Yogja 3 - Mt Merapi (Mountain of Fire)

The night before our attempt to ascend Mt Merapi there was widespread rain and lightning. At 1am 30/4 we start our ascent to Mt Merapi from our village at about 1500m AMSL. Me, Phil from England, Damien + Naomi (French couple who live in Singapore) + two guides. We walk for 2 km and I am left behind by the group because I could not continue due mainly to my fitness. My guide Zoko stay with me all the time to make sure of my safety.

It is very dark and I could not see my steps. It is very steep and the ground is slippery due to the rain . I am tired. I stop many times to catch my breadth, often after only 20 steps or so. After conferring with Zoko I decide to descend because there is another 7km to track up to the punchak (at about 2930m AMSL) and there is no point to prolong my struggle up the mountain and then later, down the mountain; even if I can make it up. 

View of the village from where I started the descent. I know I can't see it at all but I want something I can remember of the moment of my descent at 2.40am.

Instead, Zoko takes me to the east side of Mt Merapi to view the sunrise. I am glad I have the chance to experience the moment.

Impending sunrise at about 5.40am. Following photos are when the sun has risen above the horizon. What beautiful colors. The experience is very vivid and I am thankful I can live through this experience. It is, quite a moving experience for me to see a simple sunrise in a rural environment; away frm everybody I know .....

The village scenes:

Looking at the Mt Merapi peak from the lossmen.

Another view of the peak.

A typical home cottage.

This is where we started the ascent.

The village main street view.

This is about 1.5km from where we started the ascent.

View of the steeped ascent from New Selo which is about 1.5km from the losmen. The mountain ahead is not Mt Merapi but Mt Merbabu opposite Mt Merapi. Please note Mt Merbabu is not an active volcano. Zoko calls it "dia tidur".

Typical vegetable plantations.

The warung next to the losmen

My guide "ZOKO" in front of the "losmen" where I spent the night after descending from Mt Merapi.

 Our driver in his "Kijang".

Carrying produce on her back on the way to the market.

The male farmers having a break, smoking and chatting.

Some farmers getting ready for work.

The local transport carrying people and goods along the main street.

The general grocer seller on his round. I bough the ondeh ondeh from him.

The two guides. They have climbed to the punchak "ribuan" kali.

 Banana Pancake breakfast.

Ondeh Ondeh for breakfast.

On arrival at Novotel, Dwi "welcomes" me back. So good to see her.
















I have a lunch of "Bebek Goreng" at H. Slamet Ali. It is juicy, well done deep-fried bebek legs (2 portions), which is itik (duck) served with rice, sambal and raw vege. We always had bebek when we visited Bali. Price is a very reasonable RP 34,500 (US$ 4).

 

Then I have Tomo recommend me a foot reflexology place and he takes me to one that is quite good. I slept all the way through the "reflexi". I also take one sachet of "Adem Sari" with aqua which I bought at an "apotek" (pharmacy). It is meant for "panas dalam" as I feel I am a little dehydrated inside and also due to a lack of proper sleep the night before the climb. 

Then it is back to Novotel for a rest before going for dinner tonight.

Dinner at "Gudeg Sagan" Jl. Prof Herman Yohanes 53 Sagan.

Gudeg is a Yogja specialty dish. It's type of papaya leaf cooked with young nangka and chocolate flakes and it melts in the mouth. I have been told many times by Yogja people to try so I must. I order Gudeg with ayam kampung, telur and kecek which is a spicy condiment. This is eaten with bubur and I also added nasi putih separuh just to try another texture.

It is superb in terms of texture and taste, can I say nothing like it? I like it. And then I wash it down with "kopi hitam cap kapal api", basically what they call kopi Sumatera. The bill comes to only RP 27,500 (US$ 3).

The Phoenix Hotel has been converted from old Belanda style buildings. It appears wonderfully renovated.

Passing this housing area built along the river banks, on my becak.

This turboprop plane on its final approach

  Street painting on overhead road pillars near the Stasiun Keretapi Lempuyangan

The opportunity to climb to the summit is gone for now but I do not regret my failure. I take the successes with the failures. I am unfit to climb the mountain. I now know it is a 4-5 hours climb up and another 4 hours of descent from the summit. It is too much for my old body and lungs this time. If I start my ascent during the day (where I can see my footing) and from New Selo (1.5km from losmen) and not from the losmen (base camp) my guide Zoko thinks I can make it to Pos 2 which is the half way point to the summit and rest before ascending to Pos 3 and then the rest of the way to the summit another 200m up just when the sun rises so as to keep the body warm. He encourages me to try in July/August when the weather is better.

In the end Phil is the only guy who has made it to the summit.