Day 01. Left a hotel in Bali,
leading to west Bali for a car ferry crossing to Ketapang Banyuwangi. Upon arrival, we took a
rest at Ketapang Indah resort for one night. We left at 11 am, had lunch at a
local restaurant in West Bali, and had dinner at a local restaurant in
Ketapang, which served hot local delicacy. What a rare experience!!
Day 02. We got up very early at
around 04 am, took take-away breakfast box, got on a 4WD vehicle which took us
to Ijen. It took around one and a half hours to reach Paltuding, Ijen’s
starting point. Half way enrote to Ijen there was a road project which forced
us to walk about one kilometer. A guide
named Sofyan, a 22 year old boy, accompanied these couple on this trek. They
spent around five hours going up the
summit, exploring on the top, and descending back to Paltuding. We left
Paltuding, moving back to hotel for changing clothes and contined the trip.
Lunch was at a local restaurant. From Ketapang hotel we left for Kalibaru, a
quiet area at south Banyuwangi which offers interesting tourist objects such as
coffee plantation, rice field, water fall and genuine rural life. All can be
accomplished in a packaged cycling tour. We arrived at Kalibaru in the
afternoon, had a rest in the hotel with atmosphere reminiscing dutch era in old
time.
Day 03. We did a cycling tour
package handled by the hotel. A guide, named Ari, guided them to visit some
interesting objects in kalibaru. Among the objects visited were coffee plantation, coffee factory, rice field and a
waterfall. The tour lasted about 3 hours. One very interesting experience was
the encounter with local people where they were warmly welcome. Before leaving
them they were given a very delicious local food called jenang sirat, a sweet
cake made from rice flour mixed with brown palm sugar and coconut by the
villagers. Early evening we arrived at Bromo view, Bromo, for check in.
Day
04. We had a wake-up call at 4.45.Then enjoyed a hot morning coffee prepared by
the hotel’s restaurant. At 4.00 we left for Penanjakan on a 4wd jeep. Arrived
Penanjakan about 5.30 to enjoy one of the fabulous sun rice views with our cameras at hand. After the sunrise
moment, we went on our trip to Bromo crater, crossing the great sand sea on
this reliable 4wd vehicle. On the way we could stop to make pictures. Upon
arrival at the foot of the volcano, we walked up instead of using the horse
service. It took 1 and a half hours to
reach the summit, explore it, and go down the the parking. We finnaly endded
the tour with excitment and memorable experience.. At 9 am we arrived in the
hotel for breakfast, afterwards left the hotel to have a journey back to Bali.
End of the trip and said good by at a hotel in Pemuteran, North Bali.
