Richard's Writes: East Java and Bali: May 2008 (Part One)

Back from a much needed holiday! And my first outside the country in 4 years (if you can call a day trip into Singapore a holiday!) and my first since Perth in 1997. Now that's a long time to take a holiday, no? I'm not a holiday person, preferring to sit in front of the computer, but when Alan asked me I just couldn't say no (partly due to the 'begging' he did over the phone...)

So we were in East Java and Bali from 25-30 May: basically we went to Mt Bromo, Ijen Crater and finally ended up in Bali...it was great and fun, especially the East Java portion; Bali was fun too, though we ended up in the beach a lot...

Well I think I'll upload the photos first - not all of them are available yet - and fill in the gaps along the way...

Enjoy!

Day One and Two: 25-26 May 2008

Left my place at 6.30 a.m.; met up with Alan at KL Sentral - took a Skybus to LCCT (they used the new Putrajaya Highway) and reached by 8.30 a.m.. A very long line at the check-in counter - took us nearly an hour to get our bags checked in! By the time that was done it was time to board the plane. Flight to Surabaya took 2 1/2 hours.: fairly comfortable and uneventful...though the meals were nothing to shout about.

We had to get to Probolinggo (which is the gateway to Mt Bromo) from Surabaya; tried hiring a 'taxi' but was way too expensive...instead we settled for public transport...

Main Surabaya Bus Station - gateway to Probolinggo/Mt Bromo

Didn't catch it here, but there are a lot of people coming in to sell stuff - irrespective whether the bus is moving or not!

On the way to Probolinggo

Ooh...they've got tolls too! At least it is relatively cheaper...

Padi fields and open burning

Sleeping rickshaw driver and closed shops...

The journey to Probolinggo took another 2 1/2 hours...it was 5 pm by the time we reached Probolinggo and growing dark. We managed to to arrange for a 'tour package' to Mt Bromo and Ijen Crater for 1.1M Rp (approx RM 375)...expensive but at least we took care of the hassle of traveling! Another one hour up windy and dark roads to the 'base camp'; stayed overnight at Camera Indah Hotel - basic but without hot water mostly! And that at an elevation of nearly 2000+m above sea level...brrrr...

Our hotel at the base of Mt Bromo: Camera Indah

So we woke up at 3.30 a.m. - damn it was cold even with multiple layers of clothing!! A one hour hour drive up at the back of a jeep to Mt Penanjakan which gives a good view of Mt Bromo and Mt Semeru. Both Mt Bromo and Semeru are active volcanoes - and are open to tourists!! So for those who are adventurous out there...an idea perhaps? We are there that early to catch the morning sunrise...

Had to travel to the base of Mt Penanjakan by jeep

At Mt. Penanjakan, 2770m above sea level

All the early birds to catch...

...these views of the sunrise! Err...these are the views away from Mt Bromo...

The Mt. Bromo complex: Mt Semeru is the smoking volcano in the background;
Mt Bromo is covered in steam while in the foreground is Mt Batok

My camera ain't good in low light - the lights represent the base camp at foot of Mt Bromo

Actually if you note the two pics carefully - the whole Mt Bromo complex actually lies in an old caldera with a clearly visible rim - I'll try to get a composite pic...

In brighter lights...the fog streaming down the rim of the caldera is just so beautiful...

Mt Semeru erupting - it erupts on average of once an hour!

Mt Bromo complex in the morning sun...

Mt Batok

Mt Bromo close-up

One last view of the mountain

Some of the drivers and guides waiting for the guests to come back down

Another view of the mountain complex lower down Mt Penanjakan

There goes Mt Semeru again...

So we went down to the jeep parking area near the base of Mt Bromo at about 7 am; once there we were immediately surrounded by people offering a horse ride to the base of the mountain!!! Well we could either ride the horse or walk - we decided to walk. It was a tough one for me - out of shape and all, not to mention the asthmatic attack I developed! - but we got there eventually. There it was up 230 steps to the top of the mountain...

At the jeep parking area: misty and foggy, you can opt to walk or have a horse ride

View from atop Mt Bromo; Mt Penanjakan is in the background

You can see the trail we went through once the fog/mist cleared slightly

Looking down the 230 steps it took to get up!

Mt Batok close-up from Mt Bromo

Part of the viewing area

Smoking: an active volcano

Exhilarated!

We only spent about an hour and a half up there - we had to get back to base camp to catch our transport to Ijen Crater. To be fast we took the horse ride down!!! Anyway we had our breakfast at 9.00 a.m. and was back down to Probolinggo by 9.30 a.m.