Surabaya trippin'

Surabaya, Indonesia
22nd-26th April 2015

Day one:

Touched down at Juanda Internatiol Airport at about 9am? Ate at ariport (Bad idea - expensive & disappointing). Took the public bus at the airport that brings us to the bus terminal for Probolinggo (20,00RP).

When reached, we had to find our way til we see this bus terminal. Took the one going towards Probolinggo (60,00RP). Enjoyed our 6 hours bus ride (Don't worry about food or drink, there will be locals coming in and out the bus to sell them! Same goes to baskers).

 

When reached Probollingo, we missed our bus towards Bondowoso (somewhere near Ijen Crater) so had to find a stay nearby stay just for our sleep (50,000RP, what do you expect?).


Day two:
Woke up at 12am & make our way to Ijen Crater (Journey roughly took 2 hours from our stay). Reached and got ourselves a guide to bring us up (30,00RP) (they no longer allow tourist to self-climb due to too many incidents occurred in the past).

Started climbing at about 3:30am after we had our hot tea (didn't expect the weather to be very cold as compared to Singapore, say maybe about 15 degree?). Not even halfway up the thingy, I'm already cursing and swearing at the steep slopes (in other words, please be physically fit for this climb and also, it's a must to wear hiking shoes for Ijen Crater). Stopped for quite a lot of times to get my breathing in control and can't help but to look up at every stop cause of the beautiful sky with so many stars (lucky thing I have my brother with me to accompany me on every stop). Not only us were climbing, there were many other tourist climbed together but with different tour guide. So halfway through, our guide pass us a gas mask each and told us the sulphur smell is gonna be quite bad and making hard to breathe, so we had to use the mask (trust me, even with the gas mask on you still can smell the sulphur tryna' suffocate you).

So upon reaching the Crater, I knew it was too late for me to catch the blue flames cause the sun is up. & then again, the gas mask helped us alot especially when we were nearing the Crater (but I still remember how much it hurts when the sulphur when into our eyes).

But who needs blue flames when you can see so many other beautiful things happening! Look how pretty the water is. So after pictures and pictures (my camera died when I reached this beauty spot), we decide to head back.

 

So along the way back to our start point, we get to see how beautiful the scenery actually was when were climbing in the dark towards Ijen Crater. We also stumbled upon a few workers. Can you imagine them, climbing up and down Ijen Crater just to get the sulphur & to get their work done? Some wore just slippers and normal tee when we had to wear hiking shoes and jacket. I solute them though!

So when we've reached the point where we started, I did a time check and I was so shocked to see that it was 10am. We took almost 7 hours just to climb Ijen Crater, chill, pictures and went back down (knowing the our guide actually told us it will only take 3 hours most if we are physically fit). When back to our stay had our "brunch" somewhere nearby and then make our way to Mount Bromo.

So we make our way to Mount Bromo to get a stay. Reached, spoke to locals and paid 500,000RP for a villa at the peak and paid 450,000RP fora guide and a jeep to bring us to Mount Bromo & Mount Penanjakan. So we didn't get to do anything much as the journey to Mount Bromo stay took us almost 6 hours from Probolinggo.

So we had lunch, dinner at this nenek shop nearby our stay and we got our sleep til 4am the next morning (can't deny how nice her cooking was and the best part is, one bowl cost 20,000RP at most). & not forgetting that area of Mount Bromo is so much colder than Ijen Crater.


Day three:
So at 4am sharp, our guide came knocking our villa door to wake us up. Woke up having to feel numb on all my fingers and toes as it was super duper cold! Wore long sleeve, jacket, bennie, long socks and gloves to keep myself warm (but it's still super duper cold). So got up the jeep and our guide brought us up to the area where they catch the sunrise of Mount Bromo.

When we've reached, it was super cold that we had to stop by a shop and get ourselves some hot tea and cup noodles (10 degree Celsius it was, we can see smoke coming out of our mouth while we breathe). Sat til about 4:30am and went of to the peak to catch the sunrise.

 

 

 Gotten a sweet spot on top and stood there to watch the sunrise. Quite a lot of people were there too. Then as usual, pictures after pictures. So we walked back down to find our guide, along the way there was stalls selling food, souvenirs, t-shirts and all other things. Stopped by a few shops and gotten myself a ironed-on. So when found our guide, he then brought us to Mount Penanjakan.

So took our jeep down to Mount Penanjakan. Upon reaching, we had 3 choices to choose. Whether to go by foot, by horse or by jeep.

Then obvoiusly we go by horse. Paid 150,000RP and the horse bring us to Mount Penanjakan climbing point.

So climbed up the 100 over steps stairs and see another Crater of Mount Penanjakan. Took pictures, sit and enjoyed the scenery. Then again, the sulphur smell wasn't that pleasant so we went down. Went back to our villa to get our bags packed and went off to Surabaya town.

Reached our stay at Novotel, Surabaya Town and it felt like heaven! With the air-con, comfy bed, comfy mattress and clean flooring (after 3 days of cheap and hell day). Put our bags, have a great shower and then we flag a cab and went to some random shopping mall nearby to buy some drinks and do a lil shopping and also get the adapter to charge our phone (we didn't have the correct charging port to charge our phone). Went back home and have our beauty sleep then.

Day four:

Woke up feeling fresh as hell, we head off to Taman Safari. Wanted to flag a cab instead but the security at the car point told us that he has got a friend who can bring us out for 2 days just for 500,000RP I THINK? (I swear I can't remember how much it was correctly). So we agreed and we took his driver instead to bring us. Head of to Malang for the Taman Safari (2 hours journey i guess?). So when we reached the entrance of the zoo, our driver actually helped us on the entrance fee. SO instead of paying tourist price, we paid about 20,000RP each for the entrance fee (which is actually the local price). So we went in with the car and journey begins there...

 

 

We bought carrots so we get to feed those animals. I was quite surprised how the zoo was actually on a mountain. The fact that we were actually inside our own vehicle and we get to feed them like that, it's just awesome (there were a lot more animals but we were to engrossed that no pictures were taken). So the journey was about an hour drive to see all the animals. Then we come to a point where we can pit stop and walk to see the souvenirs.

 

Paid 10,000RP to take pictures with animals.

 

As you can see the smile on our faces when we bought those head gears. & also get to take pictures with the tigers. I think we're cool like that.

Nothing much to see or do after walking, we had our lunch at one of their booth and then head back to hotel. After resting, we went to do some shopping again at the nearby shopping mall from Novotel.

Day five:

Woke up, check out and head back to Juanda International Aiport, bought Burger King breakfast and to catch our flight back home. Reality.

To me, even though it was kind of a rushing trip... (cause most of the time we were rushing to not be later. More like catching time & due to that, we didn't have enough sleep) we pretty much enjoyed everything. From the volcano, to the mountains, to the $5 homestay, to the luxury hotel and the wild life zoo, it is all worth the sweat.

You're more than welcome to see my videos on Instagram. #whenfaanaatravels