mt. Bromo’s sunrise

I’m not really a morning person.

Hopefully i didn’t snooze the alarm clock that day.

An escape in Java east – Up in smoke detour

Are you still thinking about that cone?

2nd day of the trek, gunung Ijen, another volcano that’s still in activity. The villagers work there in a sulphur exploitation, bringing back huge blocks of sulphur from deep inside the crater of the volcano.. They are paid around 80000 indo rupiahs (that’s around 8 dollars)  for a hundred kilos…

The typical day starts  at dawn. There are 3 kms uphill to reach the crest of the volcano. Stunning views over the foggy volcano slopes; takes around an hour. Then go down  inside the crater in the most narrow and sinuous path. 30 mins if you’re agile. Brave the toxic smoke from the melting blocks  as you get closer to the crater and its acid lake. Then extract melting sulphur blocks, let them cool down and load in average 70 or 80 kilos in a bamboo basket. 100 for the strongest. Now you’ll have to climb back in the same deadly path, all the way up  to the crest. This time that’s more than an hour… And finally the 3 kms downhill, back to the starting point. Looks easy but it’s the worst part. You’re already worn out, and the weight of the basket pulls you down so you have to slow yourself down with you thighs all the way down. Another hour.

They say somes dudes can do it twice a day (or is it just a legend to motivate them?).

That’s it, you’ve deserved your 8 bucks. Don’t complain about your job!

An escape in Java east – Smokin’ cone

Sorry if I gave you fake hopes, the cone we’re talking about here is mount Bromo’s.

The trek starts early in the morning. You have to get up at 4 a.m and climb the Penanjakan to catch the sunrise and get an overall view of gunung Bromo. Then you get to Bromo: take the jeep,  ride a horse and climb a thousand steps before you eventually reach the volcano’s crater. Smokin’.

36°C on the ground but only 6 at the top… and of course I was the only one wearing shorts. The true blue tourist.