soul journey: semeru: smaller soul journey

Ling deva mpu Kameswara tirthayatra

a holy man named Kameswara was doing a holy pilgrim

That inscription is written in a stone by Lake Kumbolo, it was made to commemorate the pilgrim of a holy man somewhere in between 10-15th century Kediri-Majapahit era.

Collaborators for this trip

Alejandro Gunawan

Alberto Damar Jono Triaji

Dionisio Agung Bloko Wardhianto

Francisco Nugroho

Our journey to Semeru National Park was not holy whatsoever, it was a fun trip that contain our personal journey. We departed from Jogjakarta by Malioboro Express train at October 3rd 2013 at 22.15. In the train we met a group of 5 friends who share the same destination with us. So we traveled as group to Semeru, because it's cheaper to share transportation cost. Once arrived in Malang at October 4th 2013 05.30 then went on chartered angkot to Tumpang, a small town east of Malang. Here we took truck to Ranu Pane the closest village to Semeru. Unfortunately at that time there were ongoing road repair construction work, so our truck couldn't reach Ranu Pane, we were dropped at Jemplang, a T-junction to Bromo or Semeru, we walked for about 2km passed the construction until we reached Bantengan an area overlooking Tengger sand crater. From Bantengan we took ojek to Ranu Pane, this whole debacle cost us half day.

At Ranu Pane,we registered our self to park ranger office and started our hike around 14.00, our destination was Ranu Kumbolo (ranu means lake) 9.81 km hike, vegetation was particularly thick in this track, with fallen logs, bush tunnels, and branches sticking out to the track. This was a long and winding track curvaceous at hillsides. Around 3pm until sunset, we hiked under hill shadows, the temperature drop, we expected hiking during day will be burning hot. By 7pm we reached Lake Kumbolo, it was located at a valley and the wind was strong, I was chilled, my friends built tent and cooked meal, once the tent ready I sleep right away in my sleeping bag without even bother to eat, sorry guys.

I woke up early in the morning at October 5th 2013 and the scenery at Lake Kumbolo was breath taking, I have to admit it was not as overwhelming as the view at Segara Anakan Rinjani National Park but after a long walk and exhausted body, this view really was something. Bloko our mountain guide+chef made our spaghetti breakfast. At 09.00 we packed our camp and departed to Kalimati the 2nd closest camp before summit, 5km away from Lake Kumbolo. At 10.00 we crossed area which is called Oro-oro Ombo it was an ancient dried marshland with human-tall dried grass, fascinating, but the heat was unbearable. We crossed for about an hour and reached pines area called Cemara Kandang, here we rested exhausted from the heat. we continued our walk to the Jambangan hill, we reached there at 12.30 and consumed our natadecocogasm. Then descended toward Kalimati camp and reached there by 15.00. Alejandro and Bloko went to Sumber Mani, a spring to replenish our water, me and Jono built tent and collected firewood for the night.

That night Bloko went out with group of friends from Solo toward summit, they departed at midnight, around 03.00 at October 6th 2013 Bloko returned to the camp after reaching Arcopodo, the last camp before summit, due to cold weather. He waited for second night to summit again with Alejandro hoping the weather would be better. Me and Jono decided we didn't go to summit and took care the camp. Four of us just joke around, took photograph, cooked meal, and rolled our tobacco all day. At night I started our campfire with Jono while Bloko and Alejandro rested for the summit hike. Around 23.00 I rested, the east wind was getting stronger, I was shivering in my sleeping bag. In fact all of us shivered from the cold, for your information I'm the skinniest without many fat to warm my body, if the fattest and biggest in our group shiver from the cold, it means it was really cold. Bloko and Alejandro cancelled the plan for summit.

On October 7th 2013, we decided it was enough, packed our camp then we went back to Ranu Kumbolo, at noon we reached Kumbolo, it was picnic day, ate all day, photographing, set up campfire, cooked pork, drank our capirinha cocktail, and smoked our cigar. For short, we emptied our 2 doors fridge.

October 8th 2013, descended into Ranu Pane then by afternoon we have reached Tumpang, we spent the night at Tumpang basecamp which was Pak Rusdi house the truck owner, then in the morning we went to Malang train station again with Malioboro Express 08.15 to 15.15. In Jogja Angga was kind enough to pick us all in station then we ended our trip at Bu Komang Balinese Resto. NUMPAK NOGO