Breathtaking Penanjakan viewpoint...

After a few days spent in Yogjakarta myself and Ewa wanted to move and see something else. Well Java is famous for its volcanoes and that was our plan for the following days. The most popular among tourists are Bromo and Kavah Ijen - both located in Eastern Java. Most popular means also that there are zillion of trips being organized to these places. But since the very beginning, we knew with Ewa that we wouldn't want to travel with groups and in an organized way. It leaves us dependent on others and we certainly didn't want it. We then decided to visit volcanoes on our own and it's completely feasible!

We first had to get by train to East Java's capital - Surabaya, then we took a bus to Probolingo and since then we were looking for transport to our final destination - Cemoro Lawang. Well, at that time (the afternoon) there was no more public transport, but we found two owners of motorbikes who drove us (with a crazy speed!) to Cemoro Lawang.

We found the hotel and we went for a short walk in the neighborhood. Next day we were planning to go to the nearby Penanjakan Gunung from where Bromo can be seen.

The easiest way to get to the top of Penanjakan is with a jeep. Every hostel in Cemoro Lawang can organize such a trip. The jeep is being shared with other tourists. But at a time - in the evening - when we asked whether it would be possible, all jeeps were booked and renting one just for us would be very expensive. We concluded it was a sign that we really have to do this trip on our own ;-) Though the guy working in the hotel claimed that it is impossible to climb to the top of Penanjakan without a guide and insisted that we take one, we wanted to "go crazy" and decided to climb it on our own. Unfortunately when they understood they won't earn on us, they weren't helpful anymore. They didn't want to give us directions on how to get to the Penanjakan summit... 

We only knew that there was a small hidden path, but we concluded we had no choice than to do it on our own. We woke up at 2AM, put comfortable shoes, warm clothes and head torches on and left the hostel. Well, in the total darkness it didn't look like in the daylight. Difficult to recognize anything. We didn't know the directions, we just knew we had to "turn left" at some point and we knew there would be some hidden path. We assumed we're walking in the right direction, and indeed after some minutes we saw a couple walking far in front of us. We concluded they could head only to the Penanjakan and so we felt a bit relieved.

I have to say that the path was not easy. Pretty invisible, very steep, totally dark. After two hours, totally tired we made it to the top - just in time for the sunrise. This place was full of people, really crazy, I didn't think I would enjoy it. Dozens if not hundreds of them. But most of them stayed here only for the sunrise and after that they immediately left. And then it was really magical...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths, but by the moments that take our breath away...

My breath was certainly taken away, when I saw the beautiful sunrise over the Sea of Sands, and the sun shining and illuminating the volcanoes in the distance - mount Batok, Bromo and Semeru, surrounded by light mist. Spectacular... We were just sitting with Ewa, enjoying these amazing views, which we had only for ourselves as everybody left! This is the huge advantage of independent traveling - nobody's pushing you, you decide what you do and in which pace. We were so happy there were no more places in any jeep for us! We would have left this place straight after the sunrise...

Around 9AM we started the descent, but this time on the asphalt road. We were going down slowly towards out hotel, passing through the Sea of Sands and Bromo in distance. It was a very long morning for us and we decided to come back to Bromo the next day

Missy! Taxi? Or a spontaneous trip to and through Sulawesi

I love Bali. It's a beautiful island full of interesting things to see and to do. But everything is so easy, so accessible and so predictable. It makes me lazy. It makes me soft. I was just screaming for some adventure. So this morning I checked-out from my guesthouse, I went to the airport and bought a ticket (no return) to another island - Sulawesi (aka Celebes), which is famous for spectacular funeral celebrations of Toraja people. After arriving to Makassar (the biggest city in Sulewesi) I'm being immediately attacked by a tourists' hunter who proposed me a personalised trip to Tana Toraja, and in there, in a private car. I refuse, head to the bus station, when I learn that the first bus to Rantepao (principal town of Tana Toraja) leaves only very late in the evening which would make me wait 8 hours. I don't know what to do, I wander around this bus station, when suddenly I hear: "Missy!! Taxi?? Missy!! Taxi??". It is a driver of the collective/shared taxi who is looking for passengers. On the fingers we negotiate the price, we reach consensus and off we go :) 

It was the craziest 9h drive ever. Overpacked car, me sharing my front seat with another girl, driver sharing his (!!!!!) with another passenger, nobody speaking English, still one guy managed to propose to me, everybody feeding me with local specialities and playing Indonesian schlagers sweetening this trip. Very late in the evening, at around 11PM we (me - being the last passenger, driver and his friend - my almost husband ;-)) arrive to Rantepao. We look for a guesthouse for me, we wake up a few owners (unfortunately not all hotels have internet, what is quite crucial for me.. ;-)), and finally I stay in Hotel Pison. Decent room, decent price, hot water and wi-fi :) In the common space I meet three guys - Hacene, Will and William - who give me first lessons on how to organize my stay in Tana Toraja. Discussions continue until very late :)

It was a great day and I wonder what the following ones will bring :)

Time to move!

After a few days of a total dolce farniente, I feel I need some change, some adventure and some excitement. I decide to rest in a slightly bigger city - Ubud.

Unfortunately it turns out that independent travelling and local transport are (almost) impossible in Bali (unless you rent a scooter). I don't want to take a scooter, I don't want a private taxi. It was slightly complicated, but finally I find a bemo (local transport), then I hitchhike, and in early afternoon I arrive to Ubud :)

Where to go next...?

As I wrote in one of my previous posts, this trip is even more spontaneous than my all other spontaneous trips. After having arrived to Singapore, I have no clue where to head next. I have to forget about Borneo, as it is too adventurous. I check then the website of Air Asia, trying to figure out where I could fly. Since I should relax, I decide to go to Bali. I need peace, so I go to Sanur, and it turns our that my beautiful hotel is inhabited mostly by pensioners ;-) Does not matter, I just want to rest :)

Singapur - the city of blinding lights!

Although yesterday it was not sure if I could fly at all, I made it and after 15,5 hours of flight, here I am in Singapore. And my back is quite ok! I love Singapore from the very beginning, and a possibility of rating my experience in the toilet (at the airport) makes my day ;-)

At the airport I quickly book the hostel - Ali's Nest - located in the Little India and probably the cheapest accomodation in Singapore. Very basic, but clean. Anyway, a bed and wifi is everything I need ;-)

In the early evening I meet my friend Kasia, who lives in Singapore. We're going for a drink, and a dinner, where we meet a movie producer - an old German guy - with whom we're having a long chat not only about movies. Later in the evening we had to the famous Marina Bay Sounds hotel and its famous night club KU DE TA. This is a club with THE VIEW!.

The next day I start visiting Singapore from the National Orchid Garden. My secret dream job always was a gardener, so I love this place with incredible number of these beautiful plants :) Later on I continue my flowery excursion at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

In the evening, I meet Kasia again. This time we are having a dinner in Chinatown. Later on we go for drinks :)

Last day I spend on visiting incredible Gardens By The Bay.

Expect unexpected or let the new adventure begin!

Although it is only the first day of my trip to Asia, I know already it's gonna be different than I initially planned.. In the morning of the departure day I do the scanning of my back, as a big pain makes my living very difficult and puts in question my trip. The diagnose is not very optimistic to say the least. It's a hernia, and doctor forbids me to travel... No no no, I just cannot not to go to Asia. Everything is planned, I have already six weeks of holidays and my ticket is not refundable! My tears convince the doctor, but I have to unpack half of my backpack and modify my itinerary. Instead of adventurous Borneo where I was planning to climb Mount Kinabalu and do some trekking in the jungle, I decide to rest and relax a bit in Bali.. or at least to start my trip this way, and then I will see... ;-)

Since I have spent all morning in the hospital, I will not be able to go to Warsaw by train if I want to catch my evening plane. I'm thus flying. And there, at the Warsaw Airport I meet the famous American rapper - 50 Cent! I'm sure that this is only beginning of the great trip! So let it begin... :-)