Ferry Terminal, Padang Bai, Bali, Indonesia
As I arrived at the Ferry Terminal in Padang Bai, Bali, Indonesia, I felt a sense of unease. I awaited a “safe” time to journey by slow ferry to Lembar. I was about to embark on a journey to Lembar, a port of entry that I had been warned was quite daunting. The plan was to take a slow ferry and then make my way to Sempol Village by minivan for 30,000 rupiah. However, I had no idea how I was going to get from Lembar to Bangsal.
Running and hitching a ride to Ijen
Amidst my walk to Ijen, I got passed by two local runners out for a training run. Not one to back down from a challenge, I decided to tighten by backpack straps and run alongside the two runners for the next 8km. Eventually, a kind stranger allowed me to hitch a ride the rest of the way to the base of Ijen.
Caught in a Sulfur Cloud
As the night grew darker, I waited until midnight to begin the trek up Ijen. I haggled my tourist entry down to 100,000 rupiah, while the locals paid only 7,500. I started to climb Mount Ijen just passed midnight, 40 minutes behind the first folks to go up the mountain. With just a flimsy flashlight, I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I ventured into the darkness. I raced past hundreds of fellow climbers on my way up and managed to arrive first at the summit before descending into the volcano. I got a special tour from Asmo, a sulfur carrier and tour guide. He took me to the best spot to see the blue lava Mount Ijen is known for. It looks like blue fire because of the high sulfur content in the volcano.
As we dodged falling molten lava and breathed in sulfur clouds, I felt a sense of danger looming over me. My heart was pounding in my chest as I tried to capture the perfect shot of the blue lava. But suddenly, I was caught in a sulfur cloud and I panicked, unable to breathe. I could feel my chest tightening and my head spinning. I thought it was the end for me.
With zero visibility, I could only rely on my sense of touch to navigate through the cloud. Suddenly, Asmo came from out of nowhere, grabbed my arm and marched me through the cloud to a clearing in the air. I was gasping for air and my heart was still pounding, but I felt a sense of relief wash over me.
We walked around the volcano and waited until the sunrise to see the volcano in full view. The sight was breathtaking and I felt like I had accomplished something truly extraordinary. On the way down the mountain, I marveled at the strength and the massive loads carried by the sulfur carriers who were hiking alongside the tourists with 100+kg loads on their backs at least 5km on extremely challenging rocky terrain. I tried lifting the same baskets as the sulfur carriers, but was unable to even make the baskets budge or lift them at all. I was in awe of their strength and resilience.
As I made my way back to civilization, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment and a newfound appreciation for the power and beauty of nature. I had faced my fears and emerged victorious. But I knew, deep down, that I would never forget the terrifying sulfur cloud that had almost claimed my life on Mount Ijen.
Exhausted after a sleepless night spent hiking Mount Ijen, I hitched a ride with Sam on a motorbike for a few kilometers. Then a nice Indonesian took me by car to Hotel Slamet for free. From there, I took a bus from Bondowoso to Bangwangy.
