AFTER RINJANI ..

Oct 26. Done with the Rinjani, the team went to Kuta Lombok. But we leave Karsten behind, as he plan to go to Bali with the last ferry. At Kuta, Mika, Sybille and Andy decide to stay at the Puri Rinjani while the old man and I prefer to stay at the Pastura Hotel (the Garuda Bungalow) because we want to have hot shower (*gggggg*).

It’s normal! After 3 tiring days in Rinjani without proper shower, relax inside the bath tub with the hot water could be nice. Shortly, after working hard to get rid of the dust and the dirt all over the body, we go for quick dinner, back to the the room and went to bed early. I sleep like a log and dream about 2nd Rinjani trekking. It makes me more tired hi hi hi.

Oct 27. We wake up arround mid day, take a shower and then go for lunch. We finish around 3 or 4. Sybille and I were walking along the beach while the boys prefer to take a nap. After sometime, we feel like back to the hotel, but we don’t feel like walking. So we do like in the movie, try to stop the motorbike. But instead of give lift, those people just waving hand and pass by.

Anyway rather than wasting time look for lift, we decide to have ‘sunset beer’ while thinking how to contact the boys to pick us up. In the 2nd beer, Andy passed by with his motorbike, I was so excited and run to call him. Im totally forget about my legs that still hurt after the trek. But its working, he turn back and joint us.

Then 3 of us sit together in the motorbike even though its forbidden. It was my first time breaking the law with Swiss guy hi hi hi. We pick up the old man and rent another motorbike. After, we riding to Novotel to take the most expensive dinner during our holiday. It takes IDR 175.000/each for the Asian Buffet, the drink is not include (*toengggg*). But the food is not too bad.

Oct 28. We wake up early to swim at the hotel’s pool. As the sun getting hot, we move to the room and make the crazy ‘bath’ party (see the pic). At 3pm we riding around to have lunch and then went to Novotel to have another ‘sunset beers’. When it getting dark, we went to the cafee to have dinner. As u see, during the stay in Kuta, we do nothing, just sleep and eat the whole day. No wonder we put lot of weight after the holiday!

Oct 29. The team leave Kuta, Sybille fly back to Jakarta with the 1st flight. Andy fly to Bali few hours after, while the old man and I went to Bangsal, the last point before we go to the famous GILI ISLAND. Check the Kuta’s pic at the flickr board and wait for the holiday story chapter III.

A STORY ABOUT GRANDMA AND ME…

One day in 1995 I decide to go out from the grandma house, the place where I stay for years. Maybe it’s not a good decision remembering I was just a young girl, who needs lot of guidance. But it’s a better way to avoid the never ending ‘cold war’ with her.

We don’t hate each other, but we realize that we not fit each other. We always view things from different way, which cause arguments. We both are very stubborn, so most of the time those arguments turn out to be small conflicts which create uncomfortable feeling for each.

So then we stay apart, live our life without bothered each other. Everything is running well and everybody is happy. But there is a time when I missed her, missed her cook, missed the ‘speech’ when she gets angry, missed her unfunny jokes, missed her ‘wrong analysis’ ... just missed everything on her.

Like or dislike, she is the one who taking care of me since I was kid. She had bigger part on my childhood than my mom, I spend half of my life with her, but I dunno why we cant understand each other and be a good team.

Anyway, the war is over. Early in the morning my cousin text me: “grandma has pass away”. For a moment, I feel broken. I regret for not be there on her last time. I regret as I cant say sorry for my mistakes. Even when I write this, I regret as I cant come to the funeral.

But im glad because now she free from all the pain and the suffer. Im glad because now she don’t have to feel lonely anymore, she will meet the grandfather and my dad. No matter what was happening between us, she was a great woman ever. Rest in peace my beloved grandma. May Lord give u a place at His kingdom.

BIG DAY OUT WITH THE SWISS-GERMAN TEAM

Years ago, I was the members for Java-Bali expedition team, which is held by the adventure club on my school. According to the plan, we start from Gede Pangrango-West Java and should be finish on Rinjani-Lombok. We done a very good job till the 9th mountains, but then we have to stop it on the way to the last journey due some reasons.

Too extreme to say that we’re fail, but let say: we never made it (it sounds better). Since then, take a pose on the top of the second highest Indonesian volcano became a dream only, until the old man rise an idea for the Idul Fitri break, --TOUR DE RINJANI --, that was the great idea ever!

23 Oct 06, the big day has come. After spends 4h in the ferry from Padang Bai to Lembar, we spend another 2h to drive to Senggigi to pick up Sybille and Andy. Thx to them who had organize the tour with the Hardy Kruger team, otherwise this big day out will never happen. Well done guys!

So, after very big dinner (Caesar salad, pizza margarita, spaghetti, chocolate cake and beers) at the beach, the team continues to Senaru, the starting point. We stay overnite at the Hardy place and try to sleep for few hours, even though its very hard, as we're too excited to do the trekking and because its very cold:-).

24 Oct 06 : 10.00AM, while the country celebrate the Idul Fitri with the family, with a lot of cake and cookies, me and the Swiss team start to walk along the rain forest. We got company from 2 German guys, Karsten and Mika, so then the title is change, The Swiss-German team. Sybille and I were looks like little girls among those 4 big guys and also I looks bit silly as those people speak German the whole time, and I don’t understand any single words:-(.

Anyway, we keep on walk for about 6h to the 1st camp ground. During the lunch time, we stop in the ‘middle of nowhere’ to have biscuit (appetizer), noodle soup and tea (main food) and pineapple (desert). Then we have another noodle soup with egg, for the dinner before start taking position inside the tent. We also have 'guardian' dog outside.

There is a nice story about this dog, he just a wild dog who stay at the camp ground, but he is so friendly. He always follows the trekkers till the top. He eat the things we give to him, he sleep in front our tent to make sure that nothing will bother us, he fight against the wild monkeys which try to stole our foods. And then when the trekkers going down the mountain, he walk alone to the same place and waiting till another trekkers come, and again he will follow them.

25 Oct 06 : 07.00AM, after the ‘Italian Shower’ (no water, just brush the teeth and put the deodorant on) and a glass of hot tea plus 2 pieces of banana toast, we continue the journey. After going up, up, up and up, we get into the hill which serves very beautiful view, a lake with a small mountain in the middle. We stop a while for tea break and photo session for them who bring camera (the old man and I just take a part in the pics and not make any pics as we forgot to bring camera) then start climb down to the Segara Anak Lake.

When we get there, we only had 10min break before going to the hot spring to have a hot bath on the hot day. When we almost get 'boiled', we move back to the lake to have cold bath. After the cleaning thing is done, we have lunch under the tree and then take short nap beside the lake. Cooollll….

02.00PM, we walk (again) up, up, up, up and up to the hill that looks never ends. Sometimes we have to crawling and climb up the rocky mountain. I almost lose my motivation, but the old man keep support me (thx for that). Finally we arrive at the 2nd camp ground when the cold wind blows so hard and the sunset almost come. After dinner, we went to the sleeping bag and less than 30min, all of us had fall a sleep as we are so damn tired.

26 Oct 06: 02.00AM, we woke up and start to walk again even though I prefer to stay inside my warm sleeping bag. And just like the other volcano, the trip to the top always suck! We have to walk on the sand or gravel, where we will move 5 steps back after take a step ahead. We have to against the cold, the anger, the ego, etc. Again, I almost lose my motivation, but as always the old man keep supported me till I reach my dream, being on the top of Rinjani.

After had party on the top, with only water and the biscuit, we start going down as it get sunny. Banana pancake is waiting when we back in the tent, along with the hot tea. Then we packing and cleaning a litlle bit, say bye to the guardian dog and start walk down, left the Rinjani behind. During these stage, everybody walks on silence, not many words spoken out.

I guess they’re too exhausted or maybe they’re too excited to back to the civilization. Me too, I cant hardly wait to get some cold beers, eat lot of pizza or spaghetti, sleep in a warm room and have hot shower in the morning:-).

Shortly, we arrive at Sembalun at 04.00PM and drive to Kuta. For the old man, Sybille, Andi, Mika and Karsten, thx for being my great team. Thx for the great adventure. Thx for taking care and looking after me during the 3 tiring days. Sorry if i being a stubborn litlle girl and pissed u off. Also thx to Rinjani for being welcome and give us chance to be on the top. And thx God to let me stay alive to tell this story.

The pics is on progress and the next story will come soon …