0030 – Waked up, packing and checked out room as we need to
carry our backpack to the Ijen and we’re not coming back to homestay after
visit Ijen Crater. The breakfast included were only 2 bread with little jam and
a hard boiled egg. We had to eat the breakfast in the van as the driver gave
out very late. The followed the same van as yesterday drove us to the homestay.
0200 – Reached the base camp where there were a lot of
vehicle and people. Met the guide and his name is Suki and hence name our group
as Suki group. He had to guide this big group of around 15 people! Hence, I
think they could earn a lot from guiding than mining. We were given the gas
mask. All westerner climbed very fast and we Asian people was like very slow as
the route was quite steep at the first half. But this guide stopped for a while
to gather all the people which was a good thing. I tried to find a wooden stick
for my dear from cutting a dropped tree branch. But the guide found one even
faster from the bush. Then continued climbing for a half hour, the guide
stopped at a wooden house to gather people again. We haven’t rest to recover
our stamina, guide told others to continued the journey already. So we just
followed the crowd ourselves hence I don’t think we need to guide to go to see
the blue fire as there was a lot people climbing at this hour. When we reached
to the top of the crater, the wind become so strong that we have to stop to
withstand the wind as the path is very sandy and near to the cliff.
0430 – After 1.5 hour climbing up and half hour climbing
down, we reached Ijen Crater. We saw the blue flame from far away as the
sulphur small was very strong even tough we were wearing the gas mask. After
that, I went closer to see the blue fire. But it need timing to capture a good
blue fire as the smoke come out unexpectedly. After that, guide brought us
nearer to the lake to take some good photos.
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| The path was very dark and headlight was very useful. |
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| Near to the blue fire |
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| Way to take photo with blue fire. I was wearing blue mask and blue windbreaker too! |
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| Closer look for blue fire. |
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| The mining worker. |
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| Ijen Crater lake |
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| The miners carry the sulphur which is around 20 kg. One of them in the photo is my guide. He climbed with the sulfur the same same speed as us went going back. |
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| Sulfur souvenir |
0530 – Went back by climbing up from the crater and climbing down the mountain. I went down very fast as I was rush for a toilet since this place was very cool.
0700 – After reached the base camp and went for toilet, we had some breakfast at the warung since the driver departed time is around 8am. After got on van, we slept all the way.
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| Fried snack of 10 pieces IDR 15k |
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| Nasi Goreng IDR 15k |
0930 – Van stopped at the roadside after I just woke up. I was so blur that time as I didn’t know that we had reached the Ketapang Harbour which is few minutes walking away. The driver offer us the bus to Bali Ubung Terminal for IDR 100k/person. But we were not going to take it as we had cheaper way. Some of us walked to the harbour and bought the ticket for just IDR 6.5k/person to go to Gilimanuk. After got on the ferry, we saw the Bali island which is quite near hence I think it is a very short travel time. But the ferry that we took hover at the middle of the strait for a while.
1130 (1030 for jawa island time since Bali time is faster an hour) – Reached Gilimanuk Harbour, there were a lot of people asking you for taxi but we just walked to the bus terminal which is just few minutes walking away. In this terminal, only had very simple stalls. To find the food is quite hard, as we only found a stall with one table that selling fried rice.
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| Gilimanuk Harbour |
1230 – After lunch, we tried to find the bus ticket counter. However, there is no bus ticket counter. We paid the fare inside the bus which don’t ticket provided. To go to the Ubung terminal, it cost IDR 50k/person. After bus departed, we saw there is a small banner indicating the bus fare which Is IDR 35k/person. We were scammed.T.T. However, the bus that we sit is very new and air cond is very cold. The seat even can lower down to sleep well. We slept for two-third of the journey.
1700 – After 4 hours of journey, we reached the Ubung Terminal but the bus stopped at the road side instead of inside the bus terminal. There were a lot of people approach us for the taxi. However, I had booked the scooter for 12 days. While waiting they sent the motor to the terminal, we walked around terminal. We saw there are a lot of bus destination in Jawa available here like Surabaya, Yogyakarta and even Jakarta. After motorbike come and completed the payment, I put the 4 backpack on the scooter since we had booked the accommodation at Ubud which is very far away and hence one time brought all the thing went to guesthouse.
1900 – Reached the Soca House. I only saw an opened pool and few room in this guesthouse but no any check in counter or owner. After asked the people staying inside the room, we just known that there was another side of the house in front which is separated. Maybe it was to dark at that time that I didn’t see the sign board of this house. Then we went out to find dinner, just tried out the street food as we seen that the food in restaurant and bar is very expensive especially in the tourist area.
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| Fried Snack |
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| Street food, Nasi with little of meat |
