Volcanoes Bluster Buster

Wow, we have been out for a long time haven't we? Just received some exciting news, my parents are going to come visit in December to Thailand! Looking forward to that for sure. So anyway, lots of people here seem to think Americans say "oh my God" a lot, and you know what? It's true. We do. Funny how traveling puts your own culture in perspective huh?

Last week we launched our assault on Mt. Sibayak, a volcano in Sumatra (still here) near a town called Berastagi (or Brastagi). This town, high in the mountains with spring-like temperatures year round (cold for us) was once a Dutch resort town.  The first day we tried we were doomed from the start, taking our very first wrong turn that we possibly could, despite having an excellent map. Not knowing this at the time, we walked for 3 hours, and upon seeing no sign of the entrance to the path up the mountain, we hailed a flamboyantly painted bus and asked if they were going to Mt. Sibayak. They waved us on, and we relaxed into the cramped seats. Forty minutes later we were still driving, and we asked a man sitting in front of us. Apparently we had been going in the wrong direction the whole time so we got off and caught a ride back to Berstagi, defeated. 

The next day we began again by catching a bus to the right path up the mountain. Although we were walking on a road, the scenery was gorgeous and there was almost no traffic. We hiked up, up and up, through the jungle. After 3 hours of hiking the road disappeared and became a shady jungle pathway. The foliage had grown over the path and formed almost a tunnel. We stopped for our packed lunch of rice, fried potato, and green bean curry. Energized, we continued onwards. We climbed upwards still, and the landscape became scrubbier. Soon it was hardly anything but rocks stained red and yellow. We heard a great whooshing sound and as we drew near, we could see huge vents spewing out clouds of gas and smoke. The smell of sulphur filled the air, and it sounded like a jet taking off. 

"Lets go closer!" Travis said. Of course we couldn't resist. The rocks next to the vent were stained bright yellow, like a bright, fluorescent, make-the-eighties jealous shade. We didn't get too close, the stench was overpowering. We decided to climb to the summit for the view. We carefully walked up the last crest, over slippery, sulphur stained rocks. The landscape here was strange and moon like. Baby earth being created! A huge vent belched below us as we heaved our way up the last few thigh-burning steps. We stood on top of the volcano and looked around at the marvelous view. We could see for miles and miles and miles! We could see Berstagi, several small villages, and so many jungle and farm clad hills. A moment later the wind shifted, blowing all the sulfurous smoke right in our faces. We hid behind a rock, and there we found the most massive and gnarly looking beetle I've ever seen. His jaws looked like they could open a walnut.  Strange, since there was no other life (not even plants) for about 500 meters in any direction. We speculated that maybe he ate sulfur. 

Presently, I heard a deep rumbling sound. It may have been thunder, as the sky was beginning to cloud, but in my mind it was the volcano. The wind gusted coldly and sharply on my face, and the vents raged below. All at once I was struck with a deep fear. "What the hell am I doing here?" I thought "A little old country girl from Queen Annes County, Maryland, doing on top of an active volcano in Sumatra?" An urge to get down, to get away from the top of this angry mountain coursed through me. I scuttled down as carefully as I could, large and small rocks slipping and tumbling down under my feet unnervingly. We reached the lower vents, then the jungle path again. I breathed a sigh of relief and stopped to take a celebratory photo of some wild orchids I had seen.

The walk back down was a joyful 2 hours, Travis and I a bit high on the adrenaline rush of our adventure. A troop of Thomas's Leaf Monkeys leaped adroitly through the trees as the sun was setting on our way back. Our legs hurt, but our minds were happy.