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A Rinjani Promise
Segara Anak LakeIt was almost midday and the scorching sun shone unmercifully
Segara Anak Lake
It was almost midday and the scorching sun shone unmercifully. Yet, the quiet breeze across the massive open dry hilly savannah on the foot of the majestic Mount Rinjani in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, was highly soothing.
I was walking alone along the dusty dirt path on the foot of Mount Rinjani in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Yet, I felt so calm and grateful, recalling walking along this same path many years ago.
I was 19 when along with friends, I hiked up Rinjani, aiming to ascend its 3,726 meters-above-sea-level (masl) peak. But strong winds around the Crater Rim forced us to go back to where we had started at Sembalun village.
After resting for two days, we launched another attempt from Senaru village. Yet, since we were already exhausted, the plan to climb the Rinjani summit once again was canceled. Going back home at that time, I made a promise to myself: I would come back to Rinjani ' and perhaps reach its peak ' one day.
So there I was, 18 years later, saying hello to an old dear friend, Rinjani.
I was in a group of 10 this time. There were seven Czechs, one German, one French national and myself, the only local. But they were all already far in front of me. So, I was practically alone, struggling to keep a steady pace.
Nazwan, the 35-year-old Rinjani guide told us that our first day of climbing would end at the Sembalun Crater Rim (2,639 masl).
Starting at 10 a.m. from Sembalun village, we had a two-hour lunch break at Tengengean Post, and then set off for the Sembalun Crater Rim. The difficulty came after Padabalong Post: seven consecutive steep hills in front of us.
These seven hills are famously known as 'The Seven Hills of Regret', since many trekkers begin to regret their decision to climb Rinjani as they suffer the agonizing experience of climbing them. I recall that in these very hills, I had once ended up in tears and almost gave up. But now, though the exhaustion was identical, I felt grateful to be there.
It seems that life has taught me that rather than grumble and regret, it's always better to accept things as they are ' and learn to enjoy them instead.
As I finally reached the Sembalun Crater Rim, the sunset was fading through the mountains circling the Segara Anak Lake.
There, lights from queuing summiteers were already wavering on the path to the peak when our group started the summit attack at 2:45 a.m.
The journey was arduous, and I moved slowly upward only to avoid the freezing 3-degrees-Celcius breeze. What made it more difficult was that my shoe soles were already torn and volcanic sand and gravel often slipped inside.
The plan was to catch the sunrise from the summit. But predictably, I was still only halfway on the thin Crater Rim when the sun rose gracefully on the eastern horizon.
Hours passed by, and I was still struggling to maintain my pace on the most difficult section of the climb. Every three steps upward, I went two steps downward. So frustrating.
I finally reached the Rinjani summit just before 8 a.m. I was relieved ' I had finally kept my 18-year-old promise.
The way down to Segara Anak Lake was supposed to be easier, but my toes were aching. Since my shoes were a mess, I took them off and changed them with sandals halfway to the lake.
That day's trek would end at Senaru Crater Rim, from where our final descent would begin the next day.
But as I couldn't bear the thought of another grueling ascending step, I requested that I be allowed to take another route down. It was an unofficial route called 'Torean', which lies between Sembalun and Senaru, and it is well-known as a perilous trek.
Initially, Nazwan the guide declined my proposition since he was responsible for all of the group members' safety. But after a long argument ' I didn't want to slow the group down and I'd experienced the Torean route before ' he finally agreed to let me go, sending one porter to accompany me.
So, instead of walking the 3'4 hours to Senaru Crater Rim with the rest of the group, I spent the afternoon soaking my full-of-dust-body in the hot spring and hanging out sipping hot coffee around the sacred Segara Anak Lake.
The next morning, Doni Safitri the porter and I started the journey down via the Torean track.
Passing the enormous Mount Sangkareang (2,588 masl) on our left side, we followed a steep narrow path down surrounded by beautiful golden hilly grassland. I slipped many times along the trek, I kept praying that my flip-flops would survive until I reached the Torean village.
'Hard to the left! Hard to the left!' Doni often alerted me during some steep parts of the trek. I still remember the thrilling sensation I had felt years ago as we crawled along a dangerously rocky and narrow path on the Sangkareang mountain ridge, with an endless ravine on our right side.
But the view along the route was stunning. We crossed the crystal-clear water of Lokok Putih sulfuric river.
There are also two springs along the route, one of which is called 'Banyu Urip' (Meaning 'water of life' in Javanese), that spouts from the thigh of Mt. Sangkareang.
As we walked down further into the forest and the view of Rinjani's Crater Rim topography gradually disappeared behind us, I silently waved farewell. I didn't dare to make another promise to visit Rinjani again though. But should there be another chance in the future, I won't hesitate to revisit this dearest old friend once again.
' Photos by Vyara Wurjanta
