Our last stop in Indonesia is Jogjakarta (or Yogyakarta..same). The bus from Ubud to Jogja left from the Denpasar station at 2 PM and it was a 16 hr overnight bus which we have become fans of because it means no paying for housing that night. The ride went by relatively quickly although it is always difficult for me to sleep on buses (Will on the other hand can sleep anywhere at anytime which always makes me mad). We arrived in Jogja around 8 AM and then took motorbike taxis (interesting with our big bags on) to the backpacker area we would be staying. We found a decent place that was only 3 USD a night for each of us. We were pretty tired and didnt feel like doing a whole lot so we rested a bit before checking the area out. We also met up with some friends that we had made in Jakarta who were in Jogja for the weekend. They took us around which was nice because we got to see some interesting things we wouldn't have otherwise. That night we all got dinner together then went out for a bit but we were all pretty tired so the night didn't materialize into much.
The next day we got up and headed to the hospital because Will had broken out in a weird rash (starting the previous day). His legs, feet and arms were covered in big red bumps and the itching was driving him crazy. I told him to suck it up but he insisted that we go to the hospital. They told him that it was either a bug allergy or a food allergy. We are assuming he got it during the bus ride because it started just after that but we really dont have any clue. Being the annoying cousin I am I kept trying to convince the doctor that in my medical opinion amputation was the only logical solution but she seemed to think otherwise. They gave him so pills and already it is looking much better (no need to worry aunt Lynn). The rest of that day we checked out some sights before heading back to our hotel and packing up to head out for our next destination which was Borobudur (a big temple). We had hear that seeing it for sunrise was the thing to do so we decided to sleep in a place that was closer to it that night so we could roll out of bed and be there (it was about an hour bus ride from our current location).
So now we are all caught up. We woke up at 5:30 AM this morning and went to the temple for sunrise. However, they dont let you enter the grounds until 6 AM which means the sun has already risen for the most part. It was still worth being there early because there were very few people whereas it is a mob scene in the afternoon. After walking around for an hour or so (and yes Mom and aunt Lynn we took pictures) we headed back to our hotel for our free breakfast. We are now about to head back to the main city area of Jogja for our last night before flying out of the Jogja airport tomorrow at 7:30 AM. We are flying to Singapore then from there to Bangkok.
I should also mention that something strange has happened to both of us. During our travels we have developed a new habit that has been foreign to both of us until this point: reading. For some strange reason, unknown to either of us, we now enjoy (dare i say) this whole reading thing that we have heard so much about. In the past week we have both finished 2 books which is something i never thought i would say. Due to 22 years of total disregard and avoidance of this reading business we both are clueless when it comes to good books. Therefore we would be appreciative and willing to accept any suggestions that you may have. Thank you.
-RBC
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Rinjani Day 3 & the Gili Islands
**For some reason the ordering of these blogs got messed up so this should entry should be read before the one about our stop in Ubud. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Not much to report about the last day. We woke up for breakfast at 7 AM and we were all extremely sore so the thought of walking 4 hours downhill was not appealing. You would think that downhill would be easier but at that point our legs were so shot (due to the fact that they remain relatively inactive most of the time) that going down was very taxing on the legs and knees. It took us just under 4 hours to hike all the way out and get to where a truck was waiting to take us back to civilization. We grabbed lunch at the restaurant/hotel where our big bags were and took advantage of the hot sun to dry our clothes that were still wet from the day 1 rain. As part of the tour package that we bought we got transportation to our next destination which was the Gili Islands. Absolutely beautiful spot (we stayed on Gili Trawangan) and we were very ready to once again relax on a beach and let our bodies recover. We didn't do anything on the day we arrived or on the following day...we decided these were our well deserved recovery days. Merrill and Tom went diving on the first day while Jesus, Will and I made sure that we participated in no active activities and simply relaxed all day long. The following morning was a sad one because it marked the end of the wolf pack. Tom, Merril and Jesus had booked their flight to BKK from Java a few days earlier than Will and me so they had to get up early that morning and head out. We will most likely cross paths again in mainland SEA but we all have different ideas of where we want to go and how long we want to spend in each place so it makes sense to separate. It had been a good run but for now the wolf pack has been reduced to two (arguably the strongest and most dominant members remain..). Will and I decided to stay one more night because we wanted to do some snorkeling around the 3 islands. We did a 5 hour snorkel tour for 7 USD which was well worth it (in my opinion...Will may tell you otherwise because he "isn't a big snorkeler"). It was also nice because it gave us a chance to check out the other two islands: Meno and Air. That night we took a ride in a horse drawn buggy (very romantic) to the opposite side of the island so that we could watch the sunset (even more romantic). It was a beautiful sunset and a perfect way to finish our stay in Lombok and the Gili Islands.
Not much to report about the last day. We woke up for breakfast at 7 AM and we were all extremely sore so the thought of walking 4 hours downhill was not appealing. You would think that downhill would be easier but at that point our legs were so shot (due to the fact that they remain relatively inactive most of the time) that going down was very taxing on the legs and knees. It took us just under 4 hours to hike all the way out and get to where a truck was waiting to take us back to civilization. We grabbed lunch at the restaurant/hotel where our big bags were and took advantage of the hot sun to dry our clothes that were still wet from the day 1 rain. As part of the tour package that we bought we got transportation to our next destination which was the Gili Islands. Absolutely beautiful spot (we stayed on Gili Trawangan) and we were very ready to once again relax on a beach and let our bodies recover. We didn't do anything on the day we arrived or on the following day...we decided these were our well deserved recovery days. Merrill and Tom went diving on the first day while Jesus, Will and I made sure that we participated in no active activities and simply relaxed all day long. The following morning was a sad one because it marked the end of the wolf pack. Tom, Merril and Jesus had booked their flight to BKK from Java a few days earlier than Will and me so they had to get up early that morning and head out. We will most likely cross paths again in mainland SEA but we all have different ideas of where we want to go and how long we want to spend in each place so it makes sense to separate. It had been a good run but for now the wolf pack has been reduced to two (arguably the strongest and most dominant members remain..). Will and I decided to stay one more night because we wanted to do some snorkeling around the 3 islands. We did a 5 hour snorkel tour for 7 USD which was well worth it (in my opinion...Will may tell you otherwise because he "isn't a big snorkeler"). It was also nice because it gave us a chance to check out the other two islands: Meno and Air. That night we took a ride in a horse drawn buggy (very romantic) to the opposite side of the island so that we could watch the sunset (even more romantic). It was a beautiful sunset and a perfect way to finish our stay in Lombok and the Gili Islands.
Stop at Ubud
**Read "Rinjani Day 3 and Gili Islands" first. Order mix up.
After a quick lunch we headed to the dock were the ferry was. It was a bit behind schedule because there was a traffic jam of ferry's. The dock had room for two boats and there were four or five either trying to get in or out. Sort of a mess. It took over an hour or so for the boats to get sorted out.
Once we got on the boat we found a booth which was good news because the ride was going to be about 5 hours or so. We got settled in it was time to due some reading and play catch up on our journals. This only lasted so long and found ourselves playing a couple games of backgammon. Before we new it we had a crowd of people watching us. There was probably 15 people all huddled around the table watching the action. When we stopped playing the crowd went back to there seats. I guess watching Rooney and I read was not quite as exciting.
The ferry ride seemed to go pretty fast which was good news. We landed and then had to take a hour or so long bus ride to our next destination (Ubud). We arrived at night and had a little trouble finding a place to stay. Finally we found a cheap place that included a free breakfast. After grabbing a bite to eat at this restaurant down the street we went to bed.
The next morning it was time to explore. The town was really sweet. Most of the buildings were made to look like temples. It was a great place to search for souvenirs and things like that. The markets and shops all had things that we had not seen up till this point. After kind of getting a feel for the town we figured we should check out the surrounding area. We consulted the Lonely Planet and decided to check out the "elephant cave" which was only a couple of kilometers away. We rented a motorbike and we on our way. Unfortunately the map in the Lonely Planet did not show that half of the streets were one way or closed. Due to this we attempted to find our own way to the cave. It turned out well all things considered. We got a little lost at first but were able to see some sweet countryside outside the town. We finally asked for directions and to our surprise were pretty close.
The cave itself was not very cool. It was not shaped like an elephant or appear to have any elephant markings on the entrance way. The area around the cave was a little better and featured a couple of temples and a river. By the time we were done walking around we had gotten pretty hungry and decided to head back.
After another meal at the restaurant down the street from our hostel we decided we should figure out how to get to our next stop. We decided to book a 16 bus from a near by town all the way to Yogyakarta. With the bus leaving the next day we went back to the hostel and just kind of chilled and read before going to sleep. The next morning we got a taxi to the bus station and got ready for the overnight bus.
- WBM
After a quick lunch we headed to the dock were the ferry was. It was a bit behind schedule because there was a traffic jam of ferry's. The dock had room for two boats and there were four or five either trying to get in or out. Sort of a mess. It took over an hour or so for the boats to get sorted out.
Once we got on the boat we found a booth which was good news because the ride was going to be about 5 hours or so. We got settled in it was time to due some reading and play catch up on our journals. This only lasted so long and found ourselves playing a couple games of backgammon. Before we new it we had a crowd of people watching us. There was probably 15 people all huddled around the table watching the action. When we stopped playing the crowd went back to there seats. I guess watching Rooney and I read was not quite as exciting.
The ferry ride seemed to go pretty fast which was good news. We landed and then had to take a hour or so long bus ride to our next destination (Ubud). We arrived at night and had a little trouble finding a place to stay. Finally we found a cheap place that included a free breakfast. After grabbing a bite to eat at this restaurant down the street we went to bed.
The next morning it was time to explore. The town was really sweet. Most of the buildings were made to look like temples. It was a great place to search for souvenirs and things like that. The markets and shops all had things that we had not seen up till this point. After kind of getting a feel for the town we figured we should check out the surrounding area. We consulted the Lonely Planet and decided to check out the "elephant cave" which was only a couple of kilometers away. We rented a motorbike and we on our way. Unfortunately the map in the Lonely Planet did not show that half of the streets were one way or closed. Due to this we attempted to find our own way to the cave. It turned out well all things considered. We got a little lost at first but were able to see some sweet countryside outside the town. We finally asked for directions and to our surprise were pretty close.
The cave itself was not very cool. It was not shaped like an elephant or appear to have any elephant markings on the entrance way. The area around the cave was a little better and featured a couple of temples and a river. By the time we were done walking around we had gotten pretty hungry and decided to head back.
After another meal at the restaurant down the street from our hostel we decided we should figure out how to get to our next stop. We decided to book a 16 bus from a near by town all the way to Yogyakarta. With the bus leaving the next day we went back to the hostel and just kind of chilled and read before going to sleep. The next morning we got a taxi to the bus station and got ready for the overnight bus.
- WBM
To The Top
After a pretty poor night of sleep we got up to the sound of our guide making a fire at 3 or 330. Out of our group of nine only the five Americans were going to try and get to the top. First things first we got a cup of hot tea and attempted for the second time to dry our shoes and socks by the fire. We were not able to get them dry but hot and wet was a lot better then cold and wet at 4 in the morning. After eating a couple of crackers and another cup of tea we started the climb. It was around 415 which was a little later then we had hoped but nothing we could do about it now.
The first portion of the hike was a steep uphill climb with a good amount of switchbacks. It was fairly difficult because it was dark and we had just gotten up. It took us about 45 mins or so to get to the top of the ridge. At this point we were able to see the active part of the volcano. It was unbelievable. The lava glowed bright red as it lit up the smoke it was producing as well as the mountain side it was sliding down. To make the scene even better the full moon was lighting up what the lava did not. We took a little break at this point to admire everything and listen to the volcano.
It was now time to start the climb across the ridge and eventually the top. At this point the trail became mostly gravel. It made climbing much more difficult. It felt like every time you took three steps forward you would take two back. It made the hike not only physically tasking but also mentally. Over the last section of the climb or group broke up a little bit. Not everyone in our group made it to the top for the sunrise but we all did make it. Rooney and Tom were the first to make it and got there just as the sun was coming up over the clouds. I arrived as the sun was rising over the clouds. To celebrate getting to the top we grabbed the PB and J sandwiches that I had in my bag and dug in. There are few PB and J's that have tasted that good. Sitting on top of the mountain eating the sandwiches was pretty ideal. It was a incredible sight looking out over the clouds with the sun lighting up the mountains all around us. We were able to see the gili islands which would be our next stop as well as bali which was neat. You could also see the lake on the volcano which we would be stopping at later in the day.
By mornings end there were seven people at the top of the mountain. The five of us and two other hikers from another group. It was sweet knowing that out of about 25 or so people who made the previous days hike we were five out of the seven who made it to the top. After some pictures and a video or two we headed back down. Going down the gravel was much more enjoyable then going up. There was so much gravel that it was almost like skiing down the mountain.
When we arrived at our tents breakfast was already going which was great. As people were packing up a group of monkeys arrived at the camp site. They soon were everywhere. The porters and guides attempted to scare them off but the lure of trash was to much.
The other members of our group decided due to their wet clothes and sleeping bags they were going to call it a trip. They all went down to the base of the mountain instead of staying for the second night.
With our decreased numbers we started hiking to the lake. The hike started off with a serious down hill climb. After about two hours we arrived at the lake. Once again it was well worth the pain of the hike. Water was perfectly flat. It would have been sweet for some water skiing but not a great place to launch the boat. We took a long break at the lake and made our war to the volcanic hot springs which were near by. These were kind of a let down however. We are all really tired and new we had to go for another 2 or so hour hike after lunch. Also the hot springs while did feel nice were not the cleanest water we have ever been in. After about 30 minutes or so hunger took over and we headed back for lunch. Lunch was good once again and made everyone really bummed out about the hike to our next camp site. When it was time to go putting our shoes back on was a real chore. We had to hike back up to the rim and then maybe climb down to a camp site (time permitting). By the time we got to the top of the ridge Rooney, Tom and I had gotten a little ahead of Jesus, Merrill and Sam (our guide). The porters who we were with decided that we had enough time and wanted to set up camp down the mountain a little ways. What he did not tell us was he planned on running down. Since we did not have the guide with us our only option was to follow the porter. He literately ran down the mountain in flip flops and his bamboo stick. It was really impressive though my legs wished he had just decided on walking.
All in all it was about 11 hours of hiking. We decided this was more impressive when thinking some days we are not even awake for 11 hours. Needless to say we were all really tired and glad that the sleeping bags had dried out finally. We ate dinner in the tents and before long we were all asleep. A long but very rewarding day in the books.
The first portion of the hike was a steep uphill climb with a good amount of switchbacks. It was fairly difficult because it was dark and we had just gotten up. It took us about 45 mins or so to get to the top of the ridge. At this point we were able to see the active part of the volcano. It was unbelievable. The lava glowed bright red as it lit up the smoke it was producing as well as the mountain side it was sliding down. To make the scene even better the full moon was lighting up what the lava did not. We took a little break at this point to admire everything and listen to the volcano.
It was now time to start the climb across the ridge and eventually the top. At this point the trail became mostly gravel. It made climbing much more difficult. It felt like every time you took three steps forward you would take two back. It made the hike not only physically tasking but also mentally. Over the last section of the climb or group broke up a little bit. Not everyone in our group made it to the top for the sunrise but we all did make it. Rooney and Tom were the first to make it and got there just as the sun was coming up over the clouds. I arrived as the sun was rising over the clouds. To celebrate getting to the top we grabbed the PB and J sandwiches that I had in my bag and dug in. There are few PB and J's that have tasted that good. Sitting on top of the mountain eating the sandwiches was pretty ideal. It was a incredible sight looking out over the clouds with the sun lighting up the mountains all around us. We were able to see the gili islands which would be our next stop as well as bali which was neat. You could also see the lake on the volcano which we would be stopping at later in the day.
By mornings end there were seven people at the top of the mountain. The five of us and two other hikers from another group. It was sweet knowing that out of about 25 or so people who made the previous days hike we were five out of the seven who made it to the top. After some pictures and a video or two we headed back down. Going down the gravel was much more enjoyable then going up. There was so much gravel that it was almost like skiing down the mountain.
When we arrived at our tents breakfast was already going which was great. As people were packing up a group of monkeys arrived at the camp site. They soon were everywhere. The porters and guides attempted to scare them off but the lure of trash was to much.
The other members of our group decided due to their wet clothes and sleeping bags they were going to call it a trip. They all went down to the base of the mountain instead of staying for the second night.
With our decreased numbers we started hiking to the lake. The hike started off with a serious down hill climb. After about two hours we arrived at the lake. Once again it was well worth the pain of the hike. Water was perfectly flat. It would have been sweet for some water skiing but not a great place to launch the boat. We took a long break at the lake and made our war to the volcanic hot springs which were near by. These were kind of a let down however. We are all really tired and new we had to go for another 2 or so hour hike after lunch. Also the hot springs while did feel nice were not the cleanest water we have ever been in. After about 30 minutes or so hunger took over and we headed back for lunch. Lunch was good once again and made everyone really bummed out about the hike to our next camp site. When it was time to go putting our shoes back on was a real chore. We had to hike back up to the rim and then maybe climb down to a camp site (time permitting). By the time we got to the top of the ridge Rooney, Tom and I had gotten a little ahead of Jesus, Merrill and Sam (our guide). The porters who we were with decided that we had enough time and wanted to set up camp down the mountain a little ways. What he did not tell us was he planned on running down. Since we did not have the guide with us our only option was to follow the porter. He literately ran down the mountain in flip flops and his bamboo stick. It was really impressive though my legs wished he had just decided on walking.
All in all it was about 11 hours of hiking. We decided this was more impressive when thinking some days we are not even awake for 11 hours. Needless to say we were all really tired and glad that the sleeping bags had dried out finally. We ate dinner in the tents and before long we were all asleep. A long but very rewarding day in the books.
Mt. Rinjani - Day 1
Sorry for the delay in the updates. We have been on the move and also in areas where internet is expensive so we try to limit our time by holding off on the blog.
We had been feeling a bit worthless and lazy considering we have been moving from beach to beach and not really doing anything active or productive with our lives. We decided it was time to change that (which doesn't usually happen for us) so we headed off to Lombok which is where Mt Rinjani is located. For those of you who are unaware (as I was until we got there) Rinjani is Indonesia's 2nd highest active volcano (its last eruption was in April of this year) and stands at about 3726 m high. It is currently still "burping" out lava but not in deadly amounts...obviously. We spent one night in Lombok in an area called Sangigi which is a nice beach town and is fairly cheap. The next day we rented motor bikes and toured around the island for a while because we didnt have to leave for the mountain until 5 pm. We got lost a few times but ended up in some cool areas with beautiful views so it was well worth it. At 5 we hoped in a van and took a 2 hour drive to another hostel that was closer to the base of Rinjani and is where we would be leaving from at 6 am the following morning. We had signed up to do the 3 day 2 night trek (rather than the 2 day 1 night) because it allowed us to trek to the rim on day one, summit on day 2 and also go down to the crater lake and then spend one more night on the rim before heading back. We woke up early on day 1 because we were told that we had about 7 or 8 hours of hiking before we reached camp for the night. The beginning of the hike was in the open through fields which was nice because we had great views but bad because we were getting owned by the sun. Our group consisted of the 5 of us plus two Irish girls and a young couple from England. We hiked for a few hours before stopping for lunch (we have about 4-5 porters with us who are amazing because they carry all of our stuff and do it all in flip flops. they also dont use backpacks but instead use bamboo poles with big baskets on either end). The second half of the hike is where things started to get a bit interesting. We were hiking through the clouds at this point and about an hour after lunch the rain started. It was also a bit cold at this point and the wind was blowing fairly hard which made things even colder. At this point the group was fairly spread out and Will and I were in the front following the porters because our guide (Sam) was waiting behind for the others who were moving a bit slower. The last 1 or 2 of the hike was brutal. We were completely soaked through (wearing just shorts and a T-shirt) and the rain was only getting harder and the wind continued to make things colder as we climbed. When we finally reached the rim where we would be spending the night we found some of our porters there huddled together under a single poncho. They were shivering uncontrollably and looked like they were not used to getting caught in rain storms during the hike. Finally they pulled out a tarp and we all huddled under it to wait for the others to reach the rim. We literally sat under this tarp for the next 2 hours because the rain would not let up. As more people came they would join us under the tarp and we would all huddle together and try to use body heat to warm ourselves up. Most of us were totally unprepared so most didnt even have raincoats or any warm clothes to put on. It was a total mess and we knew then that it was going to be a miserable night with no sleep. The worst part about this whole thing is that all of our gear was also drenched including the tents and sleeping bags. There was no natural shelter to use to get out of the rain and no dry wood to start a fire. We couldnt do anything but try to laugh it off and pretend like we were not all miserable. Finally the rain stopped and we remained under the tarp while the porters started setting up tents and trying to get a fire going for dinner. After 30 mins or so they had the tents set up so we stripped out of our wet clothes and jumped into our wet tent practically naked (of course it was Will, Jesus and I in one tent which made things interesting). Because the sleeping bags were soaked we just sat there on the bare rock which was extremely cold and uncomfortable. We put some of our dry clothes on (only Will and I had fully dry clothes because we have dry bags that we hiked with. The others had all of their extra clothes soaked in their bags) and then waited tried to warm up by using each others body heat. There was a massive game of Rock Paper Scissors as soon as we got into the tent to determine who would be in the middle because we all wanted the middle position for warmth reasons. Jesus ended up winning so he had the middle with Will and me on his sides. I am almost ashamed to say it but for the next 2 hours we sat in the tent waiting for dinner and spooned in an attempt to warm up. It was a bit awkward at first spooning in a tent with 3 guys but the heat that it generated made it very worth it. Those 2 hours spent waiting for dinner were some of the most uncomfortable and painfully cold hours of my life (I know that sounds dramatic but it is true). Finally the porters called us out for dinner and we were all pumped to get out of the tent and go eat a hot meal by the small cooking fire they had made. After eating the drying out process began and we all crowded around the fire and tried to dry various clothing items. Most of us focused on shoes/sock and sleeping bags but the fire was so small that it did not work too well. In the end, as anticipated we went into our tents and curled up in our wet sleeping bags and attempted to fall asleep (which never happened). Thankfully we had to get up at 3:00 am to start the hike to the summit the next morning. Before people retired to their tents many had already decided to drop out on the summit hike. They were all complaining about how cold they were and how they had no dry clothes so they couldn't do it in the morning. I am proud to report that our group of 5 never wavered and we all went into our tents planning to hike in the morning. From our trekking group we were the only ones who did not back out that night (both the Irish girls as well as the English couple wussed out). The plan for the morning was to wake up around 3 and have tea and a snake before heading out around 3:30 for the peak. They said it would take about 3-4 hours to summit so we would be back for breakfast at the camp by 8:30.
-RBC
We had been feeling a bit worthless and lazy considering we have been moving from beach to beach and not really doing anything active or productive with our lives. We decided it was time to change that (which doesn't usually happen for us) so we headed off to Lombok which is where Mt Rinjani is located. For those of you who are unaware (as I was until we got there) Rinjani is Indonesia's 2nd highest active volcano (its last eruption was in April of this year) and stands at about 3726 m high. It is currently still "burping" out lava but not in deadly amounts...obviously. We spent one night in Lombok in an area called Sangigi which is a nice beach town and is fairly cheap. The next day we rented motor bikes and toured around the island for a while because we didnt have to leave for the mountain until 5 pm. We got lost a few times but ended up in some cool areas with beautiful views so it was well worth it. At 5 we hoped in a van and took a 2 hour drive to another hostel that was closer to the base of Rinjani and is where we would be leaving from at 6 am the following morning. We had signed up to do the 3 day 2 night trek (rather than the 2 day 1 night) because it allowed us to trek to the rim on day one, summit on day 2 and also go down to the crater lake and then spend one more night on the rim before heading back. We woke up early on day 1 because we were told that we had about 7 or 8 hours of hiking before we reached camp for the night. The beginning of the hike was in the open through fields which was nice because we had great views but bad because we were getting owned by the sun. Our group consisted of the 5 of us plus two Irish girls and a young couple from England. We hiked for a few hours before stopping for lunch (we have about 4-5 porters with us who are amazing because they carry all of our stuff and do it all in flip flops. they also dont use backpacks but instead use bamboo poles with big baskets on either end). The second half of the hike is where things started to get a bit interesting. We were hiking through the clouds at this point and about an hour after lunch the rain started. It was also a bit cold at this point and the wind was blowing fairly hard which made things even colder. At this point the group was fairly spread out and Will and I were in the front following the porters because our guide (Sam) was waiting behind for the others who were moving a bit slower. The last 1 or 2 of the hike was brutal. We were completely soaked through (wearing just shorts and a T-shirt) and the rain was only getting harder and the wind continued to make things colder as we climbed. When we finally reached the rim where we would be spending the night we found some of our porters there huddled together under a single poncho. They were shivering uncontrollably and looked like they were not used to getting caught in rain storms during the hike. Finally they pulled out a tarp and we all huddled under it to wait for the others to reach the rim. We literally sat under this tarp for the next 2 hours because the rain would not let up. As more people came they would join us under the tarp and we would all huddle together and try to use body heat to warm ourselves up. Most of us were totally unprepared so most didnt even have raincoats or any warm clothes to put on. It was a total mess and we knew then that it was going to be a miserable night with no sleep. The worst part about this whole thing is that all of our gear was also drenched including the tents and sleeping bags. There was no natural shelter to use to get out of the rain and no dry wood to start a fire. We couldnt do anything but try to laugh it off and pretend like we were not all miserable. Finally the rain stopped and we remained under the tarp while the porters started setting up tents and trying to get a fire going for dinner. After 30 mins or so they had the tents set up so we stripped out of our wet clothes and jumped into our wet tent practically naked (of course it was Will, Jesus and I in one tent which made things interesting). Because the sleeping bags were soaked we just sat there on the bare rock which was extremely cold and uncomfortable. We put some of our dry clothes on (only Will and I had fully dry clothes because we have dry bags that we hiked with. The others had all of their extra clothes soaked in their bags) and then waited tried to warm up by using each others body heat. There was a massive game of Rock Paper Scissors as soon as we got into the tent to determine who would be in the middle because we all wanted the middle position for warmth reasons. Jesus ended up winning so he had the middle with Will and me on his sides. I am almost ashamed to say it but for the next 2 hours we sat in the tent waiting for dinner and spooned in an attempt to warm up. It was a bit awkward at first spooning in a tent with 3 guys but the heat that it generated made it very worth it. Those 2 hours spent waiting for dinner were some of the most uncomfortable and painfully cold hours of my life (I know that sounds dramatic but it is true). Finally the porters called us out for dinner and we were all pumped to get out of the tent and go eat a hot meal by the small cooking fire they had made. After eating the drying out process began and we all crowded around the fire and tried to dry various clothing items. Most of us focused on shoes/sock and sleeping bags but the fire was so small that it did not work too well. In the end, as anticipated we went into our tents and curled up in our wet sleeping bags and attempted to fall asleep (which never happened). Thankfully we had to get up at 3:00 am to start the hike to the summit the next morning. Before people retired to their tents many had already decided to drop out on the summit hike. They were all complaining about how cold they were and how they had no dry clothes so they couldn't do it in the morning. I am proud to report that our group of 5 never wavered and we all went into our tents planning to hike in the morning. From our trekking group we were the only ones who did not back out that night (both the Irish girls as well as the English couple wussed out). The plan for the morning was to wake up around 3 and have tea and a snake before heading out around 3:30 for the peak. They said it would take about 3-4 hours to summit so we would be back for breakfast at the camp by 8:30.
-RBC
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Bros, Beaches, and Balinese Dancers
After a fairly painless wake up Rooney and I decided to go check the beach while others hit up the Internet. While walking to and when we got to the beach our suspicions were confirmed. We had officially entered bro town. There was countless large white sunglasses with neon color shorts. It seemed to be against the law to not say bro in a sentence and wear a shirt. With this atmosphere we assumed there was going to be some big time surfing.
When we got to the beach many people seemed to fit the part. The waves however were not the biggest. It was a let down watching a couple of guys sit on top of medium to small waves. It got very old fast and we left to find the others.
Later that evening we decided to celebrate Merrills birthday when the clock struck twelve. We had a couple drinks over a very late dinner and then went out. We stopped by a couple of different clubs and bars. One of the bars had some live music that let members of the crowd guest sing. Non of us ended up singing but there was as guy who did a very good Bob Marley impression which got a better response then the hired band.
The next morning was a little ruff. We once again were able to rally and get on our bus by nine am. The driver seemed nice and we were on our way. The first stop on our "tour" was at a Balinese dance performance. We were all kind of tired and found ourselves paying the 8 dollar entrance fee without really thinking about it. This proved to be a HUGE mistake. I was under the impression that going to see Gone With the Wind was the biggest waste of money but that was before this. The music was the best part but not nearly good enough to save the dancing. It was unbelievably boring and we could not get over the fact we just spent more money on the ticket (to see the last half of the show because we arrived late) then we did on the van and driver for the day. The dancers were unbelievably weak. I looked around in shock thinking of how many people were sitting and watching. Luckily it did not last as long as Gone With the Wind. After what became a ten a ten minute nap for members of the group we headed back to the van a little annoyed.
We got back in the van and hoped that the next stop would be better. This was helped out by the fact we decided as a group that we just wanted to get to the Besakih Temple and skip the rest of the stops. It took about 2 and half hours to get there. We got off and were told we needed to purchase sarong's in order to get into the temple. We figured you would be able to borrow them for free at the temple but we had no idea where it was in comparison to where we had been dropped off. With no help from people around us we just rented some. The temple itself was pretty cool though we were not allowed into parts with out a guide.
After we got back from our day of cultural experiences it was time to take a nap. It probably would have been a nights sleep but we got up to go out for a birthday dinner. We went to a restaurant called Havana Club. Seems how we were used to eating at bargain restaurants and street shops the menu had tons of things that looked incredible. However there was only one item that said it was for the very hungry. Naturally once one of the guys decided on the giant kabob it was all over. Their mine as well have only been one item on the menu. When the waiter came it was four giant kabobs and the birthday girls steak. The food came out on platters instead of plates. The menu was not joking when they warned it was only for the hungry. The kabob included five types of meat and more types of vegetables. It also came with a side of coleslaw and potatoes. The meal posed a sizable threat (especially because members of the group were not particularly hungry). Without hesitation we all dove in. Soon the fight was over. There were four clean plates instead of four kabobs. While everyone one was victorious the birthday desert that was purchased earlier that day would have to wait.
After the dinner we all went back to get some rest and get ready to move on to the next island.
-WBM
When we got to the beach many people seemed to fit the part. The waves however were not the biggest. It was a let down watching a couple of guys sit on top of medium to small waves. It got very old fast and we left to find the others.
Later that evening we decided to celebrate Merrills birthday when the clock struck twelve. We had a couple drinks over a very late dinner and then went out. We stopped by a couple of different clubs and bars. One of the bars had some live music that let members of the crowd guest sing. Non of us ended up singing but there was as guy who did a very good Bob Marley impression which got a better response then the hired band.
The next morning was a little ruff. We once again were able to rally and get on our bus by nine am. The driver seemed nice and we were on our way. The first stop on our "tour" was at a Balinese dance performance. We were all kind of tired and found ourselves paying the 8 dollar entrance fee without really thinking about it. This proved to be a HUGE mistake. I was under the impression that going to see Gone With the Wind was the biggest waste of money but that was before this. The music was the best part but not nearly good enough to save the dancing. It was unbelievably boring and we could not get over the fact we just spent more money on the ticket (to see the last half of the show because we arrived late) then we did on the van and driver for the day. The dancers were unbelievably weak. I looked around in shock thinking of how many people were sitting and watching. Luckily it did not last as long as Gone With the Wind. After what became a ten a ten minute nap for members of the group we headed back to the van a little annoyed.
We got back in the van and hoped that the next stop would be better. This was helped out by the fact we decided as a group that we just wanted to get to the Besakih Temple and skip the rest of the stops. It took about 2 and half hours to get there. We got off and were told we needed to purchase sarong's in order to get into the temple. We figured you would be able to borrow them for free at the temple but we had no idea where it was in comparison to where we had been dropped off. With no help from people around us we just rented some. The temple itself was pretty cool though we were not allowed into parts with out a guide.
After we got back from our day of cultural experiences it was time to take a nap. It probably would have been a nights sleep but we got up to go out for a birthday dinner. We went to a restaurant called Havana Club. Seems how we were used to eating at bargain restaurants and street shops the menu had tons of things that looked incredible. However there was only one item that said it was for the very hungry. Naturally once one of the guys decided on the giant kabob it was all over. Their mine as well have only been one item on the menu. When the waiter came it was four giant kabobs and the birthday girls steak. The food came out on platters instead of plates. The menu was not joking when they warned it was only for the hungry. The kabob included five types of meat and more types of vegetables. It also came with a side of coleslaw and potatoes. The meal posed a sizable threat (especially because members of the group were not particularly hungry). Without hesitation we all dove in. Soon the fight was over. There were four clean plates instead of four kabobs. While everyone one was victorious the birthday desert that was purchased earlier that day would have to wait.
After the dinner we all went back to get some rest and get ready to move on to the next island.
-WBM
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