[The following post is from the archives of my In Search Of Incredible blog, originally published on 5 September 2017]

 

Day 2: 26 April 2017, Wednesday

Technically, it’s still Day 1 of the trip. After dinner on 25 April 2017, we retreated to our rooms at about 7pm to catch some sleep before heading out again for our trek to Mt Agung. Perhaps I was too excited but I didn’t manage to sleep at all. Before long, it was 10:08pm and we set off from our villa towards the northeastern part of Bali island. The drive to Mt Agung was a long one and it wasn’t until 12:29am on 26 April 2017 when we finally reached the starting point of the trek.

There are actually two starting points – Besakih temple (elevation 1,000m) and Pura Pasar Agung temple (elevation 1,563m). Besakih is known as “Mother Temple” and it is the biggest and holiest temple on Bali. It is an attraction in itself and many tourists go to Besakih just to visit the temple. The trek from Besakih is more challenging and it takes around 6 to 7 hours to reach the summit of Mt Agung, with an elevation of 3,031m. This route is also more demanding and requires one to be on all fours at many parts to ascend.

I initially thought we were taking the Besakih route but we ended up taking the Pura Pasar route instead, which was just as well, because it was by no means any easier! The trek was supposed to take around 3 to 4 hours and it would end about 100m below the actual summit. However, we took more than 4 hours to reach the top.

When we arrived at the carpark at Pura Pasar temple, it was pitch black and there were no other trekkers around. There was only one small table manned by some locals and we had to write our names in a registration book for the trek. It was here where we met our two guides – an 18-year-old boy and a 42-year-old lady. Unfortunately, I cannot remember their names. They were very friendly but spoke limited English. At 12:43am, we officially started our trek.

As we were considerably quite high up already, it was cold, maybe around 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. Most of us underestimated how cold it would be and were a little underdressed. I had brought along a windbreaker and a jacket and I had to “show hand” early by putting on both layers right at the start.

At this point, I should mention that it is absolutely essential to bring along a headlight because the trail is totally dark. I also found a trekking pole useful because it provided an “extended arm” that helped to stabilise me when I was ascending and descending.

From the carpark, we took a short hike up some stairs before reaching the temple, where our guides offered some prayers to bless us for a smooth climb. From then on, there were no more steps as we entered the lush jungle. The first part of the trek was through the jungle and there was no scenery at all. It wasn’t particularly difficult but you had to watch your step because of the darkness.

At 3:20am, after trekking through the jungle for about two-and-a-half hours, we suddenly emerged at a clearing where we had an astounding view of Bali. The main inhabited area of Denpasar was marked by a concentration of orange street lights, while the rest of the island was mostly shrouded in darkness. It was a refreshing sight after being kept within the confines of the jungle for so long. We took a breather here to admire the scenery and to grab some food and water. When we tilted our heads towards the skies, we were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the stars and the Milky Way, which were visible to our naked eyes. It was one of those moments when I felt really small and insignificant in this wonderful galaxy of ours.

Boosted by the change in scenery and belief that we were getting closer to the summit, we continued our onward journey with purpose. After another short stretch through the jungle, we left the trees behind and it was all rocks and stones from then on. It was getting colder because there was no more vegetation to shield us from the wind. The incline became steeper and it became more challenging as we got more tired as the minutes ticked by.

AK and NY had gone far ahead while I took the rear with KH and HR. It was HR’s first time trekking a mountain and she was visibly tired from the experience. At about 5am, we encountered a considerably large gap between the boulders and stopped in our tracks. At first, I thought that HR was just too tired to continue and I tried to motivate her. However, I soon realised that this was not the case. Turned out that she had a mild fear of heights and the gap was quite large and she did not feel confident enough to cross it safely.

As it was getting closer to daybreak, the skies were getting lighter and I could see more of our surroundings by now. I was a little shocked to find how steep the mountain was, and I tried not to look down. Upon closer inspection of the gap and treacherous path ahead, I could see why HR was fearful.

The three of us then considered the options available:

–       Option 1: Persuade HR to overcome her fear and persist to the summit together.
–       Option 2: KH and I to continue to the summit while HR descends with the guide.
–       Option 3: For me to continue to the summit alone while KH and HR descend with the guide.
–       Option 4: For me to continue to the summit with the guide while KH and HR descend.

The problem with Option 1 was that, even if we were able to coax HR to the summit, there was the even bigger problem of descending the mountain, which would be scarier, and she’d be even more tired by then. For Option 3, I personally wasn’t confident of ascending on my own without the guide, since there was no clearly marked path anymore. There also wasn’t enough time for KH to descend with HR and ascend again in time for sunrise. So the only feasible options were 2 and 4, which KH had to decide.

After much deliberation, he chose Option 4, and we both knew it was the correct decision, even though it was a very painful one because the whole idea of coming to Bali to scale Mt Agung was his idea. But that’s what love is all about – you go through the thick and the thin, the highs and the lows together. Kudos!

As I bade KH and HR a tearful goodbye for now, I refocused my energy on the journey ahead. It was past 5am and the summit still looked some distance away. I wasn’t sure if I could make it in time for sunrise. My 42-year-old guide led the way calmly and steadily. It was amazing how she could just walk normally with the assistance of her bamboo walking stick, while I had to go down on all fours in order to lower my centre of gravity and keep myself close to the mountain. The gradient was getting steeper, something like 45 degrees. I could see the way without my headlights now, and I tried my hardest not to look down because it wouldn’t have been a comforting sight.

Approaching 3,000m altitude, even though I didn’t suffer from AMS (acute mountain sickness), I still felt a little lightheaded. Perhaps it was a psychological effect, but at that incline, it was easy to get disorientated and lose your sense of balance. One mis-step and you will fall to your death, no kidding. I felt more secure hugging my body close to the mountain and I climbed like Spider-Man all the way to the top, taking numerous short breaks along the way.

Finally, at 6am, I reached the summit! There were about 15 other people and I was the last to arrive. AK and NY were already settled comfortably in their spots and they handed me hi-fives. I told them about KH and HR and lamented about how it was a pity we couldn’t all make it up here.

It was only after I put down my backpack that I dared to look around me and boy, was I pleased with what I saw. We were surrounded by a sea of clouds and the most amazing thing was that we were above the clouds. To the east, the horizon was already glowing orange with the sun about to rise at any moment. I had made it in time for sunrise after all. I took a deep breath and felt a great sense of achievement and happiness.

My guide then made me a cup of hot coffee and handed me a box of pre-packed breakfast consisting of a banana, bun and hard-boiled egg. As I sipped on my coffee and watched the sun rise, it was the most amazing feeling ever. It made the past five hours of slogging all worth it. Here are some (well actually, many) photos from Mt Agung…it took too much effort to get here so I just have to share all these photos with you!

From here, we could see the outline of Mt Rinjani in the distance. Mt Rinjani sits on the neighbouring island of Lombok and it is next on my trekking list. Hope to scale it soon. Here, we could also peer into the crater of Mt Agung. It was dry and barren, but it served as a reminder that Mt Agung is after all, still a volcano, even though its last eruption was in 1963-1964.

(Update: Since early September 2017, Mt Agung has shown signs of erupting, with thousands of tremors detected. As of 18 October 2017, Mt Agung is still on the highest alert for an imminent eruption. Stay safe, Bali!)

After witnessing the magnificent sunrise, we started our descent at about 6:40am. It was only now when the sky was fully bright that we could see all the way to the foot of the mountain, and how steep it really was. Going up was tough, but because there was an objective to attain, it spurred you to keep on going. Going down was theoretically easier, but because you had already achieved your objective, it was harder to motivate yourself further. Not to mention that you had already expended a lot of energy during the ascent.

The descent was definitely more tiring and it seemed like forever before we reached the carpark again. In all, we took around 3 hours 50 minutes to descend. Along the way, AK slipped and fell a couple of times due to the slippery rocks but it wasn’t at the treacherous parts so thankfully, no lasting harm was done. Our knees were very much in pain and our muscles were sore. We regrouped with KH and HR and shared with them our ordeal. I could see that they were both upset and disappointed that they did not make it to the top, but safety is still the most important.

I would like to express my thanks and admiration for our two guides, especially the 42-year-old lady who brought me to the summit. She told me that she usually does this twice a week. In fact, she would be doing back to back jobs today; after taking us up Mt Agung from yesterday night to this morning, she would be doing it all over again tonight. Really crazy! I seriously don’t know how she does it. My knees and feet were already screaming after the 9-hour trek, I think I cannot walk properly for the next two days. These guides are really amazing and I have great respect for them.

Looking back at my experience, I would say that the difficulty level of climbing Mt Agung is 10/10, and it is definitely not recommended for beginners. You do need a bit of daredevil blood to conquer Mt Agung, but the reward at the end is worth it. It is hands down the toughest trek I have done so far. Can’t imagine if we had taken the tougher Besakih temple route instead…

If you’re thinking of climbing Mt Agung via the Pura Pasar Agung temple route, here are some tips:

–       Start early. For a reasonably fit person, you should be able to reach the summit in about 4 hours. However, if you’re climbing in a large group, set aside more time as different people have different pace. You wouldn’t want to rush through it and be prone to make any (fatal) mistakes. It would be ideal to start the climb at 12 midnight or latest by 12:30am. That way, you have sufficient time to rest at the summit and enjoy a nice breakfast before the descent.

–       Bring enough jackets. As mentioned, we had underestimated how cold it would be and were a little underdressed. I would recommend bringing a thin windbreaker and a thicker waterproof jacket. At certain points, you may feel a bit warm due to your exertions, but the higher you go, especially around 4:30am – 5:30am, you will feel cold as you are not protected from the elements due to the lack of vegetation.

–       Wear long pants and proper trekking shoes. I saw some other trekkers wearing bermuda pants but I don’t recommend it because of the cold. Also, the rocks can be quite slippery so long pants will provide some protection if you fall. Good trekking shoes are especially important for the descent, when your toes are constantly banging against the front of your shoe. Make sure they fit well and have good grip.

–       Bring gloves. Besides protecting you from the cold, gloves will also help when you grab on to tree branches or rocks for support. Some of the branches or rocks may be sharp or rough so the extra protection is helpful.

–       Bring a trekking pole. I bought mine from Decathlon for S$11.90, which isn’t too expensive. It’s up to personal preference but I feel it’s quite essential because it helped me to stabilise and acted as an extended arm when I descended. I felt more secure with it. For the final ascent when I climbed on my fours, it wasn’t feasible to use the trekking pole so I shortened it and hooked it to my backpack.

–       Bring sufficient water and some light snacks. You’ll need to have sufficient water for the entire trek – don’t forget about the descent! So bring at least 1.5 litres of water, or more if you are a hippo. But bear in mind that any additional weight will be a burden when you climb.

–       Most importantly, bring a good headlight. For the ascent, you will be trekking in almost complete darkness and your headlight will be your only source of light. Needless to say, make sure it has enough batteries to last at least 5 hours.

–       Lastly, have a daredevil sense of adventure. The trek is challenging and dangerously scary at times, especially the final stretch, where there are no ropes or harnesses. Any wrong move can potentially be fatal. So you must be mentally prepared before you go. But if you’re in for it, just remember that only you will know your own limits. Don’t feel pressured to go beyond what you are comfortable with because your life is the most precious and there’s no shame in turning back.

At about 10:40am, we left Pura Pasar Agung temple for the long journey back to Kuta. As we were all aching badly from the climb, we asked our driver Pak Eddie to recommend a spa or massage place for us to pamper ourselves. At 12:52pm, we arrived at Tropicana Beauty & Spa Salon in Kuta.

We chose the 2-hour Snow In Bali package, which consisted of a foot and body massage and a scrub. We paid Rp 695,000 (S$74) each for it, which wasn’t very cheap actually. However, they had proper premises so it was not like one of those small and cramped ones by the roadside, so the price was a bit more premium accordingly. Nevertheless, I’m sure Pak Eddie earned some commission for bringing us there too, which was to be expected. Anyway, we were too tired to find another place on our own.

As for the massage package, I can’t tell you if it was any good because I fell asleep about midway through. I later found out that I was not the only one; in fact, everyone fell asleep during the massage because we were just so tired after the climb! The massage sure pampered us well, hahaha.

By the time we were done with our massages, it was past 3pm. Pak Eddie brought us to another warung for lunch, where we had satay, some local dishes and drinks, amounting to Rp 240,000 (S$25.50) altogether. These warungs serve cheap and good food.

As we had some time to spare before our seafood dinner at Jimbaran Bay, we asked Pak Eddie to bring us to the outlet stores for some shopping. After a short drive, we arrived at 4:30pm. There was a cluster of outlet stores for Hurley, Billabong and other surf and sports brands here at Jalan By Pass Ngurah Rai No. 9AA, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung. I’m a Hurley fan so I went straight for the Hurley store. I was happy to see that it was big and carried a large range of items. Of course, the designs are older but the prices are much cheaper than in the regular boutiques. I ended up buying two T-shirts (Rp 210,000 / S$22.30 each) and a cap (Rp 150,000 / S$16).

After half an hour at the outlet shops, we still had time to spare so Pak Eddie brought us to another shop called Agung Bali Oleh Oleh, which sold souvenirs and local food products. Apparently it was quite a famous store, but I didn’t find anything suitable so I didn’t buy anything. At 5:40pm, departed for Jimbaran Bay, arriving at 6:10pm.

The restaurant we went to was called Jimbaran Bay Seafood Bumbu Bali. The set dinner was included in the package provided by Pak Eddie so we didn’t have to pay extra for it. The set came with fish, prawns, calamari, clams, vegetables and rice. In all honesty, it wasn’t very filling or yummy but that’s the standard of all the seafood restaurants at Jimbaran Bay.

There is perhaps no other place in Bali more commercialised than Jimbaran Bay, with its overcrowded seafood restaurants, roving musicians providing live entertainment, hawkers selling grilled corn and busloads of Chinese tourists. Heck, there is even a firework display at night. The reason why so many tourists flock to Jimbaran Bay is because of the sunset view. This was my second time here but on both occasions, it was cloudy so I did not get to experience the most glorious of sunsets. I would say Jimbaran Bay is quite a tourist trap so avoid it if you can.

At 7:25pm, we left Jimbaran Bay and headed back to Seminyak for desserts, as we all agreed that dinner was unfulfilling. AK had picked a place called The Bistrot, located at Jalan Kayu Aya 117 Seminyak. We arrived at 8:15pm and it was mostly empty.

The Bistrot is a vintage restaurant bar and lounge. It is housed in a large warehouse/factory building and its interior is very sophisticated and elegantly furnished. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling and artistic paintings and ornaments adorn the exposed brick walls. Wine glasses are set on the wooden tables, ready to be fine dined. The sofa seats are plush and evoke a bygone era. It is a very nice place to chill and have a meal or drink at.

We ordered some of the desserts recommended online by other travellers, and they were all very good. I picked the Baked Alaska, which was described as Pain Perdu, Vanilla bean gelato and egg meringue. The interesting part was that it burst into bright blue flames when alcohol was poured over it. Very Instagrammable.

By 9:25pm, we were all shagged out after the long day. We went back to our villa, showered and plonked onto our beds, falling asleep almost immediately. It had certainly been a very eventful day!