The comforting heat of a vulcano

active vulcano crater behind me

You see me laughing in this picture, but to be honest: visiting this vulcano crater on the Dieng Plateau (central Java) turned out to be a difficult walk. Me, poor little woman with bare feet in sandals, got confronted with heavy rains, mud and cold. OF COURSE I forgot to bring a raincoat, a warm jacket and rubber boots. Was this to be expected? Yes, if you are an inhabitant of Dieng. No, if you are an ignorant foreigner coming from the city down in the valley.
As a reward for my ignorance, all the gods in heaven and on earth decided to test my physical and psychological strength.  I found ten thousand stormy devils on my way up.
And oh, I almost forgot to tell you: I realised the danger of my little adventure when I paid for my entrance ticket: 'This is your insurance card miss, because we never know when this vulcano decides to spit'.

However, by the time I reached the crater, I got overwhelmed by a feeling of intense joy. Here I was, a single soul (except from some Chinese tourists taking the above picture), dangerously close to a smoky crater. Scary? No, danger is never scary once you get close to it. The heat of the steam warmed my wet body and icy feet, and I just stood there for a while, contemplating the grey and lonesome beauty of it all.

ghost jumping out of crater

warning sign

Chinese tourists climbing up