We finished with the handing out of IDEM brochures midway through the second day and proceeded to plan for our remaining hours.
We found this:
"Mount Bromo also Gunung Bromo, located in the Tengger Caldera, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in East Java, Indonesia. It is an active volcano and part of the Tengger massif, and even though at 2329 meters it is not the highest peak of the massif, it is the most well known."
Travel and a tour of the region was provided for by Haryono Travels at a fee of 360,000 Rp or ~SGD$57 per person.
The 4 hour drive southwards started at midnight. Our ride was comfortable with seats that we could recline completely to an impressive horizontal. I lost consciousness before we started and awoke shortly before we arrived.
Closer up the mountain, at the resort, the air was still, fresh and suprisingly cold. We knew it would be around 5 degrees celsius, but overestimated our tolerance for the chill. This was despite my 2 T shirts, 1 sweater, and borrowed jacket.
The remaining ride up to the 2,329 metre peak of Mt. Bromo, to the viewing gallery, was continued by Jeep.
We were early, and froze our asses off, waiting almost an hour for sunrise.
Also, the gallery was getting crowded, tourists and locals alike swarming the area and snapping away in the pre-dawn darkness.
Being blinded by multiple flashes from a sea of
cameras was particularly annoying.
Also at the viewing gallery the Tengger Caldera (where smoke is emerging from) can be spotted.
Next up the jeep took us to down to the Caldera itself.We dismounted far beyond the temple and trudged in (pumice- like) ash towards the crater. Along the way locals peddled horse rides up for a mere 5,000Rp. We politely declined offers that came our way and obstinately ascended.
And after all the climing in ash, we arrived at the famed 247 steps up.
Tired, hungry, but finally staring into the mouth of Tenggar Caldera.
