Indonesia - Gili Trawangan

Tuesday 24th April – Recovery

Thankfully last night I got the sleep I needed.  I woke at 10 a.m. and attempted to get out of bed but my legs didn’t respond to any messages sent in their direction, instead they decided that the last three days were simple too much work for even the best behaved body parts and it was time for some payback.  Eventually we came to an agreement and I struggled to my feet.  Ever step hurt.  I was walking like I had lost my horse.

Something I forgot to mention was that the bathroom in the hotel room has no roof.  This meant that while showering last night I had a perfect view of the starry sky above.  The hotel is perfectly set back from the main road (which is really just a sandy street) and in amongst lots of trees.  I love it. 

This morning once I had managed to get myself ready I left to explore Gili Trawangan.  I met Sarah in a café for some lunch before wandering among the shops with two objectives.  To find a hat to replace the one I lost in New Zealand and to find out if there was a bar showing the ANZAC Day game tomorrow.  The hat mission was a resounding failure and not helped in the slightest by the fact that every time I told the store owners I did not want, like or need a baseball cap with Bintang emblazoned across the front they started throwing every other product in their shop at me in the hope of a quick sale.  The ANZAC Day game mission was a complete success.  I’ll be off to Terminal Bar tomorrow at 1 p.m. (I’ll explain tomorrow what The ANZAC Game is for those who do not know).

Next it was time for a swim.  I walked along the beach and found all the other guys and went for a much needed dip in the sea.  Having forgot all about my toes which were cut to shreds by my boots on the Rinjani decent I stepped into the salty water and almost made a hasty retreat.  But I knew it would help.  Dom gave me a lent of his snorkel mask to have a look at the colourful fish.  Only a short distance out from the shore I was shocked to see how quickly the sea floor dropped away into the abyss.  I had never seen it so severe before.  It made it quiet scary to swim out as the depth increased dramatically and within a few metres you could no longer see the sea bed.

After hanging around the beach for an hour we all set off to see the sunset.  There are several bars on the beach at the western end of Gili Trawangan which are in the perfect location for the sunset.   As we looked out across the water the sun dropped from the sky, disappearing below the horizon next to Gunung Agung on Bali.

Needing food Sarah and I headed to Tir na nOg – the Irish bar on the island.  If there is a place that a bar can open there is sure to be an Irish one.  It was surprisingly a really nice bar with excellent (if slightly overpriced) food.  The only thing Irish about this bar was the name.  For the rest of the night we bar hopped before finally ending up in Sama-Sama to see the live band and headed home about 1 a.m.

Wednesday 25th April – Go Pies!

Today in Australia is ANZAC Day when the nation pays tribute to its past and presently serving members of the military.  Every year on that day the AFL ANZAC Game takes place.  This is always between the same two clubs – two major rivals of the league – Collingwood and Essendon.  So today I headed to Terminal Bar to see the game.  What a game it was.  Collingwood (my team) were ahead most of the game until the dying few minutes when Essendon took the lead, only for Collingwood to score a winning goal with less than two minutes to go.

After that excitement I headed for the beach for some more recovery but the rain soon put an end to that so I just read more of Marching Powder before heading to the night market for food.  After a while I met Sarah and not having had enough to eat I headed back to the night market again for more food.  The food was good.  I just wish they didn’t use super noodles for everything.  I feel like a student again.  But I can’t really complain as it’s very cheap.  Less that £1.00 for a meal!

Sarah was meeting some fiends in Tir na nOg’s later so we went to Rudy’s first for a few drinks where Sarah decided it was time I learnt some Indonesian.  The language isn’t very difficult.  It sounds harder than it is.  The big difference between it and any other language I know is that it only has one tense – the present.  Maybe I’ll pick this up quicker than my Spanish.

Once I impressed Sarah at how dreadful I was at learning languages – it’s a talent - we headed off and bumped into Andy, Brad and Dave and hit Tir na nOg’s.  I didn’t last long and headed off so that I would be fresh to make plans in the morning for leaving Gili Trawangan and getting my visa sorted.

Thursday 26th April – The Visa Gets Closer?

Totally recovered now from the Rinjani trek it was time to get moving on my next plans.  I spent the morning in Ecotiste on the internet researching more about the visa and all news was bad news.  Six days minimum and a lot of paper work and hassle.  There are agencies that will do this for me but I don’t trust handing over my passport.

Dismayed and frustrated I headed to the Perama office to find out more about a boat trip they do from Lombok to Flores – stopping off in Komodo to see the infamous Komodo Dragons.  While at the office I mentioned my visa issues to them and they pointed me in the direction of Aceh who works in the bike shop attached to my hotel.  He told me he could get my visa extended in one day for 400,000 Rp ($40) and we could do it tomorrow at the immigration office in Mataram.  This sounded too good and easy to be true so I decided to mull it over while having a bite to eat in Sama-Sama.  While there, Andy and Sarah happened to pass-by so I bounced the idea off them and we all concluded – ‘What have I got to lose?’.  So tomorrow I leave at 8.00 a.m. with Aceh to get my visa extended – I just hope it all goes go plan.

In the evening everyone headed to Tir na nOg’s again for some pizza.  Apparently there is nowhere in Indonesia that does good pizza.  But this place does.  It was so tasty.  We had a few more drinks before ending the night back at Sama-Sama.  I left the others too it so that I would be fresh for my visa trip tomorrow,

Friday 27th April – The Visa Run

Happy Birthday Trisha!

What a day I have just had.  Up at 7.30 a.m. I readied myself for the trip to Mataram to – all going to plan – get my visa extended and have a major worry removed.

I met Aceh at his bike shop at 8.00 a.m. at which point we jumped on a boat and made our way over to Lombok.  Instead of going to Bangsal as planned we landed at some other small town.  We waited for 30 minutes until two of his friends arrived on motorbikes.  At this point I jumped on the back of one while Aceh jumped on the back of another.  He said he would see me at the immigration office in Mataram.  That was the last I saw of Aceh all day until I got back on Gili Trawangan.

Instead I was left with his friend Jolkey to sort out the visa.  I have never been on a motorbike in my life so this was a whole new experience for me.  I certainly picked the place to be thrown in at the deep end.  Indonesian driving is like nothing I have ever seen before.  The component used most on any vehicle is the horn.  This is beeped roughly every 0.5 seconds.  It’s beeped when passing a motorbike, when passing a truck, when passing a car, when passing a dog, when passing a chicken, when passing wind, when passing the time, when passing the douchy on the left hand side.  The rules of the road are a mystery.  I get the impression that if you would like to join a stream of traffic you can just drive out and it’s the responsibility of the vehicles in the traffic to let you know they are coming.  Basically the complete opposite of any logical thinking.  So it was with much trepidation that I was convinced onto the back of Jolkey’s bike.  I insisted on wearing a helmet.  After a few minutes it was not a problem and I need not have worried.  He knew I was a bit fearful and took it slow.

It was about 9.30 a.m. when we finally reached the immigration office in Mataram.  We went in and quickly went to the desk.  Jolkey did all the talking before I was handed a few forms.  Once these were filled in they were all handed across along with my passport for the ‘express visa extention’ process.  We then sat down to wait and Jolkey asked me for the money so he could pay.  I gave it to him and he insisted on going to the desk by himself.  I let him.  A decision I would later have concerns about.  Once paid for he told me it would be 3.00 p.m. before it was ready – over 5 hours.  I was told yesterday it would take one or two hours.  How do we kill five hours?

We jumped back on the motorbike and headed to a shopping mall for some food.  Of course I had to pay for it all including his packet of cigarettes.  That only passed one hour.  As we made our way out of the mall I asked where we were headed next but I had idea what he said.  So back on the bike I hopped and we drove out of Mataram eventually stopping about 10 minutes outside the city at his house which he had pointed out earlier this morning.  Here I met his brother and another few relatives and after a few minutes his friend walked by.  As they spoke to each in Indonesian I could work out that Jolkey was explaining what I was doing there.  Then his friend asked for a photo with me.  Not an unusual request as many locals like to have their photo taken with westerners.

While sitting on the wall his friend sat beside me for the photo.  They both inspected it and smiled.  Then a few minutes later he asked for another photo, but this time standing up.  This was getting weird, but I agreed.  But much weirder was fast approaching without me realising.  Once this photo was done they asked for yet another.  I reluctantly agreed (I was in the middle of nowhere on Lombok – what could I say?).  For this photo the guy stepped behind me, draped his right arm over my right shoulder and along my chest while putting his left arm around my waist and getting a little bit too close for comfort.  Once the photo was taken I nervously pushed away and hoped all this craziness was ending.  The next question I was asked was if I wanted to take a shower.  After saying ‘No’ several times they finally got the message.  I sat slightly scared wondering at what might happen next.

Maybe I was reading into all the above in the wrong way, but I was glad when me and Jolkey jumped back on the bike to head to his village which we did.  There I meet lovely people and a lot of kids who wanted to practice their English with me, but being very shy would run away as soon as they asked me something.  Finally at 1.15 p.m. after Jolkey had said his prayers with his family we left to make our way back to the immigration office.

We reached the office at about 1.45 p.m. but no desks were open so after waiting until 2.00 p.m. Jolkey decided to see if it was ready.  Again he insisted that he go to the desk by himself.  This did not sit right with me at all and I began to worry about was happening.  Things did not seem quite right with the whole situation.  He came back and said it was not ready and we would still have to wait until 3.00 p.m.  As I started to look back at the whole day I got more and more suspicious about everything, my main concern being what he did with the 400,000 Rp I gave him.  Did he pay it to the immigration officer?  I saw him go to the desk, but what exactly did he do?  Just as I was thinking this he turned and said to me, ‘I have to go and sort a visa out for Aceh.  I’ll be back soon.  Don’t move from here.  Don’t move!’.  As he walked away I knew that something was no right and I was convinced I would never see him again – or my passport.  Anxious, I waiting for him to return.  After 20 minutes he didn’t so I went looking for him and he was nowhere.  It was now 2.30 p.m. and I decided I had to get this resolved.  I went back into the immigration office and approached the desk my stomach in knots.  As I approached the counter where I had handed the passport over the woman smiled and held up my passport.  A wave of relief ran through me.  She confirmed all the details: extended for 30 days until the 15^th June – I signed a form and all was sorted.

As I walked back to the seat where Jolkey had left me I saw him return.  It took a few minutes but I managed to explain to him I had my passport and we could leave.  He showed me the passport he had to collect for Aceh and we left.  He wasn’t lying but I think I was right to be suspicious and collecting the passport myself was the right move.  We jumped on the bike and one hour later were at Bangsal for me to catch a boat back to Gili Trawangan.  As I went to leave he asked me for money.  I laughed and refused.  I had already given him 400,000 Rp  - the visa extension only costs 250,000 Rp so the rest was his.  At this point I was so happy to have my visa in my possession because I think he would have held it to ransom if he had collected it.  After a phone call to Aceh to sort it all out I finally agreed to pay him 30,000 Rp.  I jumped on my boat and back to Gili Trawangan it was.  When I landed I spotted Aceh at his shop and thanked him.  What a relief.  The visa run worked.  It was a weird day, but I now have an extra 30 days to enjoy Indonesia.

Feeling very relaxed, in the evening I headed to the night market with Dom, Sinead and Sarah, and two girls from Canada who Sarah had met earlier in the day, Val and Mag.  The Gili Trawangan party was in Rudy’s so we spent some time there, before heading to Sama- Sama for the band – reggae.  This band insisted on doing covers of UB40 much to my horror and everyone else’s amusement.  They don’t understand how I can hate UB40 so much.  I don’t understand how they can’t.  It’s horrific white reggae music with some rapping thrown in for good measure.  What more do I need to say?

At the end of the night, Andy, Sarah and I decided to the head to the beach to finish our drinks and sat on a moored boat.  This turned into hilarity when Sarah and Andy lost their balance getting off the boat and both plunged into the water,  I couldn’t stop laughing.  We ended the night by having a few drinks on the balcony of our hotel room.

 

Saturday 28th April – And sleep…

After the exhaustion of yesterday’s visa run and a late night I slept for a lot of the day.  Sarah left this morning as did the other guys except for Dom and Sinead.  I’ll miss all the Canadians.  They’ve made me realise that my plans to head to Canada someday for an extended holiday are good plans.

At 3.00 p.m. I finally left the hotel room and after booking my boat trip to Flores with Perama Tours I went to meet Val and Mag to go to see the sunset.  This didn’t happen as the weather was pretty bad and it ended up raining.  Not the weather wanted or expected on a paradise island.  So instead we went to Horizontal Bar for a bite to eat and arranged to meet tomorrow for a snorkelling trip to Gili Air, one of the other island.

In the evening Sinead and Dom dropped by and we went to the night market for food before heading back to their balcony to have a few drinks and listen to some music.  Still tired I crashed by 11.00 p.m.

Sunday 29th April – ‘Is everyone on the boat O.K.?’

What a disastrous night’s sleep. At 4.00 a.m. I was woken by the people in one of the room’s next to me enjoying each other’s company just a little too much and little to noisily.  This ended at 4.45 a.m. and finally I thought I would get some rest only to be keep awake by the prayers from the local mosque staring at 5.00 a.m.  This I normally slept through but being awake already that didn’t happen.  Then at 6.00 a.m. the person in the other room beside me decided to hit snooze on his alarm clock, torturing me for yet another hour.

I crawled out of bed at 8.00 a.m. to get ready for my snorkelling trip wondering if I’d have the energy to swim or whether I’d just sink like a stone.  I met Val and Meg by the boat and we headed off with the rest of the group.  The snorkelling was good and we managed to see a turtle.  But I have to say I think that I have spoiled all snorkelling for myself by having my first ever experience in the Galapagos.  That is going to be hard to beat.  After lunch on Gili Air and one final snorkel we were back on Gili Trawangan at 3.00 p.m.

As the weather was better today I decided to walk down to see the sunset again and on the way got myself a Magnum Chocolate Brownie ice-cream.  Dom and Sinead has recommended this and wow!  The tastiest ice-cream I have ever tasted.  This could be a problem as after only one I am addicted. 

The sunset was nowhere near as impressive as the first one I saw on the island, so I headed back to the main drag and met Dom and Sinead in Rudy’s for a bite to eat.  What started out as a few relaxed drinks turned into a night of lots of craic.  We sat having a few drinks and talked about everything and I laughed so much my sides hurt.  An unforgettable night.  At one stage during the night Dom was heading back to his room and I almost went back with him to leave off my camera and phone but being lazy decided to give them to Dom to throw in his room.  A decision that in hindsight was an excellent one.

Tonight was a strange night on the island.  There seemed to be a very tense atmosphere around and in the bar we saw at least three altercations and at one stage decided we should leave.  It was 3.00 a.m. so it was about time to head anyway.  Once we got back we noticed that the electricity was out in our section of the hotel.  We chilled out at Dom and Sinead’s room before I headed off to bed.  As I approached my room in the darkness I noticed that the table on my balcony had been moved.  I found this strange but put it out of mind until I reached the door.  I glanced to my left and saw the window had been forced open.  My room had been broken into.  Once in the room I had a quick look around and to my surprise all my bags were still there - but they had gone through every pocket.  Thankfully with me being the over cautious person I am I padlock all zips on my bags at all times that contain anything important.  They basically got nothing.  My MP3 player (which was in my shoe!) but that was it.  I was raging but there was nothing I could do.  Not wanting to stay in my room that night I ran back to Dom and Sinead’s and they let me crash on their floor after Dom had helped me get all my stuff out and into their place.  I was so lucky that earlier I got Dom to take my stuff to their room.  I think if I had gone back to mine I would have just thrown them on the bed.  So my phone and camera were safe too.  It was an angry and uneasy sleep.

Monday 30th April – The Day The Music Died – Part II

Well I guess I’m just destined not to have an MP3 player on this trip.  After my Creative Zen died two weeks into travelling and then struggling to find a new one to buy and now with that getting stolen I’ve resigned myself to no more portable music.  At least I have it all on my laptop.

I got up at 9.00 a.m. and went on the hunt to find a new place to stay.  I’m not going to stay at Abdi anymore.  I have an uneasy feeling about the break-in,  On my way to find to find a new place I reported the break-in to the owners of Abdi.  They just didn’t care.  I thought maybe they didn’t understand what I meant but then realised they did.  They truly didn’t care and shrugged their shoulders.

Having only one more night left I found a room in Sama-Sama for 150,000 Rp – the cheapest decent place I could get.  Once I moved my stuff I spent the rest of the day reading.  When out for a walk I ran into Dom and Sinead and we went for a burger and later met up at the night market again for some of their delicious spring rolls.  It was then that I said my goodbyes to them.  It’s been awesome hanging out with them.  A really cool couple and a lot of fun experiences over the last week or so.  They are off to other parts in S.E. Asia so maybe if timings work out I’ll run into them somewhere.

Tomorrow I will be leaving Gili Trawangan to start my three day boat trip to Flores.  I’ll be glad to get away from this island.  Something I thought I would not be saying when I arrived.  It is a great place and I would recommend it – just lock your bags and everything valuable away.

Indonesia - The Gunung Rinjani Trek

Tuesday 17th April - Hasta Luego Melbourne

After a perfect final night in Melbourne at The Northcote Social Club I slept until noon.  A much needed long sleep after an action packed six weeks in Melbourne and a weekend visit to Sydney.  I woke at about 9 a.m. to say my final goodbye to Paul but passed out right away again.

Needing some food, Matt and I headed to my favourite Clifton Hill coffee shop for a final pie and sausage roll before heading back to their place to pack.  For once I wasn’t ready to lift-and-shift immediately.  After Gus had called round to say goodbye, myself and Matt headed off to the airport.  Always a sad occasion for me in Melbourne.  But at least I know I’m going to be back soon enough – if all goes to plan – and it better!

I was too early for check-in to be open so after relaxing and contemplating the next leg of my trip, I made my way through security.  I handed over my passport to get scanned and the woman immediately gave me a look that told me something was up.  She said, ‘It has shown a ‘Risk’ status.  Please step over to this other desk’.  Here we go again.  While I stood at the second desk, another woman scanned my passport.  After this, another immigration officer appeared, scanned my passport and intently read the screen.  Eventually I was handed my passport and allowed to proceed.  The explanation – ‘It wouldn’t scan properly’.  One of these days I just wish someone would arrest me so I could get to the bottom of my international danger status because right now it’s a mystery.

After this it was straight forward and time to board.  On the plane I was sitting at the very back which I hate as it’s always that little bit bumpier.  Sitting beside was a guy called Dave, originally from Philip Island near Melbourne but now working as a paramedic in Mission Beach, Queensland.  An interesting guy with lots of stories which helped pass the six hour flight quickly.  He insisted on buying me a drink, something I didn’t need after the previous six weeks, but how could I refuse.

Once we reached Denpasar all went to plan – kind of.  My bag wasn’t on the carrousel but I spotted it lying with a pile of other bags nearby.  As soon as I went to lift it a ‘porter’ tried to stop me and grab it himself.  It took a few firm words to tell him to put it down.  These guys just want money for doing basically nothing except moving it a few metres.  Once that was sorted I got my visa.  I was hoping I could get a 60 day visa but only got a 30 day one.  This is going to be a problem as I certainly need more that 30 days in Indonesia.  It’s volcano heaven and there’s so much I want to do.

My next worry was whether my arranged hotel pick up would be there.  After my previous experiences I was not sure but thankfully he was and took me straight to my hotel, Sindu Guest House in Sanur, Bali.  It was 11.30 p.m. and when I arrived there was no one to be seen.  Eventually the owner, Dave, from England, popped out from the back and showed me my room.  Basic but good.  I crashed right away, exhausted after my long day travelling and manic six weeks in Australia.

Wednesday 18th April – What Next? Who Knows

Happy Birthday Laura!!

Sleeping in this heat is impossible.  It doesn’t get below 25^oC and the fan in my room struggled.  Luckily I had an excellent book given to me by Koo to pass away the sleepless hours.  It’s called Marching Powder and addictive.  I eventually slept and got up about 11 a.m. and went to the small courtyard to have a chat with Dave, the guesthouse owner.  He gave me some advice on places to eat and how to get my visa extended but that news wasn’t good.  It’s my main worry at the minute and it seems like it takes six days to get the whole process completed.  I’m raging at myself for not getting this sorted before I came to Indonesia but have only myself to blame.

The other main thought in my head at the minute is whether I want to keep travelling.  I know it is going to take a little while for me to get back into the swing of things again but right now I’m not sure what I want to do.  So today I spent a lot of time making plans and trying to make decisions.

After a stroll down to the beautiful beach front and stopping off for lunch I spent all day reading the Lonely Planet to see what my next move would be.  There is so much to do in but my mind is racing about what to do and worrying about my visa.  Finally after heading out for dinner at the Street Café I decided I’d head to another island, Lombok, starting with a trip to Pandang Bai for one night to get the ferry from there.

Thursday 19th April – Padang Bai

Being adventurous I decided I would walk to the bus stop this morning to get the bus to Padang Bai at 10.30 a.m.  What I didn’t take into account was the heat even at this early hour.  I got up early enough so that I had time to head down to the beach for breakfast.  Then it was back to the guesthouse and time for the walk.  To be honest I had no idea where I was going just a general direction and somehow ended up at the beach.  Not quite sure that was the route I should be taking so I started to get flustered and confused with the clock ticking quickly towards 1030 a.m.  Too many times I had guys on the street shouting ‘Transport? Transport?’ but not knowing prices and not wanting to get ripped off I ignored them until one of them asked me where I was headed.  It was at this point I realised that people here are actually really helpful.  After I told him I needed to get to the Perama Office for a bus he said, ‘It’s just there’ pointing me in the right direction.  He could have convinced me it was faraway and bundled me into his taxi but I liked his honesty.

After only a 30 minute walk I was drenched in sweat and couldn’t even fill in my details on the ticket without it smudging all over the place.  The girl at the desk stood her distance laughing nervously.  I think she thought I had contracted some tropical disease and all my body parts were slowly liquefying.  I couldn’t blame her..  After this it was a straight forward two-and-a-half hour bus ride to Padang Bai which cost 60,000 Rp – plus the tip I had to give some local for lifting my bag off the bus and leaning it against a wall one metre away.  It’s ridiculous.

I had no accommodation booked, but not long after stepping off the bus I was approached by a guy offering a room in Parta Inn Homestay.  After checking the room and agreeing a price which was a bit too high (150,000 Rp including breakfast) he brought me a cup of coffee and very quickly became my travel agent for the day.

Lombok contains Indonesia’s second highest volcano, Gunung Rinjani at a height of 3726m.  The volcano’s caldera is 6km wide containing a lake called Segara Anak (Child of the Sea).  Growing out of the lake is another volcanic cone called Gunung Barujari which has seen eruptions as recently at 2010.  This is my main reason for going to Lombok – my next volcano climb.

Once my host discovered that I wanted to do the trek he set to organising it for me.  I didn’t realise but there was a travel agency in the homestay as well.  Within an hour I had booked and paid for my trek which included my transport to Senggigi on Lombok and my transfer to the Gili Islands off Lombok after the three day trek.  It all came to a cost of 2,100,000 Rp.  With all that settled I took a walk around Pandang Bai to see the beach, stopped off at Topi Café and had dinner in The Ozone Bar.

Friday 20th April – It’s All So Strange

Up at 7 a.m. I readied myself to get the ferry across to Lombok and after my breakfast of rock hard toast my host said he would take me to the ferry.  I knew we only had to go a short distance, but he insisted on going on his motorbike.  This I was not comfortable with.  I have never in life been on a motorbike never mind my first occasion being with a huge rucksack and a big day pack.  After struggling and failing to balance my big rucksack on the bike it was decided I would wear it.  This was about to be a very interesting initial bike ride.  Precariously balanced on the back of his bike we eventually got moving – thankfully at snail’s pace, but every corner was a nightmare and I swore we would capsize at any minute but we made it unharmed to the Perama office to get the boat, my heart still in my mouth.

Once we boarded the ferry for the four hour trip to Lembar on Lombok we were directed towards the open air upper deck.  It started to rain but it wasn’t long before the skies cleared and we were being attacked by an unforgiving sun.  Being so close to the equator the sun was directly overhead and there was no escape from the stifling heat.  It was even impossible to put your hands or feet on the floor as it was made of metal and burning hot.  The four hours passed quickly though.  I was talking to Julie from the States who had just been to Melbourne and also to a Swiss couple who had come through South America, doing a very similar route to me and a lot of the treks I did.  It was good to swap stories and find out our different experiences.  Then I got talking to a couple from the UK, Dom and Sinead, who were planning to do the Rinjani trek, starting in a few days and using a guide they found recommended on Trip Advisor.

At this stage I am just hoping my planned trek comes off.  In hindsight, there’s something that just doesn’t sit right with me about the way I booked it.  All I can hope is that my arranged pick up in Senggigi is there when I arrive.  Once off the boat in Lembar we all jumped straight onto a bus to Senggigi.  This was a fun bus ride with all the other guys on the bus and I passed on a few tips about Melbourne to Sinead and Dom as they are going to be there for a few months later in the year. 

When we finally reached Senggigi my arranged pick up was there – but not with the plan I had been told.  I was under the impression I was going to be staying in Senggigi for a night but he was insisting on taking me to Senaru as that is where the trek starts from tomorrow.  After a quick phone call and me venting my frustration (as the last thing I wanted now was another two hour journey) I agreed to go.  The other thing annoying me was that I was hoping to hang out with the guys who were in the bus over a few drinks tonight, but now that’s not possible.

Before going anywhere I insisted on getting food.  After that we made the two hour trip to Senaru almost killing 10 dogs and narrowly avoided countless collisions with motorbikes.  The driving here is insane.   I arrived at Emy’s Café and Guesthouse at about 7 p.m. and this is when things got a little bit odd.

After being shown to my room they invited me to have dinner.  Curious about the trek I asked where my guide was as I was supposed to get a briefing.  I was told he’d be along later as he was with the other people doing the trek.  So I asked where the other people were staying.  They pointed and said ‘Down there’.  This was very vague.  Confused I headed back to my room before dinner and tried to work all this out – and started to get concerned.  The fact that I had Care Bears as my bedding didn’t help.  Time to get clarity on the details.  I asked the exact same questions and got different answers.  The guide would be here tomorrow and the other people were coming from the Gili Islands.  Now my concerns grew.  I was starting to think I had either been kidnapped or ripped off – with kidnapping being my main thought.

Trying to put these thoughts out of head I had dinner – a very tasty chicken curry – and after I sat and had a few drinks with the guys working in the guesthouse.  One in particular, Abdul, who ran the guesthouse and who I had been speaking to most, had very good English.  As the night went by more people (I have no idea who they all were only that they were locals from the village) called by and left.  Half way through a conversation with Abdul he said something very strange at me and not in English.  I stared blankly at him.  He repeated it.  I stared blankly.  He burst out laughing and said, ‘Do you not understand my English?  Sometimes it’s not good.’  I said, ‘Sorry I don’t know what you said’.  Not long after this I decided it was time for bed not knowing what the morning would bring.  Having serious concerns about this whole situation I checked the Lonely Planet and in it was a review of Emy’s Café.  Phew!  That put my mind at ease a bit.

Feeling a little more content I got ready for tomorrow before going to bed.  Just as I was about to settle myself I heard a thump above my room.  Then more thumps and things moving about.  I checked outside and there was no room above me - just the attic.  What is going on?  Is that where they are preparing my prison?  At times the thumps were so strong and loud I thought the roof was going to come crashing through.  After intently listening to this I worked out that it was an animal.  But that didn’t give me much piece of mind.  After yet more listening I realised it was a cat playing with a mouse.  Great.  When I’m sleeping I’m going to have a cat crashing through the roof on top of me with a mouse hanging from its mouth.

Eventually I feel asleep.

Saturday 21st April – Rinjani Trek – Day 1 – I Hope

I got up at 6 a.m. and walked onto my balcony – glad not only to be alive but also not to be tied to some chair in an attic along with a fighting cat and mouse.  The scene from the balcony was beautiful.  A perfectly clear morning with great views around the area.  Once I had my freezing cold shower I headed down for breakfast – banana pancakes with Lombok coffee.  Both tasted so good, especially the coffee.

I asked Abdul again about the guide and the other trekkers and he said they would be a little late as they had to come from the Gili Islands.  These questions I asked every 30 minutes as it was long past 7.00 a.m. when we were supposed to leave and depending on who I asked I got different answers.  Four more people were on my trek.  Two more people were on my trek.  They would be here at 7.30 a.m.  They would be here in an hour.  But as time went by I sat and had a good chat with Abdul.  He’s a very funny guy to talk with and I had a lot of fun.  He told me all about Rinjani and the trek and what the mountain meant to the local people.  He was a guide in the past.  They believed some of the hot springs had healing powers and that it granted wishes.  He had done the climb over 100 times which is incredible.  He has very good English but doesn’t believe he does.  The longer we talked the more my ideas of being ripped off melted away.  He keep feeding me more and more coffee as he knew I loved it.  I really liked Abdul and would recommend anyone going to Senaru to stay at Emy’s.  Their cook also does amazing food.

Finally at about 8.30 a.m. a car pulled into the guesthouse driveway.  The other trekkers had arrived and who was it – Dom and Sinead!  Excellent.  I was so pleased to see them.  I had only been talking with them for a few hours but they seemed like a really nice couple and should be good to do the trek with.  They had to get up at 4 a.m. to get to Senaru on time but got delayed as they were waiting on a German couple coming from Gili who never arrived.  Now I’m glad I made the trip last night.

We finally set off on our trek at 9.30 a.m.  After about 20 minutes we had to sign in at the RTC office.  The officer informed of a few dangerous points on the trek on the second day which Abdul had told me about too.  We were told an Australian broke his leg a few days ago.  That doesn’t sound good.

The start of the trek was easy enough, except for the heat.  It was through forest but the shade of trees didn’t help.  Then it started to rain – heavy rain.  Luckily we were close to our first stop which we reached at 11.30 a.m.  So far we were either soaked with sweat or soaked with rain.  Our guide, Madil, decided it was best to stop here for lunch until the rain eased.  We met another few trekkers going in the opposite direction who said it was the first rain they had in three days so hopefully the next few days will not be as wet.  I was starting to have nightmares about having a repeat of my El Misti trek.

Two hours later and after lunch, we started walking again.  The rain had cleared and we were roasting again.  After two-and-a-half hours of more trekking it started to rain heavily.  Again we were very lucky that the next rest point was close.  We reached this at about 4.30 p.m.  This was not supposed to be our camp for the night but with the rain causing the ground to become slippery and our late start Madil decided that we should camp here and start earlier tomorrow morning which was good with us.  Another group had also decided to camp here.

After dinner we chilled out and talked with the guys in the other group who were mostly Canadian.  It was a lot fun with a lot of bad jokes being told.  As night fell the sky cleared and we had a beautiful view of the stars.  Then it was time for sleep.  A 5.00 a.m. start to make up for lost time.

Sunday 22nd April – Rinjani Trek – Day 2

Sleeping last night was a struggle.  All our camping equipment was supplied so I did not bring my sleeping bag but I wish I had.  The one provided is so thin it is useless.  We camped the night at an altitude of 2000m and the cold was biting and no matter how hard I tried I could not get warm enough to sleep.  I think I managed a few hours but certainly not enough.

So much for an early start.  Dom, Sinead and I were all up and ready on time waiting for our breakfast to arrive when finally at 5.30 a.m. Madil comes over and tells us he slept in because he set his alarm wrong.  The other group were up after us but left way ahead of us.

We eventually left at about 7 a.m. to make the climb to the crater rim at 2600m.  It took just over one hour.  Once we reached the rim and peered into the crater the view was incredible.  The huge caldera filled in with the lake and the new volcanic cone growing up from the lake.  If I had any doubts about whether I wanted to keep travelling our not they were washed away immediately upon seeing Rinjani in all its glory.   This is what it is all about and at this stage we hadn’t even reached the summit – that would happen tomorrow morning.  From our viewpoint we could see the summit we would ascend to and it looked very high.

We rested here for about 30 minutes before beginning our decent into the caldera.  This was a steep climb down over rough tracks and also the point where the dangerous tracks were.  We came to an area where the path was very broken due to a landslide a few months ago.  But it wasn’t as dangerous as they had made it out to be.  What was dangerous were the metal fences they had put in place in some spots to help you on your way.  They gave a false sense of security as many of these were not attached to the ground.  When you grabbed them to get balance they would just swing in mid-air causing you to lose your balance.  At one point I decided not using them was safer unless I really had to.

For the trek we were supplied with water for each day but just enough to do us.  As we descended down the path one of my boots was annoying me so I bent down to fix it and as I did so a full two litre bottle feel from my bag.  Sinead and I watched in horror as it hurtled down the hill and disappeared into the bushes.  But our horror was soon laughter as we heard a ‘splosh’ noise and saw a fountain of water emerge from a tree as the bottle burst.  Although we knew we had lost a lot of water the whole event and sight of the explosion was too funny not to laugh.  Madil did manage to find the bottle but there was little water left.  Whoops!

Once we reached the edge of the crater lake we slowly and gingerly made our way around over slippery rocks and mud.  The lake looked deep – very deep.  Finally we reached our stop for lunch.  Madil went fishing and managed to catch about six fish for our dinner later tonight.  As we rested for the next two hours we watched as the clouds rolled into the caldera and slowly cleared away again.  The view of the new volcanic cone was beautiful.  I would have loved to have been able to climb it – I’m not sure why it’s not part of the trek as it looks easy enough.  All I can think of is that it is a bit volatile.  But if that’s the case why are we sitting a few hundred metres from it?  Who knows.

After lunch we had the arduous task of trekking out of the crater again.  It took three hours and was all up hill – an ascent of 600m that took us back up to another part of the rim.  It was tough but I easier than going down.  As we approached the top we spotted a monkey.  Excitedly I grabbed my camera to get a picture and did just before he disappeared.  Little was I to know that in a few hours I’d be chasing them with sticks and stones.

Once at the top we made our way to base camp for our final night.  There was a natural spring nearby with drinkable water so we all headed there to replenish our bottles.  The water was clean, but being situated a few metres from some very horrible toilets didn’t make it that appealing at first.

Once back at camp and as we prepared for dinner the monkeys became a pest.  They were sneaking over all the time trying to steal our food and some were getting a little too close for comfort.  A few stones and shouts got rid of them but they would soon be back.  Those cute monkeys I saw on the way up had now transformed into animals I wanted far from me.  They did manage to steal our cooking oil.  I hope he took a few good gulps before he realised what he was drinking.  Mind you I would easily have given them my fish.  The ones Madil caught in the lake earlier were not to my liking at all.  The others liked then, just not me.

After watching an impressive sunset I headed to bed early at 8.00 p.m. to get a good rest for a 2.30 a.m. start tomorrow to reach the summit in time for sunrise.

Monday 23rd April – Rinjani Trek – Day 3

What a disastrous sleep.  The cold was much worse even though I slept in all my clothes inside the sleeping bag.  But that wasn’t the worst of it.  The guys in the tent beside me who our guide had asked to be quiet didn’t stop cooking, eating and talking until after 11.00 p.m.  Then once they did decide to sleep one of them was snoring so loudly I could not get to sleep myself.  I think I managed an hour or two but that was it.

Madil told us last night he would wake us for the trek.  I didn’t need to be woken and was up and ready by 2.15 a.m. with Dom and Sinead not long after me.  Our reluctant guide finally woke at 3.30 a.m.  We were not happy about this at all.  Leaving one hour late it was a major task to get to the summit for sunrise.  When we asked Madil about this he said we could see the sunrise from the rim.  I think he was missing the whole point of this trek which was to be at the summit for sunrise.

We set off in the dark with head torches to guide our way.  The first 40 minutes were horrendous and at some points I seriously thought about giving up.  We were climbing through what seemed to be narrow dried water channels and the ground beneath our feet was gravel so every step up was taxing and we were slipping and sliding all the time.  The exhaustion caused by this, the rush we are in and the lack of sleep last night made it all the more difficult.  Eventually we reached better ground and had a flatter section for about one hour.  It was pitch black and the path was narrow.  At times I shone my torch to the side to see what was there and all I could see was a massive drop into the caldera.  It was pretty daunting and as much as I was  glad not to be able to see it I couldn’t help looking every so often.  It got the adrenaline going.

Finally we reached the last section.  I was in no way prepared for how tough this was going to be.  It was very loose scree and now with the altitude over 3500m every step was more difficult.  Taking very small steps and going on all fours was the only way.  But even with this method sometimes you would take one step forward and slide five steps back.  As we started this section we could see the light rising over the horizon.  It was a race against the sun to get to the summit in time for sunrise.  At times we all wanted to quit but we encouraged each other on, knowing it was the last push  and after three days we had to make the top.  And we did!  And it was worth it.  Every agonising step.

We reached the summit just as the sun was coming over the horizon.  The colours were amazing.  As the sun rose in the east, the summit of the volcano cast a shadow into the caldera and beyond.  What looked like another peak out in the far distance over the sea was actually the shadow of the peak we were standing on.  It was bitterly cold but it didn’t matter.  The landscape and views were enough to overcome that.  Now in the early morning light we could see the path we had come up – a ridge along the caldera.  We could see straight across to the point on the rim where we stood yesterday and first peered at the lake and new volcano.  It was beautiful.  It took three days and a final three hours of hell.  But we did it and I’ll never forget the feeling of achievement and the beauty of the volcano of what was easily my hardest climb yet.

The trek back to camp was relatively easy but it was at this point that I could feel my legs beginning to seize up.  As we approached the camp we got a bit lost and also angry again at our guide.  He charged on ahead of us and left us to find our own way back as he wanted to make the breakfast.  When we eventually worked out how to get back Madil was asleep.  After some time we were handed our breakfast.  It took me 30 minutes to eat it.  I was so drained of energy that even eating was a massive chore.

At 9.30 a.m. we began the last part of our hike - a 5-hour trek downhill.  All the other groups had left long before us.  Knowing that we had to get to Bangsal before 5.00 p.m. for our boat to the Gili Islands we went as quickly as possible, deciding only to stop for short breaks.  We made it down in 4 hours – our bodies broken.  Every step was agony and my toes felt like they were a mess inside my boots.  The trek finally ended in a small town called Sembalun.

Our transfer back to Senaru was in a small pickup truck and Dom very kindly volunteered to sit in the back while me and Sinead sat up front.  Just as we set off the heavens opened.  Sinead turned to me and said, ‘Typical it starts to rain just as we start to move’ to which I replied, ‘At least it didn’t rain while we were trekking’.  It was a few minutes before my brain finally clicked and I looked out the back window to see Dom getting drowned by the torrential rain.  And as quick as the rain started it stopped and Dom was dealing with blistering heat. He went from drowning to getting sunburnt in the course of the hour long journey to Senaru.  Once in Senaru we grabbed our bags, switched to a proper car and made our way to Bangsal to get a boat to Gili Trawangan (Gili T).  While waiting for the boat the guys from the other trekking group appeared and we all headed over together.

I could not wait to get to Gili T – a lot of relaxing was needed after the last 3 days.  On the island Dom, Sinead, Sarah (from the other group) and I headed to a hostel called Abdi and all checked in – myself and Sarah decided to share a twin room to save money.  It’s very frustrating in Indonesia that nowhere has dorm rooms.  It means as a solo traveller accommodation is almost twice the price.  Because I was sharing with Sarah this room was going to cost me 55,000 Rp – a third the price which I have paid previously in Bali for a room by myself!

Time for a very cold refreshing beer – Dom, Sinead and I headed to the night market for food and then on to Sama Sama bar where we met Andrew, Dave and Brad.  The drinks never felt more deserved.

The trek was tough but I loved it.  I especially loved the fact that I didn’t get kidnapped.  It was by far my most difficult and painful yet.  The views from the carter rim were spectacular and the sunrise at the summit I will never forget.  If my travel bug was waning it’s certainly back now.  I thought Dom and Sinead would be good trekking buddies and they sure were.  We talked about everything along the way – favourite Pixar/Disney movies, music, gigs, superpowers.  Plus our temperaments were all aligned - getting angry at the same time (mostly at the guide) and encouraging each other on all the way.

For the next week I plan on doing a lot of nothing.