A Sweltering Hull and the Kindness of Strangers
September 6. I finally drifted to sleep in the early hours of the morning, waking just past 10:00 AM. My makeshift bed was located on the second deck of a massive four- or five-story ferry. Though I was incredibly fortunate to secure a space to lie down, the enclosed cabin trapped the stagnant air, driving the temperature three to four degrees Celsius higher than the outer deck. It was, quite literally, a sweltering hell.
Emerging onto the deck with a gnawing hunger, I watched the serene sea. By noon, the time for the ship's scheduled meal distribution arrived. I was so utterly exhausted that I lacked the willpower to join the long queue.
Yet, a fellow passenger named Murdianto noticed my fatigue. Borrowing my ticket, he navigated the dense crowds and returned with a meal for me. This quiet, unprompted act of grace from a stranger was a soothing balm against the punishing heat of the voyage.
The Frenetic Energy of Makassar
At around 7:30 PM, after what felt like a remarkably brief voyage—at least compared to the usual two-day ferry transits in this region—the ship docked at the port of Makassar. Under the cover of night, the sheer scale of the megacity revealed itself through a wall of suffocating traffic and relentless energy.
The moment I stepped out of the port, a tidal wave of aggressive taxi touts descended upon the arriving passengers. While the architectural fabric did not seem drastically different from other Indonesian cities I had passed through, the immense density of street food stalls lining the roads spoke volumes of Makassar's vibrant pulse. Navigating through the chaotic symphony of engines and voices, I began the walk toward my hotel, acutely aware that the true rhythm of this city was yet to be discovered.
A Culinary Revelation in a $1.30 Bowl of Ramen
Along the route to my accommodation, my eyes were drawn to a humble ramen shop.
Glancing at the menu, I was forced to look twice. A basic bowl was priced between 20,000 and 30,000 rupiah—around 200 Japanese yen (about $1.30 USD). Outside of Japan, finding a bowl of ramen can often cost thousands of yen (upwards of $15 to $20 USD); to find one priced cheaper than many local Indonesian dishes was a sheer anomaly. Ordering with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, I was presented with a bowl crowned with perfectly seared meat.
One bite was enough to render me speechless. The rich, meticulously crafted flavors permeated my senses. It was a bowl of such high caliber that trying to compete with it in a culinary battle seemed like an impossible feat. I will remain in Makassar until a friend joins me on September 13th. As I finished the savory broth, I knew this sprawling metropolis still held countless hidden wonders waiting to be uncovered.
