Java - Volcano Island
Volcanoes dominate Java - I'm not talking sleepy dormant ones - this is the most volcanically active place on earth - a place where you really can feel the fire...
First port of call was Mount Ijen - viewing and climbing volcanoes is one thing but working in one is a different story - let me introduce the sulphur miners of Ijen.
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| Sleepy village where I stayed before going to Ijen |
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Not so sleepy village kids!
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All the best day trips start early but 1am?!! But if you want to catch the mysterious blue flames at the bottom of the crater sleep has got to be sacrificed.
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| Looking down into the crater |
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| At the crater rim - it says only workers allowed no tourists! |
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| Down at the bottom of the crater |
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| The miners at work |
An hours hike took me to the craters edge - what lay below looked like a vision of hell. Blue flames spurting out of the rock, clouds of sulphurous gases and amongst it all the shadowy figures of the miners toiling away. The only way to get closer to the action was to head through the gates with the skull and crossbones painted on them and head down the steep path to the bottom of the crater.
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| The blue flames - sulphur gases igniting on contact with air |
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| I lifted it but didn't walk anywhere! |
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| The shadowy figures... |
Down there the full extent of the job became clear - the miners prising huge chunks of solidified sulphur from the crater and packing 60kg (that's not a typo!) into their baskets to take to the collection area
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| Life on the edge... |
Close by you would hope - nah - it's a 45 minute insanely steep and rocky walk up to the crater rim and then another 3km thankfully mostly downhill to the collection point - and you think your day is tough!!
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| Starting the long hike with his load... |
Moving on up volcano alley I visited Mount Bromo which as you can see is still active - the craters edge made for a spectacular hike!
After all that outdoor adventure it was time for some cities - Solo was my first stop then Yogyakarta. Think Sultans palaces, Batik, Street food and temples and you've got the picture
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| Market in Yogyakarta |
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| Street food in Solo |
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| Batik artist in Solo |
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| Sleeping becak (cycle rickshaw) driver |
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| Tea country north of Solo |
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| Borobudur Temple Complex Yogyakarta |
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| Dawn overlooking Merapi volcamo |
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| Borobudur temple early morning |
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| Surrounded by volcanoes |
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| Prambanan Temple Complex Yogyakarta |
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| Sultans body guard with his Kris (dagger) in his belt - he assured me it wasn't plastic! |
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| Crutches are no problem for an Asian motorcyclist! |
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| Visit to the beach... |
I also made a visit to an Animal Project called Animal Friends Jogia in Yogyakarta Indonesia - see my vet blog for more details www.wandervetwork.blogspot.com
Pretty soon my visa was up and it was time for a new adventure - I was Borneo bound!
