Bandung Break 2013

Perahu

On our first day in Bandung, Indonesia, my best buddy from college decided to visit volcano peaks.  For a bum like me, scaling heights never means doing it literally!

We were not the only 'certifiable' ones up there to my surprise - the pungent of sulphur was sharp. From where we stood (where the picture was taken), there were visible fumes as well.

I enjoyed the cool breeze very much - a change from back home - then we were plagued by the haze.
Because I was really excited, being on the peak of a volcano which is dormant/active not extinct, we decided to hire a guide to walk the trail to another peak.  It took us 30 minutes to hike down hill on a heavily used clay path.  The trunk of trees were somewhat carbon coated from the last eruption some years back.  It does make the idea sound so intriguing although halfway down, I almost decided to go back up!

Anyways, my BFF refused to stop there because the next morning, I found myself in our hired cab, on the way to another peak.  It rained overnight and when we got there, I thought I was in Copenhagn in winter!  It was almost freezing cold for me.  She was fine - having lived in Minnesota for 10 years !

I forgot about the cold after robbing her of her winter coat (I AM THAT HOPELESS IN THE COLD).  Also, the now familiar 'aroma' of sulphur stung me enough to bring me back from the dead-cold.
What I felt was awesome, was the colour the crater lake reflected - As you can see, its actually a sight to remember.
Sulphur deposits were lined along the shore like artwork.  I have not seen anything as breathtaking as that.  This peak was less crowded, just us and another group of 6 tourists.  It was almost like the view was ours.

It was the best 4 days I have had in a long time.  Our last vacation was about 2 years from Bandung.  If anyone is planning a vacation in SE Asia, visit Bandung - hire a driver - and dare to go out there to experience what would otherwise just be information we have learnt from the media.