Look at these photo again and I still cannot believe I was there.
My unexpected 36 hours trip as well as my 2nd time hiking.
My couch surfing host picked me up and brought me straight to her friends meeting with all my stuffs. So, on the very first moment in Yoga, I found a gang. It took me roughly a week to get to know them enough to trust and then persuade one of them to help me hike the mountain. And one more week to wait for the rain to stop.
This is us in another camping trip!
We, Geebran and me, started at 8pm from Yogja.
On the way to the mountain, he told me that it also his 1st time climb in just 1 full day, no camping ; so I should be aware of myself, if I feel I'm nearly run out of energy, we will just stop and go down. With my blocked nose and throat pain, if I could watch the sunrise in the middle of the mountain, I would consider that's an achievement. After almost 3 months on the road, I will not push myself this time.
After 3h drive, we arrived Merapi base camp. I forgot to act like an Indonesia so they asked me to pay for a foreigner ticket which is 12,5 times higher than local (225k Rupiah). I almost agreed but my friend was angry with this ridiculous difference so he suggested to try Merbabu.
Never heard about it, I googled it. And yes, it's 1000meter higher than Merapi, properly no tourist, meaning more challenge. Deal !
We had to drive in between the mountain from Merapi base camp to Merbabu. We got lost; felt down, twice. Then I saw a bolide, made a wish of seeing sunrise on Merbabu. Swore at myself of wishing too little. And continued.
We arrived at Merbabu base camp at 1.15am, started climbing at 1.30 am. My first 30 minutes were extremely difficult. With 7kgs backpack, I hardly breathed. I had to stop every 10 minutes. But with a good instructor, thing got better and better. I started to enjoy the stars...
4.30 am, we reached the 3rd camp. What a pleasure !! We had hot noodle and coffee with this view.
10 minutes later
After breakfast, we continued to the top and reached 5th camp at 10.30. This is my 1st time doing some actual climbing instead of hiking. At one point, I thought I nearly fall down, the road is too slippery and too straight for an amateur like me. But I did it.
Finally, at 11am, we arrived the top of Merbabu.
Everything seem impossible until it done.
From the 1st peak, we walked to another peak and found a place with only tree, grass, birds, butterfly and of course flies =))
Make your dream a plan and living it, you may even find something beyond your imagination !
Climb that mountain, because it will be what you remember in the end !