Blogs from Mount Bromo, Java, Indonesia, Asia - page 3

It was in the middl eof the night when we (7 peeps) went from Malang heading to Bromo mountain by jeep. At first, we all kinda nervous and felt something wasn't so sure with the driver but we kept on going. On our way going up to the mountain, our jeep stopped while the driver pay some entrance taxes for us. It was on sloppy road, and really really high.. In sudden, we're just awake from sleep, we could feel that our car slowly runnind down the hill with uncontrolable. And all of us ( more female than male :P) kept shouting and screamed the driver's name. Nothing stop the jeep and we just freely running down that dark and sloppy high road. Until the jeep steer turn to right and we crashed a small guardian ... read more

25 October 2009 - 27 October 2009 TRANSPORT: Surabaya to Probolinggo by train--Rp 50,000 (2 hours) Probolinggo to Cemoro Lawang (Bromo) by bus--Rp 25,000 (2 hours) HOTEL: Cemara Indah Resort--Rp Right on the edge of the huge Tenggera caldera, the only major upside is the view. Rooms are ok, albeit a bit on the pricey site, but it isn't the warmest place (both in terms of temperature and personality). The staff are downright rude and you'd be better off eating (and maybe staying) somewhere else! Sardines? Read on.... Setting off from Jogyakarta we started our journey to Mount Bromo in East Java. We took a train for 5 and half hours to Surabaya, Indo's second city, to break our journey up for the night. Surabaya is a pretty nondescript city, what you would expect from a ... read more

(Day 498 on the road)From Yogyakarta, I opted to take a direct minibus to the magnificent Bromo volcano in eastern Java. The twelve hour journey was exceptionally boring, which was mostly due to the four other people in the minivan, two French couples. None of them spoke much English (one guy didn't speak any English at all), and barely enough for the most basic of conversations. I am not a native English speaker myself, but English really is THE language to speak when you are travelling. And when you don't speak English you are typically quite isolated from everybody around you, as you can only talk with people from your own country, which takes away an importaant aspect of travelling (meeting people from other cultures and backgrounds). Whilst I am on that topic: The French are ... read more

I heart traveling by rail in Indonesia. It’s so much faster than traveling by bus or minivan on the narrow roads in Indonesia. The journey from Surabaya to Probolingo by train took about 2 hours. I was lucky to purchase the one last remaining executive coach (Rp.110,000) to Probolingo. From Probolingo station, I paid the becak driver Rp.10,000 for a 7km ride to the bus station. But instead of taking me to the bus station, he brought me to a travel agent who then arranged a tour to Cemoro Lawang, trekking Bromo and a trip to Jogja. All for Rp.300,000. The 2 hour ride in the tiny minivan sandwiched by close to 20 people in a 12 seat minivan was unbearable. To make matters worst, I was spotted by a Malaysian Chinese man in the minivan ... read more

Unfortunately most of our trip up to Bromo National Park from Probalingo was done by cover of night. By the amount of times we had to pop our ears we knew that we were high up and still climbing, that, and the fact that there seemed to be a sharp drop off the side of the road (*eek!*). Our driver did manage to wiggle us up the mountain in one piece though. We stayed at a place called "Cafe Lava Hostel" in Chumora Lewang which was, aside from the Manohara at Borobudur, the best room we've had! The room is cosy and the bed has wonderful thick covers (You really need them!), and as it was still low season, we got breakfast included (Rp135 000) We slept really well that night, and it was a good ... read more