Volcanoes and fantastic people on Java

One day before I wanted to travel to Java, I received an invitation from Hanis after I had posted my trip to Banyuwangi on Couchsurfing online. He offered me a place to sleep, tips on how to get to the local volcano Ijen without guides, a scooter, and there was also a Couchsurfer from Italy visiting who also wanted to visit Ijen. And it was a beautiful time at Hanis'. On the first day, I went on a small trip to a beach with colorful and lively underwater world with Angelika, who is traveling for a few weeks after her anthropology bachelor's degree in the Netherlands. We saw huge schools of fish and colorful corals while snorkeling. The next morning at 2:30 am, we set off with Hanis' rickety scooter to the 2400m high crater edge and the 40km away Ijen. We managed the first meters easily, but as the road got steeper, the scooter started to struggle until we came to a stop at a very steep section on the slope. But no problem, as two local scooter riders who had been observing our difficulties for a few minutes took Angelika on one of their noisy machines while we were stopped. So we arrived at the starting point just before 4 am, got a ticket, and hiked in a huge group of spectators for about an hour to the crater edge to enjoy the sunrise. The Ijen is known for its lake, which has a PH level of 1 and is one of the most acidic lakes in the world. The turquoise water tempted us to swim, but that would probably not have been a good idea. Furthermore, according to a local guide, it is the only volcano in the world with blue lava, which can be seen in caves closer to the lake during the later dry season. The acidic lake and the blue lava are thanks to the sulphurous geological nature of the volcano. Sulphur is mined and transported by miners under the most adverse conditions. Ten years ago, they used to carry up to 100 kilograms down the steep mountain, while today they have a kind of wheelbarrow to transport the sulphur. In addition to sulphur, they also transport lazy tourists up and down the mountain, earning themselves some good but well-deserved pocket money. The view during the sunrise on other mountains and volcanoes was beautiful, unfortunately, the lake was a bit hidden under clouds and the smoke coming out of it. The highlight for us was our shadow play in the mist of the Ijen lake. On the way down, there was a little excitement when the front brake failed and the rear brake didn't stop us on the steep slope... but luckily, after the next curve, there was a flatter section and the brake inexplicably started working again, so we steered very carefully towards the valley. While Angelika continued towards Bali, I stayed one more night at Hanis' and we had a cozy football evening, during which Dortmund took the top spot in the table, much to my happiness at the time, but unfortunately only for a week. The next early morning, he chauffeured me to the train station. A few hours later, I arrived in Probolinggo, where I rented another scooter from Master Rizal, whose name he proudly repeated several times and made his wife smirk, again. The night was short again, as I had gotten used to by now, as I made my way to the nearby active volcano Bromo at 2:30 am. First, I hiked for about an hour to a viewpoint called KingKongHill, where I could watch the sunrise. And it was indeed worth watching. The sky was clear, there were still mist clouds around Bromo, and the view was breathtaking. At first, I found a viewpoint away from the larger groups, but as it got brighter, the peace and quiet also disappeared, and one photoshoot after another took place. After that, I found a small trail recommended by Angelika, and I walked through a huge ash field to the huge steaming chimney called Bromo, climbed a few stairs to the crater edge, and looked into its boiling abyss. Quite nice, but not comparable to the explosive volcano Yasur on Vanuatu... it's a pity when you're no longer really impressed by such a natural spectacle just because you've seen something more spectacular... I need to practice more mindfulness and question whether I am obsessed with sensations.

On the same evening, I took a bus through the night to Yogyakarta, where 2 popular temples and one of the most active volcanoes awaited my visit. First, I visited Prambanan, one of the largest Hindu temples in Southeast Asia. Shortly after it was built, it was quickly neglected when the Islamic faith prevailed. After about a thousand years, during the colonial rule of the Netherlands, efforts were made to excavate and restore the temple. These works were interrupted by a strong earthquake, and the temple suffered some damage. Since 2006, it has been open to the public again. And it was indeed an impressive structure and it strengthened my desire to explore Balinese time and immerse myself more in the Hindu faith. Furthermore, there were 3 other Buddhist temples on the grounds, one of which was also damaged by the earthquake but still made a strong impression. While the masses preferred to stay at the popular Hindu temple, there was hardly anyone to be seen at the other temples, which was very enjoyable for me.

The next day, the active volcano Merapi in the area drove me out of bed early again. It is currently not accessible as it is extremely active and spewing fire. And indeed, I found a beautiful viewpoint and was able to admire it in the early morning hours as lava repeatedly came out of its crater and flowed down like drool. And even though the experience was exciting, it strongly urged me to get even closer to this spectacle. It's strange where this obsession with sensations comes from, making me restless and leaving me unsatisfied with the prevailing conditions. Luckily, fate denied me my dream of being a professional football player. I couldn't get used to all the mosques, from which the not always bird-song-like sounds of the muezzins echoed around the clock. Actually, they only chant 5 times a day, but at different times, which resulted in a constant bombardment. Even at incredible late hours. The earliest I heard was 3:30 am, and in the evening it continued until around 10 pm. But yes, the hospitality and helpfulness are also thanks to the Muslim faith, and I don't want to judge it negatively based on that.

And here's a short and concise summary, as this is expected to be my last entry for the foreseeable future.

My journey began in the Buddhist centers. The goal of Buddhism is to achieve happiness, which is certainly something that everyone consciously or unconsciously seeks in their life at some point. When I look back, during the time I was on the road, I had a kind of journey into my inner self and a journey in the outer world. The inner journey was during the time at the Buddhist center, where I stayed in one place, did less, and found more peace. And I have to say that in hindsight, despite my miserable restlessness, I enjoyed this time the most. I found more peace there, gave myself more time to reflect, and suddenly became more mindful. So, besides many beautiful encounters, what I will take with me from this time on the road is to try to slow down in everyday life, to let things have more effect, in order to appreciate the little things of everyday life more. Furthermore, the beautiful pictures often create the impression that everything must be beautiful. But I can clearly say that beauty arises not only from the sight but also from the inner attitude and one's mental and emotional structures. And so, in my opinion, one does not need to search for beauty and happiness in distant places or in the outside world, but can find it wherever one is currently located.

I am very grateful that as a European, I had the financial, political, and also temporal opportunity to be on the road for a while, but if I'm honest, I'm looking forward to reconnecting with familiar people, family, friends, and environments, as they feel more sustainable and deep!

Thank you very much for reading and for the nice feedback, which, despite a decreasing motivation that developed over time, always spurred me on to share some impressions here. I can't wait to see all of you again soon =).