Homeless But Not Hopeless: 09/12/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 32 - Please, just one lower gear, Conquering Mount Bromo

Tuesday 17 December 2013

09/12/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 32 - Please, just one lower gear, Conquering Mount Bromo

Distance cycled: 67km from Pandaan and up towards Mount Bromo, Indonesia .
Average speed: 10.8km/h
Moving time: 6h12m
Total distance: 3371km
Border X'ings: 3
Money spent: $10

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I would love to know how much energy I exerted today, whatever it is I am sure it is an ridiculous amount.
The climb up to 2400 meters on a ribbon of asphalt scything through towns, villages and farms that sat on the edge of steep hills and surrounded by many varieties of crop was incredibly strenuous, difficult, hard, exhausting... how about all of the above, and i really do wish my bike had one more lower gear just to make it slightly easier to climb this intense volcano. What a workout!
Unfortunately today didn't offer many expansive views because i spent the day shrouded in the cloud cover only once in a while getting a glimpse of the surrounding terrain of what I was cycling up, things got progressively worse too because towards the afternoon I could not continue due to the skies darkening and a lightning storm moving in. Pitching up my tent in the freezing rain on what seemed to be an abandoned path I had to Macgyver something to keep my tent warm for the night because at 2400m it can get a bit frosty even here in Indonesia; what I came up with was rather genius, using my tripod as a support for my cooking pot that contained water I was able to position a candle underneath that would heat the water providing warmth for me as I sleep - whether this actually works is up for debate right now but 3 things could happen:
1. It works and I have a pleasant nights rest
2. It doesn't and I shiver all night, or
3. I accidentally knock the contraption over and I am provided with l lots of heat as I am burning and screaming trying to escape from my tent.
Let's hope no.3 does not occur.
So tomorrow I will wake before 4am to check out the sunrise over Bromo, it's suppose to be a spectacular view however it is evident that it is monsoon season (because a lot of my things are wet right now) meaning the view may not be that special. We will see.
One other thing, apparently my Bahasa Indonesia is so good I managed to get into the national park paying only what the locals would, saving me a whole $5; that's a lie, it probably had something to do with me looking and smelling like a homeless person.