Mud Area

Or we called it LAPINDO MUD
(in Bahasa: LUMPUR LAPINDO)
Location: After Express Way to Porong, Sidoarjo, East Java., Indonesia
This photo taken on December 15, 2007, this problem happened since May 27, 2006. And it looks like the mud still comes up.

As what we see from the pictures (above and right) there’s 600 hectares area. Before when we drove to Malang, we could take the Express Way directly to Malang. But now we have to go out at Porong Express Way to bypass this mud area.

(Left) It’s the picture of the mud and heavy vehicle

December 15, 2007 is first time for my boyfriend and me went and took a short tour at this area. It was very interesting.
The villagers who live in the area have decided to use the opportunity to make some money. They conduct tours of main area that the mud comes up. It’s only Rp. 30,000/person by motorcycle. They also offered to sell us a DVD about the MUD Rp. 40,000. We even had to pay when we use the stairs!
Well …at least while we are there we can get to know what happen to the villagers, their home, and we also got nice photos.

(Right) It’s the picture of the Dry Mud after more than 1 year. We took this picture because the dry mud make good pattern.

Cats

Photo with Nikon D70

This cat belongs to my boyfriend. His name is Cinnamon.
I took this when I was sat at the patio of my boyfriend apartment. Try to get a photo of the garden in front of me. Cinnamon was seating beside me, enjoying the view, and watching the birds fly by. In my mind, that I can get a picture of him. I just shoot it! Then he realizes, that I took pictures of him, He moved! And just took several shoots.
This is one of that several photos that I took

With Nikon D70

WHITE WATER RAFTING

Brave New Rapids
With NOARS Crew @ Pekalen River, Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia

February 9, 2008
It is my first time to go White Water Rafting at Probolinggo, East Java with NOARS Crew. Around six people went with us.

From the NOARS base camp to the Pekalen River it takes around 15-20 minutes by car. The walk to the river took another ten to fifteen minutes.

I was pretty excited about going rafting. My boyfriend noticed my nervousness the second I woke up.
I became even More nervous when I saw the river.


We just sat on the ground waiting for the boats to arrive with our guides.

My friends and my boyfriend laughed at me.

After a few minutes in the boat, I was wet!

I was just fine. No longer nervous and no longer scared.

I think there were around seven waterfalls during the twelve kilometer journey. The river water moved fast, so we finished in two to three hours.

While rafting… we stopped and took some photos of the waterfalls and each other. We even saw some monkeys and bats.I can't wait to go White water rafting again.

ROCK CLIMBING

My First Ascent

I learned about rock climbing from my boyfriend. He is from France originally, but now he’s American citizen. He likes to Climb. If he could, he would climb everyday. On real Cliffs, not in the gym!
October was the first time I learned about climbing. Well I was pretty excited about it, pretty nervous and pretty scared too. I though that my boyfriend would climb next to me, but he didn’t. He asked me "want climb."
I asked him, "you will not go with me?"
Simple answer: "No! I will belay you from here on the ground."

He gave me instructions, how to move, where to hold on, where to put my feet and everything. Half way up the climb, I felt something that I never felt before. I thought about quiting and going down. I did not. I’m not a quitter!
After half an hour, I started to climb for the second time. A different route, something more challenging and higher.

This time I stopped half way to the top. My mind felt tired my arms sore, and my body ached. At that moment, knew I would return to conquer this route one day.

LOCATION : SUROWITI VILLAGE, GRESIK, EAST JAVA, INDONESIA

HOW LONG : Around 1 ½ hour from SURABAYA