INDONESIA (Java)

DAY 7

Our bus to Bromo was late (but that was probably the best thing about the whole ordeal). We were the last to be picked up and there were only 2 seats in the very front and no space for our luggage. That would not have been so bad if it weren’t for the fact that the ceiling leaked. Not just a drip or two, but whole streams of water pouring on us and our luggage (every time the bus came to a sudden stop, it was like a small waterfall). It was water that collected from the air-conditioning (not that we were at least able to enjoy that feature as the driver had his window open the whole time to smoke). Luckily we had a large rice hat which we used to try to keep ourselves dry as much as possible. After a 10 hour ordeal, we finally arrived at our hotel.

DAY 8

We awoke at 3 am to squish into a jeep with seven other people. Of course ours was the only one that wouldn’t start, and the driver had to jump start it by rolling backwards downhill. The walk to the crater of Mt. Bromo was much easier than Merapi, only 1.5 miles on sandy sloping ground and there was even a staircase leading up to the crater. We arrived just before dawn (about 5 am) along with several hundred other tourists. It is supposed to be inactive in spite of the fact that there was one steam vent spewing forth large flames (once it gets too light, you can't see them anymore).

We caught the bus to Bali at 9 am. Since it was just a small tour bus, the driver felt at liberty to drive as if he were alone. He often stopped to chat with people walking on the road, or pick someone up and drop them off elsewhere along the way, or stop at a food store or to get gas, etc. Eventually we arrived at the ferry to cross the channel.

On the other, we got an even smaller bus. Bali appeared much cleaner; no more slums. And suddenly there were dogs (in Java there were only cats). Small statues and temples were everywhere, in the rice fields, at every gateway, etc. We arrived in Ubud in the evening and were again mobbed by 'place to stay' guys. We randomly chose one and were led along a long dark twisting path to our own little thatched roof bungalow. Breakfast and tea were included for a whole US $5 per night. We had a huge bamboo bed with batik sheets and a nice view of banana, papaya and coconut trees. The large geckos were happily singing in the darkness.

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