This is a setup for trouble man hahaahaha I might have to skip mass game at this rate
Just got done editing videos and photos
I need to go back into journaling I miss documenting stuff
Photo of the day;
Location: Mount Patirana, Bondowoso
Time: Right after sunrise.
Patirana was 9 solid hours of hiking; including 3 hours of stargazing, napping, deep-talking and praying Subuh 2/3 of the way up the mountain.
The stars were mesmerizing, they were full on parading their glow and the nightlights complemented the dark sky so well.
The air around us was ridiculously cold- but I survived without a jacket (I mean, I was wearing a thermal long sleeved fleece under my long sleeved jentera baiduri shirt and gloves and socks and tights underneath my pants- STILL super cold but I just wanted to embrace the moment wholly- so for someone who doesnt tolerate cold well, not wearing a jacket up there is a big deal bruh everyone else were cooped up)
The breeze were strong and chilly, it was really really literally cool because we don't experience that often.
While resting, Syaz, Aziz, Irfana and I engaged in an exchange of lame jokes, trying to outlame each other and of course being adaptable I managed to stoop down to their level and reign hahahah (it was ridiculous I couldn't stop generating lame jokes)
And then it was also the first time I learnt that Syaz has this before-sleep persona when she's on the verge of falling asleep, she'd talk nonsense and laugh at herself idk drunk man hahahaha
Syaz and I saw a shooting star at the same time, and it took me a moment to realise that that was probably my first time ever seeing a shooting star.
I mean we talk about it so much it felt like it was a normal thing, until I contemplated on why Syaz and I reacted in such a weird way
"Omg!"
"Did you see-!"
"Yes I did!"
Soon after, the mountain guides lit some stuff including... plastic to make a campfireish flame right behind where we were seated (I know, I know, the plastic smelt toxic)
We all thought it was weird they only made fire at that time when we already tolerated the cold for 3 hours, turns out they were generating ashes to land on our clothes for tayammum (dry ablution using sand or dust)
Then we faced atop the mountain and prayed while sitting down the whole time cause the ground was uneven
Super cool experience, in fact, super cool is a major understatement!
You can't help but feel so small, and being up there you focused on nothing but Him.
We continued our ascend which was a mere 15-20 minutes journey up (or at least it felt like it) and then we encountered the ridge
A really narrow path leading to two really steep ascents (which are- imagine this- not surrounded by plants or land, no no- one wrong step and you fall off the mountain my friends, roll down the hill like jack and jill- ok fine just jack)
Being up there, we had to be extra extra extra careful of our steps.
Took a while for us to ease up and I guess we were soon enough distracted by the sunrise.
I can't find any more words to describe being up there.
Breathtaking.
And then came the debacle on whether we should continue our ascent to the real peak.
Just being there, looking up at the remaining path we have to conquer in order to reach the top, you'll begin to understand why humans are asked to be grateful for what they have and to know their own limits.
Going uphill is no problem, but imagine going downhill in a group of more than 30 humans sliding down a long, steep, uneven dirt slope having to balance because go 1cm right AND left and you'll find a shortcut to the foot of the mountain
And there were 2 such journeys ahead
We could see the peak from the ridge, but most of us understood the risk and as a group we decided to turn back.
In the meanwhile the group hiking behind us wanted to proceed so they had to takeover- this was scary because like I said, the road was super narrow even for one human, so we had to use our sticks to find a ground big enough for us to sit on- more like perch on the edge- while a line of humans walk right beside us.
Syaz and I tried to scream down the valley to check if it echoes but either we didnt scream loud enough or the valley wasnt valleyish enough
(Of course we didnt scream full volume imagine if we shocked someone and they wobbled and fell D:)
So, one foot in front of another as usual, we turned back and began our descent.
This was a dramatic moment cause we got separated into a few small groups and we were quite a huge distance away from each other like we couldnt see the people directly behind us and even when we stopped for water breaks for them to catch up, we'd lose them again soon enough so we gave up waiting and shot straight to the ground.
I was lucky enough to be in the first group with nadia, sorfi, aziz, faiz and qamaruz
We had to leave a few people behind because we needed people to make sure the people right behind us (which was syazana and faris I believe) was in touch with the people behind them.
With no tour guide, we kept walking but halfway through I realised we were walking at an unfamiliar path but who cares yolo right hahahha
(I realise we were walking in the drains probably used to water the plantations on the mountain lol shortcut but really really rocky road- I didnt fall once though THANKS DECATHLON BOOTS they really did help with the grip!)
So then we reached a super steep slope where there was literally NO WAY we could walk upright
And we were well aware there was a proper way which we saw as a long cut (which we ascended by) on the left but we looked at each other and wordlessly agreed to slide down hahhaha shortcut
When we saw the field right before the bridge and the entrance, our hearts were so, so relieved!
This feeling was priceless ok actually all the feelings during the hike was amazing.
The descent was harder than the ascent cause gravity psht hahhaa but it was okay for me since I was hopping the whole way cause I trust my shoes!
(Oh tip for hiking, dont trust rocks. Especially stones)
On our way down we saw a lot of the farmers (ok wait my vocab is not with me but you get it- plantation workers) they were old people carrying big loads and wearing slippers with sarong.
Some running up and down the very route we used sticks to balance on
And then there we were wearing full hiking gear being overtaken by them hahahahah
Alah bisa tegal biasa, really
Things that are seemingly hard would turn out easy if we do it enough times.
We spent like half hour relaxing at the river, with Nad and I speaking to Yakub who was also on exchange in Al-ishlah (we hiked up together, but their team reached the base wayyy before ours- he even said they managed to take a nap before we arrived) before the rest of the JB team reached.
They were definitely worse off, they got lost and of course the longer time taken must've exhausted them even more.
We survived though!
Not only that, we conquered Patirana!
(Actually wasnt that hard ah hahahah I didnt break a sweat cause cold and the beautiful view helped a lot)
I'd honestly say it was relatively easy, i'd do it again on my own pace to embrace the surroundings.
Alhamdulillah, most of us came out unscathed!
(though our transport back to Ishlah took quite long to arrive and we were all basking in the tiredness together hahah I think we all had shower and sleep in our minds not even food man- I think la)
Shoutout to hajar my buddy and kakek selasih hanis for being my back and front guards respectively and forcing me to hydrate myself (even though I lazy take out water bottle) by sharing their drinks (lol we had to bring 3 bottles in our bags each so technically I helped ease their burden kan heheheh jk)
Syazana and Iffah for keeping faith and staying so, so strong!
And the rest of the team for always checking up on each other- it might be radioish to hear "Are you ok?" from 20 people in the span of 3 minutes (ok exaggeration) but point is they cared enough to ask each other and I appreciate the gesture
Cons:
X Because it was a guided tour and in a big group, we were hiking really fast and I couldn't enjoy the views where it was most beautiful- the descent was slightly better though because we were fast, we could stop at a few places for water and photo breaks
X Someone played music SUPER SUPER loud in the morning, we could hear it from the rest point of the mountain- was it for the farmers hahaha
X People were shining torches in my eyes pls stahp where's your light control
X People relaying messages for the sake of relaying it- "guysss keep right" 100m too early- this is a normal problem lol forgivable but doesnt remove the annoyingness
Wooh
Actually isnt this a better idea yes it is
Like instead of blogging my Bondo trip (or any events in the future) by day, (especially since Bondo was 18 days), i'd blog by photos
It does trigger the full memory as compared to trying to remember a day per se.
Ok set, look forward to the next Bondo photo-post!
(To me cause I love detailed posts)
In other words, it is 2.55am and I am not feeling sleepy at all but I should but my brain is just in a very creating mood right now
I shall not deprive it
Goodnight, sweetdreams!
