Volcanoes

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Plans were made...transport sorted out. We arranged a private driver to bring us to Gilimanuk in the Nort-West of Bali where we would catch a ferry to Java.

10 am, no driver, 10h30, no driver, okay, I was getting very nervous and furious. Those guys they had been bothering us so much and when finally we agreed on a price (a lot higher then 1 month ago but it was high season now ) they take the piss on us. The driver shows up accidently, and for once Jesper let go of his anger...

I made my conclusion fast, asked the hotel receptionist to arrange a taxi to the busstation north of Denpasar. This is what we've been wanting to do more, so here we go.

We said goodbye to Sebastiaan and the taxi arrived 10 minutes later and after 30 min we arrived at a 'bus station' if you can call it like this. We paid IDR 60.000 . The bus was about to leave, I asked the price: IDR 50.000 pp. In the lonely planet the price was only half, so I checked several times, but the old man assured me that this was the 'normal' price... What to do but to pay? Pay of course ... for 4 persons, Ask goes for free.

So we installed ourselves, in a bus that had probably served already 30 years and is what I would call in dutch 'krakkemikkig'! We found out we paid more compared to the local people (we were the only tourists )anyway but what the hell, we were happy to be on the move and to be between the local people, and not in a fancy car with private driver. We also saved a lot of money like this! We drove 4 hours and reached the harbour of Gilimanuk where the ferry was ready to leave. Of course people come for a chat, take over your luggage to help, until I took over again! I think they were fairly surprised but I didn't want to be treated like a tourist and I'm not a kid either. I'll carry my own and my kids luggage !!!

Anyway, 30 min on the ferry and the boys were allowed at the steering in the captains cabin! Some kind of official was awaiting us by the harbour .... the news spreads fast. Okay, he was an oficial guy so that should be worth while... We found out otherwise. Nothing is official in this country. It all seems to be a set-up, what a horrible thought. But the truth.

We got to Banyuwangi by bemo, checked in a hotel with huge pool and slidings, super!

Straight away we got offers to go see the Ijen crater by jeep (because the road up there is very bad). We wanted some rest really, but yes, we have to continu planning... We arranged a transport with the hotel to the coffee plantation in the neighbourhood of Ijen. Here we would sleep over, rise early (not before sunrise) and walk up the mountain to see the beauty of this crater. First a nice sleep in Banyuwangi, the next morning we enjoyed the pool and after midday the jeep took us in- and upland!

We arrived late afternoon at the Catimore coffee plantation. The sun was already setting and it was chilly... We visited the plantation, had a meal and since there was nothing else to do, went of to bed, seeking heat under the blankets ( and with clothes still on) . We got up 6am and left to the foot of Kawah Ijen. 7 am we started our climb, it took more or less 2 h with a tea stop. After this exercice we got rewarded and became spectators of the most amazing view of Kawah Ijen!!! Really breathtaking! The men here walk up the mountain twice per day, then they descent into the crater to collect sulfur. It's there way of making a living... A very hard way. They carry down up to 80kg of this sulfur in baskets on their backs and if I remember well earn maximum € 100 per month. It's very hard to imagine this kind of life. And it shouldn't be healthy either, for backs nor lungs...

Later that day we made our way back to Banyuwangi trough the jungle. We stopped for some clove leaves because Skye's teeth were hurting. We also picked cinnamon (from the tree bark) , inspected coffee plants and their beans and arrived tired at the hotel ...

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