Gudung Gede

So, I climbed a volcano!

My kind host in Cianjur, Mr. Yudi, arranged for a guide to take me and he brought his buddy so Kus, Echa, and me made a happy trio the evening of June...17. (I was right, it is hard to keep track of dates when you're on vacation for a month). We left around 6 pm--by the time we got to the foot of the mountain I was thoroughly shooken up because we had to take a motorcycle (even I with my newcome adventurous spirit was wishing that this was happening AFTER the volcano so at least I'd die after having done something cool). But we made it with no problems, gave our tickets at the information booth and started hiking. I had my "torch" (flashlight) and Kus had the kerosene lamp. It was steep and insane, hiking at night, I couldn't believe it was actually possible--because it was hiking a real mountain, no bones about it! There were rocks, trees, all kinds of stuff. At one point it smelled like sulfur!

It was actually nice not being able to see what was up ahead, because it was always more hard breathing. Around 12 midnight we broke out into the meadow where we were to camp. I've never thought "moonscape" until then--the field was open and full of edelweiss plants, and we were by volcano peaks. It was cloudy but that was a small kindness on the gods' part because when I saw the stars later I had heart palpitations from all the beauty. We looked closer to the sky up there.

Echa and Kus pitched a tent (they told me to sit down and wait and I was too exhausted to argue. I have to write about Indonesian hospitality next time. It's more nerve-wracking for me than Midwestern politeness), then we went to "sleep" for a couple hours (Side story: at one point I rolled over and COULDN'T BREATH my nose was stuffed up so bad and I thought, "This is my body saying, what the hell, this ain't cool" but I realized the next day I think I got some kind of bug sting on my tongue that I'm a little allergic to. Good thing I didn't realize that at the time, I would have completely freaked out (but don't worry, Mom, we were surrounded by a school group that had 60 kids and about as many accompanying teachers, probably one of them knew CPR and had an Epipen)). Kus kindly woke Echa and I up at 4:30 am so we could hike the rest of the way to the sunrise. Kus the chain smoking guide with the monster backpack claimed that it was a 30 minute walk to the top from where we were but it took us 40. Fifteen times he's done this and he still doesn't know how long it takes.

The sunrise was about what you'd expect it to be, great. If you've never seen a volcano at night, I think you should try. We were actually above the clouds and even with a posse of high school boys, the effect of volcanoes at night becoming volcanoes by day in ten or so minutes was not lost on me. I took a lot of pictures but you guys will have to wait--I have to get a massage, I can't be spending all my time at the internet cafe, you know.

The hike back down was much, much, much longer than the hike back up. Just thinking about it makes me exhausted. I'll save that six hour story for later.

So now I'm in Yogyakarta (sounds like Yog Jakarta) in the backpackers' ghetto where I have gotten lost no less than three times going to and from my hotel. Luckily the people here are used to doofy Americans. I've taken to ignoring people when I don't want to talk. You'd think this was common sense but at home, if someone said hi to you on the street you'd always say hi back. I'm such a celebrity with my white (red) skin that if I did that I'd go insane. "Hello, Missus!" "Where are you from?" "Where are you going?" I'm not a Missus and I don't want to tell you! When I need help, I just reply. They must think Americans are moody, but sorry, fellow countrymen, I don't have the werewithal to improve our image right now.

See ya!