Lombok Weekend (Rinjani and the Gili's)

The start of the hike

This past weekend, I took some holiday to really extend my trip and see some of lombok Island, which is just east of Java... It is a really really nice place, and since it doesn't have an international airport (yet) it is still reletively pristine. Here's how the trip went.

The weekend before I had been to Bali, to party and surf with friends, and flown back monday morning, bright and early before work. Wednesday night, I took an overnight train to Banyuangi, a ferry to cross over to Gilimanuk (on Bali) and then a 3 hour bus ride into the heart of Bali. From there I jumped on the back of a motorcycle taxi for the hour plus trip to Padang Bai, where I met up with Mary (old friend visiting Indonesia) and took a 5 hour ferry accross to Lombok. Here we met out driver, who took us into town, let us swap bags so we only had to carry our little packs and then drove us to a mountain town, where we would be starting to trek the next day. All in all it was about 25 hours of travelling from when I left my town Surabaya, and got to Senaru in Lombok. Felt like days...

We then started the trek the next day, which pretty much involved 9 hours of an uphill climb to about 2700 meters. It was really tough, and I spent a lot of time taking breaks, panting, wishing it were easier and hoping the next restpoint would be around the next ridge in the hills. It was a hard hike. However, horrible cramps, breathless stops and lunch and a snack later, we reached the top at about 6 pm. We had left at 9 am. At the top of the crater rim (the mountain was actually higher, but we didnt have the time, or strength in my case, to summit it). the crater rim was a huge rim and valley inside that had been created when the old mountain volcano had been active. Now it had sunk down, and the lake was full of rainwater that had collected. However, the big attraction here is Gunung Baru, or New Mountain, because the active volcano inside the crater has already blown its top multiple times, and formed a wonderful little cone coming out of the lake. It was a fantastic view looking down into this crater at a heavily smoking and rumbling new volcano.

The view from the crater rim down

That night though was the special treat. At night, once the sun had set and the rain cleared, we checked the colvano to see LAVA coming down its side. Almost every day you can see the reddish glow of lava slowely flowing down the side of the volcano, and hear the thunderous rumbles of more activity. Sometimes at night, a huge smoke burst will erupt and you can see faintly some lava being shot into the air. I had never seen lava before, and even though we were so far away, it was an amazing sight.

In the morning, on the crater rim

We had our dinner, watched the volcano and fell asleep. At three AM, for a bathroom break I was awoken to a dazzling sky of stars, a lightning storm off in the east, and more rumbling and the chance to see some glowing red-orange lava. What a sight for 3am! Made it almost feel like you were back with the dinosaurs!

The hike down the next morning was 5 hours of downhill, which I took very slow as to not hurt my legs and/or knees and/or slip and fall. At the bottom, it started pouring rain, so the hiking got even slower and more dangerous, but luckily it was closer tot he bottom and not so steep.

With the volcano under our belt, we took a public bemo to the local paradise islands, the Gili's. The bemo is a public bus, whichi s more like a large van, with about 30 seats crammed into it. At our fullest, we counted about 38 men, women and children, not including all the luggage balanced on top and some people hanging off the sides or sitting on the roof. It's a hilarious way to travel around here, and you really get a better feel for daily life. You slowely wind through the local towns and villages, picking up women to sell their goods, families going to visit the next town, or people headed into the city to work. Tourists rarely take such transport (but its so cheap!) so they had fun watching us crammed in with the rest.

View from our lunch table

We got off at our stop, and made our way to the port to get a ferry to Gili Meno, which (we found out after we got there ) is known as Honeymoon Island, for its love couples and lack of a party scene. It was worth it, because we deserved a break after climing Rinani. We got a cheap room, layed on the beach for dusk and sunset and had a relaxing eve. The enxt day we hung out on the island, and took an afternooon ferry to the more populated island to check it out and get a taste of the different islands.

This island had a lot more people and backpackers, dive shops, bars, restaurants, drinking etc. While we could hardly partake in the festivities becuase I, for one, couldn't walk right after the climb, I looked like a cowboy mixed with someone who had recently broken their legs and started therepy. Stairs would make me stop in my tracks and go one at a time, needing to hold onto something, and slight inclines or declines in the road would scare me. It worked out though, and we saw another island, enjoyed the warm waters and relaxed.

Sunset on Gili T

We enjoyed our quick jaunt at the islands, but had another long day of transport ahead of us, ferries, busses, cars, etc. We met some cool South Africans on the long ferry to Bali, who even gave us a ride into town in their car, and we hung out the evening with them, sharing our love of Mexican food, and the only legit Mexican restaurant I've found in Asia so far. It was delicious.

I then flew back to Surabaya Tuesday morning, bright and early and have been struggling to stay awake at work. Luckily, the next two weekends I have nothing planned, so I think I will be relaxing, sleeping, and saving money.

The beach on Gili Meno, with Gili T in the background

Thanks for the package Shelley! Don't know about the dental hygeine slant, but thank you. The candy was delicious and the shirt is.. well, Ill be wearing that on casual Friday, for sure :)

Hope all is well with everyone else. Enjoy the holidays!!!