Mount Ijen Trip! ⛰⛰

Assalamualaikum, hi.

I just got back from Mount Ijen random trip yesterday, not really exhausted but I slept quite early at 10-ish I guess. So... YES! I got to join it, I know my latest post was about how I was sad that I didnt get to go as I didnt get permission. Thought of rebelling but yea that morning I woke up and immediately texted Seth for that. He didnt allow tho at the first place. But then, I said that I'll just stay home, not joining the other three to go shopping or whatever. I'll just stay at home, enjoying me-time. I mean, I was really okay if he said no, at least I asked so I'll never have the regret assuming. Then Seth half-heartedly said "pergi lah sana" and start bringing up the past of how I didnt send him my location when I first went lepak with Syazwan. Also he said let this be the last time I'll ask for his permission to go somewhere alone (without the other 3). I promise to stay safe and will send him my location every 8 hours.

Why did I say it was a random trip was because, at 12 midnight on 17 May 2019 Syazwan was just asking. It was so last minute that I first decided to just give up asking for Seth's permission, woke up and actually spare the guts to ask and at 1pm the same day, Seth said yes, and told Syazwan I'll be joining and he replied at 3-ish! and at 6pm we were departing from Surabaya to Mount Ijen. That was very a fast decision made and the most random trip to somewhere magnificently beautiful I have ever experienced! I can really be up to crazy ideas hahha. Just imagine, going somewhere you didnt know whats up. All I know was Mount Ijen was near Banyuwangi (international student trip organised by the uni). I didnt know I will need to hike the mountain, no idea I'll be seeing sunrise. Oh its Ramadhan month, hiking while fasting? Weak people defo cannot relate! And best believe that this is also my first time hiking experience.

So at 6pm we waited at the Mandiri Bank (just in front of my house).

There were Laura from German, Ju from France, Sheryl and Emily from Taiwan, like me, as an exchange students here. 7 people in total. The trip was approximately 6 hours long, I sat in the middle between Laura and Ju, while the taiwanese girls were at the back.  He asked whether I had break my fast, I said yes I did. He still gave me his roti telur, he said "tu aku masak, makan lah, habiskan tau".

Laura is 23 y/o, very soft-spoken, she offered me her mineral water when I feel like throwing up (Ical drove recklessly), fruits and cookies. Ju was a bit passive at first but also nice, she offered something which I forgot what it was. And the Taiwanese girls are the clown in the group! They made the noise, which made us all laughed! It was a fun trip cause we all mingled well. A bit annoying when we arrived and Emily and Sheryl really cant wait to start when Syazwan said "the portal will be opened at 2am" and they already wear the mask. The mask should be used when at the top, where the sulfuric air was strong. But yea then Laura and Ju were like "relax girls, we will eventually go up, chill". I was just smiling while observing the people hahhaha.

It was 2799m in height and 14 degree celcius. To me, as I had never experienced such temperature, my hands were freezing! I kept on rubbing it together to create some heat while hiking. It was very steep too.

We sat at the warkop (warong kopi) when we arrived and they had some drink. I didnt want to cause I had Laura's mineral water and I brought some milk. While hiking, we both shared chipsmore for sahur too at 3-4am huhu. So I can say that we had sahur together, when we were hiking. Never had iftar together but yea he asked me to teman makan, I actually teman him to shopping some groceries first.

We stopped at the middle of the way before we reach the end. So they sat down and Syazwan and I werent sitting down, we were talking on silly things (things I will always remember and cherish). I said that I needed to fix my hair and tudung, meaning that my hair tie had loose but I cant say that cause that will give him imagination that my hair is long. He cutely asked "tudung kau rosak ke?" ahahahhaha he tried to fix my problem not knowing girls problem. Oh the moon was so bright too.

We arrived at the peak around 4:42AM (i took pictures and posted it on insta stories so I know the exact time hahhaha). Mas Yono (the local guide) was really doing his job tho I mean he really kept an eye on me every time I move. I wanted to go somewhere to hide so that I can fix my hair and tudung. But its impossible because Mas Yono thought I was looking for a place to sit, to wait for the sunrise.  He called me "kak Laila" like haahha hes definitely older tho but I guess hes trying to give me the malaysian vibe. Mas Yono also showed available place to sit when I WAS ACTUALLY TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC hahahha so I was like "ohh makasihh mas". Then Syazwan said "sini sebelah aku pun boleh duduk ni". I was tired walking and Mas Yono was wondering why havent I sit so I just sat next to Syazwan. It was the best memories for me here, really I can never forget. and Syazwan and I talked while waiting for the sunrise together.

We took a lot of pictures, and also group photos. We also played game and challenge. For example, each of us tried to say "hidup itu indah" in another language. I got to do the mandarin, taiwanese girls get to do bahasa melayu and so on. Also, we managed to record a video, saying "i love you" in each others language. Since Syazwan is Malaysian like me, but he can speak Javanese well, so he said it in Java. We laughed together, it really feels so good. But when we were going down, Syazwan walked in front with the rest. Sometimes I can catch them up, but Syazwan didnt really talk to me. I got it, he has another 4 friends he had to entertain so I tried to chill. I was okay tho, really. I feel like walking alone and just enjoy my music tho, I know Mas Yono was behind, I didnt mind and just sing. Just that, I didnt realise since when but I noticed hes garang to me, completely the opposite when hes with the rest. In the car, I asked him the waterfall location, Ical and him answered simultaneously so I couldnt heard it well. Laura and Ju asked something and he always smile while answering it. When I asked him again, he probably unintentionally raised his voice. Started from there, I kept quiet a lot.

Then, we stopped by Kalipait Waterfall for a while. I dont know why but I was sad when we were going back to Surabaya. Probably because I know everything is gonna end. We arrived Surabaya at 4:30, Ical dropped Ju first, Laura and me then the Taiwanese girls. When Ju and Laura were gone, then he smiled at me. I wasnt smiling back, he asked if he had sent me all the photos, I said I didnt get the last one, he said "nanti aku hantar tau".

I got home and he texted, "sorry aku tak layan kau sangat". I didnt know he noticed. I didnt mind because I know he had to entertain everyone, but I was a bit dejected when he smiled less to me, compared to the rest. Probably that was only my feeling.

Overall, it was the best memories Ive created here. Perhaps, every time he is with me, thats always the best memories.  But this trip was something I will forever remember. A short trip with my best friend here. Definitely, unplanned things really made the best memories.

Yours Truly,

5:19PM (right before iftar)

Surabaya, Indonesia 🇮🇩