Indonesia - Fancy A Volcanic Eruption

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Mount Bromo (Gunung Bromo, 2,392m) is an active volcano in the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park of East Java, Indonesia

Bromo isn't the highest mountain in Java — that honor goes to nearby Mount Semeru at 3,676m — but it's probably the most famous one. Bromo is in fact only one of many peaks inside the massive Tengger Caldera, but it's easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. The inside of the caldera, aptly dubbed the Laut Pasir (Sea of Sand) is coated with fine volcanic sand and the overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly, especially when compared to the lush green valleys all around the caldera.

Mt. Semeru is a stratovolcano in the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, in the province of East Java. Semeru is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes. What stands out most about this mountain is the fact that it erupts periodically (and very reliably so). Every 20 minutes or so, the volcano belches out a huge cloud of steam and smoke, sometimes interspersed with ash and stones

Mount Penanjakan (2770m), located just north of the caldera, is a mountaintop viewpoint accessible by paved road from Tosari and hence popular with jeeps and even tour buses. Most of the crowd comes to see the dawn at 5 AM

So thats the Wikipedia reference out the way so I better write a brief account of our day hanging out with volcanos.

After leaving Kuta in Bali and leaving Sarah to head off to OZ and Elaine to Bangkok, the London/Irish smaller crew of Aaron an myself decided we would travel through Indonesia for 10-12days. We left Bali via a 6hr bus journey to the coast, then a ferry across to Java, an a 10hr bus journey through the night to the summit of Mt.Bromo.We were told by our guide and driver that it was gonna be very cold outsite - but been irish I decided that Indonesia "cold" was gonna be like a warm day back home - what a bloody fool I was - stepped outside the bus an I swear i got frostbite on my tongue before I could swear 😉

We awoke at 4am that morning as we wanted to get up Mount Penanjakan for a sunrise - we jumped into our ATeam jeep an headed thru the night up more hills that I can count - we got out of the jeep an the first thing I did was rent out a sheepskin ski jacket cause I only had tshirts an it was well below minus - which considering it was over 30degrees in Bali was quite a shock to the tshirt/shorts system.

We arrived at the peak with about 200 other people for the sunrise - cameras setup in place on tripods pointing towards where the sun would possibly rise - everyone looking forward then BANG - Mt. Semeru, the most active volcano in the region decideds to erupt about 10miles from where we where - what a site to witness an happen to have your new recently purchased swanky camera on tripod beside ya - you can see from the pics the smoke slowly rising an getting bigger every couple minutes - was amazing experience until we was told we would be heading to Mt.Bromo which was 5miles from the eruption - thankfully the frostbite stopped me cursing again

We drove the couple miles to the bottom of Mt.Bromo and then jumped on some ponys that would take us further up the volcano until we reached the 200 steps that bring you to the summit. Was really cool watching smoking pouring out the volcano while you felt somewhat safe in the knowledge that this volcano already exploded some time ago an is now only a tenth of its original size.

Not everyday you get to take pictures of volcanoes, stand on top of a volcano an then witness 3 semi eruptions of a very active volcano and survive to tell the story but hey why not.!!!

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Photos

Mt. Semeru
Viewpoint from Mount Penanjakan of Mt. Semeru erupting around 6am

Mt. Semeru
The smaller volcano in the middle is Mt. Bromo which we was gonna climb in hours time after this shot - while watching the eruption I wasnt really keen in getting any closer but hey when in Rome...

Mount Penanjakan
Mount Penanjakan - left guesthouse at 4am via jeep up Mount Penanjakan for a sunrise - stunning scenery

Mount Bromo
Mount Bromo - still a very active volcano but thankfully not on the day we got horseback and climbed 200steps to its peak

Mount Bromo
View of lunar like landscape around the volcano region

Mount Bromo
Maybe an Indian got stuck down there and is still sending smoke signals to get out - our guides terrible joke but that was his standard for 2 days

Mount Bromo
The Pony Express

Indonesia - Java
Our accomodation base for exploring the volcanoes - amazing scenery to wakeup to

Comments

[Adrien]

Wow
Those are alot of fuckin stairs up :) lol!