Saturday, April 5th 2008. It seemed that the weather was not so friendly that day. It supposed to be the day of joy –well, let me just called it so. But hopes are sometimes vague, sometimes good wishes would never appear as I had been expecting too much on the journey. We were going to have a great adventure. Hmmm, at least for a beginner. We were aiming for a summit-attack. Yes, on a first hike on Mount Gede 2,958 meters above-sea-level.
We were on the first post of Mount Gede-Pangrango National Park. They looked huge, seen from a distance form Cibodas. We stared at Gede peak quite long. Gloomy, covered by thick forest, embraced by fogs and mists as clouds came down as the north wind blew in between the valley. Nimbrostratus, we usually called it. Low-hanging clouds, moving by 1000-2000 meters in altitude, where raindrops were usually being their companions, and the dark layer beneath the cloud surface made them looked frightening. Gloomy, for a first day hike. Then, several hikers passed by with sweaty face and a bitter smile. Yes, of course they were totally exhausted, but surely satisfied instead. They’d been trekking down the trail for 6 hours. Well, as hikers normally do.
We were there by ten. Me, Taufan, Bagas, Adit, Feiral, Bagus, Jiew, Uta, and -of course two caring women- Intan and Ria. I checked all equipments we should bring. Adit, Bagas and Taufan helped me a lot as the other were also checking their own equipment. Thus we packed everything up for before the starter. We were pointing at Kandang Badak for today’s destination. Hikers had known it as common space for a camping ground. Quite far and high, 7 kilometers from the first base, 2,700 meters above-sea-level. Hopefully, we’ll be there by 4 p.m. It was 11 a.m when we moved out.
We trekked together through the thick rainforest. It looked very mystical, everything is green, high-tress above us. Sunbeams pushed themselves through the narrow spaces between branches. Old leaves were falling down, barks were hitting the ground as they fell probably several years ago and ants were there marching its armies. The silence was pierced by animal howls several times. The primates were up there on the trees. Swinging through branches, howling at one another, running after something and apparently being defensive of our presence. We were facing nature there and survival was the main principal. “The stronger will survive, the weaker will perish,” as the law of nature. We were within those boundaries. We walked. We walked through the dense jungle.
We’ve spent nearly an hour and a half trekking up the hills. I was in the frontline, the others just followed. We trekked along the streams, waterways. And we saw Telaga Sunyi (read: Pond of Silence) across the footpath, greenish and very steady. No water reflection. Some have said that the holy souls are there and some might be disbelievers. Some may feel peace, as some may feel fear. However, we were surely surrounded by silence. Jiew brought his carrier down and start to take a handful of water from the stream and bathed his face. Everyone put his and her carrier down, and enjoying the freshness in their faces. Splash! Very refreshing. But we got a long way to go. Taufan made himself for an early trek and we just followed. We were separated by several steps of one another. Adit, Bagus, Uta and Intan were the slow tracker. Jiew and Ria are the fast ones. The others were in between, supporting and taking care of other. I was being very much aware on the circumstances.
The Cibodas route that we chose was the most common for hikers. Clear track, 2-meters wide, 20˚ of inclination, paved by medium-sized granites, the footpath climbs a long incline through the thick forest, 10 kilometers to the peak. Good choice after all. We spent another hour until we met another open space. We got to pass a long bridge. Five hundreds meters ahead, long and winding. Noises were heard as our foot stepped on each wood-bridge cracking. I guessed that it is an old wood-path. Grayish, wrecked in several parts, holes were everywhere but still strong enough to sustain passers. I was constantly staying curious on the weather since it was supposed to be on a wet season. Well, it did looked like rain. Thick clouds veiled the sun as we saw no shades of ours, cold breeze was captured by the forest, and the bridge was shrouded in mist, darkening but still safe for a trek. I zipped out my poncho, I didn’t want to risk myself wet. The other was doing the same. And raindrops started to pour down. Hitting the ground, kissing every dust, every leaves, our skin, our path, everything. The rain was pouring and bitter smile was carved on our faces. We walked. We enjoyed the cold, the wet, and drenched in nature’s bath. We just took everything for granted. At least until the end of the wood bridge, where we were pretty sheltered from the pouring rain by the dense of the trees.
Subequently the path was starting to put fear in our heart. Wet, chilling, slippery and all we saw was just another stairs of granites, inclining and seemed endless with its bending sides or merely seen as another long path. We kept quite as the rain was getting heavier. I could feel that the cold breeze was blowing my forehead, sweeping my eyeballs, and drenching the slippery path. We got to stop. Raindrops turned hard-hitting the ground, we couldn’t fight it so that we stopped. Taufan and I were spreading the flysheet, tying it to tree barks and looking for a clutch to make firm good knots. Adit and Bagas started to flow the water around us by making small waterways with knives. Their hands were covered with dirt. Bagus ducked down beneath the flysheet and staring at the rainfall. His face turned a bit pale, having himself beaten by the enormous nature’s rainfall. He held cigarettes between his fingers, firing it on, and calming himself. Sometimes cigarettes are simply taken for granted, but quite helpful on releasing mind-tension. Well, at least that’s what smokers might say. We actually have passed a another post to rest for more or less 500 meters below, however we chose to stay beneath the flysheet then. Then naturally I saw that Ria and Intan were good motivators, they shared the women’s warmth. A strong human touch. They were talking patiently, distributing drinking waters, making ordinary jokes, smiling at once, what a very sweet moment. I believe that they’ll be a good mother someday roughly saying.
Flysheet could hold the rainfall, we were saved for the first time. We might hold on against the rain pour, but we cannot kill the time to stay still. We had to continue, Kandang Badak is still 4 hours trekking and would definitely exhausting. Uta grabbed the flysheet and folded it to his carrier. We were continuing to march in a light rainfall. The surroundings turned different than before as the footpath was wet, the drop of water from leaves above could be heard ticking down the path, the mist was still there appears a little shady. It was clearly a misty mountain. Tough sweats were quickly evaporating, what we wore was wet due to the rain. It was a situation, we got to hold on at least until faith meets its destination: Kandang Badak, our campsite and at that time soon we would be facing other foes: cold, tiredness, boredom and also time as the toughest problem.
The altitude might have touched 2,300 meters by then, it was getting colder. We’re heading toward the hot water spring. It is one of the most challenging tracts along the Cibodas route. We spend more than 3 hours to reach it, I thought that it was far longer than what we’ve planned before since the rain had tackled us by spending more time and difficulties in trekking.
We heard the echo of streams and sulfuric smell was getting stronger. Absolutely, we were close. The hot water spring contains a little bit sulfur, identified by its taste and odor. Interesting as a site, but dangerous indeed. Taufan led the team by then. The spring is located at a mountain cliff on a slope. The water rushes down crossing the footpath, making a stream-way. Lying right in front of us as streams, very hot and slippery. Safety wires were attached from point to point in the right side, whereas in our left side a steep cliff-by probably 10 meters in height- was pouring down the hot waterfall. Nobody has the knowledge about the spring’s characteristics, especially in rainy days where the water debit might be raising. We just clung on the safety wires, and paying extra careful on every sounds. Increasing water debit usually differs in sound. If the springs were flooded and the water ran in great debit, it might endanger us. We could have been hit towards the cliffs. Then fall and die. The main attention that was life we count on, we should not make any risk to be greater. We have to mitigate and warn each other every time to be careful and move faster. The hot spring is a long path, at the end it is mixing with cold water from another spring. Descriptively, hot and cold water spring is located on the top of the near cliff but runs it water on a different stream way. We had a break in the post nearby by the end of the springs. We took 30 minutes break and it was 5.30 p.m and getting darker. We were preparing to face the darkest and loneliest night in the mountains. A night trekking.
“No, we could not go any further!” I said. Several of us was very exhausted, we need logistics and food. We definitely need shelter. But we came on a different perception. Several of us opted for another strike to Kandang Badak. Meanwhile, I preferred to find a campsite nearby at any places suitable for raising a tent. Discussion took its time and everything was darkening. Light raindrops were still falling on our foreheads and we were still wet. We have to stay at there for that night. Being a heavy carriers have left Taufan and I a cramp in our calves. The others too. So then we dropped and let go our destination to Kandang Badak. Reality went different. We stayed at the riverside, 50 meters after the springs and unconsciously 50 meters away from Kandang Batu -another good campsite besides Kandang Badak. It was very much tiring and shelter was urgently needed. We should've checked the surrounding before we decided to build a camp, but the cold was too bad. Having our camp at the riverside was quite enough due to access to water supply. We never reached either Kandang Batu and Kandang Badak. By that night, I once remember that the spots between or near the hot-cold springs are the place where ghosts and souls dwell. The place where two different matters between hot and cold element meets. That notions are known by hikers and considered as something that should be obeyed. However it was turning to 6 p.m and getting darker and darker when the light went out little by little.
We build two tents as fast as we could. The smaller tent stood up first and then the bigger one took time to build as we were losing the pegs. But after an hour of struggle, we could be able to raise it. Thus we cooked savagely and ate everything. We set a fire, making a good cup of coffee. Intan and Ria again are our savior, that’s why girls are boys best fellow. I am conviced that one day they'll become a good cook! But at least they were very helpful for us - the hungry fellows. We were starving as mountain wolves begging for a flesh to eat. Riping and chewing everything. Then we actually put too many on our stomach,. Suddenly a weasel once appeared to find a food and it wasn’t afraid to approach humans. It was 8 p.m, pitch black, starless, moonless, very cold and again we were trapped in silence. We couldn’t understand what the raindrops were actually trying to say. They were just ticking. We had rest in each tent. I was in the smaller one with Taufan and Adit when suddenly I heard a voice singing every time I put my ear on the ground. Yes, somebody was singing repeatedly and I couldn’t conclude whose voice was that. Nobody was able to hear but me. It was 9.30 p.m. and I was tired and want a good night sleep. Having out eyes closed for a good rest. Probably the souls were there singing us a mystical lulaby.
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Sunday, April 6th 2008. The dark met its dawn. Still, there was no light. The two tents we build were different in structure, the smaller one that I was sleeping inside, were standing nice solid. It was quite a small one, which only able to load 3 persons maximum. Then the bigger one was a wreckage. It nearly collapsed in the night, seemingly the poles were not standing strong. Feiral left the pegs so that, the poles cannot be tied up to the pegsfirmly to withstand the tent. We only streched up a few chords to the ground to support poles particularly in every corner.
I was awaken. It was 5.50 a.m. and I saw brightness outside as I popped my head out of the tent. Dark-purplish sky and I still can see the stars were blinking, the zephyr had put Mount Gede back to its friendliness. Clear and cold. I can see the stars, a good dawn, a better hope. Then half an hour later on 6.20 a.m. the rain had completely stopped as the lights began to sweep into every spaces. Huge tress were standing tall. Monstrous. I could smell the pine trees as they were only statuing nearby, I could recognize the smell of fresh of water, the smells from thick bushes and the heavy dews dripped from leaves. I knew those scents, it just came from everything. Bagas also came out of his tent, he was still drowsy seen from his sulky face. And starting to drinse his face in the stream while holding his toothbrush. He also felt enlightment then. Purplish sky slowly turned brighter, tough we couldn't see the horizon, we just knew it from the lights behind tree bars. The stars were disappearing, Hiding someplaces else beyond the mighty sky. I knew we will see no shades and gloom today. Ria went out. I guessed that she needs a big time. Well, when you gotta go, you gotta go. Intan was with her. Adit and Bagus fired up the stove, cigarette were with them. Bagus inhaled its nicotine, seeping through his veins, breathing and exhaling its smoke, thin but solid as it had engaged with his lung's carbondioxide. Bagas was a little patient, putting the kretek on his right ear, while mixing up 2 in 1 coffee-milk in the stove. Ria came back from her big time, her watch beeped hitting 7 o'clock in the morning. Everyone laughed, wondering where did she go and quite amazed by her bravery to enter the woods for a big time. How fun! Intan was only smiling and shaking her head. ''We gotta move early!'' I said and Jiew knuckled his head agreeing with me. We had to get out of there by 8 sharp for a summit attack. And of course, we would be passing through Kandang Batu and Kandand Badak.
Taufan and Jiew brought the tents down. Uta pulled out the plegs and Feiral folded the tent up while I was assisting him. We were a bit rushing, we were after the peak. Sillily, I, Ria and Jiew took some pictures for the three of us, with the sunlight trespassing through the standing tall trees behind us – good picture. Leaving early was actually an option, since we aimed to arrive at the Peak as soon as possible. Some had their breakfast really fast. A cup of coffee and several spoons of chicken soup were enough. Things were packed up swiftly and we prepared for a second day journey. It was 8 sharp and we were taking the early steps heading to Kandang Badak.
Staying a bit long in the night really healed our fatigues. Calves felt terrific but shoulders were not feeling better due to heavy loads we got to carry. I guess that 50-80 littres weren't too much disbursing out our energy, since most of our loads were foods and drinks, but the stairs and inclination are the biggest enemy for hikers in the daylight. No wonder it's heavy, but we were strong people instead. Again, we trekked. After 10 minutes of trekking, we passed Kandang Batu. Lord, it was just inches away from our 'emergency' campsite. Somebody should've been checking it out before we stayed nonetheless tiredness made us lazy. But it's no big deal as we were quite safe that night. ''Kandang Batu,'' read Feiral on the sign marked up in a tall Angsana tree bark. Yes, that was Kandang Batu. A small lot, with several low tree barks in the middle of the lot. I guess that more than 15 2x3 meters tents can be build in Kandang Batu. People likes to stay in Kandang Batu due to its warmth. Well, at least relatively warmer from other places because of the low bushes and plantation around the camp site. They could be a good wind barriers and also maintaining heat. Kandang Batu is at the altitude of 2,400 meters. Quite high. We just passed by at that time.
The distance between Kandang Batu and Kandang Badak is about 2.3 kilometers in length. Kandang Batu is on 2.400 meters altitude while Kandang Badak is 2.700 counted from sea level therefore 300 meters in height difference vertically. It supposed to spend 2 hours trekking between those tow sites. But probably, it could be managed for about more that an hour trekking since we had a long rest in the night. Meaning that we could've arrived there at 9 something. ''It would still be too long,'' I whispered to Taufan and Jiew. We didn’t target our trekking time, we just want to enjoy. But things went different then, when everyone seemed to be very strong that day. Even the slow trekkers like Intan, Bagus and Adit were moving so fast. We were being mountain lions for once.
The path is narrowing as the altitude gets higher, covered up with many dead leaves, cracking branches in our steps, and in some points dead tree barks blocked the footpath, then we got to pass over or under it. Passing under it made us have to duck very low and often left another fatigue in calves. Thus we heard another streams nearby and it is a waterfall. It’s not very big, but showers the water quite heavily. Maybe the stream near our camp came from that waterfall, I don’t know. What a beauty as some of us click their camera on. The granites lying in our path are getting fewer, but small pebbles are still there in our ways. Slippery and shady. Thin mosses grows in the ground, balancing the ecosystem by living on the hardest and most undigestable mineral that a surface contains. Sometimes moss species may live in a very hot temperature of 54-56˚Celcius, or even in a high sulfuric soil. The path is steeper and took us for a hard struggle at how fast we were trekking. Hundreds of bend, ascending, we walked upwards in the shades. We only took break twice for 10 minutes each, what a rare moment. I could see Uta and Feiral were shouting each other and making a fool monkey out of themselves. The other responded very well. Everybody was laughing. And the sweet couple Jiew and Ria went forth on the very frontline. Trekking fast. That morning was better than the day before.
Exactly an hour! We see a large camp site. No question again, that was Kandang Badak our former destination where we couldn’t reach it at the day before. People usually spend two and a half hours from Kandang Batu to Kandang Badak, but we only took an hour. The camp site is quite spacious, perhaps 100 meter squares in space. Kandang Badak is usually being hikers main destination for a first camp starting from Cibodas. We had our break there. Eating and muching on dry noodles. Very unhealthy but fine for our tummies. Three other tents were there and several hikers were cooking their meals, washing out themselves on a water gate.
We greeted them as hikers usually do. In the mountains, solidarity means everything even with the people we don’t know. It is the place where life take its part as an important asset. Invaluable. Every hiker is a life guardian either for him/herself or others. It is the place where someone can value his/her life better, contemplate his/her living so far, valuing nature, learning how to take care of things, learning to give a hand sincerely and the most common thing is where the true friendship may appear. Not very obvious, but everyone knows deep in their heart. Sometimes we couldn't afford friendship, but in a together-journey, friendship is simpy being a reflection of togetherness. Loving each others, loving human. Loving God that has created us as social being.
A half an hour break felt very energizing. We were heading for the real summit attack starting from Kandang Badak. Three-kilometers in distance between Kandang Badak and Peak of Gede converts ourself to burst more energy along the way. We rechecked all equipments and made our first strike. We were in between of Mount Gede and Pangrango, trekking towards the foremost valley and heading to the famous climb site named Tanjakan Setan or The Devil's Path. A hiker has to ascend a 50-60˚ inclination in Tanjakan Setan. It's a tough and steep surface, where safety wires have to be utilized. We ascended as most hikers were heading down the site. Taufan would take an early climb, followed by Jiew, Ria and Feiral. They chatted with other hikers who'd been heading back from the summit that morning and quering for weather condition at the top. The others said it was a bit cloudy, but still appeared the mighty sun, burning the summit. The clock was hitting 10 sharp and we would be spending most of our time conquering Tanjakan Setan toward the Gede Peak.
Then we stared at the huge rock formations ahead. It is Tanjakan Setan, we were in the beginning of the climb site. The rocks were solid, huge, tall and rough. Safety wires are there knotted in solid poles. Those who made it were the mountain rangers. Volunteers from everywhere that dwell in the mountain side. They are the sheperds of the mountains, forest guiders, and true rangers. Taufan made his effort at the steepest rocks, he was on a safe space helping up Jiew and Ria and took an early break. I was at the fourth place, Feiral and Bagus were behind me. We climbed slowly and safely. Bagas and Uta followed then. And Adit would have to look after Intan to climb. Hmmm, I guess that the surface is quite tough to climb for her but she managed herself to be at the safe space indeed. Adit climbed up preety well. We all managed to be at the empty space in Tanjakan Setan, a flat surface and good place to rest after climbing over the huge rocks we'd climbed. We were then relieving the adrenaline tension for a while, we sat together facing the north west and we could see the peak of Mount Pangrango in silence from there. Huge and green. Less hiker. People rarely go to Pangrango because of the peak is covered up with tall plantation. They cannot look at the great views as clear as Gede peak. The routes are also longer and more quiet than Gede. Only few hikers choose to go there, those who have been conquering Mount Gede too often.
Feiral took some Silverqueens and giving them up to the others. It was the first time when the ten of us mingled with the mist and fogs. Cold and fresh. We were able to get some fresh air and breathe. Nimbostratus! The low clouds were here. Flying low, touching me, caressing my skin, dancing with the winds. Everyone enjoyed it. That time, the clouds appeared without carrying raindrops. We were quite saved. Sometimes the peak of Pangrango is clear, sometimes it wasn't. I just realized that clouds are very cold. No wonder that the vapor condensed. I wonder where in Jakarta that I could find this cool and breathe this fresh. No way, I was drowning in my reveries. Daydreaming.
The peak of Gede would be one and a half to two hours trekking. We took some sweet pictures at the Tanjakan Setan and going for the summit. The plantation is getting lower in the way to the top. The vegetation type disperse in accordance to the altitude. Sub Alpin Zone, that's what biologist Van Stennis had defined according to its definition. This type of zone is located between 2,400-3,019 meters above sea level. Low type of plantation, Cantigis – vegetation with barks covered with white moss- usually grow there. Tanjakan Setan is within that boundaries. Otherwise, Kandang Batu and our camp site was within Montana Zone, lying 1,500-2,400 meters above sea level. The Tanjakan Setan route was tough, ascending, as if it is a never ending climb. We took break several times, I felt that the breaks were longer than the trek. Legs were tired, I wished I could throw my burdens away. Throw my loads. Continue to the top without any burdens and yells the loudest who'd have known. Jiew and Ria were frontliners, then Taufan, then me. Sometimes Feiral took my place, then I replaced him again. Bagas looked a bit pale, his stomach hurts but quite tolerable indeed. He conquered Gede two years ago, along with me and Taufan, with a stomach upset. Diarea we usually call it. We found it definitely hard for him, having his stomach hurts everytime and dehidrating. But that hike was far better than two years ago, he wasn’t taking it too seriously. Behind him, Uta made a big effort. He seemed exhausted, his loads were heavy. He got to take more breaks. Fortunately Intan, Bagus and Adit were being good companions. Yes, they were the slow trekkers, enjoying every steps, every breath, smiling when others get tired. I acknowledge them to be very patient and sincere of supporting each other. Showing the true meaning of faithfulness. Geez, I bet I cannot see anything more like this anywhere. Memories are carved perfectly in my heart.
Closely to the top, we met many hikers running down the track. They ran! Some were getting bored by the downwards, some were chasing time. I had some conversations with them. '''Is the peak still far from here?'' I asked one of them. Each person always refused. ''Deket lagi!'' most of them said. I knew that they were liars. Hmmm, good liars. Ethical liars. I don't know. It's not really important, they just want to support us, no big deal then. I could see the blueskies ahead, quite clear, few clouds passes by. White and seemed smooth as silk. Fluffy and came in huge formation. I knew that they are not Nimbostratus. Maybe Cumulus, the clouds with round masses and slightly higher than the Nimbos, white in color, thick, and apparently friendly without rains. Pebbles and small rocks might trip us while trekking up. Yellowish in some parts, seemingly it contains sulfur and it did smell like sulfa. Mount Gede is a strato-volcanic type of mountain with its huge creater on its northern side. We can see the beauty of its sulfuric creater from the top. No wonder sulfur odor is everywhere. My eyes stared few birds flying above me. Chasing one another. I thought I heard Taufan was yelling that he could see our end of the track. I remember it two years ago when I was also hiking up with him, Taufan was also the first one to reach the top of Gede. Adit, Intan and Bagus were rushing, they wanted to take a good rest. Unbending their legs, after three hours trekking, easing the fatigue in their shoulders, and pleasuring themselves with fine view above. They rushed. Me and Feiral were quite steady. For some reasons he was trekking faster. I was just holding my speed. My right calve was injured at the day before due to the heavy loads. Then I hiked along with Bagas several steps behind me. Thus I saw a brighter land, clearer views, no more footpaths, and all I saw was freedom and delight.
**** **** ****
Mount Gede summit! We finally got there! I was the fifth one to the top. Taufan, Ria, Jiew and Feiral were resting their legs. They arrived 5 minutes earlier than me and the others at the backline. I opened up some drinks. The others pulled out stoves from each carrier, ready to cook lunch. A lunch time at 2,900 meters above sea level. It wasn't so bad. Those two girls were preparing for the meals while the boys stroll aroung enjoying the great view. We were able to see the great craters. Kawah Ratu, people name it as the biggest crater of all. There are four craters which can be seen from the peak of Gede including Kawah Lanang, Kawah Wadon and Kawah Baru. The latest one was formed after the last eruption of Gede. Feiral was busy with his camera, taking snapshots. Me and Uta just sat in the edge of the cliffs. Standing more or less 500 meters height to the bottom of the cliff, with Kawah Ratu down below. Just one step ahead, then we'd be falling and definitely a deadman. We had some fun, talking about the journey so far. Then suddenly Jiew was joining us then Feiral himself snapping some pictures. We were still in the very west of Gede summit. The Gede summit itself is not pointed, not like most mountain summits. We can see it as a far and wide space, about a kilometer wide from one edge to another from south west to north east. The peak itself is half circle in shape and in the middle of it we could see bendera Merah Putih raising. Hikers usually raised the flag and never drag it down, so I bet that our beloved flag is in the air for so long as if it would never touch the ground anymore.
Anyway, I guess the butterfly in my tummy is getting upset. Time to eat. The frying pans were filled with sardines and macarels. Ria handles the sardines while Intan were working on the macarels and noodles. Taufan and I fried some sausages. Cutting them into pieces or slicing the meat for a better taste and look. We also got some good coffee makers, Adit and Bagas. They mixed 2-in-1 cappucino with boiled water. Cigarette in their lips, seemed burning not because they inhaled the smokes, but because the breeze around was changing a bit strong. The smoke were quickly blending with the air since the peak was quite windy. In the mean time, Bagus kept himself in solitude, finding a more quite spot to perform Dhuhur prayers as an obligatory rituals for Muslims. He kept in silence, talking to God Almighty, spending most of the time in sujud. I was then changing saroong with him and also perform prayers. Doing sujud as the way he did before, comtemplating myself with a worship to God. Offering God for my greatest gratitude and asking God for the guidance and patience during the journey back home. I had just realized that Intan were standing on my back after letting the others to cook some lunch. She also performed noon prayers, very peaceful. We were there to worship God in Islamic rituals. Shalat we called it.
Jiew often aksed Feiral to assist him taking pictures. Close up pictures! Narsist. Whatever. I was intending to laugh on him, but I'd be shameful since I am and was preety narsist indeed. I prefer for taking pictures on Gede craters, the skies, the peak of Mount Pangrango across, and also snapping shots to the others. Pictures can tell happy memories when people see it. Pictures and photos have their own words and languages, as least on my perception. But it really does. After that the lunch was ready. ''Let me do the first strike on the sausages!'' Bagus yelled. He is a big one. The tallest and biggest among us. No wonder he stroke the sausages first. How unfair. I wasn't eating too much, I rather be taking pictures of them. For me, seeing and documenting their laughter are more meaningful than just filling my tummy with foods. Tough it was delicious – for a hiker. I just continued.
We spent one and a half hour only to eat and sit in the peak of Gede. We had to move on. The end of the peak, where we could find the footpath leading towards Surya Kencana savana was still 45 minutes trekking. From the peak of Gede, we've got to walk over another wide land located in the altitude of 2,700 meters above sea level. A very wide savana called Surya Kencana behind these hills and also our route home through Gunung Putri. I saw that the clouds were moving toward us, quite thick and I was worried of rains. We cleaned the eating equipments and packed everything up for another journey down the mountain. We were leaving Gede summit and heading north east before we change direction down the hill to south east as the track directs. The fogs were there, making Surya Kencana seen blurred from the summit. The great savana should be easily seen from the top of Gede, but the fogs closed our view. We could only vision not more than 50 meters ahead due to the fog thickness. I was the person who worried the most about rains. We were hiking in rainy seasons and walking in the highest place of 2,958 meters above sea level. If the rains were light, maybe it would be fine. But otherwise, if it poured down heavily, it means trouble. We cannot go against nature on that terms and condition. The weaker will perish said the law.
We walked following the great curvy shaped summit, from edge to edge spending about fifty minutes trekking, then Merah Putih was directly above our heads which means that the way down the hill was somewhere around. Taufan discovers the path first and then giving signs to us to follow. I remember that was the right track. I saw a tomb right before the down path. A hiker died in the summit four years ago. His name is Martin. Actually, many hikers died in the mountains caused by many things. The causes that hikers fear the most are hypothermia and lack of logistics particularly foods. The second cause supposedly should not be a matter for us inasmuch we were still loaded with plenty of foods and water. But I was worrying about hypothermia, if we couldn't be able to predict when the rain would come, which possibly might make us wet in the very cold condition. We kept on going down the hill, getting farther and farther from the peak. The path is actually very clear, about a meter in width, still covered with weeds in some points and quite steep as it is a bit slippery. We tracked as fast as we could. I was in the front track with Taufan and Adit. I was surprised that Adit was very swift in climbing down, different than before when we headed to the peak. He was even faster than Taufan. The three of us were in distance with the others, maybe about more than 50 meters behind. We shouted those on the backline and always waiting for answers. We shouted by calling up each name to measure the distance intuitively. Jiew was in the middle of the group, looking after Ria. He loves her and being there as her guider. Intan looked tired when the last time I saw her trekking down, but I belief tha Bagus would assist her anytime. She is the smallest among us, probably she needs to take step twice bigger and so does disbursing more energy compared with Taufan or Bagus. They are the tallest among us. We grabbed on branches to help us down and avoid getting tripped caused by the steep path and sometimes the pebbles were wobbling. Trekking down is easier than hiking up, but a careless accident would ruin it all. The most important asset now is our physical condition not getting injured due to any kind of accident, since we were on the journey back home.
I checked my cellphones and I received the network signals in the way down the summit. I tried to call my brother who was waiting in the last post of Gunung Putri, ready to pick us up. Unfortunately the network signal was on and out, therefore I just sent him a message informing that we were already on our way down the mountain. We supposed to be arriving in the last post on 4 hours long. I saw the cloud was getting darker while we kept on running downhill. It did worry me. I spoke to Taufan to go down faster. Adit was right behind me, sometimes he maintain his speed as the same with me. The three of us were like spiders crawling down the wall, fast and our steps were solid. We had to observe the condition in Surya Kencana earlier than the others in case if the weather got worsen and we need to warn them for taking out wet equipments. Suddenly we found the road end and popped out from bushes to face a huge Surya Kencana valley. We were on it. Exactly in the middle of it. Then I saw Ria and Jiew arriving, I didn't know that they trailed not too far behind us. We shout to the others to check several times, but there were no answers. Maybe we were trekking down too fast, so that maybe we were separated for about a hundred yards away from the other five.
A very wide savanna, empty from civilization, 51 hectares of a very huge meadow with a small river crossing in the middle from south-west to north-east. It is the place of eternity–some people said. The Edelweisses grows there. Filling its ground with its flower, covering most of the ground. Edelweiss is a symbol of eternal love and that's why hikers usually pick a handfull of them. That was the great valley of Surya Kencana. Directing south means going for Selabintana route, otherwise going north means our way home. Surya Kencana land topography is bumpy, dividing two hills; the peak of Mount Gede and Mount Gumuruh. We could be able to see a cave in the middle of it. The fog was also there, blurring out our view. We were just like a dot in the middle of it seen from above. That Surya Kencana savanna is also being hikers main destination due to its wide land structure and good panorama to build a camp. All hikers would love to be at Surya Kencana due to Edelweisses are everywhere, very beautiful. In the dry season, the Edelweisses bloom beautifully with its little white flower. When it is blossoming, the whole savanna seems like a huge garden filled with white petals and corollas as the suns shines thorugh every space of Surya Kencana. We could even pick everything with our eyes closed.
But everything seemed different at that time. The sky turned darker and and we see no Edelweisses blossoming. Not long after the four of us arrived, we could see the other also popped out from the bushes. The others had also arrived. We gather around to have a brief about the weather. I don’t know why my feeling wasn't just right. We had got to walked across Surya Kencana soon. Then, raindrops fell into my face. It was only a few drops afterall, but suddenly it turned heavier and heavier. The other rushes to find a big tree as shelter even so the rain was penetrating through the leaves easily. Then we agreed to continue our journey home since the clock was ticking at 3. Wet equipments, ponchos, raincoats were on. I and Bagus were the only member not wearing any suits. Our suits were still wet due to the rain in the previous day. So that we forced out against the rain baresuit. The heavy rain worsened into a storm. The air curent was strong and thick fogs blurred our views. We had a long march for 2.4 kilometers from the middle of Surya Kencana to the very edge in the northern side – where we could find our route home. I never thought that the rain would be that cold. It was worse than I thought. I and Bagus stared at each other and shivering as we were completely wet. We followed the distance-mark in our left side starting at 2.7 hectometer to zero. It felt like we were running towards the edge of disaster. The rain couldn’t stop hitting us, the cold pierced us like thousand of needles and Surya Kencana looked as tough it was endless. What we can measure was only counting the distance-marks from 2.7, 2.6…1.7, 1.6…0.7, 0.6… to zero. Each meter felt longer than it supposed to be. About fourty five minutes we had spent in Surya Kencana when we finally came to the edge of Gunung Putri. It was 4 p.m. We were still able to drive ourselves down the hill.
The Gunung Putri route down was supposed to be somewhere around. In the edge of Surya Kencana, the Edelweisses are lessen, the hills surrounding Mount Gede are apparent in a daylight, the downhill are also obvious. But at that condition the facts were too hard to find. I, Bagas and Taufan were leading the group for that time being. Discussing about where the down route was. Allegedly, we were struggling to remember the right track. We forgot! Damn! Later on the route was divided into two directions toward the right and left. Both of them seemed unpromising. We just forgot.
We regrouped with Bagas's presence to lead. He seemed to remember after talking with me and Taufan. Nevertheless I could see that his mimic was unsure and doubtful even tough Taufan was walking directly behind him. His steps were solid and I hardly saw tiredness in his face. Taufan is a very tough person indeed, but at that time he was just solid. Consciously, my sense was blunt as we were starting to take the left route direction. ''May us get a right track and a better scape this time,'' I grumbled to myself. As far as I had remembered, the way down was covered by high trees, so that we could be benefited by them as shelter to safeguard us from the heavy rainfall. Then as ground was getting lower, the trees were also taller and the path were heading downward. We started to take that track as our journey home with the steep ground heading down hill eventough it was likely walking down a long bending stairway.
The route down was supposed to be clear and wide. It supposed to be paved with solid granites, sometimes a bit dusty. But things were changing a lot as I just follow the trail. Bagas is still leading up ahead, whereas me and Taufan followed. I observed anything I could see there. The trees were high and wet. The shades from the leaves were bolting out the lights, tough it was raining. We trailed down under the shades. Little by little, the nature cannot compromise, it was 10-12º cold. And I couldn't get myself warm. I was shivering and kept asking to myself whether that was the right track or not. The others were only following us in the front. They had never been to Gede before, so there were no other options for them not to lean on us. Otherwise Bagas, Taufan and I were doubtful and clueless for figuring out the way out. We came under huge trees and I believe that we were directly heading to the east side of the mountain. Awkward. We started to discover weeds on the ground as the footpath was narrowing. Like a snake, it curls and bends, but vague indeed. Suddenly the track met a intersection. One heading to a lower ground to the left and the other to the right. The left trail strengtching directly in the edge of a small stream, while the right one was covered by high weeds, heading to another places. We stopped then. We had no clue where to go.
Jiew came out from behind to check the path ahead and followed by Bagas. They were checking the right trail. In the other side, Taufan went downwards to see the stream-side trail, thus he just sweeped the stream edge. I was just standing on the spot we stopped. I saw no signs of living. It was weird. If that was the track, there should be some signs of hiking-things. I still saw a few trashes in the ground and it did relieved me. But, I couldn't stop questionning why did the path was strange and so did the atmosphere there. While waiting for the three of them checking the paths, we just stopped and was trying to as steady as possible. However, I couldn't lie that then the cold was being more fierce. I couldn't stop shivering and I saw the others were also suffering from the same problem especially Intan. She was pale, I noticed it. But her calm overtook her face. There was no air current then, but the cold itself was trapped below the plants' canopy, circulating in the surroundings and getting twice colder than it supposed to be since our clothes were soaking wet due to dealing with the rainfall. It was a struggle.
About 10 minutes later, those three came back from the searchings. Jiew and Bagas doubted the trail ahead. It means we were only depending on the right path, which Taufan had observed before. And he looked pretty convinced about it. He persuade the others to take that route. But I was then being the first one to refuse. It was too risky for us to follow that path. First it was too steep, then as I had remembered the year before, there were no such rivers or streams in the way down. So we might get lost in a wrong route. Taufan checked it once again for a few minutes and came back nearly with an empty hope. ''We can trek following this river downhill, we will find intersections as we go down!'' he said. I and Bagas tried to convinced him that there was no way for us for taking that route. Then after another moment, we gather around and I barely told the others that we were walking in a wrong route! We might get lost and face a worse condition if we forced ourselves to continue on an unrecognized route. That was the hidden path for mountain hunters. Those people who kill animals or birds. Only they who walk that footpath. Nobody else. ''We have to turn back and go up to discover the right track!'' I said. Exhausting? Of course. But it will be the preliminary step for another journey home. We were lost. Troubled.
Everybody appeared a bit frustated. We had to move up for another steep hike. We turned upwards again. The ground was muddy, covered with waters and everything was filthy. Intan and Bagus were the leaders now as they walked at the very back of us and were being the first two persons as we turned upwards. I could see that it was getting darker and darker. The clock hit at 5 and it means that we were running out of time for walking down the mountain. We never thought that going up was that hard. Some of us got slipped and hit the ground hard. We have to face another ascending path and it was completely muddy and difficult to climb. Intan and Bagus tried to climb first. Jiew was after them. They held on to the small branches and finding roots to have a firm grip. Feiral was the next. He took a few big steps and while he was trying to secure his step point, he tripped and slided for about one and a half meter downward. It hurts for sure. He kept on reaching his hands for finding a grip but everything was too slippery. I could see his face was frighten and frustrated. He was too burned out. No wonder, his hiking sandal was broken at the way to the summit and he borrowed my rubber sandal. I bet that it was extremely slippery. Then me and Ria pushed him from the back so that he can move up a little bit easier. Thus he made it to grab a small bamboo stem and helped him to lift his body. Then the others were following from behind. On that condition, a muddy ground texture will be hard for anyone to pass. Moreover, we were exhausted, our heavy loads were still being carried, with soaking wet clothes on our body plus the bone-chilling cold temperature that surrounded us. Even Hercules will be upset with that condition.
After more less two hundred meters walking upwards, we popped out in the same place that we'd been to before. The place where we could see the great valley of Surya Kencana. We were back in the edge of it. It was 5.10 if I'm not mistaken. We gathered around and we need shelter. Fly sheet or something. We need something to make us warm, well at least to cover us from the bone-chilling breeze and mist. As we find a some place to sit, I drag one of the tent cover in my carrier. Uta brought the fly sheet to cover us and it was still raining, but fortunetely only a few drops. We hung on to each other. We hugged each other and were holding hands to warm each other. Everyone was shivering, our jaws were cracking. Worries, anxious, frightened and thinking about each other condition. We were sitting on circles closely to each other and the flysheet was streched directly above our heads. Shortly saying, our heads were the poles. Me, Jiew, Intan, Ria, Feiral, Bagus, Uta were hugging toward each other. We were struggling against the cold. Taufan, Adit and Bagas set 50 meters sweep in radious to survey the right track. We just waited below the fly sheet. Freezing and hoping for a better condition.
Those three were back after 10 minutes searching. They had discovered the right path. This time they were convinced since the distance marks were there. Then I remember that distance marks were our clues toward downhill. I wished we could see an enlightment. Suddenly the cold was slightly disappearing little by little. Then I decided to change my shirts and jacket. I grabbed the dry clothes from my carrier and wore them right at that time. The others did the same thing too. The flysheet was folded and put into Uta's carrier. The rain had stopped, but the sky was still cloudy and shadowy – I guess that it wouldn't change for hours ahead. At that time I really felt that I saw the dark side of Surya Kencana. Fierce as if it was there too suffer us. Testing us to the limit. Kills us if it might. It convinced me that human are definitely powerless when facing nature, even tough how strong and solid we are.
It was 5.20 p.m. Our hair were still damp due to the rain. We brainstormed for a while to decide and measure how long would it take for walking down the mountain. We'd got to remeasure the length and time. I said that in normal time hikers usually spend 3 to 4 hours walking down the mountains through Gunung Putri. But two years ago, we finished at 2 hours trekking. Fast? Yes. We were chasing the lights ahead at that time so we ran down. It positively means that it was not impossible for the ten of us to climb down a little bit fast since it wasn't like hiking up that disburse all efforts and energy. Therefore, we decided to continue and we knew that we would be facing another foe. Not only the cold and shiver that we would be facing but also dark. When the lights went out.
**** **** ****
5.30 p.m. Our first steps were good. So does our body. Sometimes the cold bothered, sometimes not. On the way down, we tried to find the path with more roots and low branches to hold on or to have a firm grip. This time, Bagus and Uta were in the first line, Taufan sweeped in the back. Jiew was looking after Ria as I was after Intan. We walked down slope by slope, side by side. Feiral was right behind Intan, watching and guiding her from behind. She was tired and I was over worried. I could imagine that each time I put my foot in the lower ground, my legs and knees were shaking. No question if Intan felt completely burned out. I myself nearly burst my lower body strength to the limit, remembering that I was probably still carrying 45-55 littres of loads. But I still could hold it. My friends would probably need my help. If I couldn't stand the cold, at least I could watch over them. I didn't know what would the other say about it. I just worrying too much on their condition.
Maybe fifteen minutes had passed by as we still trying to reach a lower and lower place. At 6 sharp, the lights should be completely out. And we'd got to depend on flashlights. Our steps were quite firm tough the soil we stand on was wet and moisted. As I had predicted before, the cold veiled us again and that time was the worst one. Not only my legs, but my chest couldn't bear it. It was too much cold. Thank goodness that we were still able to walk down step by step. It took longer and longer to go down because each of us depend a lot on flashlights. That time, Taufan was on the front followed by Adit if I'm not mistaken. I was busy on finding better ground steps and light it on so that Intan could climb down clearer and easier. Jiew did the same thing to Ria. Finally there was the time when the lights were definitely out and the huge mystery of darkness was merely several meters in front of us. In mountains, one of the factors that fears hikers are darkness and shadows. Going further beyond the words, where the souls came out from their rest and flying through the dense forest, watching over anything that moves and passes by. Nonetheless, I guessed that I was being too much supersticious. What doesn't appear shall not be a matter. The most important thing at that time is my best friends safety and we could arrive at the last post as early as it could be managed.
Unexpectedly, the rain was pouring again. ''Man! What else!'' I grumbled. The shirt I wore was my last dry one. What could I do further if it was also wet. We actually continued to walk and never stopped at that very moment. There were no time to rest within that pitch black situation. We were not that tired anyway since trekking down hill wasn't as hard as hiking up. But for a moment, we finally did stopped! From few drops from the leaves, turned a little bit more to countless armies of waterplets. It attacked us in a very miserable circumstances. We realized that we were gambling too much if we forced ourselves against the nature. In spite of our heart said so; Go! Proceed! And bravely fight the cold, tiredness and rain. Otherway, surrendering was inevitable. Hence we just continued to travel in a very short distance, probably once 10 meters lower no further. ''Please we got to stop,'' Jiew said. We just turned speechless and simultaneously took a break as the night had been perfectly rising. Blinded.
''Flashlights!'' asked Uta to Adit. He needed it for pulling up the fly sheet from his carriers. Again, we gathered together. Warming each other beneath the flysheet. Ladies were in the middle surrounded by the others. Everyone met his/her limits. Jiew was actually strong in stamina, but vulnerable to cold. Uta was surrendering to the cold. Bagus as the biggest person was idle and weakening. Ria and Intan were similar, they were trapped by the low temperature and their very damp clothes. Feiral was also helpless, but he tried not to quibble. He looked tough then. Even me myself couldn't do any immediate actions, the cold was just killing. Otherwise, the other three were the strongest at that time. Adit, the slow trekker was very bold with the low temperature. His thick and warm jacket was saving him Bagas was also quite invulnerable to cold. Then, there no doubt about Taufan as he still seemed strong. That being the case put them to save guard us, as the weaker ones.
We just sat there right in the edge of a downslope and in fortunately in front of a higher ground, where we could be able to lean on the slope wall. Dirty, our shoulders were streaked with wet ashes, very filthy. It was 7 p.m. We were stuck in the middle of nowhere. We couldn't turn back toward Surya Kencana to find a good shelther or to find help or simply forced ourselves heading down the mountain and fighting with a worsening condition. On top of that, we had no more energy left and the dark might vanish us. No one knew what was going to happen if we pushed ourselves.
As we rested on the slope, half of us wanted to continue while the others couldn't bear the risk. Uta was willing to proceed. Taufan agreed with him, trying to convince the other that we could make it. Jiew stood for the other who preferred to camp. And I was with him. Ria and Intan were actually going where the wind blows. But particularly for Intan, I knew that she was on her limit and I would guide her for all stakes. I looked at Bagus several times, he also knew and could understand my purpose. So he also refused to continue. Adit and Bagas were in silence, while Feiral would do anything for the others either to proceed or stay.
We were stuck in the middle of a mountain. Raining, freezing and running out of logistics. Under the great forest of Mount Gede. Thank God that we're not lost, tough we were close to it but succeed to figure out a better solution.
The time would never stop. We were about to spend a night in a setback. A time to remember. A moment to survive. Then we just decided to stay and build a tent – an urgent camp site. For me, the situation was very ridiculous where there were no flat space for us to build a tent. There was actually a possible space, but it was still uncomfortable for us. But we dared to take it anyway. Taufan, Adit and Bagas were working on the tent. Uta volunteered himself to direct us where to go. Those four were saviors and the other six –including myself- were warming ourselved beneath the flysheet. Thus Uta direBut rct us to move step by step to the right, to the left and so on. We could only build the small tent since the lot was small. The bigger tent was helpless. The small tent was supposed to be filled with 3 persons maximum if they lie on. But I believe that we could push everyone inside and make ourselves warm.
Fifteen minutes later, the tent were standing firm. Adit, Bagas and Taufan had raised it. They build it in a insecure space, perhaps 2-squares meter right in front of the wall slope, under the canopy of high trees and unfortunately right in the edge of downslope for about one and a half meter in height. Consequently, if the pegs were not firm and we moved a little bit rough inside the tent, we could be rolling and falling down the slope and everybody would get serious injuries caused by hitting the ground. Therefore, we had to be calm and reduce any unnecessary movements.
Every person entered the tent one by one. Ria and Intan went first and followed by the others. I was then putting 5 to 6 mats to reduce the cold as we sit in the ground. Honestly, we were struggling to find the perfect position to put everybody into the tent. Unfortunately, the tent was too small for ten persons sitting within. I was wrong. I thought that all of us could fit the tent, but it seemed impossibel. So Taufan and Adit stretched the flysheet and created an extension space outside the tent. Perhaps it looked bigger. So there were six persons in tent and four persons in the tent extension. Those who stayed in the tent were warmer since we were hugging and holding on to each others. The night was getting later and the cold was more killing. Maybe 6 to 8º. I was worrying about hypothermia. The main killers for hikers in the mountains! Hypothermia is a person's condition having an abnormaly low body temparature, typically one that is dangerously low. Hypothermia is usually caused by extreme cold and when the hikers' clothes are damped without no extra dry/warm clothes. A hiker might suffer from a worst hypothermia when he or she is running out of logistics and food. The person who suffers will halutinate and his/her lips turns pale. Those who are able to hold on from the cold might feel extremely impotent, then mostly dropping and collapsed in the end.
The tent itself was pretty wet. Damped with moist and instantaneously turning colder. It supposed to be quite effective to protect us from cold, even the tent was made from a layer of cottonsuit. But again, we had mispredicted that we were also suffering from bone-cracking-cold. We had no choice to get ourself warm than to enter the tent with wet clothes. Actually we could have made a fire by cutting and collecting up branches and leaves nearby, but everything was drenched. Things were messed up at that time.
Inside the tent, we often change positions. I was sitting right in the left corner of the tent seen from the entrance. My legs were unbending straightly to the frontward. I got to put my head low and I feel completely fatigue. Jiew was sitting in front of me and he laid his head in my legs. Then he held Ria, in his left, very tight in his embrace. Ria bended and hugged her legs to make herself warmer as Jiew was right behind her. In my left, Feiral who was in similar position as mine, trying to calm down himself from the very cold. He shivered once, stopped and then started to shiver again and stopped. Uta were half-lying in front of Feiral between his legs. Uta himself was suffering from the cold and wet tent. His back body was directly touching the tent. And he felt definitely freezing. In the middle of the tent right in front of Ria, Intan was there surrounded by the other boys. She bended her legs as the way Ria did. She's the person who apparently suffered the most. Her hair was damped, so did her legging. Her lip was pale and she could stop to shiver even if we put our hands together to warm her. Right in the left side of the tent, Bagus laid there and, the same with Uta, his back was directly in touch with the tent wall. Uta and Bagus were in the edge of the tent and their skin was only separated by several milimeters from the outside cold. The only had the thin tent suit to cover themselves.
Right in the tent extension Taufan, Adit and Bagas were also fighting the cold. They were our pillars at that time. The extension was build in front of the tent entrance, so they were still sitting right in front us not more than 30 centimeter in front of the tent. There was a half meter slope-wall behind them and ten carriers were also placed there for them to sit or merely to lean on. They also used several mats to keep their feet warm. Their heads were also covered from cold as the flysheet was stretched covering the whole tent to the extension. As we enter the time of disaster, the night was blackened with silence, moonless, starless and no single expression from the surrounding. All were changing. It felt that the previous day harmony was abondoning us. The voice of crickets, the taste of rivulets, the splash of water in the streams, the scent of dews, the smell of dry leaves in the ground were no longer there. We had only hopes and prayers. Staying in silence behind the bars of 8º cold and what we had was merely trust from the person sitting next to us. We cared for each other, we guide each other. We prayed above our woes.
**** **** ****
Far from hope and surrounded by bone-shattering-cold. Ria was looking at her watch in her right wrist. ''Nine fifteen everyone'', she calmly informed. We had been staying on that tent for one and a half hours. And each of us was starting to complain. My head and legs were fatigue. Bagus was feeling too much cold, his lips were pale. Feiral was still shivering in the corner and always tried to manage it tough. Jiew and Ria were in silence, their eyes were closed. And Intan was still trembling and seemed running out of air. She had her difficulty in breathing. No wonder, there was six person in the tent breathing the air in the same place. Even if we were still trying to help each other, we were competing to breathe for sure. Then suddenly Uta proclaimed, ''We can't stay in this tent much longer, we have to continue nothing else matter!'' He hardly wanted to go. He couldn't stand it. But the other calmed him down and trying to make a reasonable explanation to him. That pushing ourselves further was too risky and we would be resulting up in a separate way. Different perception of survival might possibly put us in a greater danger.
It took time for Uta to understand the situation. The route down was supposed to spend 4 hours maximum. There are four to five post in the way down. And we hadn’t arrived at the closest post indeed, so the struggle would be twice or even three times harder. We would better to wait for the dawn or even tomorrow's noon to continue. Getting our clothes dried up and preparing for emergency meals. But along the way, the waiting would also need great effort. Defending ourselves from enormous cold, hunger, possibility of another rainfall and all uncertainties, which might happen. Either way, every solution had its own hazard. We opted to choose a most defensive style; waiting in vein.
''I missed everyone in Jakarta. My parents, my little sister, my beloved Maya. I also remember that I was apologizing, asking for forgiveness from everyone before I went to Mount Gede. Memories seeped through my brain, flashing back to the happy times I spent with my family, with Maya. The happiest time was when I travelled with all of them to Sepa Island in Kepulauan Seribu. Enjoying the sunlight, beautiful sandy beaches with white sands making sand castles. Having fresh coconut to drink and seeing birds flew from isle to isle. Doing scuba diving with everyone, viewing colorful fish. Waving hand to Maya who waited in the small dock. Everything was flashed back.''
But we were on a cruel times. For several minutes later Intan couldn't breathe enough air, so she requested to move out to the tent extension joining Taufan, Bagas and Adit. Then she asked Adit to hold her and keep herself warm. So he held her with such compasion. It was life we were dealing with. Actually they were not that close in their everyday life either in kampus or in social. They were and are friends normally. But it came to the time, when the name 'friends' were tested. And I believe that friend need no boundaries. Friends will be there when we need them and they will totally understand. Real friends are made either conditionally or unexpectedly. And friends put the other first before them. I finally saw the basic difference between best friends and true friends. Best friends appeared in an obvious way; through process, closeness and also time. But true friends appear in our heart, spontaneously as long as we can feel the aura of sincerity. For me, being captured and tortured by the force of nature really converted us to show the real meaning of humanity –caring, supporting, appreciating and forgiving. In the end, we were there as true friends.
Anyway we kept on holding on to fight the cold. Taufan threw several sleepingbags to us inside the tent. All sleepingbags were used to warm us. But some of them were wet – as usual. Bagas often checked the flysheet, watchful if it closed the tent ventilation and reducing the fresh supply inside the tent. Adit were still holding and warming Intan up with his thick jacket. Our hands were cold even if we held hands together.
At sudden, I felt a vibration in my feet. Then Ria was showing the similar look in her face. Alert. Something is vibrating. ''Phones!'' I shouted. And everyone was checking all bags inside the tent. It came from Ria's day-pack! And we got SMSes on Ria's phone. What a miracle, there was no network. It supposed to be a blind spot for all telephone operators. But it just on! We got an SMS from Ria's mother. At least we met an enlightment. We could be able to ask help by SMS. I remember that along the Gunung Putri was a blind spot. And my brother was supposed to wait for us in the final post and he might have been very anxious since we hadn't arrived there for more than 4 hours from the last time I sent him an SMS. Furthermore Gunung Putri was black and mournful. I was sure that he might know if we were in trouble. I asked Ria to send him an SMS.
''Kita terjebak badai di rute Gunung Putri. Tolong kirim bantuan logistik dan baju hangat untuk 10 orang secepatnya.''
The message was a simple as that. First try: ''message sending failed''. But after Ria tried several times we saw another enlightment on the screen: ''message sent'' amazingly without a single network signal appearing in her phone. It was God's will I believe. Then we waited. There were no incoming messages afterwards. Delivered or not, we had already taken the chance of survival.
Everyone hoped for a better hours ahead notwithstanding the uncertainties we were confronting with. Feiral cracked the ice when he told the other if he was still saving a few package of instant noodles. We had a small feast then, sharing the meals with everyone. It couldn't solve our hunger, but it gave us new hope. At least we still had something to share. Feiral spread it to the others and we crunched it with all its ingredients. Chicken flavor noodles, not bad for survivors. Actually we had already consumed those kind of noodles from the first day hike. In the mountains, we don’t have to depend on cooked foods. Sometimes the fresh ones are better. I guess we can take noodles also an exception not to cook it first. Just take a package, crush it, rip the chicken-flavor-salt or even soya sauce for friend noodles, pour it over the crushed noodles, shake it until the noodle crannies mixed up with the ingredients and then munch it while walking through the forest. Very simple. But totally tasty and delicious. Well, that time in the night was in a different context. Noodles were life saver and each package was a matter. The sound of munched noodles was quite relieving, we were still alive. And we were still eating savagely (on noodles). How miserable.
It was about 9.50 betwixt and between Gunung Putri route. In the dense forest of east side of Gunung Gede. In the far east below the great valley of Surya Kencana. Where hikers usually hear their own laugher and enjoying the cold breeze of the mountain. Enjoying the blue skies, waiting for the dusk to replace, sitting in the edge of rivulet by nightfall. Making fire and cooking beef, salmon, tuna, mackarels or even simply eating peanuts. Staring at the moon, watching shooting stars. Story tellings. Playing on harmonica or even singing silly songs. And all the others things hikers normally do in the mountains. But all of them were solely riveries for us. Totally contrast. Especially at that very time of struggle. We lost out laughter then. The cold killed our laughter. It took out or energy, our fighting spirit, our way home. We couldn't do nothing. Worsely, even eating noodles could feel very much helping. If I might say, that was my worse hike ever. Even worse, because at that time I was with the people I really cared about. Ten of them. My best buddies. Suddenly I felt very guilty of asking them to hike Mount Gede. If the results were that miserable and depressing, perhaps I would have been cancelling the hiking plan at the first time. I was just frightened –for the worse case- if one of my friends couldn't stand the situation and slightly losing his or her life. What kind of friend am I? Putting my beloved friends in a disaster. Barely helpless. Even just to think felt like difficult in that circumstances. Even just to think.
I was doubting our condition then. It was a quarter pass ten lost in the night and we could not merely stay in the tent –doing nothing in the edge of needleslike cold air- at that time. We were running out of air inside the tent. Intan was asking someone to replace her inside the tent, she was moving to the extension with Adit, Taufan, and Bagas where she could breathe easier as the ventilation was bigger. Ria herself was also coping with breathing difficulties. I checked on Bagus's condition several times to make sure that he was okay. He's the biggest among us. He was lying down in the right side of the tent, trembling and looked definitely weary. His body was covered with a wet sleeping bag – only to avoid the cold air, he used a wet sleeping bag. Foolish. But what else could he do on fighting the cold. His lips seemed bloodless and he fell asleep several times. Everytime we noticed that, we woke him up. One of the signs of hypothermia is feeling sleepy, then weary. Once a person who suffers hypothermia sleeps, they hardly could be awaken and then passed out. We didn't want it to happen to Bagus. Ria often called his name and he was still answering it.
We passed hours by hours together. Most of them were hard times. Most of them were filled with tiredness. I never thought that a hope would turn to be such a breath-taking journey. We were still trapped in a hard situation afterall. I was pondering that there were no single hiker passing by. Maybe the weather was so evil then. The rain could suddenly attack at any time, the cold was like swarming bees and all the other suspicious things might happen at sudden. We were so alone.
My ears could not lie. Sometimes I felt that we were not alone there. Everything was watching down on us. Maybe laughing at the way we survived. The nature came alive, I could feel it. I looked at Intan from the corner of my eyes and I saw probably the same fear that took the heart of me. She's very sensitive towards superstition. Perhaps she's gifted and more sensitive than me for sure. But that's Intan; very quite as a person especially when she got herself in a different aura. At that time, everybody was in silence. Tired and hoping for someone or something to help us out. Frustrated. Like a candle in the wind, easily get driven by unwanted factors. We came to the most silence time from the very first moment we started hiking together from Cibodas, to the first camp nearby Kandang Batu, bearing with Tanjakan Setan, conquering Mount Gede summit, smashed by rainfall in Alun-Alun Surya Kencana and the lost route until finally we got stuck there in the middle of Gunung Putri. We were very quiet. Speechless.
I saw everybody closed their eyes. Hardly trying to sleep altough the tent was getting warmer than before. I prayed in my heart to God not to take my friends away. I prayed to God for guiding each person with God's care and I hoped that nothing worse wouldn't happen to us afterward and also to give us strong will to survive. When the silence came to the peak, I thought I heard someone was whispering. I heard a whisper. Someone was speaking and it was a man's voice. The voice distance was far. Not echo, but more like people talking. Intan's face was different as if she knew something uncommon was trying to approach, I didn’t know whether I was too much in guessing her mimic or she was truly feeling unwell about her condition. For that reason I told the others to be all ears. Listening eagerly and attentively to the circumstances. When I told the others to do so, they complained, ''Don't play jokes in here Lend, you are too much on that and don’t put us in fear!'' I remember that Ria was the one who'd been bothered with my notification. But I asked to remain calm and hear clearer. I was sure I hear someone was there whispering. Then not long after that, I heard footsteps. Maybe 50 metres in distance and very unclear. We need extra attention in hearing that noise – again, the others heard nothing. However my senses couldn't lie, I surely heard footsteps and soft whispers. Very sensitive as if those whispers blended with trees, air and soils as soon as it spoken out from the whisperer. The ground itself was like trying to conceal the cracking sounds of leaves and pebbles being stepped by something. I told the others to keep silent once again and that time was sure. I heard normal voices, not whispers anymore as they got closer to our tent. I knew that they were some hikers passing by. It should be another enlightment for us, but the others were still unable to hear and ignoring those sounds. It came up in my mind, how if the passers were theft and robbers or even killers in the mountains. Those who sweeps along the main route to find something to talk away with threats without permission. Guerilla, remain hidden beyond the thickness of the forest and darkness. Sharp visioned and only counting on small lamps. People often called them bajing loncat or those persons who rob logistic and treasures from hikers in the mountains. Even taking lives when necessary. There was always such possibilities, but I didn’t think much longer, we had to seek for help and we had the moment. Being better or not, we had got to get out from that situation. Then I told Bagas to hear clearly and see who were the passers. The footsteps were getting closer and fusses were heard. Thus I convinced my friends that there were several hikers passing by. We had to ask logistics from them. Foods, warm clothes, or even making campfire. Bagas was turning doubtful, but he acted afterall. The footsteps were getting clearer maybe 10 meters below, then suddenly we noticed that someone was asking, ''Are you the storm survivors?''. Everyone stared at one another and answered, ''Yes and we need logistics!''. Things were changing brighter that night. Rescue down under had arrived.
**** **** ****
11 p.m. Thank God. We'd been founded by the rangers. They swept along Gunung Putri route. Post by post, slope by slope. They started sweeping right from 9 o'clock, a very quick sweep –only taking 2 hours from the mountain side to that point. They were informed informed by my brother. I knew it! He would save us by doing prompt actions. It was true, the rangers were moving in accordance to my brother's command. He was surely waiting for us in the last post in the moutain side far away from that place we were evacuated.
The rangers brought us wheat breads and warm clothes. They never told us their names or where they belong. Maybe they would appear like ghost in the mountains if we didn’t know that they were rangers. Hopping from rock to rock, moving so swift underneath the thick nighttime, faster and faster, sometimes half running, trekking up and crawling down like shadow. I belief that they are heros for every lost hiker's. As I know, they are porters in everyday living, but they have different roles by nightfall. They were just our life saver. Of course all of those moments were determined by God Almighty.
We were still couldn't believe the experience. Only by seeing rangers we could simply state that we were already rescued tough the journey home was probably still four hours walking down Gunung Putri. The rangers stood outside our tent distributing foods inside. We still unable to move our fingers due to the cold. Ria grasp the breads and cookies then she feed us with those. Softly tearing the breads and patiently giving it to all of us. High quality motherhood actions. I just realized of my parents and my lover in Jakarta. They might be worrying too much about me. So did the others parents.
Then we changed our clothes then. All inside the tent. The ladies first, the others closed their eyes. Just one word to illustrate: Silly! We didn’t care about shame anymore, we trust each other. We heard noises outside the tent, the rangers were cutting trees down. What on earth! They brought several long and wide-shaped goloks (read: blade). Hitting the trees down, dragged them and making firewoods. Then a campfire was made right besides our tent. And many firewoods were cut at that time. We never had the chance of making fire. Every hiker in mount Gede is not allowed to bring blades and fire is not allowed to be made since it is considered to cause nature damage. Well, that is the rule from Mount Gede-Pangrango National Park Preservation.
Then I took a sweater for Intan. It was made from cotton, thick and warm, I guess it would make herself warm. She had changed her shirt earlier and wearing sweater. But I didn't know why she was still shivering. I was worried that she depressed herself on that circumstances. What we could do was just cheering her up.
Several minutes later the flaming fire was big enough. Everyone went outside and sitting next to the rangers, drying their clothes besides the fire, making hot coffees and warming themselves up. I chose to stay in the tent accompanying Intan. I had an awful feeling toward her. Then I was asking forgiveness for bringing her to such disastrous moments and we were having conversations from heart to heart. Being purely a good listener and a good adviser. Talking about the journey so far. Sharing views about what had happened. Missing our families in Jakarta, dying to lay ourselves and resting our heads in spring beds with a nice warm blanket and big pillows. She is a great friend. The truest friend ever I guess. I never thought that everything would end up that way.
**** **** ****
Monday, May 7th 2008. We had been spending three days on hiking Mount Gede. The flames were on. Heating up the surroundings. We gathered in circle, surrounding the campfire. Heat really did heal our distress. We didn't talk too much after the fire was made. Everybody was just staring at the fire while warming up themselves and drying the wet clothes. Their eyes were tired. Tired of waiting for a better condition than just to sit in the middle of Gunung Putri and contemplating why did we have to be the part of that situation. Questions always came through my mind – I don’t know about the others. Some people said that regret always comes at the end, but I what I felt was exactly at the beginning of each trouble we felt. Pesimistic? Maybe yes. But I had been blinded by too much worry I guess. Probably that was the best reason for me to spend most of my time during the evacuation in silence.
But I guessed that everybody was thinking at that time. As the way I did, everyone was trying to correlate each incident and ended up with the question ''Why?''. The one that seemed not worrying was Adit. Strange act for a person like him. He put his jacket close to the fire and kept on drying it. For me, Adit is a deep-thinker. He analyzes things and he always comes up with new perspective towards it. Idealist is the best word to explain. A fair idealist, I guess. He is completely different than Taufan who apparently puts something forward and act as his best. Bravery is his strength tough he is careless. He was tough on th ejourney. But anyway, I saw a strong solidarity from them. I really do value their willingness to survive. Light is the what we need when everything goes wrong. The campfire was so relieveing. In an unforgiving land, lights and togetherness are everything.
The rangers collect another pile of firewood and they made another fire to help us drying our clothes and carriers in front of us. So there were two campfires then. Intan sit next to me and in her right was Feiral. She was still chilling so bad so that Feiral had to hug her to make her warm. Jiew was making a hot coffee and his condition got better after getting himself warmed. I saw him being Ria's shield and he was a gentleman. But for Ria, I guess she still needed extra treatment as her stomach was upset perhaps because of consuming too many uncooked noodles. In front of us, Adit and Bagas were still in their silence while waving their jackets on the top of the fire. I guess they enjoyed the flames. The rangers gathered in the other fire. I could see them between the flames, everytime when each flame kissed the air. Each flame was a new spirit for us.
We spend nearly four hours just to get ourself warm and refilling our energy back. Our time was determined by the fire. As both fires ran out of wood, then it should be our time to go. We prepared to move on when everything was dried up, tent was packed up and all equipments were ready to carry. It was 2 o'clock in the middle of the night when we took our first step down. We brought no carriers as they have been carried by the rangers. My shoulders felt terrible in pain but I didn't care. We carried nothing except a flashlight. The fourteen of us continued the journey home then. I once looked at the sky above and it was beautiful. I stared the wonder of the sky for so long and my eyes catched a beaming light. ''The star moves'', I pondered. Then I realized that I just saw a shooting star. Heading to the east, as if it was like a sign from above that the journey home would not be as disastrous as before. Nobody saw it. Gone too soon.
Night trekking would be so evil without rangers. Our feet were weary but our spirit was still there. Seeing bright light was the thing we had hope since the great cold. After hours of turbulence, we had to pass the tunnel of darkness again. Beneath the pitch dark, walking through the footpath, with shadow as our companion, we were searching for a good end which we had been waiting for days. Without the others, I would be just rubbish. Dark times felt so long, the journey home felt so long. I remember what Abu Hayyan At-Tauhidy said ''The longest journey is to find true friend''. Then what definition is the best for ours then?
The rangers climb down on extreme speed. They were like the flow of water when it falls on a roof top. They swooshed following the ground texture, hopping from rock to rock, edge to edge. People called them braveman sometimes. I agree with it. They fear nothing but uncertainty itself, so they were always making things certain by action. Greatly, they hold their paradigm in mountains where uncertainties rule. The four of them moved along and taking break to wait for the ten of us. Among the others, perhaps I was the fastest in down climbing. I manage my steps and was always climbing behind the second ranger. Theie leader was as fast as haste. I am sure I was fast too. But however, they carried two to three carriers on their back. So their speed and strength were something. Cigarrets were pinched between their fingers, redish. A ranger hold a flashlight which most of it was nearly running out of battery. The light was dull. We were only following them in the darkness in the niddle of the forest. Inspite of their ignorance, they did what they were best at, what they were meant to be, what they were born to be.
When finally four hours of walk had seemed endless, we saw something we wished for. A light. A sunlight. The sky turned purple getting brighter and brighter. We had overwalked four major post along Gunung Putri route. And at that time we passed the last one called Buntut Lutung. Incoincidentally, two small tent were built at the post. We bet that they were hikers who decided to make up some camp due to the hard rainfall.
We remember each time we'd passed. Our dreams of another horizon came true. When words failed, we have actions. When actions failed, we have ourself. When ourself met its limit. We have friends. Those who wouldn't abandon us even for a centimeter away. The truest thing ever. Solidarity in a hard temptation. I never knew whether we have passed that nature test or not. All I know is we came there for a good reason and all the things happened out there were meant for a reason. The better reason; a value of live and other. With toughness as it always has to be. And true friend is actually ourself, that appears in others as we have seen it so many times beneath the nature's wisdom.
1 komentar:
mantab! jg pengen naek gunung lg,bwt bales dendam ama gunung gede yg hampir naklukkin kt..
harusnya kan kt yg naklukkin gunung gede!
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