MIDNIGHT!/ Saturday, June 10, 2006
By the time we finished dinner, the weather had turned cold. We went back to our tents, put on our cold gear and went stars gazing again. There was more stars compared to the resort! So beautiful!
Day 3:
Woke up early in the morning at 0400h! Breakfast for the day was banana pankcake and pineapple. It tasted nicer than what the other group had for breakfast on day 2 I think. Higher standard...
After breakfast, we started off the journey to the crater rim. It was a cold journey, since we started off early in the morning (we had to use our headlights to see where we were going), but what we got back in return was worth it. Along the way, as the sun rose up, you could see the view turn from light to brown.
Nice nice! After walking and walking, we finally reached the crater rim at 9 plus. And the view was super duper nice. The trek in the morning had been worth it.
After taking a break at the crater rim, we proceded to the hot spring. The 2h trek turned out to be 4h because it was quite dangerous. We just kept going down and down. Along the way, aga, jiachang, myra and I were like saying who was glam and who wasn't? Jia Chang keeps insisting that he's mr glam. It was funny! Right after he said that he was mr glam, he fell down. Haa. And we said that it was cos kailing was standing behind him..
At one point, we had to walk around the lake area. If you are not careful, you would fall into the lake. Then just before we reached the next base camp, we had to cross this river. The current was damm strong! Despite holding on to the porters, some of us (excluding me) still fell into the river. Somehow, you will just keep slipping.
After 'conquering' the river, we reached the base camp at 1400h. There, lunch of fried noodles with keropok was served. Aren't we spoilt? We always have such delicious food for lunch. And there's always tea and pineapple to go with it.
At 1600h, we proceded to the hot spring! We had to 'conquer' the river again before reaching the hot spring. Felt abit cheated though, cos the hot spring wasn't exactly very big. I soaked my legs there. The water was hot! And so were the people? Haha. The guys were half naked, including mr chin.
When we came out from the hot spring, it was shivering cold! The sun had set, the clouds were coming and we wet wet. So I quickly put on my jacket and we cuddled together for warmth.
Back at the base camp, we washed up, and had our dinner. Dinner was rice with curry vegetables and egg.
Sleeping time was 2040h for my tentmates and I !
Day 4:
Waking up time was 0500h. There was just the urge to shit in that morning! And I did! Breakfast was banana pancake again, but there was also bread spread with cheese and tomatoes.
At 0700h, we started off the trek to our last base camp. We were looking out for shit at the starting part of the trek as some of the guys had shitted around the area where we walked on day 3. After that, it was super super nice scneery again! The scenery was like those you see in postcards! Unbeliveable.
The climb up was tiring though. There was many steep slopes. I felt like I was bouldering and rock climbing at some point? We also had to cross a bridge! And as we moved up, the weather got even colder.
At 1100h, we reached our last base camp! Lunch wasn't ready yet, so we just slacked around in our tents. Yuyan and I slept, so that we would be recharged after lunch. Lunch this time round was rice, curry vegetables, keropok and egg. The egg was different from what I ever ate before! It was hard boiled inside and fried on the outside.
After lunch and shitting, aga.meiying.hui zhen.nellyn. rachel and I crapped inside a tent. And we played bridge too. Due to a shortage of cards, we had to make do with instant-made paper cards. I know how to play bridge now! lalala.
Dinner was early since we had to rest early to prepeare for the summit. Before dinner, we were screaming in the tent!! Mr Lim was hurrying us to come out of the tent, so we were hurrying to finish the game. Dinner was simliar to lunch, just that the curry veegetables tasted different. After dinner, we packed up and slept at 1830h. Early!
Day 5:
We woke up the earliest of all days, at 0100h. And it was cold. Brr. Breakfast was fried bread spread with milo powder and pineapple. At 0200h, we started the trek up to the summit. It was a tough trek! We were 'lucky' enough to face with strong winds which only happens once or twice every month. But though I was freezing cold, I felt warm deep inside. Because everyone gathered together during breaks and gave many words of encouragement..
Halfway through the climb to the summit, the porters had to hold on to my hand and guide me along. I was already feeling tired. Before the last rest point, the guide even had to drag me up.
After the last rest point, I moved on on my own. It was so horrible! The gravels were very loose, so very step that you take, you would bound to slide down. It wasn't a matter of how big a step you take, but rather, how much you can prevent yourself from slipping. It was such a tiring climb to the summit. After every few steps, I would just lay there to rest. The wind was very strong, so I had to turn myself away from the direction of the wind. Even then, sand still got into mouth! Imagine the amount of sand which all of us had swollowed.. And I always feel like sleeping whenever I took a rest.
There was this period of rest where I nearly dozed off, if not for teck hao's "you okay?". I can't imagine what would have happend if I have dozed off. Thank God for teck hao's concern.
Finally at 0725h, I reached the summit! *grins* I've never thought that I would be able to conquer a mountain. No, in the first place, I didn't even expect myself to go to such places.Thank God that I made it.
*snap.snap.snap* After taking some pictures, we descent down. The descent down was less tough as the ascent, but it was also slippery cos of the loose gravel. If you're not careful, you will just fall down. Jia Chang and I talked about food all the way down! He talked till he got hungry..it was vise versa for me.
After the quick brunch at the abase camp, we set off at 1210h to descent again. Aga.Jia Chang.Myra and I chatted all the way down, from x-men to anime to shit. Our last meal-lunch-was at a nice base camp, noodles soup. After lunch (1530h) we continued through the hills which somehow reminded me of storyland.
BY 1700h, many of us were drained out. It was really tiring to be trekking for such a long time.My left ankle and right knee was hurting. I was just waiting for some signs of civilisation. Finally, at 1930h, we finished our trek! Ms Rannie was nice enough to buy some drinks for each and every one of us! Three cheers! The nicest drink I've ever had.
We sat in the tuk tuk after finishing the drink, to be fetched back to the resort. Some slept while others chatted about the trek. ..all of us were pretty worn out by then. What we had was tired smiles. Back at the resort, we had dinner and then went to our own bunks for that well deserved bath. We exchanged resorts this time to ensure fairness. This time, we didnt bathe together. We just took our own sweet time to bath. I washed myself thrice to make sure that I was clean!
Day 6:
Rise and shine at 0700h. We headed to the waterfall located near the resort after breakfast. Luckily, we walked on cemented ground. And the waterfall was great! My first experience in waterfall. Fun! It hurts when the water hit out from such a high height though.
After staying there for a while, we went back to the reosrt to wash out and check out. Biding goodbye to rinjani and the resort, we proceded to senggigi for our last night stay at Coral Reef Resort. Before that though, we had another stopover at Mataram Mall for an hour to shop. Not enough time to shop!
Coral Reef Resort is good! The bunks were comfortable, the room was spacious enough, there was a televsion and even a water heater!! So blissful..After putting our bags in the room, we went to have dinner near the beachh. Once again, there was nice food! I like the satay. Before we ate though, we celebrated jia wen's birthday with a song plus cake (courtesy of john's adventure). After dinner, john showed us some tricks. Some had us bluffed, but we could solve some..interseting!
Dinner over, washed up, and we went to jonathan's room to gather around. Mainly,we ate and played bridge, until 4 the next morning, where we were super tired and went to sleep.
Day 7:
The last day of our expediton.
Breakfast at 0730h was at the beach cafe again. For once, breasfast was served in a slightly western manner. I like the rice! It had an unique taste. After that, we left for the airport.
After checking in, there was a debrief of the expedition; how we had performed as a whole. It wasn't very good. Later on, our flight got delayed by nearly an hour and so we passed time by passing bridge once again.
Flight no: MI 121. Flight seat:14A/ Seat partner: ms ng once again. Lunch of fish with rice was served this time round.
We touched down at Changi International Airport at 2 plus in the afternnon. Many of them collected their bags and went home, thier parents having waited for them. Jon. Ant. Kenneth. Jia Wen. May. Jocye. Chang Tai. Jeremy and I went to BK to eat before heading home.
And that rounds up my rinjani expedition. I've really learnt alot...
Pictures credits go to jiawen.meiying.keith! :)
Past. Present. Future
6/10/2006 10:44:00 PM <3