Bali, part the Third

"You have died of dysentery." For those of my generation or there abouts, that marvelous quote is from the old school computer game Oregon Trail. I loved that game! It, the dysentery part, has particular significance in this final adventure in Bali...

Actually, it's in Lombok, another Indonesian island about a twenty minute flight from Bali. It is here that Chad and I would get SCUBA certified. Where better than in the crystal clear waters of Bali and the surrounding islands, right??? Well, as we were contemplating where to get certified over dinner a new proposition came up: What about trekking up the volcano on Lombok? Yeah, that would be cool! Let's do it!

After dinner we set out to compare prices for the this trekking adventure. It would be a two day, one night hike from the base up to the crater rim. Sure, sounds awesome! Except that a few hours after dinner earlier my stomach was screaming in disagreement with me. I figured it was nothing, just ate something that a few hours on the toilet will fix in no time. We set up to meet the guide early the next morning for our trek up the volcano -- 7km up the volcano known as Gunung Rinjani.

The morning came, and I was feeling okay. As okay as one could be after sitting on the toilet all night. But nonetheless, I was ready to rock. Our guide met us and we drove out to the base of Gunung Rinjani (about 1hr 45 min drive). There we met up with our porters and trail guide. Also, nice of them, they served us breakfast: Pineapple and banana pancake (more like a crepe and swimming in butter). As I ate there was a distant voice in the core of my body that said, "No, Chris, for all that is good, don't eat it!!!" I promptly ignored said voice.

The trail was incredibly steep, covered in root systems. There were four rest posts along the trail set about 2-3 hours of hiking apart. About 2 hours in to the hike, something was wrong. My inside were SCREAMING at me. I needed to find a bathroom fast! Funny, there weren't any on this side of Rinjani (or any other side for that matter). I've never had to squat in the woods before...now, I'm a seasoned veteran. There was no relief from whatever "demon hell ride" was going on in my stomach and bowels. All I knew is that I was sweating (a lot) and loosing a lot of water by "other means" as well. Dehydration was a certainty. For as quickly I drank water, it came out of me just as fast.

By four hours into the hike I was begging the guide to let me turn around and go back. I felt so silly having been reduced to such "weak sauce". Trust me, though, this was bad. Very, very bad. Still I pushed on -- crawling at moments -- UP the hill. We rested for the night and set out in the early pre-dawn morning. Things weren't much better. Still, we pushed on and made it to the crater rim of Gunung Rinjani...it was worth the trials and taxation just for the view and the sense of accomplishment.

To hike a volcano in two days is pretty hard. Doing it with dysentery-like symptoms, even harder. Yes, I'm bragging just a bit.


Our porters and guide. These guys are ripped! They do this hike three times a week.


From the top...


Us at the crater rim...