While traveling in Ubud, Bali in 2010, Kevin and I decided to hire a guide to trek a nearby volcano. There are many, many travel adventure shops to choose from and after checking out a few, we decided on one that felt right. The owner, Wayan, helped us to decide on the best itinerary for our excursion.
After an early morning wake-up call at 2:00AM, we got dressed and headed out for a drive to the base of the mountain. Hardly anyone was out at this time of day but there were many, many dogs roaming the dark streets. We arrived at the base of Gunung Batur, an active volcano, and met our mountain guide. It was still dark as we began our ascent up the mountain. The stars were incredible and the air was crisp. As we climbed, the sky began to lighten and we felt the urgency to get to the top for sunrise. We reached the top of the mountain just in time for the spectacular sunrise over Lake Batur. It was absolutely breathtaking and we felt the shift in the air from night to day. The air got a bit colder just as the sun began to crest the horizon and then began to gradually warm up.
After playing and taking silly photos at the top of the mountain we went to the warung and had a breakfast of a steamed egg , toast and of course, Bali coffee. The eggs are placed into a “nest” dug out in the side of the mountain where they were cooked by the heat of the volcano. It was a very tasty breakfast after an exerting trek. We enjoyed EVERY bite!
After breakfast, we began our descent but first our guide showed us the most amazing and powerful display of how the earth is very much alive; responding to us humans on her surface. The guide dug a little hole so that the earth was exposed, then he took a lit cigarette and held it over a spot near the hole. The earth responded to the heat of the cigarette by sending steam up and out of the adjacent hole. It was an incredible moment that sent shivers up my spine as I realized how incredible this truly is. Mother earth recognizes us on her surface and responds to us. From that moment forward, I want to be conscious of how I tread upon the earth—with LOVE & INTENTION
We completed our trek down the mountain, past remnants of the last eruption, while admiring the beautiful and sometimes surreal landscape. It was incredible to see the hardened lava with an “island” of untouched land in the middle of where the lava had once flowed.
We found our driver at the bottom of the mountain who then took us to the nearby hot springs where we enjoyed an amazing soak and delicious lunch. One must not confuse green chile peppers with green beans, but that is another story…….