Thanks. I remember on previous trips to Sumatra learning about the bird's nest products. I saw a lot of buildings with large blank walls but with dozens of small holes coming out of them. And I was told that the birds lived inside these places. I never quite understood how it all worked or exactly what people were telling me. And I never saw any birds actually flying in and out of these holes, but that's what people told me was going on. And the bird's nests were what was being cultivated and used in different products. I enjoyed my time in Dumai. I could easily have spent a month just hanging out there. It's my kind of place.

I'm not a big fan of such long bus journeys. I'm not tough enough for trips like that. I'd rather ride a bicycle for two weeks than be trapped on a bus for 48 hours or 72 hours. I'd fall apart on that bus. 🤪 But I really don't have a clear idea of what the logistics would be to travel from Bali to Dumai in one long sequence of buses, ferries, and trains. It feels like it would be complicated and you'd have to work out the exact details as you go.

@@PlanetDoug but it's possible?; if I had all the time cycle would be a dream . How would U fair Bali to dumai cycling ? Would the roads be too dangerous for U?? What's biggest cycle U have done?; but my bus idea is possible ?

Yes, of course it's possible. 👍😎 Buses and trains and ferries connect all the islands and cities of Indonesia. You can travel across all of Indonesia by bus and train if you wish to. Based on my experience of cycling in Sumatra, I'm not sure I would attempt cycling from Bali to Dumai. It could be done. But with the busy highways filled with so many trucks, it probably wouldn't be much fun. The longest bicycle journey I've done was probably cycling across Canada and down along the west coast of the USA. But the most challenging bike ride was in Ethiopia. Second to that was cycling in Guinea, in West Africa.

@@PlanetDoug is busing Indonesia pretty safe the roads look chaotic ?? I like my long power walks . Is it hard to communicate to the bus company there etc or do I need google translate ready . Love Ur long rides , very good workouts

The roads CAN be chaotic in Indonesia, of course. But travelling by bus should be safe. At least it is as safe as anywhere else in the world. It shouldn't be difficult to communicate with the large bus companies. Some of the buses in Indonesia are very modern and have clear schedules and ticketing systems. Of course, Google Translate is always handy. However, if you simply go to a busy bus station with more local buses, it can be confusing. It's hard to figure out which buses are going to which destination and when they are leaving and how to buy a ticket. But the big long-distance buses should be okay.

No, it wasn't for the trip. The 63 ringgit was just the luggage fee. The ticket fare is 205 ringgit per person one way. A round trip ticket costs 355 ringgit. It's slightly cheaper out of Melaka.

No, I was not asked about my covid vaccination status. I had my vaccination booklet and official covid papers with me. But no one asked to see them. When I flew back to Sumatra from Kuala Lumpur, the staff at the departure gate at KLIA did ask me to show my covid papers. However, when I landed at the airport in Sumatra, they didn't ask for anything.

Yes, you can. But it does depend on your nationality. MOST people in the world can get a 90-day Social Visit Pass when they arrive in Malaysia. It's the same for airports, ferry ports, or land border crossings. You don't have to apply for this in advance. Technically, it's not a visa. It's not even a visa-on-arrival. It's basically an entry stamp that allows you to stay in Malaysia for 90 days as a tourist. Malaysia calls it a Social Visit Pass. The immigration officer will ask you some basic questions about who you are and what your plans are. And if they want to let you into the country, they will stamp your passport right there with the 90-day entry stamp. No need to apply in advance and there is no charge. People from some countries DO require a visa. But that's a very small list of countries. The vast majority of nationalities don't need to get a visa. Note, however, that Malaysia has just started a new policy whereby everyone has to fill out an online "Arrival Card" within 3 days of their arrival. This is NOT a visa application or anything like that. It's just like the little card that you used to fill out on the airplane with your name, passport number, flight number, and name of your hotel. Now you do it online. And you are required to do it. However, no need to get a visa in advance and no need to get a visa-on-arrival. 😀

@@PlanetDoug imaustralian , so do I need to do arrival card online if I'm going from ferry port Dickson? Is it true Thailand gives only 15 days if entering by land

@@PlanetDoug I'll fly if must but if I can streamline this I'd spend 3/4 days getting there

Yes, you have to fill out this online arrival card for Malaysia if you arrive by ferry in Port Dickson. It's required for all foreign arrivals now regardless of your entry point: airport, ferry dock, land border. The info in the Arrival Card is transmitted to immigration, and when the immigration officer scans your passport, all the info you entered online will show up on their computer.

I really like the trailer. I've used just pannier bags in the past, of course. And I had a BOB single-wheel trailer for a while. I've gone back forth on trailers, assessing the advantage and disadvantages. But this type of trailer is my favorite, and for my style, it offers more advantages than disadvantages. It wouldn't be the same for everyone, of course. It depends on many things. But I far prefer how the bike feels when it is light and free and all the weight is in the trailer. The trailer can be a pain at times. But so can a full set of four pannier bags, a handlebar bag, and stuff sacks bungee corded to the racks. I find there are advantages and disadvantages to both trailers and pannier bags. Every time I start to get annoyed at the trailer, I stop and imagine the alternative. And then I remind myself that there are just as many annoyances using a full set of pannier bags. So, I go back and forth. 🙂

Kurang faham apa maksud kamu.Aku pernah guna ferry dari Melaka ke Dumai.

@@abdulrahmanabdulghani8833 dia bilang apa yg bestnya kat Malaysia tu sampai ramai orang Indonesia nak ke sini…

Tak ada apa pun yang istimewa

You misunderstood the situation. I had no interest in hiring a baggage handler. I've put my bike on boats in the past, and I knew I could just roll my bike along by myself. I was just curious about how much they got paid. I'm always interested in how things are organized. That's why I was asking questions. And how could I possibly know the price beforehand? You say that I should have already known. How? Psychic powers? I asked several people right there in real time, and I still couldn't get a clear answer. It's not like I could just close my eyes and establish a telepathic link in advance and get the answer. I also disagree that low budget backpackers are a pain. I find that people who roam around the world and just hand out tons of cash to everyone are much more of a pain. They end up distorting the local economy. And local people just come to the conclusion that foreigners are like rich children and will pay anything they ask. And then you get the situation of always being told a price that is ten or twenty times higher than the real price. And they think foreigners are so clueless that they will pay anything. Local people bargain hard for the best price. It's a way of life. Backpackers who do the same fit in better with the local world than rich tourists who simply use money to solve all their problems.

@@PlanetDoug if you feed into the "rich foreigner" ideology they wont treat you like a person. furthermore you are keeping them from being intelligent about the world. things cost things and its good to show that you are a human being just like them not just some rich foreigner