Indonesia: Sunrise over Mt Bromo

A very early morning (03.30) enabled us to reach a good view point to watch the sun rise over the volcanos that form the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. Our mini-buses were not up to the task of climbing the steep road let alone cross the Sea of Sand (read ash flats), so we were loaded into short wheel-based 4WD Toyotas with big fat tyres that were only partially inflated.

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Light was just beginning to lighten the horizon as we reached our view point, Mount Penanjakan 2,770 m (9,088 ft).  We had travelled from our hotel in the centre-middle of the photo.

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The sky began to lighten predawn… Mt Bromo was hidden by cloud but the taller stack of cloud in the centre of the photo was actually ash and steam from Mt Bromo.

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The effort required to get up so early was well worth it… it was spectacular watching the sun rise above some clouds out to the East of our vantage point.

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It turned out to be the coldest morning of our whole adventure. A stiff breeze made it even more so, but, at an elevation of 2770m, it should be expected.

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And then the cloud in the valley parted and we could see Mt Bromo.

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Mt Bromo.

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After enjoying that stunning sunrise, we headed part-way down for a quick stop at another view point. Now we could see how far we had climbed up from the valley floor..

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Wonderful scenery… clouds wreath Mt Bromo on the other side of the valley.  The Sea of Sand is the flat grey valley floor between the view point and Mt Bromo.

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Our next stop was at a staging point for the climb to the rim of Mt Bromo’s crater, a 2km walk with a height difference of 133m (436 ft.).

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It was a gentle walk over ash to begin with.

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The incline gradually got steeper.  Our vehicles were parked at the edge of the green area on the far side of the area with trees in the middle distance.

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Finally, we came to a set of steps that would get us up to the rim.

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A continuous roar came from the volcano, getting louder as we neared the rim.

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Looking down into the crater, large clouds of steam were bellowing upwards. Every now and then there would be silence before, suddenly, there was a huge roar as even more steam burst forth. On these occasions, rocks and other debris was hurled into the sky.

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It was indeed fortunate that the wind was blowing away from us or we could have been in some peril. Even though I’ve been on volcano rims before, this was still quite exciting.

Our guide, Tan Tan, had advised us not to climb to the rim, but not because of safety concerns… no.. because he didn’t think we had it in us to get to the top and back to the vehicles in the time available. This wasn’t the first, or the last time, that we managed to achieve a bit more than he gave us credit for.

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It transpired that Mt Bromo had increased its activity somewhat while we were climbing, to the extent that, according to Tan Tan’s wife, it hit the local news.

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Back down on the ash flats, we had that moment I usually dread… the group photo!

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After all that, we were back in Yoschi’s dining room for breakfast by a bit after 08.00! And by then we were rather peckish. After breakfast it was back into our trusty mini-buses for a seventy-five minute drive to Probolinggo.

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We travelled back down the same road we had traversed in the dark the night before.  The scenery was quite spectacular with many different crops being grown on every arable piece of ground.

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The tall narrow trees look that way because the branches are cut, probably for fuel.

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The road twisted around the steep valley sides.

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At Probolinggo, we caught a train to Kalibaru – a three hour journey.  This was the Station Master’s office which contained all the levers that controlled the station yard points.

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Arriving at Kalibaru, it was just a walk around the end of the station platform to find our overnight accommodation, the Margo Utomo Agro Resort. This hotel had two rows of twin bungalows set in very well maintained tropical gardens.

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Heliconia sp.

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Shrub Vinca (Kopsia fruticosa).

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The resort had a massive swimming pool… a lovely place to while away an hour before dinner… and that was worth waiting for, too. It was a mixed plate of Indonesian cuisine;  chicken curry, chicken satay, sautéed vegetables, boiled egg with Balinese sauce, sweet potato chips, steamed rice and beef floss. We had earned that meal.

And we had also earned an early night after a very interesting, but long, day.

More anon

David

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Thailand: Morning Mist Resort

Our accommodation at the ‘Morning Mist Resort’ was at the edge of the Khao Sok National Park.

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We were to stay in small cabins that are scattered around the complex.  As I dropped my bag in the room, Number 13, I noticed that there was no AC but there was a fan and mosquito nets were dangling above the beds.  Perhaps I could have a good night’s sleep!

I opted to do nothing in the afternoon except explore and enjoy the flowers in the natural tropical gardens that surround the resort.  How often, when travelling, do we drop our bags at the place where we’re to stay and not explore its surroundings?  We just go off to explore somewhere else.  Seems a waste to me.

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The main entrance to the Morning Mist Resort, rather rustic, very tropical.

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Red Passion-flower (Passiflora coccinea).  This plant is a native of the Amazon Basin but is widely grown in tropical regions.  The fruit is orange or yellow and good eating.

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Butterfly bush (Turnera diffusa)

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This Thunbergia grandiflora has many common names such as Blue Skyflower, Bengal Trumpet and Clockvine.  It is native to China, India, Nepal, Indochina and Burma.  Broken pieces of plant float down watercourses and establish easily.  The large flowers are followed by pods which eject seeds several metres on ripening.  It is a declared noxious weed in Queensland.  By the same token it has been given an Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society (UK).  A climbing plant, it can reach 20m in height.

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The shrub Vinca (Kopsia fruticosa) occurs in India and on the Malay Peninsula.  It has important traditional medicinal properties and is used in treating sores and syphilis.

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Ixora sp. come from Africa and Asia.

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Costus babatus is a plant closely related to the gingers and heliconias.

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The Blue Butterrfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea) is a widely grown annual vine.  It originally comes from Tropical Africa and South America.

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Hanging Lobster-claw (Heliconia rostrata).

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An especially long inflorescence on a Hanging Lobster-claw plant (Heliconia rostrata).

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There are over a 1,000 species of Anthurium from tropical America.  Many more 1,000’s of cultivars have been bred from the original species.

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A white-flowered member of the potato family (Solanum sp.).

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There are approximately 40 species of water-lily (Nymphaea) widely spread throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world.

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Sometimes called Spider Lily (Hymenocallis littoralis), this plant is very salt tolerant.

After this delightful, if hot, wander in the gardens, Brian and I went for a walk down the local road to see what we could find. More of that anon.

David

All photographs copyright © DY  of  jtdytravels

If you enjoy these armchair travels, please pass our site onto others

www.dymusings.com

more of our travel stories and photos can be found on

www.jtdytravels.com

More of our travel photos are on

www.flickr.com/photos/jtdytravels

.