Day 13. Today was a total wipe out. Got up at 5:30am for our trip to Gunung Sibayak (Sibayak Volcano).
According to google, Mt. Sibayak is a small stratovolcano overlooking Berastagi in northern Sumatra. Although its last eruption was more than a century ago, geothermal activity in the form of steam vents and hot springs remains high.
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano,[1] is a conical volcano built up by many layers (strata) of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic explosive eruptions and effusive eruptions, although some have collapsed craters called calderas. The lava flowing from stratovolcanoes typically cools and hardens before spreading far due to high viscosity.
I woke feeling nauseous. It was my turn for Bali Belly. Must’ve been the curry last night… Indonesian David & Armstrong our driver, picked us up at 6am for the 5 kilometre drive up, up, up, up to the point where we were to start our volcano climb. We walked up a very steep incline on bitumen for about an hour. As I stepped onto the base of the volcano, I knew I couldn’t go any further. I was weak as a kitten, dizzy, and horrendously nauseous.
So Dan and our guide went on without us. Dave and I went back to our room. I slept for a few hours, sat in the street in the gutter for an hour with a green face waiting for our transport and then endured the drive to the city of Medan, somehow without exploding out of either end. I was so upset to miss our chance to see the volcano. Well, I guess today is the 13th after all...
