Indonesia stretches across the sea in hiccups and yawns. Zooming in on the island Lombok Indonesia, breathless exploration awaits travelers. Rinjani National Park is resident there with the second highest volcano in Indonesia (TripAdviser) perched impressively; Mt Rinjani.
The pictures are astounding. It really truly is an amazing sight. There it sits; a fortified castle among the water encircling it like a moat, then a towering wall of mountains acting as the sentinel walls. The rest of the island stands guard, acting as provinces to the fiery ruler, cultivating people and goods who live their lives either remembering the looming presence, or shrugging it off effectively to live with a freedom all their own. Around the island, the ocean laps at the edges, an army beating against it, but unable to summon the roar to consume.
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| Rinjani National Park |
The island is probably in more danger from the lording Mt Rinjani though. Simmering with his lofty head, he is an active volcano.
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| Rinjani National Park |
His dominion was rather remote, and so he went uncharted until eighteen forty-seven with his first recorded eruption. In nineteen ninety-four and ninety-five, he built himself up stealthily. In two thousand nine he stirred from his slumber and the paths were closed off as he was deemed unsafe. In two thousand ten, smoke plumes, and ash plumes, were sighted seething from his cap; a four kilometer berth was given for him to blow off his steam. Ash affected crops, and lava pooled into a lake, while smoke slunk away. (RinjaniNationalPark)
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| Rijani National Park |
All the while, there he sits; still breathtakingly gorgeous, drawing travelers in with deadly ease.
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| Rinjani National Park |
The experience must be one to remember. Different travel sites stress the importance to have a waterproof windbreaker, dry clothes are also mentioned along with sturdy hiking shoes, that ideally should keep the hiker from slipping on the potentially slick paths. They also note that there are many different options depending on how long one wants to spend on the trip, and how rigorous the hiker is willing to expend him/herself.
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| Rijani National Park |
The official Rinjani National Park park website relates some of the things to expect when hiking Mt Rinjani… and not all of what is said is delivered in a particularly comfortable way.
“It is very climbable by visitors with a high level of physical fitness. Critical is to understand and respect this great mountain: sadly, visitors have died here through failing to follow sensible procedures and make all necessary preparations.”
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| Rijani National Park |
With sweet character they also say, “To make the extra 1,000 m ascent to the very top requires a considerably higher level of fitness, not to mention strength of spirit and sense of adventure.” Then, a touch of disdain for hired guides leeks through as they say with contempt, “Serious accidents including fatalities do occur on Rinjani treks when led by these accredited guides.”
Truly, though, it must mean something special to some people, otherwise they’d just remain silent and sell tourists to guides galore. Sometimes though, they seem to be saying, fewer with respect, and “strength of spirit and sense of adventure” is more valuable than all the fat wallets. Perhaps Rinjani will not toss his head so spitefully if daring feet continue to pay homage in his shadow with their sturdiness of foot, and determined heart.
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| Rijani National Park |
Resources:
"What You Might See in Rinjani National Park – Lombok Island – Indonesia." Rinjani National Park. Web. 31 Oct. 2015.
"Lombok: Mount Rinjani." - TripAdvisor. Web. 31 Oct. 2015<http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g297733-d386938/Lombok:Indonesia:Mount.Rinjani.html>.
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