Kelimutu Volcano

Today we woke up at 4am and quickly got ready to meet Isa and Rod outside to get in our bemo (minibus) to take us to Kelimutu volcano. It was about an hour’s drive listening to loud old pop music from the 90’s. Bit too much for first thing in the morning! Once there we had to climb the rest of the way to the top, which was a mission climbing what seemed to be never-ending steps but at least we managed to warm up as it was freezing outside and we were all wrapped up in fleeces. The reason we got up so early was to watch the sunrise come up and if it is a clear morning, the views are meant to be spectacular!

Chris drinking un-filtered local coffee

We were unfortunately unlucky as it was a foggy and cloudy morning so we saw nothing!

Our first sighting of the black lake

Cloudy day

But it did have a nice eerie feeling to be able to watch the fog and clouds slowly disappear once the sun came out.

Just as the clouds were lifting

The black lake still a little foggy

An explanation of the lakes

At the top of Kelimutu there are three crater lakes to see which all change colour at different times in the year, one even going a burgundy colour, but not while we were there.

'Fanch' means fence by the way

Coffee

Rod taking a closer look

The blue lake

Chris, Isa and I

Local children on our walk down from Kelimutu

The blue lake

Chris and I

Nice blue sky finally

Then we walked back 13Km to Moni, taking an off-road walk with a few wrong turns before ending up on a banana farm, but one of the kind barefoot ladies working there led us back to the path, it was quite rough going but we finally made it!

Chris and I

Monkey checking out the view as well

Coconuts

Rod and his new friend

Chris walking over a waterfall

Local man also cold

The guy who served the coffee

Local woman

Local man also cold!

Local woman

As we took ages to get back to Moni, the owner of the guesthouse we stayed at was pretty annoyed with us for checking out late, especially as we didn’t pay him any extra! We then grabbed something quick to eat as we were famished and took a bemo to Ende as we missed to bus to Riung.

On the bus

Chris and his new buddy

On the bus

Ende is a really dusty city and everyone avoids it as it’s not the nicest of places, but we really enjoyed it there. Chris and Rod finally found some Bintang (beer) which was not easy, we sat outside the shop we brought it at, and a cow soon gathered to look and chat at the Westerners!

Local man

Locals

We counted at one time almost 40 people surrounding us and most of them children, who were so funny and friendly.

Cute kids

Check out the youngest posing with her hands on her hips!

It was a great evening, great day and seriously long, but so worth it!

Us eating at a local place

Ende, Indonesia