Friday 15 May 2015

A volcano within a volcano?


Rinjani is one of the very few or probably the only place in the world which has a lake within a volcano and in the middle of the lake yet another live volcano!We were lucky the weather was on our side throughout the 4 days and was treated to a spectacular sunset at the Summit. I'll leave the description of the mountain to the pictures but even the most beautiful of them just can't replace the experience of being there yourself. 




Ahmed's trekking centre

Quick briefing by the jovial boss, Ahmed


Right after a quick lunch at 3pm, we kicked off from Senaru village, scurried up the initial steep slopes the moment we set foot on trail. Our initial plan was to camp at 'POS3' one of the checkpoints towards Senaru crater but due to the time we started, Ahmed's suggestion was to camp for the night at 'POS2'


The initial part of the hike is in deep vegetation which provides shelter from the merciless afternoon sun. Most parts of the path are barren and can only imagine how muddy it will turn out during the monsoon seasons



After about 4 hours of continuous trekking, we reached POS2!
The porters were ahead of us and when we settled, hot piping food was ready to tame our growling stomachs. The last thing we wanted was to have a bad meal to end the day. When the food was served, what was presented before us was way beyond our expectations! The presentation and taste was just superb, never have I had such a good meal in an outdoor setting. We were also given a choice of coffee, tea and hot chocolate. The items in our tent like the sleeping mats and bags were nicely set up together with a small air pillow. I have always been skeptical about the sleeping bags provided by trekking companies as they were either not warm enough or damp because of inadequate waterproofing.
But after using theirs, I was very much assured!



Second day, we woke up at 6am and ended up setting off a little later at 730am. The path up to 'Pos3' wasn't particularly difficult. Along the way, Alan caught sight of several black monkeys with long limbs and tail (resembles spider monkeys) above the treeline, at first they were curious and stopped to look at us but quickly scattered when I tried to take a few snaps on my camera (this explains the absence of the photos!) About 5 minuutes walk away we came across the more common grey haired macaques which according to the guide are more aggressive and brazen compared to their shy cousins which we saw earlier.



The main problem about the increasing brazen behavior of these monkeys is not on the monkeys themselves but rather on us humans improperly discarding food and waste which attracts these animals. The monkeys have gotten too dependent on our food that they choose the easy way out rather than look for food on their own.


Big props to environmentally friendly guides and porters like these who ply through the mountains looking for discarded recyclables.















This is the 2nd volcano I've ascended in Indonesia and the first one was such a disappointment it didn't leave me satisfied with the experience. Rinjani turned things around 180 degrees, especially with Ahmed's Expeditions. As a really stingy traveller, I made sure I wanted to get the best deal out of the price I pay and at the same time expect quality service. Seemingly hard to believe, I wasn't disappointed at all.

Upon recommendation by Ahmed we took a 4D/3N package because not everyone in the group was experienced. Ahmed's crew gave us the freedom of time without a single time rushing us. The porters were always at the front no matter how early we set out first making sure our latrine, tents and food were ready upon reaching camp. The crew were always in a jovial mood, never once seen any of them express discontent by our fussy requests. Adi my guide was especially helpful, I remember vividly there was one time my glove was blown to the edge of a steep slope, and without consideration of his safety reached out a couple of meters to get it back for me! Truly blessed to have him looking over our welfare. Warm food is a luxury on a mountain while good food, a scarcity. At the end of a long day, all we wanted was a hot meal enough to fill our stomachs but we got more than we expected. From spring rolls for starters to explicitly garnished Nasi/Mee goreng and finely cut fresh fruits. What more could we ask for!

Having said so much good things about this mountain, there is however one major problem. If gone unresolved, it definitely will bring this #1 attraction all the way to the bottom. Beyond the beautiful pictures, what people rarely take notice are the rubbish and human waste scattered throughout the camp sites and along the trails. Almost every square inch of the camp site is badly littered. Even Segara Anak has been polluted with trash, oil and swill from the washing of utensils. It is saddening to see such a beautiful place transformed to such a state and my guess is that it will only get worse if no action is taken. Although there are few companies taking the Eco initiative to clean up the area which they have used, it is definitely not enough without the local government's intervention and social consciousness on everyone's part. For anyone visiting, please help to make this place a more beautiful place :)