Day 1: Surabaya
“Pack your bags the night before. If it takes you a really long time to find, choose and pack your clothes and other unnecessary-but-you-might need things, then skip sleep and just get ready early that you don’t miss your flight”
The Jakarta-Surabaya plane ride takes an hour. Don’t sleep the night before and leave early morning so as not to waste time and just sleep in the van. You save time by sleeping during the trip as there’s nothing to see and you’ll be in it until your butt gets numb. At least you don’t feel it if you’re sleeping. The late morning drizzle did good by lessening the heat. Surabaya – one of the hottest places (unconfirmed) in Indonesia, I was told. Stop by one of those restaurants that tourists go to which, to give credit, food was good. If your throat feels like sandpaper, order the Teh Jahe or Ginger Tea and you’ll be amazed at (1) the scandalous number of ginger in the glass and (2) surprisingly good taste that is soothing to my throat. In fact, two of my trip mates asked for some of these and placed it in their drinks. Wow! It didn’t even lessen the flavour in my tea. That’s how potently good it was. Only setback was – there’s no price on the menu. Kinda suspicious, with good reasons. We got a bill of around USD 80. Yes, in Surabaya, out of the city, that’s quite expensive. There were only 6 of us with a simple menu. Go figure.
After 6 – 8 hours of sleep in the van creating stiff backs and desensitised behinds (I told you!), take your luggage to your hotel room, unpack, eat dinner and rest. Yes, sleep again as you will definitely need all the energy you can get going up Ijen Crater. In Bahasa Indonesia, it’s called Kawa Ijen. Sleep for at least 2 hours and wear clothes that will keep you warm. Specifically, winter jacket, a beanie and comfy, sturdy shoes. Never forget that flashlight – if you have one that’s hands-free, perfect!
Day 2: Ijen Crater and the toxic fumes
A few hours rest and of course, dinner is a must. Leave the hotel at 23ooH with your jacket, beanie and gloves. Most importantly, bring a torch that you can put around your head or any other body part except your hands. Take a nap along the way as this will certainly provide a back-up source of energy you will need.
At around 2:00 a.m. in the morning and you will never feel alone. Either your group will overtake others or they pass you by. A stop at a small store or ‘warung’ for a sip of hot coffee or a break from walking is a must.
Around 5:30 a.m. after hiking for what feels like eternity, this is one of the few thrilling sights you will see as the sun starts to rise. Blue flame? If you still have the nerve to go down blind in the dark knowing that you will fall on the rocks on the photo, go ahed. I lost my courage mid-way. But you go and see the blue flame. My friends said it was a sight. So, I recommend you go and bring an extra dose of grit and spunk.
No flashlight, so special shoes, no thick jackets. They are the miners who transport sulfur from the crater below for a living. Bring some food or buy their sulfur products without haggling, please. Give them an extra amount. They risk limb and life as well as their lungs just to earn a decent living.
Going up and down. At the end of your hike, you need to go back to where you started and will see this. The darkness in the early morning hid this view. Kara Ijen is an experience you will definitely do once – and once is enough.
chronically gallivanting 
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