26 days trip (Part 5) : The Paradiso "Lombok: Rinjani and Gili Air"

30 July 2012. It's time to cross from Bali to Lombok, I went with Dimas and Guspra. We started at 7 a.m. from Dimas' house to Padang Bai by motorcycle. It took only an hour. 7 p.m. we reached Padang Bai but we needed to wait for Guspra. Finally we took 10 a.m. boat, and reached Lembar at 3 p.m. The price for ferry is 36k for a person, 101k for motorcycle, and 660k for car. From Lembar harbor to mataram took
about an hour. We were greeted by Mapala Handayani. Thanks to a friend in forum before who told me about this mapala. It's fasting month, so we're having break-fasting together. It was great. Thanks for greeting us. and there's one of my friend, we met on cs, and we're hiking Rinjani together. He's Micah from USA. He's totally strong, bringing two big backpacks with him. He's big, and walked very fast. We stayed in Bang Doni's rent house in Mataram. We bought some food for climbing Rinjani.

view of NTB island

Dimas and I with big backpacks on motorcycle

Gathering with Hadayani

31 July 2012

So the Rinjani team was me, Dimas, Guspra, Micah, Bang Cacing, and Bang Odux (guide from Handayani). 7 a.m. off to Mandalika bus station 3k. Then we took public transportation to Sembalun. It costed one person 40k. 11.30 p.m. reached Sembalun. 12 p.m. start hiking. We didn't go through the security post, they knew another shortcut to hike. It's slope, not very steep, it's a wide hills with grass around. There were plenty water in Rinjani, every post have water, but the clean one is third post.

12.00-13.30: Sembalun-Post 1
13.30-14.15: Post 1- Post 2
14.15-15.30: Post 2-Post 3
Rest

1 August

9 a.m. started to hike, crossing what they called Bukit Penyesalan or Hills of regret. It's getting steep, and it's called heels of regret because people who went through will feel regret. 1 p.m. arrived at Plawangan Sembalun. It's the gate and where everybody camp before summit attack. There is water spring here. It's very beautiful watching the lake from this last post.

Plawangan Sembalun, see the clouds?

The reef, and peak

Beautiful Lake Segara Anak

2 August

Summit attack. We're lucky it was full moon. You know, the moonlight hit the lake and the lake looks shining. It was incredibly beautiful ! Too bad my camera's not good so i can't capture that moment. 2 a.m started to hike, it's pretty tiring, sandy. You walked and slipped down again. But it's not as bad as Semeru. Not really makes you slip down. The most killing part is Letter S. It's the sandy part and ya, it's so tiring. 6.30, finally we reached the summit ! Perfect time when the Sun went out. Thanks God, finally we reached the peak. Micah was totally crazy. He started at 3 p.m., and reached around 5.30. we started earlier, but he reached summit earlier. What a man ! All we found along our way was western people, tourists. Where's indo guy? hehe. We enjoyed our time in summit. Of course taking lots of picture. It's very cold up there. We could see the lake an crater, but I think it's not the best sunrise I've seen. The lake, the wall blocked the light so its shadow hit the lake.

The lake blocked by shadow

Crater

My team, thanks =)

Hills of regret

1 p.m. went straight down to the lake. 4 p.m. we reached Lake Segara Anakan, and had rest there. There are water spring and hot spring over there. I relaxed and cleaned my self in the hot spring. Feels like heaven ! Then we ate fish caught by Bang Cacing, chit chat, and rest.

3 August

It's sooooo wonderful in the morning. Cant explain it..Take a look at the pics !

Gunung Baru Rinjani, still active

beautiful side of the lake

speechless

This is must visit place in Rinjani ! Totally beautiful ! Too bad we didnt have much time, so 10 a.m. we went down. It should be down, but in fact we needed to climb up again to Plawangan Senaru. It's very tiring and also ruined my mood, because we should go down, but we needed to climb up first. After an hour and half climbing up we reached Plawangan Senaru, we went down, to the sandy part, and then to the forest. 5.30 p.m. reached the base camp, Jebah Gawa. Only a couple of old people, a granny and grandpa stayed in this small warung (traditional store). We took a night here because there's no more public transportation. The only problem I faced was my camera. I needed to make sure my camera''s not running out of battery and memory. So i only took little bit pics =(

Micah, Dimas, me, Guspra, Odux

Thanks Bang Cacing and Odux for guiding us

4 August

First plan was visiting the waterfall but no time. 11 p.m. using Ojek went down to the public transportation post, 15k, and then we used the elf 30k, to Mataram. Those Handayani people came to fetch us, and we're having break-fasting again with them. Chit chat, drank brem. Brem is a traditional drink made from tapai (fermented from rice or Sago) It makes your body warm, and yes makes you drunk if you drink much =) And also, they offered me weed. First time I tried, but only once =p

5 August

Went to GIli Air. About an hour by motorcycle to the harbor. Then planning to go to Gili Trawangan, but no more boat, too late. so we spent a night there with tent.

Price for boat

Retribution Fee

Blue water and whie sand

Sunset

6 August

On our way back to Bali. Micah continued his journey to Sumba, NTT. Big thanks to Bang Doni, Bang Cacing, Bang Odu, and all members of Handayani. Hope to see you again another time. thanks Bang Cacing and Bang Odu who didnt do fasting and skip the class..Haha..It's not because of us right? In Lombok I spent 500k for everything. Journey end =)

7 August

Planned to visit Uluwatu, but Dimas and I were too tired, so we only went to Sanur only to eat the delicious lumpia.

8 August

Time to leave paradise and back to Jakarta. I took Air Asia for only 150k (promotion price) hehe. It's my first time taking plane across Java. There's one spot where I saw mountains from the sky inside the plane. I think all mountains in Java. Beautiful view. hehe. In total I spent IDR 1,500,000 for everything+500,000 for shopping, partying, etc. So..What a journey ! Thanks God, Thanks everyone ! Thanks wonderful Indonesia !

Traveled in 30 July-6 August 2012