Archives for December 2012
Mount Bromo: Visiting an Active Volcano in East Java
Posted On : 10 December 2012
Categories : Adventure - Hiking, Trekking, and Eco - Sightseeing - Travelings
Stumbling out of bed, I skipped the shower, brushed my teeth, and stepped outside into the cool darkness. Craning my head toward the night’s sky, I was greeted with a scattering of white stars. It was a good sign. In a trip filled with early mornings, getting up at 3 AM to watch the sunrise over Mount Bromo in East Java was the earliest. We’d been warned to dress warmly, as temperatures can drop close to freezing, but I didn’t even find a hat...
Tag : Mount Bromo
Komodo Dragons in the Wild
Posted On : 10 December 2012
Categories : Adventure - Hiking, Trekking, and Eco
The stories began on Rinca Island. A park ranger ambushed in his office when the door was accidentally left open. An elderly villager attacked. A local child killed. Our guides seemed to take it all in stride, having grown up amongst endangered Komodo monitors, the world’s largest living lizard, all their lives. As a visitor, I was both fascinated, and increasingly worried. The only tool guides carry to fend off aggressive Komodo dragons, as they are...
Tag : Komodo National Park
Experiencing Bali, Four Years Later
Posted On : 11 December 2012
Categories : Culture and Heritage - Adventure
Dig far enough back through the archives on Go Backpacking, and you’ll find Bali was the first place in Asia I visited on my trip around the world. It was my first time in Asia, too, so the culture shock hit me hard and fast. Walking around Kuta my first day, I quickly learned to stop making eye contact with vendors and touts, and focus on going about my business. My hotel the first few nights had a beautiful swimming pool, complete with Swedish girls. I...
Tag : Kuta Beach, Bali Spirit Festival
