A few minutes walk from Oro Oro Ombo we stopped at Cemoro Kandang. Everything here looks like they are washed in a VSCO filter. After another bite of watermelon (here it costs about 2500 rupiah) we trekked in the middle of tall pine trees and vegetations.
We saw pretty edelweiss and yellow wildflowers that give the golden tinge to the terrain. The trek slowly went from a gentle ascend to 20 degree pitch. I was out of stamina, breathing carelessly. Luckily we reached Jambangan by 5pm. In Semeru, if you see white clothes tied up to a few trees, it means you are nearing a checkpoint or a campsite.
Somehow after Jambangan I sprinted. The trek here is fairly flat and there are sections you have to descend. It is almost dark and I felt like were were sort of in a fairy land, in which the smell of wildflowers lingers.
When we reached Kalimati (that name is scary, sort of foreboding) there were many tents had been put up. The chill was coming fast as the day inched towards darkness. And there it was. The summit of Semeru basked in golden hue in front of us, a full moon rising from our left and spectacular sunset on our right. That moment felt so… humbling.
Fast forward to 2:00am when everyone got up to conquer the summit. We tracked in the darkness towards Arcopodo (2900 meter above sea level). Here we got the first taste of that stratovolcanic ground that make your feet slipped downwards. The trek here involves a few moments of swaying and pushing your limbs with your hands and knees. Whenever we stopped to catch a breath, I took a wistful look at the clear sky, shining were the full moon and stars.
The trek was getting narrower, and I started to see deep gorge on the left and right. The tiny dots of headlights formed like a thin line of lava ahead of me. We reached Arcopodo.
And the most trying time had come.
As you know from that 5 CM movie, this stratavolcanic part is no-holds-barred 60-70 degree pitch that will push your mental and endurance to the edge. Wait. There is no edge, just an abyss. Haha (nervous laugh)
It was almost like a futile climb. At first I couldn’t figure how to fight the slipping gravels especially when I got too close to the person ahead of me. When he took a step, the sandy gravels quickly pouring down and you lost your momentum.
Along the way, upon guidance from Firdaus and Akmal I sort of got it.
- Follow the tracks of your guide. Usually he will be the first in the line up and he knows where to step
- Don’t exert yourself to step too quickly. This is a slow, grueling upward march that tests your patience. I would recommend it to most of millennials who have issue of instant gratification (don’t we all?)
- Ziggity zag. In order to balance yourself (Trust me, you don’t want to fall on your back), climb in zig-zag. It is exhausting but again, this is not a test of speed.
- As a petite girl, use your low center of gravity to your advantage. Lean forward. I didn’t crawl as much as anyone else.
- Use mask to cover your nose and mouth as the omnipresent dust will get annoying after sometime.
I am not going to sugarcoat this experience. It is as extremely challenging as it sounds. Some people gave up and started to descend although the summit is still far away. However, as the sun rose above the clouds, it was majestic. The sight of it was enough to give me a renewed hope. Amidst painful muscles, gastric pain, teary eyes and battered spirit, I was determined to scale up inch by inch. And I was really, really grateful that Akmal and Firdaus were patiently climbing along with me.
“Semangat. Selawat.” We rallied each other (well mostly me) and vowed to never give up on ourselves. Because God won’t.
When I looked around me, everyone was fighting their own battle. Each one of us was quiet, gazing up with hopeful eyes, looking for the glimpse of the Puncak Mahameru. Inside each one of us, I know it was a civil war between giving 1000s of excuses to turn back and focusing on the goal.
Finally, we caught the sight of an Indonesian flag and continued to ascend. Somehow the journey was getting easier. It was about 7:40 local time I got to set my foot on Puncak Mahameru. It was unbelievable.
Confession time begins:
Overwhelmed with gratefulness, I shed a tear and offered my thanks to the All-Mighty.
OK I lie, it was more than a tear. Then I quickly wiped it off before somebody saw and would tease me “Aihhh, nangis ke?”😂
Confession time is over.
So here we were, standing on the summit, called by the locals as Puncak Mahameru (Puncak Para Dewa or the Thrones of the Deities). Above the clouds we could see other peaks like islands surrounded by white cotton candy. The flat summit is as big as two football field, so there are ample of space for a celebration. I was thinking someone could break a Guinness Book of Record of having the highest football or netball match here.
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t is a Hindustan-time-plus-valeting of pictures-plus-appreciation-time! I call it Hindustan time because here the dose of wind is high enough for your shawl and sarees to float without the help of a special effect machine. You know, like in Bollywood movies when a girl enters a classroom, her hair, her shawl starting to blow as if she is standing in front of an industrial-grade blowing fan?
#onlyinBollywood
We sent our regards and wish-you-were-here to family, friends, a state football team and Chief Minister. Everyone at the summit made their personal dedication, in their own way and attire. Some people even dressed in their graduation robes. It has always been one of my favorite moments whenever I got to a summit: watching the hikers glowing with pride and joy of conquering the impossible and sharing their joy with those who can’t make it there.
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he descend to Arcapodo took about 2 hours. It was a test of patience of another kind. You need to slide as if you are skiing down the gravel and use your heel to brake as needed. The sunlight was already blazing hot but I reminded myself that lots of accidents happen during descents. So I took it slow. And guys, I beg you to be on alert and not to put on your earphones during this leg of the hike. As many people went down at the same time, the movement of gravels will get amplified and increases the probability of falling rocks. So many hikers got hit by rolling rocks and passed away here. May Allah shower their soul with infinite blessings.
In the end, my shoes were full of volcanic stones and sands, but I had nothing to complain about. I just wore my smile and marched down to Kalimati, sang some tunes while enjoying the sights and sounds of the nature.
With the day passed by quickly, I found myself back at Oro Oro Ombo and Ranu Kumbolo staring at the vast space of beauty, wishing I could stay here for another night. Anyway, dogs here are very friendly and they do provide some comic reliefs to already-untroubled heart. What a paradise.
I know, I will feel saudade for this special place. Until today I still do.
In summary, you have to know the sources of infinite happiness in Semeru: amazing company, pretty vistas and sweet watermellons (“semangka”)
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t;
Kembara Kebaya 