They are very small and cramped, but they can magically fit lots of people inside. While horse carriages called bendi exist, they are more expensive and usually meant more for tourists in the area. People who want to quickly travel with a friend around the city use ankots. But for the everyday person, ojeks are the go-to form of traveling. Larger buses are common too, and they can take people to other towns and cities. The buses here look a lot like school buses, but they are gray and are very close to the ground. Personal space is very rare in buses, as drivers try to make the most of the space in the buses. Buse often stop to let cart sellers on the road sell food to the passengers. When I took a two hour trip to Padang (the coastal city), even muscians (penghiburs) squeezed into the bus to play their music. This is very similar to the entertainers that liven up the New York subway.
Ride-sharing phone apps are very popular with Indonesians. Since I am not allowed to drive under my scholarship, I always use ojeks when I don't plan on walking. I use the app, the driver asks me where I am, or Di mana?, and I explain that I am in front of so-and-so building. A 40-minute drive around Bukittinggi can take only 15 minutes on an ojek! This usually works well until the drivers ask me where I live, who I live with, where I'm from, and with whom do I work. I've learned that getting to know one quickly is a friendly gesture in Indonesia!
