Jack Wolfskin Summer 2014

THE GEOLOGICAL POWDER
KEG:
TREKKING JOURNAL,
INDONESIA
Day 1
We were all meant to meet at the airport, but when we (Gaudenz,
Matt and Stefan) arrive in Lombok there’s no sign of Abrie. Reluctantly,
we leave the airport and head for the hotel, where we meet
a totally relaxed Abrie. It seems no one had thought to mention
she’d be there. Since the kitchen is already closed, our breakfast
order for the morning ends up being rather lavish. Basically, we
order everything on the menu!
Day 2
It’s early in the day and already hot as we walk through the pictur
esque rice fields. The sweat is streaming off us but the beautiful
local women in the fields seem unaffected by the heat. We stop for
lunch in a weavers’ village where we sample the water spinach
and Gado­gado (vegetable salad with a delicious sauce). The women
of the village weave hand­spun cotton, which they dye themselves.
Day 3
Gaudenz and Steffen are woken up by Abrie banging on their door
and just about make it down in time for breakfast. Our guides,
Eddie and Sandy, are already there. Sandy looks like an Indonesian
version of Bob Marley. On the first part of the ascent of Rinjani
it’s hellish hot. Fittingly, the trail leads through swirling volcanic
ash and the remains of a forest fire. Lively macaques follow us
through the trees. Up on the ridge we are overwhelmed by the
view – and the stench. It’s incredible how much garbage is lying
around. We look for a clean campsite, collecting rubbish as we go.
The beer sold up here by the enterprising locals provides welcome
refreshment.
Day 4
Wake up with a mug of freshly brewed Lombok coffee. It’s 2 o’ clock
(in the morning!) and time to set off for the summit of Rinjani. The
mountain is part of the Sunda Arc, home to some of the world’s
most explosive volcanoes – which is a pretty exciting thought!
As the sun rises, a magical spectacle unfolds. A young, active
volcano is forming in the caldera, rising out of the lake... In the
distance is Bali, darkened by the conical shadow cast by Rinjani.
We are at 3726 metres, with 2000 metres of climbing behind us. In
the evening we relax in the hot springs near our campsite.
Day 5
A mixed day – descent and rest. Matt and Stefan try to do a bit of
fishing. With little success, in spite of the fishing rods. Right next to
them one of the locals catches fish with his bare hands.
61 TREK & HIKE