Lost Abroad

“Almost there…” Over the last few hours, these two words had become my mantra. I hoped that telling myself I was “almost there” would be motivation enough to keep putting one foot in front of the other as I slowly clambered up the face of an active volcano.

At over 10,000 feet, Mt Agung is the highest and holiest point in all of Bali. Its proximity to heaven makes climbing it a spiritual pilgrimage for those living in its shadow. In preparation for my trip, I poured over dozens of photographs with breathtaking views peeking out from behind the smiling faces of victorious climbers. From the comfort of my home, I became determined to join their ranks.

And now here I am, climbing since midnight through wind and soaking rainstorms, my only light source in the inky blackness emanating from a mangled headlamp. With my legs screaming and my knees having all but given up, I grew acutely aware that one wrong step could have me plunging to a certain and painful death. I was beginning to think that I may have been a bit overly ambitious.

No time for that. Almost there.

After several exhausting hours of climbing, I reached a small clearing with a break in the clouds. Seeing the flickering lights of Bali below, I could understand why the Balinese consider Mt Agung to be the home of the gods; it was almost like I was hovering above the stars, looking down from heaven. Almost there.

Throughout my gruelling ascent, the sky went from pitch black to dark purple to deep blue. The sun was on its way, and my plan was to greet it from Mt Agung’s summit. Almost there.

With the last of my strength, I scaled a jagged boulder and was totally unprepared for what was waiting for me on the other side. Instead of looking up for more to climb, I was now looking down a giant crater of unimaginable depth. It was so surreal, for a moment I thought I was staring at a painting. Right on cue the sunlight burst over the horizon, illuminating the red-streaked walls of the crater and exposing its majestic glory. I made it! I sat on a flat rock and surveyed the vista before me in silence. As the sunrise washed over me, I no longer noticed my sore muscles and tired body, nor was I concerned with the hours ahead of me on the trek back down. That moment, sitting on top of the world gazing over those glorious islands with the rising sun in my face, was perfect.

Before long, it was time to head back down. Almost there.