The eruption of an “ancient monster” on the island of Sumatra, which had been dormant for several hundred years, impressive footage. Volcano Sinabung. Sumatra. Indonesia Sinabung volcano erupts in Sumatra
On the island of Sumatra (Indonesia), the Sinabung volcano has awakened.
The eruption occurred last Sunday, June 9, but social media users continue to share impressive footage taken at the moment when Sinabung emitted a column of ash seven kilometers high.
As the National Agency for Volcanology clarified, pyroclastic flows (a mixture of high-temperature volcanic gases, ash and rock fragments formed during a volcanic eruption - RV) were recorded at a distance of more than nine kilometers from the crater.
The eruption itself lasted about nine minutes, followed by several aftershocks. Currently, the vicinity of the volcano remains at a “red” danger level.
According to the official representative of the National Agency for Overcoming Emergencies and Disaster Consequences Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, residents of villages located dangerously close to the volcano were promptly evacuated.
When the ash began to settle to the ground, experts called local population wear protective masks: they were distributed free of charge to residents of villages in the zone of volcanic ash deposition.
Thousands of frightened tourists were reported to have fled the town of Berastagi in North Sumatra province's Karo district, which is about 23 km from the volcano.
There were no casualties as a result of the eruption.
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Volcano Sinabung has a height of 2460 meters above sea level. For the first time in almost 400 years, the volcano woke up in 2010. Ash emissions were repeated in 2013 and early 2014.
In the summer of 2014, Mount Sinabung erupted for the first time in four hundred years. In June 2015, more than six thousand people had to be evacuated from the area around the active volcano. In February 2018, the volcano emitted a column of ash about five kilometers high.
Indonesia is part of the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire" - a powerful tectonic fault where the plate that forms the bottom Indian Ocean, as if “squeezed” under the Asian plate, of which the island of Sumatra is a part. The energy that accumulates as a result of the movement of tectonic plates is often released in the form of powerful tremors and volcanic eruptions.
The active Sinabung volcano had been dormant for 400 years but suddenly became active in 2010. Terrible tragedy claimed many lives, but as soon as people began to return to White Island, where, in fact, this volcano is located, nature again began to terrorize local residents and tourists. Since 2010, the volcano has destroyed all life several times; in 2019, another eruption occurred, which claimed several human lives. More detailed information provided by law enforcement officer John Tims.
Sinabung, volcano, eruption in 2019, video
Earlier, information appeared that at the time the volcanic eruption began, there were no more than 50 tourists on the island. Rescuers managed to evacuate 23 people from the island, including victims. It is still unknown how many people remain on White Island; no one can establish contact with them. John Tims says it is too dangerous for rescuers to return there, but they plan to resume the search as soon as such an opportunity arises.
Jacinda Ardern, the country's prime minister, said she wanted to travel to the disaster area on December 9, 2019. Jacinda expressed her sympathy for the victims. The official GeoNet portal reports that more than 10 thousand tourists come to the island every year. White Island is located 50 kilometers north of North Island. In November 2019, experts recorded an increase in volcanic activity on the island, but tourists still came to see this island.
Death of missing people
Local authorities said that 8 people who were missing on White Island have died. Information about this appeared on the official Facebook page of the local law enforcement department. Law enforcement officer John Tims said that there are no longer any survivors on the island.
It is known that at the time of the volcano’s activation, which occurred at the beginning of December 2019, there were no more than 50 people on the island. These people included citizens of New Zealand, Germany, England, China, Malaysia, Australia, England and the United States. Not long ago, information appeared that 5 people died due to the eruption, and another 31 were hospitalized. Most of The injured people are in extremely serious condition.
The bodies of the victims will soon be transported to Auckland for identification. A law enforcement official said it would be very difficult to identify the dead.
Sinabung eruption timeline
Tragedy of 2010
A terrible tragedy occurred on one of the last days August 2010. It is noteworthy that people did not worry about this volcano for 400 years; that is how long it was in “hibernation” mode. Experts recorded smoke and ash emissions at least one and a half kilometers high. There were about 12 villages located within a radius of 6 kilometers from the volcano. The eruption forced more than 12 thousand local residents to flee their homes. In a short period of time, another 5 thousand people abandoned their homes, all of them trying to escape as far as possible from Sinabung, which was destroying everything in its path.
Repetition of the tragedy in 2013
The volcano, which had previously been dormant for 400 years, began to erupt too often. The next eruption began at the very beginning of November 2013. A column of volcanic ash and smoke rose several kilometers above the top of the volcano.
Chaos in 2014 and 2015
A few months after the tragedy in 2013, the Sinabung volcano again began to produce a series of ash emissions in January 2014. It is reported that the volcano then produced 30 ash emissions and 60 lava eruptions, thereby forcing more than 20 thousand local residents to leave their homes. Lava flowed 5 kilometers south of the volcano's crater, and the cloud of volcanic ash reached a height of 4 kilometers.
Winter 2014 local residents witnessed another activation of the volcano. Sinabung raised clouds of hot ash into the air to a height of 2 kilometers, the lava swallowed all the neighboring villages. About 14 people are considered dead. The eruption occurred after residents who were more than 5 kilometers from the mountain were allowed to return home after a long absence of volcanic activity. Among the dead was a journalist from a local TV channel and four children from high school together with your teacher. They all came to the mountain to see the eruption up close.
It is noteworthy that 7 people from the Indonesian Christian movement GMKI were present at the scene; these people wanted to save the local residents, but, unfortunately, they died. In the summer of 2015, the volume of lava that Sinabung erupted rose to 3 million cubic meters, because of this there was a real threat of the collapse of the volcano’s dome. Local authorities said that people needed to be evacuated, which was done. In total, more than 6 thousand people were evacuated.
Return of Sinabunga in 2016
In the winter of 2016, Sinabung once again began throwing out columns of ash. It is reported that at this time the pillars reached a height of three kilometers, the dome collapsed, and lava began to pour out. Due to the next eruption, which occurred at the end of May of the same year, about 7 people died, while two more people were in critical condition.
Volcano activity in 2018
Another disaster occurred at the end of February 2018. Huge columns of ash rose to a height of 5 kilometers and spread 4.9 kilometers in south direction. Local residents were not injured. Due to the reactivating volcano, Australia decided to declare a state of emergency and prohibit planes from taking off.
The Pacific volcanic ring of fire is located along the entire perimeter of the Earth Pacific Ocean and captures all the islands of Indonesia. The island of Sumatra, the westernmost, is no exception. large island countries. On its territory there are 130 (!!!) active volcanoes. One of them (and one of the most active on the island) is the Sinabung volcano. It is located in the northern part of the island, 40 kilometers north of Lake Toba.
Sinabung Volcano on the map
- Geographic coordinates (3.168627, 98.391425)
- The distance from the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, is about 1400 km in a straight line
- The nearest airport is Kualanamu International Airport, located 75 kilometers to the northeast in the suburbs of Medan.
Volcano Sinabung is an active, very active and extremely dangerous stratovolcano. Its mouth is located at an altitude of 2460 meters above sea level. There are 12 villages scattered around the volcano. Local residents are mainly engaged in agriculture, as the soil here is extremely fertile due to the presence of volcanic minerals and a very warm climate. Here you can harvest several harvests a year. But lately, life on the slopes of a volcano has become like surviving in a powder keg. 
Eruptions of Mount Sinabung
Until recently, it was believed that the volcano was dormant, since its last eruption was recorded in 1600. But after a little more than 400 years, he woke up, so much so that everyone shuddered.
At the end of August 2010, the volcano spewed ash and smoke to a height of one and a half kilometers, forcing about 12,000 residents of nearby villages within a radius of several kilometers to flee their homes. For several days, emissions of volcanic gases continued. Already on September 3, the ash column reached a height of 3 kilometers above the vent. And on September 7, a column of smoke erupted to a height of 5 kilometers. This activity was accompanied by earthquakes, which were recorded at a distance of up to 25 kilometers from the epicenter. Indonesia's chief volcanologist said at the time: "It was the largest eruption ever and the sound could be heard from 8 kilometers away." The rains mixed with volcanic ash to form a heavy, dirty, centimeter-thick coating on buildings and trees. There were no casualties this time.
But that was only the beginning.
In mid-September 2013, the Sinabung volcano again enchantingly reminded itself of itself with a column of ash and powerful tremors. Again, columns of smoke, gases and ash rushed up several kilometers.
This time the volcano did not calm down and continued its ash and fire show. In November and December 2013, eruptions occurred again, causing smoke, dust and the evacuation of local residents. And again there were no casualties. By December 28, 2013, a lava dome had formed on the summit.
On January 4, 2014, the volcano erupted again. More than a hundred tremors were recorded between January 4 and 5. The height of the ash column was about 4 kilometers. Unfortunately, the victims were crops and some animals poisoned by pyroclastic flows.
A small digression. So that you understand, the worst thing about a volcanic eruption is not the ashes, which you can escape from by wearing a respirator, or the lava, which spreads at low speed. The most dangerous and deadly thing about an eruption is the pyroclastic flows. This deadly mixture of volcanic gases is very high temperatures(up to 800°C) mixed with stones and ash, it bursts out of the crater of the volcano and rushes at speeds of up to 700 km/h along the slopes, sweeping away everything in its path. Scientists believe that it was pyroclastic flows that destroyed the population of the city of Pompeii during famous eruption Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
In January and February 2014, Sinabung went on a rampage again. About 20,000 people fled their homes. A column of ash was thrown to a height of 4 kilometers, and lava flowed 5 kilometers along the southern slope. At the beginning of February, 14 people died. Of these, one is a journalist, a teacher and four students. They decided to take a closer look at the eruption.
Never do this. If you find yourself near a volcano and an eruption begins, run as far as possible.
Consequences of a volcanic eruption
In October 2014, the volcano erupted again. Eruptions were also observed in June 2015.
On May 22, 2016, Sinabung erupted and killed at least seven people.
There was another eruption in November 2016.
In early August 2017, Sinabung erupted again.
Vulcan today
In the vicinity of Sinabung there are extinct settlements that closely resemble ghost towns. Their post-apocalyptic landscapes evoke a sense of unease. But, despite such life-threatening conditions, people still live near the volcano. In addition to fertile soil and rich harvests, local residents mine some minerals here.
Fans of extreme experiences are frequent guests at Sinabung. Many travelers dream of being on this powder keg.
Volcano Sinabung photo
Traveling independently in Indonesia, I arrived in small town Berastagi from the lake, look at the volcanoes, which I had never seen alive before in my life, never come close, and, moreover, never climbed to the top.
I went to one of them, very interesting and accessible, on the second day (read this story, as well as information about the volcano), but I wanted to climb the Sinabung Sinabung volcano too. This was at the beginning of February 2013. But only now in October 2016 I am writing about this
Volcano Sinabung - information
The Sinabung volcano, 2460 m high, is located in the north of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, 25 km from the city of Berastagi and 90 km from large city Medan, where most tourists fly to also get to the volcano, lake, and others interesting places in Sumatra.
For 400 years the volcano slept, and in August 2010 the first eruption after hibernation occurred. Awoke. The next time Mount Sinabung erupted was in November 2013 and then rapidly increased its activity, erupting twice in early 2014 and then more and more often in 2015, with particularly strong eruptions and multiple eruptions observed in 2016, when a lava dome collapsed and died there again People. Now, after all the eruptions, there is almost no forest on it...
But let’s return to my journey on February 5, 2013... Then I didn’t know anything about it, I was driven by curiosity, the desire to see something unusual and get more impressions.
You only had to go to Sinabung with a guide, and it cost a decent amount of money: 300-350 thousand Indonesian rupees, which is expensive for an unemployed woman traveling on her own, who spends her hard-earned savings every day (at that time it was 35 dollars at the exchange rate). There was no one to join, there was no one willing to climb this volcano, so I looked with caution at the one hanging in the Tourist Information Center in the city of Berastagi, a list of male tourists who lost their way back and died, or were found a couple of years later, decided to abandon this idea.
However, after visiting the volcano, my curiosity arose and the next day I finally decided to look at the Sinabung Sinabung volcano.
Since absolutely everyone I asked told me the same thing, namely, absolutely not to walk alone without a guide, I decided to at least look at it, stand next to it, see what it is and why you can’t go. As a person endowed with a great imagination, I thought that I would just come up, walk around, see what it looked like, and come back - that’s how I simply imagined it.
The hostess of the guest house gave me a very simple map - a diagram, explained how to get there, but warned me several times not to climb up and that the last bus (like a tuk-tuk) back to the city leaves at 16:00. I bought 2 plastic glasses on the way with water, in a small backpack there was a started pack of cookies and with all this I went to the bus stop. I started on February 5, 2013 at about 9 am and after an hour of shaking in an old bemo (something similar to a minibus), I was in the right place. Travel from the city of Berastagi to Lake Kawar Lake Kawar or Danau Kawar cost 7,000 rupees. In the second half of the journey, one could already see this very mountain from the window. Only the top is hidden behind the clouds. 
On final stop there was some kind of building where two men were sitting, I checked the direction, they once again warned me not to go up the mountain and saying that I would just take a walk around, I left, glad that they didn’t charge me entrance fee 4000 rupees(then it’s only 13 rubles).
Lake Kavar
Located almost at the foot of the Sinabung volcano, Lake Kawar, like a mysterious mirror, hides in the silence of these places. That's how it was on that sunny morning. 
We stood by the lake tourist tents on a platform under a canopy, from which several people had just climbed out. Well, why didn’t I approach them? Firstly, I somehow didn’t dare, logically reasoning that if I go to the volcano, then I have to go right now, otherwise everything will be covered in clouds and you won’t see anything, and the company is apparently large and they are just waking up, which means it will take a lot time. Secondly, they have enough people without me, or they are such brave guys, they have probably already been to the top, and anyway, they told me not to climb the mountain and I was just going to get to the bottom and that’s it.
Passed by and admired the view beautiful lake, a little more along a good road, and then along the vegetable gardens, from where a view of the mountain and its peak, barely visible in the clouds, opened up. 
I saw the sign “Sinabung-5km” and decided to just come closer. It was already clear that it would be impossible to go around the volcano. The mountain was completely covered with forest, and its top was hidden in the clouds, so that only the lower half was visible. To be honest, I wanted to get up, but I was terribly afraid and this made me nervous, like before an exam, because... Apparently my subconscious knew that if anything happened, I’d climb up and be quick!
Two peasants who were digging in a cabbage field pointed out to me the continuation of the path and I went towards the forest.
How I climbed Mount Sinabung
It must be said that no distances were written on the diagram, so having quickly walked to this very sign, I, as a person who thinks big, did not attach any importance to the fact that I had already walked a short section and began to climb, fearing and hoping that I was still overcoming the first part ( I didn’t notice that this is exactly it on the diagram), and then there will be a road, which is drawn on the diagram, and maybe people. That's how I imagined it. I went into the forest and began to rise, telling myself that I was allowed just a little bit and then immediately back.
“I’ll go 100 meters, at least look at the jungle, I’ve never been in the jungle, I’ll feel it and come back right away,” I thought, entering the forest. Then there were another 100 meters and another 50 and then another 30 and 20... To say that I was scared is to say nothing - I was insanely afraid! But it was also very interesting, although I was wary of meeting any animals, snakes or any other dangers that my imagination could instantly draw and even attract. Therefore, at first I walked easily and quickly, like a torpedo, like a ram, and I thought - well, now I’ll quickly walk a little and back. So, I’ll run up the mountain a little and come back. 🙂
The path was at first about 1 m wide, then narrowed to half a meter. The soil was very wet and the tree roots that served as natural steps were slippery. Not surprisingly, the beginning of February, more precisely February 5, 2013, is the wet season, it rains every day. And even in the mountains, there are more clouds there. 
Sometimes I had to put my foot high enough and grab branches or tree roots located above, and sometimes, on the contrary, crawl under fallen large trees, but this is not a problem for me - the stretch allows me to lift my leg, and with my short height it is not difficult to crawl under a tree. At times the path forked, as it turned out, going around huge thickets of pandanus. I sometimes turned around and took photos so as not to lose my way back. (It’s a pity that they are rare and that they turned out to be of poor quality). 
The list of lost people that I saw in the city was constantly spinning in my head and I also remembered the well-known character - “Father Fyodor” from the film “The Twelve Chairs”. Only a helicopter won’t come for me, I had the most antediluvian small phone (not a smartphone) and there were no local SIM cards in sight - I don’t usually buy this, and there’s not enough money on the phone to call from roaming either... the third one was on. month of my second independent travel in Asia and only the second week of traveling in Indonesia.
It soon became clear that there was no longer any road worth waiting for, and that I was really following the path to the top, the very one about which I was warned “Don’t climb!” DO NOT climb!
I sat down to rest on the first flat spot - about 1.3 km from the start. Despite the palpitations and slight dizziness, emotions did not allow me to feel tired to the fullest. At the same time, there was already some satisfaction from what had been done and accomplished. This feeling only allowed me to relax a little. After emptying a plastic glass of water and hanging it on a tree stick as a guide, I decided that I would walk for another half an hour and climbed further up.
I must say that what happened next was steeper, more difficult and much more difficult. And my heart beat faster and faster. Along the way I came across a lot of lost men's shoes - sneakers, sneakers, even flip-flops - all one piece at a time. I was in a hurry again because I had to get back before the rain.
My imagination painted the following picture - if a heavy downpour begins, this path may turn into a mountain forest river (like a waterfall in Thailand) and I will walk knee-deep or even waist-deep, if I can, in cold water, not knowing where to step, along the already difficult path, full of mud, snags, roots and stones. My sneakers were damp and no longer white (I didn’t have any others). And on the route already covered there were two most difficult places to descend, especially in the rain.
But the desire to overcome, win, passion, or youthful maximalism still preserved, despite age, to prove something to someone invisible or to myself, or a real discovery of myself... I don’t know, it led me further and further. I walked through the jungle completely alone. I climbed up a volcano along a forest path in the wilds of the island of Sumatra in the distant country of Indonesia. This audacity was impressive, but at the same time it bordered on stupidity, danger, like the blade of a knife. I told myself: “Well, another 10 minutes, well, another hundred meters, well, until this turn, and then to that tree.” I even remembered a fragment of a film about pilots, which I watched about 20 years ago, there was such a concept - a point of return, i.e. a point from which, if necessary, the plane can return back to the airport from which it took off. Where is my point of return? And the further up, the scarier and more dangerous it became, not to mention how I felt - I suddenly remembered that I was not 20 years old, or 30, or even 40 - I should take myself more seriously. If only I could meet tourists, then it would be easier, like yesterday when I went to the , but alas. There was no one here except me. I understood why people don’t flock here in droves, and why the guides charge such a sum.
Suddenly, my mental reasoning was interrupted very strange sound, a crunch that was heard very close, about 8 meters from me, from the depths of the jungle. I still don’t know what it was or who it was. Most likely, it was some kind of animal, and I sprinted further, driven by a new wave of fear. 
Meanwhile, the path was winding and becoming narrower and narrower, sometimes branches branched off from it in one direction or the other, and then my vigilance, attention and control increased, and the seriousness of what was happening became more aware. 
Finally, a very small area of flat space appeared, open on one side, where you can calmly stand and even sit down to catch your breath and admire the stunning view of Lake Kavar, the fields and everything that was below.
All this time I walked through the jungle and there was never an open space to understand where you were. Wow, how high I climbed! The lake looked so small. Clouds and clouds driven by the wind floated both below and above me, it seemed that I could touch them with my hands. It looked very beautiful and unusual, especially being in such conditions. I stood tired, on this tiny patch of flat surface and experienced absolutely amazing feelings, alone with myself and the huge world that opened up to me as if in a jungle window wide open.
Usually at such moments I have an amazing feeling of flight and happiness, which simply bursts, relieves stress and gives additional strength. But my heart was still beating with all its might, my head was already aching, and a lot of energy had already been spent, so I just calmly enjoyed the view and relaxed, realizing that it was not enough to climb up, I also had to be able to return safe and sound.
I took photos, unfortunately I didn't best quality due to the lack of sun and constantly passing clouds. I took a little rest. There was a pleasant feeling from what I had accomplished, but the thought of continuing the journey still bothered me. It was an insidious thought.
“What if we walk another twenty or thirty meters, up, closer to the top,” I kept thinking in my head. I wanted to see what would happen next. Here the vegetation is slightly different, and the path is even steeper than in previous sections. I understood how far I had come, and this, on the one hand, suggested that something should already change and, perhaps, I would at least go out into space from where I could see the top. But at the same time, I felt and was afraid that it was dangerous and I wasn’t sure that I would get away with it, or rather, that I would be accepted by this mountain and God, or I don’t know, someone else, would allow me and want to save me in if anything happens.
Having persuaded myself to say “just a little more,” I again plunged into the thicket. However, after only 10 meters, I understood in time and made the absolutely firm and most correct decision of my entire life - to turn back! I was careful, because the slope became much steeper with each step, and the path that ran upward turned very difficultly, now in one direction, now in the other, going around overgrown plants, and was generally narrow and sometimes barely perceptible to the eye, at least for me, a newbie, afraid of everything. Even after 5-7 meters it is not at all visible where this path will go later, and what is there. Remembering the list of lost guys that was spinning in my head, I was not confident that I would easily find my way back. In addition, my heart was jumping wildly in my chest, my head was spinning and aching, fatigue and fear of not being in time before the rain were sufficient reasons to end it there. And in my arsenal there were photos and conquering a decent distance! (more than 4.2 km, according to the sign below)
Convincing myself that this was also a very great achievement for me - and this really is so, and in order not to create an impossible task for my guardian angel, I rested a little more on this spot, looked at the lake again, thanked those around me, then finished off the second and last plastic 200 gram glass of water, and with a feeling of fulfilled “duty”, her own approval and even satisfaction, she quickly began to go down, afraid of losing the path or not seeing the right turn.
...Naturally, what you are afraid of happens. So I came to a place where the narrow path diverged into two, skirting a huge overgrown tropical plant, forming another giant pandanus bush. That second part also had some incomprehensible branch.
“Ah-ah, what to do, which way to go!?”, I mentally became hysterical and went along the right, of course doubting and fearing. Thank God that after walking about five meters, lost in thought, I tripped in a hurry over some snag, immediately decided: “Aha, this is a sign,” I turned back, and then went down again, but along the right side of the path to the left. It seemed like my guardian angel or the Lord God or my... I don’t know something divine, everyone at once supported my correct and firm decision to refuse to go to the top and now breathed a sigh of relief.
So I “scratched” down at full speed... and the further I went, the safer and more confident I felt. A wave of weight was lifted from me, I was no longer worried so much. I just thought that one difficult obstacle for the descent was already behind me, which made it feel easier.
About 2/3 of the way back, which is about 2.6 km, people’s voices and laughter began to be heard, then I felt completely calm and I stopped being afraid, but continued to move at the same fast speed. The voices were getting closer and louder, and after another 15 minutes I saw a group of guys and girls below. They were sitting on fallen trees, on the same relatively flat place where I rested for the first time.
They did not expect
You can imagine the reaction and faces of people who simply sat down to rest while climbing the volcano, and suddenly saw a miniature, fragile girl in a white jacket - me, descending from above and cutting through the exotic jungle of Sumatra with her confident, fast gait.
- “Where are you from?” Where did you come from?! Are you alone?! You are alone? What are you doing here? What are you doing here?!" Are you creazy?” - these and other questions were addressed to me with undisguised surprise and concern from the lips of an active Indonesian girl named Nettie, who fortunately spoke English.
-"Yes. I am alone. I'm coming from above. I'm from Russia." — I answered, barely catching my breath.
I told them my whole story. She showed me a diagram that I read incorrectly. How I walked, and how I thought that I would reach the road (which I missed before reaching the forest). They listened attentively, seeming somewhat stunned by my madness. And then she showed me the pictures of the lake I had taken on my camera.
- “So you’re almost there!!! There was just a little bit left!” - Nettie exclaimed. She translated everything to her Indonesian friends, and the older one looked at my diagram and said that it was better not to use it.
Then she asked where I lived.
“To Berastagi,” I said, answering questions as usual. His heart was still pounding, but his breathing was gradually calming down. They treated me to water from a special rubber container that they carry on their back in a backpack. We still talked a little and then...
“We’re going to the top, come with us,” Nettie suggested, and everyone also responsively agreed. - “We have water, some snacks for a snack, we will share with you, and then, when we get down, we will take you back to the city on a motorcycle”... Then I remembered that the last bus to the city leaves at 16 o’clock.
To be honest, I was shocked by such an unexpected proposal and even thought a little. There was only a little over a kilometer left until the end of the descent! I was pretty tired, despite this halt, if you can call it that. The path already traveled appeared before my eyes again. I hesitated, but at the same time, I said mentally: “Such a miracle can only happen once in a lifetime and only to me. This is an opportunity you shouldn’t refuse.”
And I went again!
Oh God, how I love you, for all the surprises and magic! These turned out to be the same people who were in the tents by the lake, whom I passed in the morning. There were about eight of them, mostly young guys and girls - students. They contacted each other on the Internet, specially got together and came to this place from different cities in Indonesia to go to the top together. Among them was a girl from the Czech Republic and an older local guide who knew how to go to the volcano.
Naturally, I did not expect such a development of events, besides, I was very tired, my head was still dizzy, despite the rest and the additional amount of water I drank. But I made a choice - to reach the top!
The second time along the same path, but with different powers, or rather, almost without them - it’s not so entertaining and cool. And this path seemed to me so insanely long, long and tiring that when for the second time I found myself in that very place with a beautiful view of the lake, it seemed to me that an eternity had passed. It was really far away. And again resting in an already familiar place, how could I have thought that I would return on the same day. But I was already so tired that even this beautiful view of the lake did not produce that much-needed and useful emotional effect on me now.
And again on the road, here it is - the place from where I decided to turn back a few hours ago. I felt as if I was walking through the imprint of a piece of my life, my past. Because this section was really difficult, and the path was almost invisible, it was hidden among overgrown bushes and trees, running steeper and steeper into the high unknown. I tried to stay strong, but it took a lot of effort.
A bit of emotion still increased when we reached the open, bald part of the path. I sighed with some relief, but this was only the beginning of a new area with wet red earth interspersed with potholes and stones. Of course, I no longer had speed and had to stop to rest more and more often. My strength is no longer the same, even though I tried my best. Thank you, one of the guys was always next to me because the chain stretched for about 50 meters. Of course, they are young and with fresh strength, but I had already spent a lot of it. Well, okay, we drank some water and moved on.
But then it was very difficult. This is the last and steepest section. The slope of the surface was 60-70 degrees or more. We climbed up smooth large and medium-sized stones, 50-80 cm in size, protruding to the surface, which, mixed with soil, were quite slippery and wet. That was something! I still remember how my heart was jumping out of my chest, and my head was spinning madly and hurting. I just prayed to God that my heart wouldn’t stop, and apparently my innate endurance, desire and desire, as well as a ten-day course of Vipassana meditation I took a couple of weeks ago in Malaysia, helped me cope with everything else. I climbed and didn’t turn around, so as not to lose concentration, not to distract or relax my mind. I thought that maybe beautiful views behind my back, but immediately pushed that thought away. For the first time in my life, I had no time for this, I chose the main thing - focusing on myself and my task of safety, on which my life and the good mood of my new acquaintances depended, who suggested going to the top and having this unforgettable experience.
Meanwhile, there were happy exclamations from the girls who reached the very top. Everything was in the clouds, in this dense fog it was not even visible that the peak was so close. But I still had to climb further. At some point, I even suggested to the guy who was walking next to me that he should go alone, and I would come later; I didn’t want to burden him too much and slow him down, because I needed to stop every ten meters and I felt a little awkward. But he said that there were only a few meters left and we had arrived. Let's continue. Indeed, these were the last five steepest and most difficult meters, which I, like an exhausted Olympic champion, crawled under the encouraging cries of the guys and girls who were already standing on a flat, horizontal surface in the fog of the cloud. I must say this helped a lot and I finally crawled to the top of the Sinabung volcano, to cheers and applause.
At the top of Mount Sinabung
The top of the volcano was a horizontal surface with a diameter of ten meters, with a stone in the center, and along different sides paths diverged. We must not forget which direction we came from. It's cold here and the wind is terrible, just knocking you down.
I was so tired that at first I didn’t even have the strength to smile.
Well, then she walked away and even climbed onto a rock, from which the wind almost blew me away.
They say that from here, from the top of Mount Sinabung, in good weather visible, but, unfortunately, we didn’t see anything, because we were right in the center of a dense cloud, so even the sun seemed just a bright point. That’s why locals advise to climb in the morning.
Only for a few seconds, the clouds parted and showed us the crater, but by the time everyone came to their senses, ran up and offered cameras, everything disappeared again.
So, thanks to these wonderful people, I stood at the top and shared everyone’s happiness. Everything on this day was for the first time in my life.
Well, it's time to go back. I already felt much better, one might even say good - I had moved away)) and was ready to leave this coldly windy peak.
Descent from the mountain
Going down seems easier, but this is not always the case. This can be more dangerous than climbing. And again new experience. Due to the high steepness of the slope, we descended with our backs to the surface and our faces to the clouds, behind which beautiful views were hidden. Well, it’s a very unusual task to crawl with your back and butt down the stones. It probably looks funny, like an attraction. I don’t have any photos of this entertaining spectacle. Then the slope became a little flatter. This is how it was further down. 
It was already much easier for me and, in principle, we covered this distance relatively quickly, and most importantly, without heavy rain, only an occasional light drizzle.
I’ve probably already sufficiently described the difficulties of the ascent; the descent was, although faster, but I already felt pain in all my muscles, and my knees reminded me of themselves after my unusual double route. And now the wonderful Lake Kavar is visible again, for the fourth time this day for me.
The guys had fun and were happy. I was also very happy, but I didn’t have the strength to show emotions.
There was just over four kilometers of descent left, along a path along wet tree roots all the way down. You can now sit down after 2.5 kilometers. By that time, I was really very tired, my head was spinning, and these last hundred meters, after the break, I just stupidly, like a robot on stilts, rearranged my legs, trying just not to fall. It was starting to get dark and I was in a hurry. Thank you very much to the guys who walked alongside, although I still held on well, and was not even the last one to leave the forest. With wet feet, terribly dirty sneakers, and without proper food, I finished my climb to the Sinabung volcano. We left the forest at about seven o'clock in the evening. Right next to the gardens we sat down to rest and wait for two more. I was thirsty. The guy handed me a plastic bottle and I started drinking, and then it dawned on me.
- “Where did you get a bottle of water, it seems like everyone ran out of water a long time ago?” - “From the jungle From the jungle,” he answered.
-"Fine!" “I thought, “I’m drinking water from the jungle,” I remembered that on the way up I saw a small stream. Well, okay, it’s already late, I drank a lot, and the water was delicious, and I finished it all. Let the energy of nature replenish my strength. The girls left earlier and went to the tents. Well, it was almost dark and we also went to the tents that stood right by the lake. Then I realized that I had definitely planted my knees in the field of such a hike. Of course, in total, I think so, I walked 15.5 kilometers along this mountain, and it could have been less if I had approached these guys in the morning. 
As soon as we got there, it started to rain, I began to think about how to leave for the city, but Nettie said:
- “Don’t worry, now we’ll wait for someone and then you’ll go with the guys, they also need to go to Berastagi.” We talked while sitting near the tents, and about half an hour later two guys arrived on motorcycles. Nettie said that you would go now and gave me a completely new raincoat in the package - film.
I said goodbye to the company of these wonderful guys, came out from under the canopy and got on a wet motorcycle. We drove to the city in the dark and in the pouring rain, which on the way got even stronger and lashed like a bucket like a solid wall into all the holes, and the raincoat rode up from the wind, tore a little and could no longer save us. Fortunately, an hour later, when we entered Berastagi, the rain subsided, I thanked the guys and went to my guesthouse.
It was about half past ten in the evening when I, wildly tired, wet, but with a feeling of a winner or a discoverer, returned to my guest house - a small private hotel. Everyone who was below, including the hostess, immediately understood everything. I asked her to prepare food for me and the keys to the shower. And after dinner and chatting, I also had to wash everything, because my sneakers were black instead of white, and the next day I was going to leave for another place. So the day ended with a big wash. I don’t know where my strength came from.
I am incredibly grateful to fate, these guys, the volcano and the jungle for everything I experienced that day. This is my own experience, the experience of traveling and learning about myself. The route map hangs in a frame on the wall in my house as a keepsake. And this ascent is mentioned in a newspaper article, for 2013, see tab
Continuing my independent travel through Indonesia, I went on a small bemo to Medan to go from there to. (click on the title and read the next article)
, .Indonesia: consequences of the eruption of Mount Merapi (March 2020).
Indonesia's Mount Merapi erupted twice on Friday, shooting ash plumes up to 6 kilometers (4 miles) into the sky and forcing the closure of two airports.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said the volcano's warning status, raised last month from its lowest level, has not changed and a 3-kilometer (3-kilometer) (no action) zone around the crater remains in effect.
He said the first eruption occurred at 8:20 a.m. and lasted for two minutes. Merapi erupted again in the evening, spewing volcanic ash up to 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles), the local volcanology agency said.
Materials unleashed by the first eruption were carried north, resulting in a temporary closure international airport Ahmad Yani in the central Java capital Semarang and Ade Sumarno airport in Solo, officials said.
The mountain is located about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the city of Yogyakarta on the densely populated island of Java.
About a quarter of a million people live within a 10-kilometer (6-mile) radius of the volcano.
Merapi's last major eruption in 2010 killed 347 people.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 250 million people, sits on the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire" and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Government seismologists monitor more than 120 active volcanoes.
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