after some difficulty in communicating with the staff, we finally had a taxi deliver us to klenteng hok an kiong. the lady from the villa said it is a chinese temple in town. i asked whether the place is crowded (ergo, if it's safe because there would be people around) and she was not sure how to answer (her english was not good). i told jasmine we need to make sure we are waiting in an open area, a well-lit one. she found that there is a convenience store near the temple. good enough. as we got off the taxi, a few men were inquiring who are we waiting for, where are we going, etc, so luckily we already know that we would have to wait opposite the temple and i sent a mail to the tour company to pick us up from there. perhaps they just wanted to be helpful, but being around a few men in the dark and in a foreign country gets the pinay in me to switch to auto-defense mode :)
it was around 11 when the transport arrived and it seemed we were the last group. probably all the other hikers were staying in yogyakarta. after about an hour and a short bumpy
by the way, gunung merapi means mountain of fire. this volcano is the most active in indonesia and therefore dangerous to trek, hence it is advisable to get a guide. the last two major eruptions occurred in 2006 and then in 2010, destroying villages and there were casualties. as such, before any trekking is done, the guides need to check-in with authorities to know until which summit hikers are allowed for the day, as the seismic activities are constantly being monitored for any risks.
that evening there were 11 hikers and 4 guides, and the main guide said that the ratio of 1 guide to 3 hikers is just nice. they anticipated that the groups would split up at some point, depending on people's pace. base camp is in the hilly town of new selo, so at first the path was okay as there were some lights from the houses. but as we reached the end of the neighborhood that was where the fun began. it was pitch black save for our head lamps. we were walking on the edge of the mountain, and the ground was moist and a bit slippery.
at first we were in the middle of the pack, and a couple of french girls were walking very fast and are ahead of everyone else, including the guides. at some point, they got carried away while walking and talking and took a wrong turn. the main guide shouted for them to turn back, and then he led the way. i was right behind him when the madness started. the path started to become really steep. it was like walking up a staircase, except you're walking on uneven steps with nothing to hold on to. as we traveled without check-in luggage, i did not bring walking sticks. which was a mistake. again.
jasmine was behind me, so i did not notice how she was faring then. suddenly she called me out, and she was huffing and puffing. i was worried and i immediately thought we are not going to make it at this stage. but then, there is no point pushing someone beyond their limits when you are not exactly in a position to help much. not wanting to hold the entire group, i asked the main guide to let everyone else go ahead, but to assign one guide to stay with us. he stayed, and i was glad, because he seemed to be the leader of the group.
in a few moments, the entire pack was gone. we never saw them again until we all reconvened at the base camp later on.
it was not safe to stop where we were, so i asked our guide where can we take shelter and wait for the sunrise. he said we have to do it at pos 1. he said it will take another 30 minutes perhaps, and jasmine said that at the rate we're going maybe it will be an hour.
we took another hour and a half.
to help ease things up, he carried jasmine's backpack, and eventually held on to her and started to pull her up because the ascent was really steep. it was no means easy, and i was struggling as well, but there can only be one princess in a hike :-D not that i mind though as i really wanted to push myself this time. in fact, i did not bring warm pants because i had no intention to stop and anticipated that i will sweat like a pig anyway.
when we finally arrived at pos 1, it was past 3. at that point there was no way we would make it to pos 2 for the sunrise. the guide then arranged to make us comfortable and found a spot behind a big boulder and collected lots of leaves for a make-shift bed and then started to create a bonfire. i knew that my ass would hurt if i lie down on the ground with only the leaves - that are still connected in twigs - to support my back. so i tried to rest at the hut and sipped on my green tea which was quickly becoming cold. when i couldn't take it anymore, i went over to their shelter. "he said you'd come here eventually", jasmine told me. of course he knows this mountain and how cruel it is. the boulder was a good shelter because the winds were too strong.
it was really hard to sleep, but since we were all tired, we managed to snooze a little bit. around 5 i got up and wandered as the first light started to line up the sky. (
the guide then showed me the spot for viewing the sunrise. he said that it's quite cloudy, so it might not be so likely to see it completely. but i think i've already had enough misfortune, so the mountain gods gave me this as a consolation.
it was so perfect. everything was suddenly right in the world. LOL
we sat there in awe for a few more minutes until the sun melted into the clouds and the rainforest came alive. the morning dew has made the ground wet and somewhat muddy, which means very slippery. that made for an exciting descent, if you can call it that. jasmine and i were slipping alternately. if i had a video for every time we slipped it would have been a segment in just for gags. it was all funny until i finally had a serious one. jasmine was being escorted by our guide, who attentively held her hand and made sure she won't slip, while all i had was one walking stick (not a pair, just one) that our guide lent me. i made a wrong step and slipped and dragged my ass for about a meter!
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| WITH ESCORT. |
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| WITHOUT ESCORT. that's already after wiping most of the mud on to the grass blades. |
they asked if i was okay, and i said i was, but i was sure there were going to be at least 2 bruises from that fall.
later on i found out i had a total of 5. hahaha!
we continued on and saw amazing views of the neighboring mount merbabu. merbabu is taller than merapi but our guide said it is somewhat easier to get up there. interesting.
when we finally reached new selo base camp, we had to wait for the rest of the pack. i tended to my small scratches/wounds by applying isoprophyl alcohol which i brought from singapore. i poured it onto the wounds and it stung like a hundred bees. but it was an instant relief afterwards. i love it.
the rest of the group arrived after about an hour. they said that they were not allowed to go all the way up to the rim of the crater. we were glad that everybody unanimously agreed not to stop for breakfast anymore and to just go be dropped straight back to their hotels. i really wanted to do the same because i was so sure i'm ready to pass out haha.
so this adventure in merapi did not end up as i expected, which taught me another great lesson: never underestimate the mountains. i should have brought enough warm clothes (pants especially) even though i would have had to remove them later on anyway, because i didn't and i suffered for it. also, to never hike again without walking sticks.
the highest point we reached was pos 1 which was only at 2150m above sea level. apparently a few hundred meters further up, the trees are smaller and less dense and further apart, until you don't see any. when finally you feel that the ground is warmer then you're probably closer to the peak. i guess i won't find out how that feels :(
OR i can. i just need to be prepared to pay again for flights and accommodation.
>.<
and so, merapi is now an unfinished business.
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