Hello, my dears,
After almost 3 weeks my journey through the world continues☺️
The time at home was good, a little friendship and love with family and friends and hugs from people you have held in your heart for so long were very good!
Leaving Bali wasn't that easy. As my former colleague (who had already traveled around the world himself) had predicted, after 3 months of traveling I was just arriving in my new existence and then was thrown back into my old surroundings.
It's really surreal, even if the journey home takes a whole day, it's still like being on a plane for a few hours and then suddenly you're on the other side of the world again and you're in a completely different world. . Your head and soul can't keep up with it so quickly. At least that's how I felt. It took a few days to arrive back in Germany. After a tearful reception from both sides at the airport from Mom, we went to our old homeland.
But back for a moment. Last week was another incredible experience. From the beginning I had it in my head to climb a volcano. A long time ago I saw a documentary on Terra X and was fascinated. The Ijen volcano is located on Java, a very large island in Indonesia - the lower end is "close" to Bali.
I really wanted to go there! So I and Kadek decided we would set off. Near means 5 hours by scooter, then an hour on the ferry to Java and another 2 hours to the foot of the volcano.
I parked my large backpack at Kadek and we sat on the scooter with light luggage. At 8 in the morning it was time to leave! After a short coffee break and a prayer break at the temple for Kadek, we arrived after 7 hours. I had booked a hotel for 2 nights to get some rest because the climb was supposed to start at 2 a.m. The ride wasn't all that strenuous 😂 Riding the scooter is incredible fun, you see so much of the landscape and are somehow in the middle of it and not so shielded and it has an absolute feeling of freedom! On the ferry ride there were even "beds" where we could rest for an hour.
In Java we then went through the mountains, climbing the first few kilometers on a scooter. Between the jungle and a few meters it got pretty cool. And the landscape was completely different than on Bali or the other islands I had visited before.
When we arrived at the hotel, we stowed our backpacks in the room and sat on the terrace to fortify ourselves with coffee.
There was already a 30-strong Indonesian women's tour group next to us. Once again I was immediately the topic of conversation and after a short time in which they put their heads together and whispered about me, the first people came and of course wanted a photo with me 😂 I have to slowly find out what I'm so famous for 😂
They were super sweet and excited about my Indonesian language skills. Then they unpacked a large music box and lined up on the lawn in front of the terrace. Apparently there was dancing now. Everyone was wearing a red T-shirt and white pants.
The trainer stood at the front and went through the steps again, some of the ladies chatted for another round, some practiced with us and minutes passed until everyone was in their place, the formations had been completed and set. I watched the ladies and had to smile so much. I had to think about my girls and our guard and show dance training - haha it's the same everywhere 😂
And then there was dancing and it was professionally filmed. The whole thing can probably be found on YouTube somewhere 😂 We applauded and the ladies asked us to take part in the next round. So let's go, Kadek and I lined up between the ladies and another tourist joined us. It was great fun 😂
I just think it's great to keep stumbling into things like this - standing at the foot of a volcano and dancing to Indonesian music with an Indonesian tour group🙈
Then of course we had to take a group photo and we got some snacks from them☺️ One of the ladies waved me over to the bus they came with and gave me one of the red T-shirts that everyone was wearing! I was very happy. So much warmth, I'm always amazed.
After the ladies left, I tried to get another nap before we started. It didn't work out so well 🙈
And then at 1:30 the alarm went off. I took all the heavy clothes I had with me and dressed as warmly as possible. Our guide picked us up and at 2 a.m. we started walking.
It was pitch black and cold. There were a lot of people at the entrance, but after a short time the whole group of people spread out and it became quieter. The path went steeply uphill and there was a beautiful starry sky above us. And then we ran and ran and ran... it was extremely tiring 😂 After almost 1.5 hours we went down the path into the crater. There was a small path over the scree and it went steeply down the slope next to us. The smell of sulfur bit the nose and every now and then it became very narrow on the 50cm wide "path" when one of the mine employees came towards us. The guide explained that the workers worked here for up to 2 years, walking up and down the path up to 4 times every day, mining the sulfur inside the crater. The sulfur was loaded with two baskets tied to a bamboo stick on the left and right and transported on the back. They drag up to 40 kilos up the crater and then down to the collection point. And for a wage that many people wouldn't even stand up for. A kilo of sulfur brings about 10,000 rupiah, which is maybe 60ct!
I am deeply impressed. We climb down to the crater lake for half an hour, where we then put on the gas masks. The sulfur is steaming out of every pore of the volcano and my eyes are watering and it's even more strenuous to walk with the gas mask on. But it was absolutely worth it! When we arrive at the crater lake, the turquoise-blue water sparkles in the flashlight light. You feel like you're on an alien planet. The crater lake is 40 degrees hot and it's better not to dip your fingers or toes, because they'll be gone then🙈 The lake is 200m deep and up to 40 degrees hot.
We walk a little longer and then I finally see what the volcano is famous for and why we came here at night!
If the sulfur and sulfur vapor overheat, it ignites. The sulfur burns in blue flames and these can only be seen at night. You can't see the flames during the day, which makes the whole thing even more dangerous. It's only a tiny flame but it looks amazing! Blue-purple flames rise from the rock.
The mine employees repeatedly extinguish the flames because otherwise the sulfur will melt so that they can no longer use it for sale and there is also the danger that the flames will spread rapidly and ignite the sulfur vapors. The work of the miners is incredibly dangerous and strenuous. In recent years there have been repeated poisonous gas eruptions, causing workers to suffocate, or eruptions leading to avalanches of rubble and a rise in water in the crater lake, which then overflows and then flows over the land with its toxic water.
We climb almost 200m back up to the crater rim. We climb up the sulphurous boulders for another hour and then walk to the sunrise point. The sky changes color with all the colors until the sun appears between the mountains and rings in the new day glowing orange. All the effort was very worth it!
We walk back along the path in daylight. I lie on my butt several times because it is incredibly steep and the wet ground is incredibly slippery. It goes down at a snail's pace and my knees and thighs hurt a lot after 2 hours.
We are incredibly exhausted, but we don't want to stay in the mountains another night. Because there's really nothing else here. We go to sleep for another 2 hours and then drive 7 hours back to Bali.
What a trip 😅
The last days in Bali fly by. In my heart I have absolutely no idea that I'm going back to Germany soon. A week before my flight home, I looked online for tickets to Jakarta, because my flight to Germany goes from there. And there were some offers for €40 and since it's always easy to book tickets at short notice here in Asia and I didn't want to really worry about the return journey, I didn't book a ticket.
Well, and then I was sitting in my hotel on Friday 2 days before my return flight and I just couldn't find ONE flight to Jakarta🙈 I went to every single airline page, no chance, everything was fully booked! I don't want to get off this island, but I do want to go to my best friend's wedding! I decide not to scare the horses at home yet and not to tell anyone that my return flight is on the brink...
Out of sheer desperation, I drive to the airport and ask at the airline ticket counters for free seats... Nothing... At weekends, especially on Sundays, the flights are full. The lady at one counter offers me a standby ticket at. This means I can fly that day if someone doesn't show up. The whole thing costs €110. I'm not sure and totally overwhelmed so I go back to the hotel.
And of course Kadek takes care of everything in the end 😅🙈 His brother works at Air Asia and we call him and he immediately said "easy" 😂 He puts me on the standby list for Sunday and I don't have to pay for the ticket until I actually sitting on the plane. He assures me that I will definitely fly because very often people don't show up. This calms me down a lot and I relax a bit.
On Sunday we go to the airport at 6 a.m., followed by a last Bali Kopi (coffee) and a portion of Pisang Goreng (baked bananas), my breakfast of the last few weeks - and then it's time to say goodbye.
I'm hardly worried about the flight, I know I'll be on one of the planes and come to Jakarta, but saying goodbye to this island is incredibly difficult for me. While I wait for the staff to let me know whether I can fly or not, I sit at the airport crying.
I know my trip isn't over, but my time in Indonesia is for now. I've never felt as good physically and mentally as I did in this place, even if the weeks weren't always full of happiness and sunshine. The people and nature here impressed and touched me deeply. It's been my home for the last 3 months and leaving it makes me very sad.
Shortly before 8 the employee comes up to me and says I can check in! 2 hours later I'm sitting in Jakarta waiting for my flight back to Germany. I found a "hotel" that you can check into for a few hours. Since my next flight isn't for another 8 hours, I treat myself to this. There are lots of little sleeping capsules, it looks like a spaceship 😅 There's also a fresh towel and a proper shower! I lie down for a few hours, shower and then check in for the flight to Germany. 20 hours later I'm in Frankfurt.
The almost 3 weeks go by quickly and are packed with beautiful experiences, wedding, Cologne, meeting friends, family, Osnabrück with Anna, refueling, eating everything that is not available in Asia 😂 (how happy a piece of cheese can make you 🤣 😍)
And then we go to Thailand. I booked a group trip, everything is organized, I don't have to worry about anything. 4 weeks through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia 🥰 It will be completely different than traveling alone and I'm excited to see what awaits me.
The next report is already in the starting blocks ♥️☺️
