Off on an adventure to Java (and a bit of Bali) (page 6 of 8)

Being there alone, at the top, really is different! I was ready to wait to experience that moment solo. And in the end, it’s pretty simple! !

Kawah Ijen vs Bromo... Bromo totally won the "Game"!

Feeling like heading back there now...

Kawah Ijen vs Bromo... Bromo won the "Game"!

Feeling like heading back there now...

For me, there’s not even a debate!

Day 15 – August 24

What to do after an almost sleepless night to enjoy the sunrise at Bromo? If you’re voting for a proper night’s sleep and a rest day for our adventurers, press 1. If you want to vote for inflicting a second sleepless night in a row to catch another sunrise at an iconic site, press 2... "Sorry, Flo, the crowd has spoken—they’ve chosen to push the limits, and their verdict is final!"

So, no rest for the brave! The Indonesian SNCF announces our arrival in Banyuwangi station at midnight. The stationmaster’s whistle kicks off a night where everything happens in a blur! A shuttle to the base camp of Kawah Ijen volcano, a fake medical certificate obtained without even taking a test, oxygen masks, goggles, and headlamps... all to be ready in the starting blocks for the hike that officially begins at 2 AM.

Now, to set the scene: Kawah Ijen is also an active volcano, world-famous for its stunning turquoise acidic lake—you’ve probably seen photos of it. In fact, it’s the most acidic natural lake in the world, according to those who’ve dipped their toes (or ex-toes) in it. A pH of 0.2, if you’re a budding scientist. Otherwise, just know it *stings* like crazy! The other feature that’s made Kawah Ijen famous is its solfatara. Once the liquid sulfur ejected by the volcano cools, it crystallizes into a characteristic yellow rock used in fertilizers and cosmetics. That’s where the extreme miners come in. These guys work like slaves, harvesting the mineral with simple metal picks and carrying it in large wicker baskets—*in flip-flops*, no less! And without oxygen masks or any protection other than a damp cigarette in their mouths. They’re looking for volunteers—want to apply? Here’s your job description: After breaking up large sulfur blocks, you load up your donkey with about 80 kilos per trip! You haul your load up to the crater’s edge, then back down to the weighing hut for about nine cents *per kilo*! If you’re brave enough to make two round trips in a day, you can earn a whopping fifteen euros—way more than the average Indonesian salary! So, off you go to the good life in Indonesia: cocktails by the pool, girls in bikinis, glamorous evenings under the coconut trees... Well, you’d better enjoy it fast, because the life expectancy of a Kawah Ijen miner doesn’t exceed 45 years. You’ve got to know what you want...

We can’t talk about Kawah Ijen without mentioning its blue flames. Wait—*blue* flames? What’s that all about? Can you explain, Jamy?... Actually, it’s simple chemistry! Gas loaded with sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide escapes the crater at high temperatures and ignites on contact with air. Some of the gas condenses into liquid sulfur, which keeps burning as it flows down the crater walls before cooling and crystallizing. And since the flames are blue, it looks like rivers of blue lava.

Since these flames are only visible at night, you’ve figured out why we’re starting the hike so early—to see them flicker languidly before the crowds turn it into a circus. The goal is to reach the crater’s edge among the first to witness the phenomenon for a few precious minutes without the carnival atmosphere. After that, while the Chinese tourists elbow each other for selfies in front of the chemical show, we’ll climb back up to the crater’s rim to wait for yet another sunrise over this latest Javanese wonder.

Go—the starter’s whistle just blew! Poorly positioned on the starting grid of the Kawah Ijen Grand Prix, our French crew begins the climb with about 200 people ahead of us. Quickly, several Chinese teams can’t keep up and fall behind. The Indonesian duos are next in our sights, overtaken without much effort as the terrain gets steeper. The European teams are tougher, putting up a fight, but they eventually crack under the pressure of our French-made dragster! Statistically, the ascent takes between 45 minutes for ultrarunners and 3 hours for the Chinese handisport teams. We reach the summit, proud as French roosters, in 52 minutes flat—among the top five finishers!! Nelson Montfort would be proud of this *bleu-blanc-rouge* comeback, but he’d be even prouder of little Flo, who managed to stick to her hare’s pace all the way to the finish line!

A performance that, unfortunately, delivers a tiny blue mouse running in the crater—because the flames, while present, are *way* smaller than expected. It’s beautiful but *so* tiny and confined to a small area. Okay, you’ve got to give it your all... but was it worth it? For now, only the five of us in the lead group are enjoying it, but when I look back at the long line of headlamps snaking down the slope, I have my doubts about the phenomenon’s appeal given the effort involved!



Anyway, before the crowd’s breath extinguishes the last of the blue flames, we decide to clear out and start our climb back up. That’s when we see the extent of the damage. We’re climbing a never-ending line of amateur hikers—tourists drawn by the lure of a blue-flame photo without realizing how tough the access is. There must be two or three thousand of them, maybe more. Many don’t have steady footing on this treacherous terrain, hiking in the dead of night in loafers, sandals, or espadrilles! Unbelievable! It’s a traffic jam, with pushing, slipping, and near-misses over the edge... The kind of mass-tourism chaos we hate! Why, instead of requiring a fake health certificate, don’t they make applicants take a hiking fitness test? Why don’t the authorities regulate access to the site? It’s all about the cash register, no doubt... until a serious accident happens—and trust me, it *will* happen sooner or later! Either way, what we’re seeing here completely ruins the magic of our Kawah Ijen adventure.

And the stunning sunrise we witness once we reach the crater’s edge again doesn’t change a thing. The magic just isn’t there. The crowds, the lack of sleep, maybe... Or maybe Kawah Ijen just can’t compete with the fantastical Bromo experience we had yesterday...

Day 15 (continued)







So, what’s next? This day marks a major shift in our adventure because once we’re back on solid ground, a shuttle takes us to the port of Banyuwangi, where we board a boat to another island—Bali. A more chill destination where we’ve decided to spend the last days of our trip at a slower pace. Beyond just the pace, what’s actually going to change for us?... A ton! No more selfie requests from Javanese folks who aren’t as used to blond Westerners as the Balinese, a change in religion so no more nighttime calls from the muezzin, and pork making a comeback in our diet. There’s also a time zone shift—we’ll set our watches an hour ahead—plus a higher cost of living and prices, better lodging conditions... Basically, it’s like stepping into a whole new country...

Day 16 – August 25

In Flo’s mind, Bali is touristy. For her, Bali is the kind of destination you see on the front page of a travel agency brochure. It’s the trip for Mr. Tourist, mixing with other tourists. The land of nightclubs, trendy bars, Instagram photos, and surfers… In short, the kind of place she wants nothing to do with!

Except… I’ve been to Bali before, back in 2017, and at the time, I loved it and wanted to show her that this island blessed by the gods also has an authentic side, far from mass tourism, for those who want to discover it. Except that after finishing our Javanese road trip at Kawah Ijen on the far east of the island yesterday, we were just a stone’s throw from Bali. Except that we wanted to wrap up our adventure at a slightly less crazy pace, and Bali seemed like the perfect alternative for that. This plus that plus that—it all added up to plenty of good reasons to justify the fact that today, Bali Balo on his scooter is in Pemuteran, and loving every minute of it!

Pemuteran, a small town in western Bali, an area of the island known for being avoided by Western tourists due to its distance from Denpasar Airport. Well, let me tell you, we’re making the most of it and soaking up all its goodness! Balinese massages, Balinese curry, Balinese temples, Balinese beaches… And it didn’t take us more than a day to confirm that the secret to enjoying a trip to Bali is within reach of any traveler: just take one step off the beaten path to escape the crowd! Not only does it let you breathe in the island’s authenticity, but you can’t miss it. Temple of Puba Pabean… One-on-one with the monkeys! Pura Melanting Temple… One-on-one with the locals! Climbing the hill of Pura Batu Kursi… One-on-one with nature! Now, you might argue that Western tourists who come to Bali don’t visit temples, don’t go hiking, and blah blah blah, and that they’re all packed onto the beaches, right? Well, here’s Huggy’s pro tip for finding yourself alone this time with the Indian Ocean on a paradise beach in Bali!

Day 16 (continued)

Yes, it’s possible, and its little secret name is Gili Putih Sumberkima! Mind you, this isn’t just another random beach you stumbled upon in some social media post titled "10 Things to Do in Pemuteran"—it’s a legit "lastminute.francketflo" find we scored on the spot. For a small fee, a local fisherman drops you off on a white sandbank just a few hundred meters from the shore of a bay untouched by tourist infrastructure. For the occasion, a few mangroves were ordered and planted to add that little touch of greenery your imagination was missing. Time stands still. You switch into "Cast Away" mode, but without Tom Hanks. The crescent-shaped white sandbank is all yours. To the left, the turquoise water is warm and shallow. To the right, the turquoise water is shallow and warm. Left, right... Life, cruel as it is, sometimes forces you to make impossible choices... It's a kind of magic!













So, everything’s going swimmingly in the best of all possible worlds in the land of Balinese Care Bears, right? The description of this new day might make you think so, but what do you reckon are the odds of renting a scooter one morning and finding it an hour later with the seat leather slashed by a colony of rabid monkeys? 0.0001%? Well, let me tell you, misfortune sometimes lurks four decimal places deep... Yes, on our way back from visiting the Pura Pabean temple, we found our ride disfigured, scarred, battered—the seat foam shredded by what looked like monkey bites. I had no idea macaques had such an obsessive cult for scooter seats. Did you know that?

Carglass repairs, Carglass replaces! So, book an appointment on carglass.fr—don’t forget the .fr—to assess the damage and get a quote within a week, sign it, send it back, book a repair appointment, show up on the day only to be told the ordered parts aren’t the right ones, book another appointment, come back again, be told there’s no courtesy vehicle available that day, pick up your repaired scooter, and pay the 199 € bill. Ouch, those monkey bites sure are profitable! Fortunately for us, this repair story’s script was written for France—the screenwriter completely forgot we were in Indonesia! So, let’s rewrite it: Stop at a roadside stall, custom stitching for a new cover, molding a new foam seat, reassembly—ten minutes flat, done and dusted! The bill? 80,000 rupiahs, or about four euros! It's a kind of magic!

Okay, it’s a great story, but what would make this day absolutely perfect? Adding a dash of social connection to show our readers that interactions with Balinese people aren’t *entirely* skewed by money. Perfect timing, because after stopping at a little roadside stall for fresh juice, we ended up spending the evening chatting with the owners, Maadi and his wife Ilo. We talked about tourism, life in Indonesia, the weather, life in France, retirement, Jack the Ripper (the monkey who slashed our scooter seat), and "es teler," this weird Balinese dessert they made us try... Mmmm... Not bad at all, in the end... So, what do you think of this Bali day?

Hi there,

Except... I’ve already been to Bali in 2017, and at the time, I loved it and would’ve loved to show them that the "island of the gods" also has an authentic side, far from mass tourism, for those who want to discover it.

I’m happy to see that it’s still possible to experience beautiful moments in places that are still preserved. Since my trip in 2019, I’ve been wondering if that was still the case.

A well-written, lively, and humorous travel journal! 🙂

Good evening

Except that... I’ve already been to Bali in 2017, and at the time, I loved it and would’ve liked to show her that the island blessed by the gods also has an authentic side, far from mass tourism, for those who want to discover it.

I’m happy to see that it’s still possible to experience beautiful moments in places that are still preserved. Since my visit in 2019, I’ve been wondering if that was still the case...

A well-written, lively, and humorous travel journal 🙂

I’ll join Kate in giving compliments.

The witty remarks are plentiful, and some are particularly elaborate. I don’t know if they come naturally or after long reflections and fine-tuning, but many of the jokes are really well done, and I occasionally try to stifle my jealousy about it. Here’s a sneaky little question: Are you always like this, or just when writing a travel journal? If answer A, how do your colleagues put up with you? And ma’am, don’t tell me your wife is like this too? 😎

In any case, it’s a great contribution to the variety of styles on VF, packed with info, beautiful photos, and anecdotes.

PS I’m getting old; if I’m repeating myself too much in my compliments, let me know. You never know, it might be useful.

Thanks Kate for the compliments! Back to Bali—yes, if you look, you can still find some preserved spots. But in my opinion, the blight keeps spreading unfortunately...

You're going to make me blush—thanks for taking the time for those compliments and encouragement! I’ve got a reputation for being quick with words and puns. "Hopeless" is the term my wife often uses if the pun’s a bit rubbish... 😉

Practically speaking, I write on the go while I’m there. The days are written in real time and posted the same evening on my Facebook account (after tweaking the wording in bed at night). Here on VF, I post when I remember—especially since it’s much quieter than before—and mostly because I’m in the middle of planning my next trips. See you soon for the rest!

Franck

Day 17 – August 26

Who hasn’t dreamed of it at the mere mention of its name—the lush green of its rice terraces, the carpets of frangipani flowers covering its lawns and sidewalks, the scent of incense wafting from its temples and perfuming its streets?... Everything that makes up the soul of Bali! That’s exactly what we want to soak in as we pick up our pilgrim’s staff this morning and head toward the center of the island, to the Tampaksiring region, where we’ll set up our base camp in a serene haven—a secluded hut right in the middle of the rice fields.







Meditation, introspective psychology, yoga, existential reflections... Yes, the perfect spot for all that. No, those activities aren’t for us! We’re more into action movies than art-house films—restlessness is our motto. Proof of that? After three and a half hours stuck in Balinese traffic, our shoes are back on the moment our bags hit the ground, while our bodies would’ve been well within their rights to demand some lazy downtime in the shade of our thatched hut.

So, where do our soles get the privilege of exploring this time? The terraced rice fields of Abian Desa and Mupu—your wish is our command! Welcome to Pandora! Welcome to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Bali edition! Here, the most popular, most sought-after, most Instagrammed rice fields are in Tegallalang. To avoid witnessing the decline of human civilization with Instagram influencers swinging on giant swings over the terraces, we decided to head to the ones right next door and dive straight into their backyard to find a remnant of raw nature. Unfortunately, the rot spreads faster than we do—and that’s my rant of the day! Native Americans, Jews, Armenians, Cambodians, Kurds, Rwandan Tutsis, and so many more... So many genocides! And it’s still happening, right before our eyes, with mass tourism as a weapon of mass destruction, bulldozing this magnificent landscape into oblivion! Sure, when you get a little off the beaten path like we did, it’s beautiful—even more than that! But come quickly if you want to see this beauty before the official death sentence is carried out on the rice fields of the entire valley!













I’m talking about a time that those under twenty can’t possibly know—back when all these terraced rice fields were worked by Balinese rice farmers. Makes sense, right? Nowadays, the proximity to the road turns these terraces into swimming pools, lounge chairs, tables, and other trendy bar setups—complete with poufs, masculine... and feminine...

Day 17 (continued)







Anyway, you get the idea—our getaway here ends up feeling like a candy with a deliciously exotic sweet center. Too bad you’ve got to suck through that overhyped chemical coating first, leaving a bitter aftertaste in your mouth...







To officially wrap up the day, we’re back in Bali—real life, the kind that smells a bit under the armpits—with the Tegallalang night market and its food stalls, where apparently only locals and two little "bule" wanderers dare to venture! "Waiter, please!… The usual for Flo and a spicy nasi campur to punch my throat for me!" For your full understanding, "The usual" in Indo-Florencian food slang means "Two servings of sate ayam and a big plain martabak!" Yeah, those little critters sure hit the spot...

Nowadays, the proximity of the road turns the occupants of these terraces into swimming pools, sun loungers, tables, and other trendy bar setups, not to mention the poufs—masculine... and feminine...

Anyway, you can’t tell from your photos since they’re (almost) completely free of humans ;)

Anyway, you can't tell from your photos—they're (almost) completely empty of people 😉

He tests his jokes, puns, and inimitable turns of phrase on people. Faced with such genius, they bow out, which is why you don’t see them in the photo anymore. 😉

Nowadays, the proximity of the road turns the occupants of these terraces into swimming pools, sun loungers, tables, and other trendy bar setups, not to mention the poufs, masculine... and feminine...

Anyway, you can't tell from your photos—they're (almost) completely free of humans 😉

We moved away from the ambient hustle and bustle to find ourselves alone with nature. And it was... simply beautiful!

Anyway, you can't tell from your photos—they're (almost) completely empty of people 😉

He tests his jokes, puns, and inimitable turns of phrase on people. Faced with such genius, they bow down, which is why you don’t see them in the photo anymore. 😉

You’ve got quite the imagination too! [;]

Day 18 – August 27

Your sharp eagle eye probably noticed that our heart rate has returned to normal since we immigrated to Bali. No more candlelit hikes in minus ten degrees! Gone are the nights spent in pieces on the molded plastic benches of Indonesian trains! Hasta la vista to those monotonous muezzin wake-up calls! But don’t get the wrong idea—we haven’t slipped into a Hawaiian shirt, gold chain glinting, just to perfect our tan with our backsides wedged in a lounge chair! Because, as it turns out, the scout leader still has a packed itinerary for today, holding a winning Balinese three-of-a-kind: breathtaking waterfalls, Hindu temples, and lush rice terraces! My earpiece tells me the scooter route through the local countryside to connect all these little wonders will clock in at eighty kilometers. Besides telling me I don’t actually have an earpiece, they also warn me that between back-to-back village crossings, potholes, packs of stray dogs claiming the road as their home, traffic jams at intersections, long religious processions, overloaded trucks choking us with exhaust fumes, scooters carrying five people, special convoys of two-wheelers transporting sugarcane, roadwork sections, guys planting themselves in the middle of the asphalt to direct traffic, and undisciplined monkeys darting across the road without looking left or right... it’ll be a miracle if we ever hit the top speed of fifty kilometers per hour for more than two hundred meters!

Alright, a little goat-like leap and we’re already frolicking in the rural rice fields of Mancingan, the first stop on today’s adventure. If I calculate the ratio of intrinsic beauty to tourist-environmental developments, considering the crowd levels observed in plenary session, I can confidently give these fields a higher coefficient than the Mupu rice terraces we visited yesterday. Yes, sir, I’ve got a PhD in rice fields! And here, let me tell you, it doesn’t smell like synthetic sweat! We’re seeing real workers. On second thought, this backbreaking labor must be one of the toughest jobs in the world. Unless it’s being a SNCF agent in France? Note to self: Ask one of our strikers for their opinion when we get back....





The big perk of Bali? Everything changes super fast here! You’re strolling peacefully through a terraced rice field, take one step to the right, and—bam!—welcome to an impressive bamboo forest! Then you feel like stepping left, and—boom!—you’re snapping photos of a traditional village! But the big downside of Bali? Everything changes super fast here! One minute, the sun’s warm rays are caressing your skin, you close your eyes to savor it, and—bam!—you get a face full of rain. You open them again: sun. Close them: rain. Open them: "Hey man, I opened them! Why isn’t your trick working anymore?"

Day 18 (continued)

Unfortunately, after visiting the village of Penglipuran, known for the plethora of mini-temples in each of its houses, after the serenity of our favorite temple, Pura Kehen, after the magnificent Tukad Cepung waterfall tucked away in a narrow canyon, after soaking up all those picture-perfect Balinese scenes to the beat of a wild salsa, and after playing hide-and-seek with the rain, that little troublemaker finally caught up with us—and now we’re stuck... until late afternoon!











And as our former president Jacques Chirac used to say, trouble always comes in threes! Not only did we get sent back to my Ardennes in the middle of November, but we’re also an hour’s scooter ride away from our hut since we decided this morning that our ridiculous rain gear wasn’t worth packing. No choice but to take refuge in a warung and warm up with some Balinese curry. Well, let’s just say the taste buds weren’t exactly blown away. Or maybe they were... in a bad way.

Hi Frank, Still loving following your new adventures. And as our former president Chirac used to say, it's far but it's beautiful 🙂