Man, today was a wild ride in Padang! Like, seriously, I didn’t expect this city to throw so much at me. So, I woke up late, as usual. My alarm? Yeah, it decided to take a day off. Classic me, right? I jumped outta bed, threw on some clothes, and bolted out the door.
First stop? Warung Nasi Padang on Jalan S. Parman. You know, the one with the crazy good rendang? I was so hyped! But guess what? They ran out of it! Like, how do you run out of rendang in Padang?! I was fuming. I mean, c’mon! It’s like running out of rice in a rice field! So, I settled for some ayam pop. Not the same, but hey, it’s still good.
After that, I decided to stroll down Jalan Gajah Mada. The street was buzzing! Street vendors everywhere, selling everything from keripik balado to those sweet, sweet kue cubir. I grabbed a few snacks, and honestly, I was in heaven. But then, outta nowhere, this kid on a bike zoomed past me and knocked my snacks right outta my hands! I was like, “Dude, what the heck?!” I mean, come on!
So, I chased after him. Yeah, I know, not my proudest moment. But I was fueled by anger and a craving for snacks! Finally caught up to him at the corner of Jalan Diponegoro. He was just laughing, like it was some kind of game. I couldn’t help but laugh too. Kids, man. They’re wild.
Then, I decided to hit the beach at Pantai Padang. The waves were crashing, and the sun was shining. Perfect, right? But then, I saw this group of tourists trying to take selfies. They were blocking the whole path! I mean, c’mon, it’s a beach, not a runway! I was about to say something, but then I thought, “Nah, let them have their moment.”
But then, I tripped over a rock. Classic! I fell right in front of them. They all gasped, and I just laid there, laughing. Like, “Yeah, this is my life now.” They helped me up, and we all ended up chatting. Turns out, they were from Australia and had never tried real Padang food. I was like, “You guys are missing out!”
After that, I took them to a local spot on Jalan Alang-Alang. We feasted on all the good stuff—sate, gulai, you name it. I was in foodie heaven again! And they were loving it. I felt like a Padang ambassador or something.
As the sun started to set, I walked them back to their hotel. The sky was painted in shades of orange and pink. It was beautiful. I felt this wave of happiness wash over me. Like, despite the craziness, today was pretty awesome.
But then, I got a text from my buddy. He was stuck in traffic on Jalan Raya. I laughed. “Welcome to Padang, bro!” Traffic here can be a nightmare. I mean, it’s like a game of musical chairs, but with cars.
Finally, I headed home, exhausted but happy. I thought about all the unexpected moments today. The anger, the laughter, the food. Padang, you crazy city, you’ve got my heart. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s adventure!