Morning in Batam
December 28th, Batam Island, Indonesia. My first task was to find a ticket to Jakarta. I asked a man standing in front of the hotel, and to my surprise, he replied, "My son sells tickets."
It turned out his son worked at a travel agency. The cost was slightly higher than the official rate, but I managed to buy an economy class ticket for 300,000 rupiah (about 2,886 yen), plus a 50,000 rupiah agency fee (about 481 yen). With the ticket in hand, I felt relieved—no need to rush around all day searching.
With hours left until the 10 p.m. departure, I decided to relax. I said goodbye to the hotel staff, then rode toward the ferry terminal. Staying nearby gave me peace of mind. I laughed at myself, realizing how very Japanese that was—always preparing ahead to feel safe.
At a café near the terminal, I had lunch. The ship would provide three meals on board, but they were known to be very basic. I wanted to enjoy a proper meal before the journey.
Trouble at the Terminal
By evening, I headed to the terminal. When I asked about the ferry, the staff simply answered, "No ferry."
Panic hit me. I asked several people, but the answer was the same—"No ferry." I stood confused, until a biker stopped and asked what was wrong.
When I explained about the 10 p.m. departure, he said, "That's not a ferry, that's a ship." Others nearby confirmed: "If it's a ship, the terminal is 300 meters down the road."
That was when I realized my mistake. To me, ferry and ship were both just "boats." But here, the difference was clear. I followed the biker, and at last, I found the PELNI ship terminal.
Boarding the PELNI Ship
I was the only foreigner. People looked at me with curiosity, but soon they started chatting with me. The line was long, but their kindness made the wait easier.
At one point, an older man helped guide me through the process. I was grateful—until he asked for money afterward. I didn't give any. I wished he had been upfront from the beginning.
Then came the luggage fee. The official charge was 480,000 rupiah (about 4,615 yen), but since I didn't have that much cash on hand, they accepted 150,000 rupiah instead. I was lucky.
Finally, it was time to board. Passengers took commemorative photos before stepping onto the ship. I learned that during New Year's, there are actually fewer passengers than usual because ticket prices go up slightly. Still, the economy fare was only around 3,000–4,000 yen—a bargain for such a long journey.
Life Onboard
Inside, the bicycles had their own storage area. The sleeping quarters were filled with bunk beds, tightly packed together. I was assigned a top bunk. It was comfortable enough, with charging outlets available, but there were no pillows. For future travelers—bring your own if you need one.
For meals, we were given tickets. Lose the ticket, and you lose your meal. I tucked mine carefully into my bag.
An Unexpected Encounter
Then, something amazing happened. A boy I had chatted with before boarding turned out to be my neighbor on the ship. He told me that once we arrived in Jakarta, he would continue on to Bandung, where he would attend a boarding school.
What were the chances that we would end up side by side? Suddenly, this long voyage didn't feel so lonely anymore.
