Ripped of again by Madventure. Why is our illustrious leader organising this? Prior to leaving Jogyakarta our leader asked everyone if they wanted to go direct to Bali or take a side trip to Mount Bromo. Those who decided to go to Mount Bromo had to pay for the transport and hotel as an extra even though the side and direct trip ended up in the same place. In other words everyone had paid Madventure for the trip to Bali and those going on the side trip had to pay again. I asked if Madventure would repay the travel or side trip costs but was told in no uncertain terms that this was not possible. It just shows what a miserable bunch they are! I also wondered if our leader was getting 'commission' from the tour organiser for telling us about the side trip as she has been receiving 'commissions' for previous information in other countries. The whole lot stinks!
Being picked up at 0330 hours for the ride up to the lookout for sunrise was a bit of an ordeal after only five hours sleep, but no-one complained. The ride up the mountain in the dark in a ‘noddy wagon’ (a short wheel base land cruiser, a vehicle which has a tendency to turn over) was slow and careful and at the end a walk up the mountain on a not so good track to the lookout. There were already tourists at the viewpoint which was on Mount Penanjakan (2,770 metres or 9,088 feet high) and we all sat and waited for the sunrise.
The local people were out in force offering bike and horse rides up the mountain to the gullible tourists as they could not be taken right up to the lookout anyway. There were blankets and hats for sale for those who were cold and all the local people wore a blanket to keep warm. Tea, coffee and chocolate were also on offer and there was a good trade for the local people. The sunrise was not actually over the volcano but on one of the mountains to the south of us. The photographs I took showed quite a spectacular sunrise and then the sun lit the volcano to change the view again. Once the sun was up it was back down the mountain and by truck to the Mount Bromo volcano. The whole area was a dust bowl with dust being kicked up with every step and being breathed in as well. There were horses and bikes to take tourists to the base of the volcano and the rest of the way was a hard climb up steps, some which were broken. By this time the sun was well up and the whole area became very hot.
Once we had finished there it was back to the hotel for breakfast, not that it could be called that, as it consisted of three pieces of square bread with a little bit of jam between them and a mug of tea. Time then for a hot shower, hot being the operating word as most of the hostels/hovels we had stayed in never had hot water, to get the dust off the face and out of the hair. The same clothes went back on (after the dust was shaken out of them) as it was expected that the rest of the day would be spent in a bus travelling to Bali. Then it was a ride in a minibus to Prosilinggo where we had to wait some considerable time for the bus to Bali as it kept being later and later because of the traffic on the road from Surabaya where the bus had started from.
Mount Bromo is an active volcano in East Java being 2,329 metres (7,641 feet) high. The name of Bromo comes from the Javanese pronunciation of Brahama, the Hindu creator god. It is easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. It sits inside the Tengger caldera (diameter approximately 10 km), surrounded by the Sea of Sand which is an area of fine volcanic sand. From inside the caldera sulphur is collected by the local people. Mount Bromo last erupted in January 2011.
The Poten is the Tenggerese Hindu temple that sits in the sea of sand close to Mount Bromo. The frugality of its decoration and austere design seems very appropriate for the location.
The local area away from the volcano
Being picked up at 0330 hours for the ride up to the lookout for sunrise was a bit of an ordeal after only five hours sleep, but no-one complained. The ride up the mountain in the dark in a ‘noddy wagon’ (a short wheel base land cruiser, a vehicle which has a tendency to turn over) was slow and careful and at the end a walk up the mountain on a not so good track to the lookout. There were already tourists at the viewpoint which was on Mount Penanjakan (2,770 metres or 9,088 feet high) and we all sat and waited for the sunrise.
The local people were out in force offering bike and horse rides up the mountain to the gullible tourists as they could not be taken right up to the lookout anyway. There were blankets and hats for sale for those who were cold and all the local people wore a blanket to keep warm. Tea, coffee and chocolate were also on offer and there was a good trade for the local people. The sunrise was not actually over the volcano but on one of the mountains to the south of us. The photographs I took showed quite a spectacular sunrise and then the sun lit the volcano to change the view again. Once the sun was up it was back down the mountain and by truck to the Mount Bromo volcano. The whole area was a dust bowl with dust being kicked up with every step and being breathed in as well. There were horses and bikes to take tourists to the base of the volcano and the rest of the way was a hard climb up steps, some which were broken. By this time the sun was well up and the whole area became very hot.
Once we had finished there it was back to the hotel for breakfast, not that it could be called that, as it consisted of three pieces of square bread with a little bit of jam between them and a mug of tea. Time then for a hot shower, hot being the operating word as most of the hostels/hovels we had stayed in never had hot water, to get the dust off the face and out of the hair. The same clothes went back on (after the dust was shaken out of them) as it was expected that the rest of the day would be spent in a bus travelling to Bali. Then it was a ride in a minibus to Prosilinggo where we had to wait some considerable time for the bus to Bali as it kept being later and later because of the traffic on the road from Surabaya where the bus had started from.
Mount Bromo is an active volcano in East Java being 2,329 metres (7,641 feet) high. The name of Bromo comes from the Javanese pronunciation of Brahama, the Hindu creator god. It is easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. It sits inside the Tengger caldera (diameter approximately 10 km), surrounded by the Sea of Sand which is an area of fine volcanic sand. From inside the caldera sulphur is collected by the local people. Mount Bromo last erupted in January 2011.
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| January 2011 Mount Bromo and the surrounding area today |
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| A view of the valley |
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| Showing the stairway to the top of the caldera |
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