Monday, November 08, 2010

Java Trip (III)

The Road to Bromo

It was 5am, Oct 25, 2010. I was awakened by the caw of a cock. Can you imagine that I was in the second largest city of Indonesia?

My next stop for the East Java tour was Mount Bromo. But for that, I need to get to Ngadisari, a few kilometers from the volcano.

When I checked in to Orchid Guesthouse the previous day, I learned that complimentary breakfast would be provided. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be served until 7.30am. Wanting to get to Ngadisari early, I decided to check out at 6.30am, and had my breakfast in Purabaya Bus Terminal instead. (By the way, 7.30am was relatively late in East Java. Splendid Inn, which I would stay in four days later, served breakfast starting from 6am.)

I took a public bus from Purabaya to Probolinggo. Along the way, I saw many paddy fields. Java, fertilized by volcanic ash, was an important rice producer…

Paddy field in Java…


At Probolinggo, I changed to minibus. The minibus attendant told me that the fare to Ngadisari was 25,000Rp. There was a catch, though – the bus wouldn’t leave Probolinggo until it was full.

One hour had passed, there were still insufficient passengers. The attendant came to tell the passengers that the minibus would leave in a while, with 2/3 of the seats filled. But the fare would increase to 40,000Rp. (WTF!) Judging that there were no feasible alternatives, I had to accept the offer.


Minibuses to Bromo

Well, the minibus was not full when it departed Probolinggo, but it continue to pick up passengers along the way. At one point, there were about 20 passengers in the vehicle. Junior high school students, all girls, clung onto the outside of the bus precariously as it cruised along. (See picture below. The guy in black is the minibus attendant.)


After about 1 ½ hour, the minibus reached Ngadisari. I asked to be dropped off at Yoschi Hotel, where I would spend the night. The bus proceeded to Cemoro Lawang, the last settlement before Mount Bromo.

I will write more about Yoschi Hotel in the next post. Now let’s look at some pictures shot in Ngadisari…

28 comments:

  1. waking up early without enough sleep is often the routine during trips right?? hehe~~

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  2. yes, very frustrating indeed not able to have breakfast in the hotel even you've paid for it.. but doubt they serve good breakfast not to be missed.. :D

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  3. that's rather a bad mini-bus experience.. having to wait, and got charged extra, and worst of all, getting more and more packed!! haha~~ :D

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  4. anyway, nice scenery in Ngadisari, feel so peaceful.. :)

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  5. I usually don't take the breakfast provided by the hotel. :p

    Wow...nice scenery. They were clouds right? At first I thought they were volcanic ashes. :p I mean the billowing smoke

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  6. Very nice scenery. I experienced hanging like that on the public transport there. The thrill is better than bungee jump! :D

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  7. From the two pictures, Ngadisari looks really nice and green. Is the area farming land in the second last picture?

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  8. whoaa so early! i will turn moody if been awakened at that early! lol

    the paddy field view is nice. :)

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  9. I see smoke on top of the mountain in your last photo. Volcano?

    Re: Wind farm, you are right, I too heard people saying they are eye sore. Wind turbines are quite sleek. So I don't understand these people. Usu they are far away. Some people always complain.

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  10. SK
    I also doubt Orchid Guesthouse served good breakfast.

    tekkaus
    Those are clouds.

    VanillaSeven
    I couldn't handle that kind of thrill, LOL...

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  11. happysurfer
    Yes, there is a piece of farmland in second last picture.

    Caroline
    5am is actually not so early in East Java. Local time is one hour behind Malaysia's.

    Ann
    This is not smoke. Just clouds (or mist).

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  12. Gosh 6am! I don't rem ever waking up that early since secondary school! And what a bus experience! One hour? I winder how much would a taxi ride cost?

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  13. the slopes of cemoro lawang is truly beautiful! totally beyond words... i loved the village houses that dotted the slopes, the vegetation that filled the place... the cool climate. ah missed it so much!

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  14. Haha, need to pay more since the bus wasn't full, that perhaps only happen in Indonesia!

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  15. For me 6am is freaking early! What time did you get to bed the previous night?

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  16. witch
    6am is actually not too early in East Java.
    I believe a taxi ride to Ngadisari should cost a lot more.

    kyh
    I should have spent one more day there. Unfortunately I had already booked my return flight.

    Jasmine
    I actually went to bed at 9.30pm the previous night :P

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  17. I am interested in visiting Mount Bromo. Have seen some pretty amazing photos of that place.

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  18. The scenery is amazing - so green! I like the buses too... they remind me of chicken buses in Central America.

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  19. lionel
    Vacation!

    Mei Teng
    You will like it.

    Zhu
    Haha... Indonesia is not the only country with this sort of 'horrible' bus service.

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  20. Looks like a nice place with nice scenery.

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  21. Autumn Belle
    Yes, it's a nice place.

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  22. Oh dear the school girls were clinging on the mini bus as it moves? Must be at slow speed then..the names of places and hotel sounded more like Japanese..tQ for the tour more of pixz from Mt Bromo please. xie xie

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  24. Ouch!! They increase the price of the bus fare? That's bad! And later on, the bus was full with passengers? Gosh!! What an experience!

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  25. bananaz
    The bus was moving fast!

    foongpc
    Not a good experience, but at least something worth remembering.

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  26. I normally pick the hotel with good breakfast so that I could enjoy and start my day right.

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