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Published: November 30th -0001
My flight finally touched down in Jakarta after over 19 hours of travel. I wasted no time in getting a bus into the city which slowly worked its way through grid-locked traffic to Gambir train station. Rather than hang around in the city, which is supposed to be uninteresting and polluted I caught the train right away to Yogyakarta - a mere 7 hours away.
The train was spacious and comfortable and left promptly at 8pm. I sat next to a friendly Indonesian man who was helpful in providing information on my potential destinations. He was not helpful in allowing me to sleep though and proceeded to snore loudly the entire way.
I arrived in Yogyakarta (exhausted) at about 4am - the streets lacked activity but plenty of becak (cycle rickshaw) drivers were sleeping in their carts which looked terribly uncomfortable. I walked through the alleyways around the south side of town and found a suitable (simple and cheap) hotel room which boasted air con and cold water only.
The following day I organised transport to investigate the two main draws of this central Java city - Borobodur and Prambanan temples. I woke up at 5am to try
Borobodur
First level of the monumentand catch the sunrise to be greeted with a thick layer of ash outside that coated everything for as far as I could see.
The nearby volcano - Gunung Merapi - had erupted (again) and the resulting ash cloud was spewing the 20 miles south-east to Yogyakarta. A series of volcano's run along the spine of the main islands on Indonesia's 17,500-strong archipelago and so eruptions are common. Merapi is especially active and erupted just a few years ago. Couple this with the many earthquakes and tsunamis the country suffers and it is easy to see why phrase 'ring of fire' is coined to describe its topography.
We sped towards Borobodur (and Merapi) through thick ash clouds that were kicked up by cars and scooters as they weaved in and out of the morning traffic. People walked around with masks to protect their lungs from the fine dust that was still falling. Visibility was terrible.
On arrival to Borobodur the ash cloud had blocked out the sun entirely and gave this enormous Buddhist monument and ethereal feel. The site is enormous and centres on a 118 x 118 metre base that rises several levels to the top.
Only the first level was open unfortunately because of the damage the ash could inflict on the stonework, but the sheer lump itself was a sight to behold.
The stone carvings were wonderfully intricate and chronicle the journey to nirvana. Carvings detail these stories which are surrounded by high walls of Buddhist iconography including many serene faces gazing with one hand up into the distance.
We left the ashen gloom of Borobodur to go to Prambanan - a Hindu temple complex a couple of hours away. This fantastic complex centres on a series of temples, each dedicated to various Hindu gods. Over the years many of the temples had been destroyed and looted but they are gradually being pain-stakingly remodelled to their former glory.
The largest and most impressive is the Shiva temple which stands at 43 metres tall. The stonework again is incredible and adorns each face and level of every temple. Steep stone steps lead up to one level and inside some of the temples. The insides are bare and dark apart from a lone statue in the centre for whom the temple is dedicated to the worship of. A bright, lone beam of sunlight
shines through the main entry onto the statues, lighting them up in the darkness.
Before leaving Yogyakarta I set aside a day to explore this interesting city. In the centre is a palace complex inhabited by the local Sultan. The white-walled city is peaceful with shady courtyards that house museums and shiny stone-floored performance areas. Elsewhere Yogyakarta is a city of delightful restaurants, markets and cafes which was great to explore and watch daily Indonesian life unfurl.
Yogyakarta has also introduced me to the spicy wonders of Indonesian cuisine which include the delicious sate ayam (chicken satay), the fiery nasi goreny (mouth-numbingly spicy rice dish) and mouth-watering bako (meatball soup).
A death-defying mini-bus journey next took me from Yogyakarta to a town called Probolingo in the Eastern part of Java. The drive gave me my first views of Gunung Merapi and the billowing cloud of smoke spewing from its guts. My transport also whizzed past rich paddies and towns which seemed to merge into one another. There are people everywhere on this island - one of the most densely populated in the world. Indonesia itself is the 4th most populous country in the world and I am
beginning to see how!
The mini-bus screamed past a myriad of scooters, cyclists, cars and smoking trucks - pulling in at the last moment to avoid oncoming traffic. The white-knuckle ride took 8 hours and I am sure it was supposed to be 11. From Probolingo I caught some local transport to Cemoro Lawang which is the gateway to Mount Bromo. This volcano sits amongst many volcanic cones that provide awesome panoramic views. It was pitch black as my driver wound his way (sometimes with his lights off!) up the pitch black slopes to the small village so I would have to wait until the following day to see them.
A jeep picked me up at 4am and rumbled down across a plateau of sand towards Mount Penanjakan to watch the sunrise over the Bromo. It was joined by throngs of other jeeps, each ferrying tourists up to this popular spot. After 45 minutes I reached the mountain top after a slow and sometimes scary journey up steep loose rock. Daybreak was approaching and despite some background cloud the view was still stupendous.
Mount Bromo and Batok sat in an enormous plateau below as the formed chugged
out a constant plume of smoke from its innards. Unfortunately Gunung Semeru, a larger volcano in the far distance, was obscured by cloud but the setting was still breathtaking. I soaked it in for some time watching the conical slopes of Batok ignite into a lush green before making the journey back down.
The journey down was just as frightening as I made my way to the foot of Bromo to make the ascent. A 10 minute hike across black, volcanic sand leads to a long stone staircase to the crater. The climb was tiring but the view at the top incredible. I first heard the rumbling of the volcano’s fiery belly before seeing it. The deep, wide crater runs steeply down to a huge chasm that is open far below. Smoke billows out at an incredible rate and is thrust into the atmosphere. Witnessing this immense power was an incredible privilege. I walked some way around the crater rim, marvelling at the sight below, and the lack of anything stopping me from falling into the abyss, before climbing back down.
The jeep took me back to Cemoro Lawang and my hotel where I ate a breakfast of
cold rice and noodles. Rice is a staple of many an Indonesians diet and I have eaten it pretty much every day since coming here! I was picked up shortly afterwards to make the torrid journey to the Ijen Plateau which lies further east.
The journey was a little calmer this time, mainly due to the driver but soon became calamitous. The plateau sits at an altitude of 1800 metres and so requires a climb on a terrible road to reach. The journey took several hours on a road that ran through thick forest and coffee plantations cultivating the world-famous Java coffee. The road was terrible and had never been maintained since it was build and in many long sections had been reduced to uneven lumps of rock and stone caused by the constant rains.
I made it eventually to my accommodation for the evening which sat in a coffee plantation itself. I had just enough time before bed to play football with some of the local kids who insisted their names were footballers before falling into bed. Another early start beckoned.
At 3.30am my alarm sounded and I awoke to an awful breakfast of ultra-dry bread
with a filling of chocolate sprinkles...and a boiled egg. Not quite the sustenance I needed before attempting the 3km uphill slog to the crater of Ijen. The bus ride to the start point shook my sparse breakfast around my stomach violently as it lurched up and over steep ridges and around tight bends on a narrow unsealed road.
I began the climb with many of the miners that make a living from the mineral found and mined in the crater. Each day 300 miners get up in the middle of the night to climb the mountain with empty baskets carried across their shoulders. They climb the 3km uphill and down into the crater where the sulphur is mined and which they then carry back out. The work is incredibly tough and gruelling as the miners climb out of the steep crater (sometimes in just flip-flops!) and back down the mountain with 80-90 kg on in the baskets.
The fumes in the crater are noxious but apparently none of them suffer ill-effects from their work. The physical toll is evident though as one miner showed me his dry, blistered shoulders the carry the incredible weight down the steep slopes.
What makes this even more incredible is that they earn just £0.04 per kg!
The hike up was difficult enough with just a small bag and I had to wait to get a view of the crater from the rim. As the cloud slowly cleared the sight was awesome. The large crater lake was a brilliant turquoise blue and in one corner the bright yellow sulphur mine was situated. The miners working below were just about visible, working frantically around the source of the smoke. The steep climb was visible and littered with workers ferrying their heavy loads up the precarious path.
A sign forbids tourists to go down into the crater but one miner offered to take me. I made the journey down the steep steps towards the mine. My guide showed me where to stand to avoid the heavy miner baskets as they swung their loads winding their way up the path. After 20 minutes I reached the bottom and was amazed at the conditions.
Miners worked furiously to fill their baskets as I found the source of the smoke - several pipes and barrels smoking furiously as sulphur was shovelled into them. Miners wore
masks to protect themselves - I had to wrap my fleece around my mouth to stop myself choking. The fumes stung my eyes as I surveyed this totally yellow area of the crater in awe. The scene was so raw and otherworldly.
I made the trip further down to the crater lake with my miner guide. The lake was very hot but it was possible to dip my hand in for a few moments. Mist rose from the water and the turquoise colouring was evident even from this vantage point. The minerals contained within are supposed to be medicinal and so I rinsed my hands thoroughly hoping to offset the damage to my lungs from the fumes!
I thanked my guide and made the journey back out of the crater. He didn't ask but I gave him 10,000 Rupiah before he went back to work. This works out at about 80p but you would have thought I had given him £100 by his reaction which was to hug me and tell me his one child would be so happy.
The climb up and out was arduous and led me to contemplate the physical torture that ensues daily
on this hard journey. From the bottom of Ijen, humbled by the miners bravery and resilience I made my way by mini-bus off the plateau. The road again was awful and was just about passable. The bus bounced and lurched over large rocks and pot-holes before finding some smooth tarmac.
More rice paddies and little towns flew by as I head towards the port of Ketapang from where I would catch the ferry to Bali. My first week in Indonesia has been an incredible and humbling experience. The awesome power of nature and humanity are very evident on this busy island where the landscape and cuisine are consistently fiery. After countless early mornings and bumpy bus journeys I’m now hoping for a little peace, quiet and relaxation on Indonesia’s premium tourist destination island.
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Martin Sheldon
non-member comment
Air Miles Mike
Mike Great to hear from you again. I can't believe your off again, talk about itchy feet!!.........you must be competing with David Attenborough for miles travelled. Keep me posted!! best regards Martin