NATIONAL PARKS

Like seeking for a God, we were willing to feel this tired and cold, no wonder because this place named after the God of Creation, one The Greatest God in Hindu’s trinity, Lord Brahma. It was absolutely my coldest place that I have ever been stepping in so far, but in such weather hold the fort in limited time before the Sunrise moment, let's started all of this from the beginning.

We left Malang at 12 midnight, after had slept only for 5 hours, but our excitement made us instantly very conscious. Driving with high speed city car from Malang to the foot of Mount Bromo it takes at least three hours. The route was from Malang - Purwodadi - Nongkojajar - Tosari - Wonokitri - Penanjakan, and honestly I was trying to fall asleep in the first round of the journey, but the speed was too fast and when the track starts winding, out of sudden I was throwing up, so it’s wise to prepare for the worst and understand that every start always be the hardest.

We arrived at the Jeep base; it's time to change the car, from our city car to Bromo's Jeep, Pananjakan 1 & Bromo crater, will cost you IDR 400K. I was so grateful that I saw the friendliness on Anto’s face, the man with the Jeep. I believed that he has stood there from midnight. In such limited time, we had a deal that we just went for two places, because I need to go back to Malang. After paid IDR 12K for an entrance fee, Anto said, “You are coming in a perfect time, the weather is good”, it’s still 3:00 AM, but here we go Bromo.

Arrived at Pananjakan 1, where a hundreds of people waiting for sun to rise. After the car stopped, he told us to follow the crowd to the top and he will waiting for us inside the car, perhaps for another nap. In the freeze and darkness, there might be a hundreds jeeps over there, so I asked his phone number and I took a pic of the car with my camera phone, just in case I lost track of him.

Three hours early morning journey, money, throw up, bitter cold, in the end it’s all paid when the sun’s come up, revealed the greatness of Bromo. When you feel the warm against the cold, the first bite of the roasted corn, the first sip of hot ginger drink and unforgettable breathtaking landscape of Mt. Bromo, I see the God through its holy creation.

Although I had missed Pasir Berbisik and Padang Savannah, I consider this as an introduction, and this first experience completely unforgettable, I will be back Bromo, I promised, by the time we will see each other again, I will come with a better me.