11 a.m. I took the public shuttlebus that would take me to Padang. During the ride, a musician entertained us. After a 30-minute traffic jam, with the heat and lingering soreness from yesterday’s journey, I tried to stay cool by sitting near an open window.

Upon arrival, I took a tuk-tuk to my homestay, where I met my guide for my 5 day tour to Mentawai Island. After discussing the trek’s details, I had dinner by the waterfront while watching the sunset, though the spicy mie goreng nearly overwhelmed me. I headed back, knowing I had an early start for the jungle trek at 6 a.m.

After my journey at Mentawai I returned to Padang for one more night. I stayed in an amazing homestay, with a really nice owner and some people I met while traveling. Padang itself was more of a stopover for me on the way to Mentawai, so I didn’t explore much or get many details on the town itself. However, I’ve got enough contacts who can help you if you’re interested in exploring Padang, no worries!