If someone says, “Let’s go for a walk,” you don’t normally think they mean a 12-day, 200-kilometer trek from the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean, over the peaks of four volcanoes along the way. Yet that’s exactly what Belgian born Bert Sacré intended when he invited his friends to join his Cross Java Walk in September 2012.

You can relive his adventures from his maps and video, to his worn out hiking boots, with many photos in between, at the Cross Java Walk exhibition, at Via Via in Yogyakarta until March 27.

For Bert, a graphic designer and art historian whose true passion is traveling, the greatest satisfaction is in the walking itself. And that’s what he hopes to inspire his audience to do. Walking lets us not only see the world but actually experience it up close and personal.

Living on and off in Yogyakarta for the last four years, Bert says, “ I think walking is the most natural way of transportation. That’s the speed humans actually go. So your impressions — both good and bad — are more intense. The slower pace allows you to see, hear, smell, observe and absorb the world, like a sponge. You can also interact with the environment and meet people on the way.”

The idea for this trip grew from the first mountain he climbed, then wanting more. Looking at the map and seeing another mountain right next to it he thought, why not go from one to the other? Aiming for a destination rather than a return trip pushed him to expand the idea until it reached the north — south borders of Java.

Sharing this adventure with other people was a key idea from the beginning. He knew he’d make the trip himself, and figured it would be much more fun with friends along too. Most people didn’t have the time, but a few committed to two different legs of the journey. Three friends joined Bert to climb Mt. Merapi and three others walked the last two days over the Gunung Kidul hills and down to Parangtritis beach with him.

After over two months planning, armed with a compass and 12 meters of Google maps he’d carefully printed out, one meter of map per day, Bert bent down to dip his hand in the Java Sea on the north coast at Semarang and headed south.

Traveling from sea level up and over four mountain peaks, the tallest at 3,145 meters, he walked through the rich contrasts and contradictions that make up Java.

This may be the most densely populated island on the earth, yet it’s also easy to find belching volcanoes, dry savannahs, manicured tea bushes set against the dense Asian jungle, swamps, lush sparkling green rice fields, and breathtaking panoramas. Hearing four great hornbill birds swooping through the forest is something one doesn’t soon forget.

Wherever possible, Bert tried to stay on quieter side roads or follow natural lines like rivers so he didn’t have to keep looking at the map. At times, he had to walk along busy main roads catching people going about their daily lives, seeing all sorts of small workshops and businesses. This gave a whole different flavor to the trip, something he feels people miss when they choose a packaged bus tour.

Standing on the peaks of four volcanoes (Ungaran, Telemoyo, Merbabu and Merapi) were definitely the highlights of the trip. Bert was especially struck by “being on Merbabu, which is really in the middle. I could look back and see Ungaran where I slept the second night, then Telemoyo with the trail clearly visible to the top. Then I turned around and could see Merapi ahead of me. It was amazing. I really felt part of the country”.

Merapi was even better because his three friends, Wisnu Wardhana, Chris Cotterill, and Jason Williams, joined him for the climb. Arriving at the top, they were greeted with the view of the sun setting and the moon rising, like they’d landed on another planet: awe inspiring.

“It’s almost absurd,” Bert claims, “to stand on the edge of a volcano and look down into the crater. All the more so when it’s Merapi, one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in the world. And you’ve seen the damage it’s done in past eruptions. Yet at that moment on the edge, it’s quiet […] the ground is fragile. Nothing seems quite solid, even as you feel the immense power and energy below. Then watching the sunrise over the scene was simply spectacular.”

Volcanoes in the mist: At the top of Ungaran volcano, the challenges lie ahead: Telomoyo, Merbabu and Merapi along with smaller hills in the foreground. (JP/Bert Sacre)
All along the way, Bert was pleasantly surprised at how kind and hospitable people were. They were curious, asking questions about where he was from, which he was quite used to.

But what surprised him were their offers of water to take along for the road, or food, drinks, and even places to sleep.

The head of Bejalen village pointed out a spot on the soccer field where Bert could pitch his tent for the night. Another time, Didik Purwadi Nugroho and his family invited Bert to stay in his beautiful old Javanese home where his mother cooked noodles.

He and his brothers are tobacco farmers and took the time to show Bert the whole process of growing and harvesting tobacco. These and many other similar stories added to the tapestry of the adventure. Bert’s not at all sure he would find the same hospitality extended to a stranger in his own country.

Traveling alone is not without its worries. Getting lost is always a possibility, even with a group. The trail looks clear and easy to follow from the mountaintop, but as you descend you might be following a farmer’s path that leads to a dead end or the mist rolls in and you lose your bearings. Really knowing how to use a compass is a must.

One night having gone far out of his way, Bert had to walk in pitch-blackness with flickering lights of a small village off in the distance to guide him. He was definitely grateful to reach Merapi base camp that night for a hot meal.

With the excitement of the volcanoes behind him, Bert was indebted to his three friends who accompanied him for the last two days toward the Indian Ocean. Mie Cornoedus, Sara Nuytemans and Ebby Litz brought welcome relief with tasty snacks and lots of laughs. Once over the hills, they followed the Opak river down to meet the ocean at Parangtritis beach. But the official end of the long walk was not the end of the tale.

That is an ongoing adventure and Bert hopes you’ll be inspired to join in. His message? Get out of your chairs. Turn off the computer. Turn off the TV.

Bert says, “Go out and see the world. Really experience it, up close. Even taking a walk around your neighborhood will give you a whole new perspective. And going out of the city, either walking or on a bicycle meandering on back roads, gives you a sense of nature, the outdoors, and the people that you just can’t get from inside a car.”

For more inspiration see the Cross Java Walk exhibition at Via Via Jogja, Jl. Prawirotaman 30, Yogyakarta, through 27 March. Visit www.viaviajogja.com and www.bertorama.com