the land above the clouds, Mt Prau
They called this village, Dieng, it’s from Sanskrit language and the meaning is "the land of Gods", because Dieng place up on the mount, the weather there on day time is around 10'-15' Celsius and at night can be below 0' Celsius.
I’ve been there long time ago when I was on elementary school with my family, so this is my second time to visit Dieng. But the main purpose of this trip is to hike Mt Prau in Dieng’s Village. I and my friends (10people) went there for Indonesian Independence day on 17th August and like all those Indonesian youngster we will celebrate it in different way, up above on the mountain.
It took 11hrs by train from Jakarta to Purwokerto, the ticket price I bought IDR 70,000, the train leave Jakarta at 9am and reached Purwokerto by night at 8pm. From Purwokerto to Dieng’s village where it close to Mt Prau will take another 3hrs by car or bus or any public transport. And when I reached Purwokerto, there's so many hiker came to visit Mt Prau on Independence day, so we try to negotiate with a driver of "angkot" (small public bus) to bring us to Dieng and normally the fee for each person IDR 100,000. But because we reached train station pretty late, and as we tried to negotiated with the driver, we, 10 people passenger, got a nice deal for IDR 50,000 each person.
We packed our carrier on the top of the bus, we must fill our tummy first before continue another 3hrs journey to the home stay in Dieng. So, We had simple cheap dinner, it was pecel ayam (rice and fried chicken with traditional sauce) but because all day we don’t had rice, so we were so hungry and starving like a wolf, and the food finish so fast! :D
after had dinner instead feel sleepy, we just had more energy and start singing on the bus, and teased each other, and it was at 11pm at night! On the way to the home stay was a small road and the bus lively brought us to our home stay. the home stay was actually a small house owned by the family of my good friend, Wulan, so we can do whatever we want there :D
We reached the home stay at 2am, and the weather was super cold! Especially because it's summer time, so the temperature can be drop to -3' Celsius! We were so tired and just straightly to bed when we reached the place, because tomorrow morning we will prepare another journey to hike Mt Prau
The next morning, the cold is unbearable; especially when you must took a shower XD some of the boys didn’t take a shower because of it. We started packing and prepare for hiking. From the home stay to the foot of Mt Prau will takes around 15minutes by bus.
Mt Prau is a new mountain for hikers in Indonesia, there's two way to hike this mountain, one is from Pathak Banteng and second is from Dieng. Pathak Banteng has more precipitous way to the top but more short time, while Dieng has more sloping and relaxing way, but more far than Pathak Banteng. Well, me and my friends choose from Pathak banteng for the first trekking to the top of Mt Prau and will choose Dieng’s to get back to the village from the top. Mt Prau with the height of 2.565 meters above sea level, it's pretty easy for professional hiker or even newbie hiker, like me. But the truth is nope :/ it's hard actually for me :///
The first thing you must do before started the hiking is report your group and all the preparation to the person in charge for Mt Prau, so when something unpredictable happen, they can help you asap! do not ever arrogant or even think you smarter when you hike mountain, especially Indonesian mountains, because first Indonesian people still believe urban legend each mountains has and we must respect it, and don’t ever think you’re smarter than nature, you screw for sure for thinking that way. a lot of people die while hiking just because they take for granted and take it easy of the hiking, it's stupid, like all the hiker said "to reach the top of the mountain is the apparent purpose, the main purpose is to back home with great condition"
So after we report our group to the person in charge there, we start the hiking, first was a lot of stairs and since the first step to hike this place, already uphill, why I said not easy for me? Because no bonus at all while hiking T.T started from beginning to end is uphill :/
But the view even from the beginning is nice, you may see farmer's field neatly arranged, it remind me of harvest moon :D and on the first post there still small warung to rest or even buy food. And people there still laughing and smiling because still so beginning of the journey, still piece of cake maybe?
Then we continue the journey, the crazy uphill :/ ahaha i started feel my leg getting shaky and tired, even we kept rest every 15 minutes because the tired, but we keep going and enjoy every moment of it.
the second post is the same, you still find a place to sit and I still feel strong and positive i can continue the way! I can take the tired or shaky legs, but I can’t hold the cold weather, as getting uphill the weather is getting cold, and I felt dropped and sore to my bones. I really hate cold, so i requested my team to rest a while, because I can’t take the cold and need warm water.
After we rest a while, and continue the journey, when you reached the third post, the uphill is getting crazy and higher. but the good things of hiker is even they're a stranger they kept support and give us spirit and help each other when the step is too hard for us.
Normally professional hiker will reached top of Mt Prau approx 2-3hrs maximum, but as for me a beginner, it took me 6hrs to reach the top of Mt Prau
But the tired, the shaky legs and the short breath, when you reached the top of mountain, it was super amazing; it felt like I did it! I accomplished it! It’s my first time mountain hike and I reached top of mountain :'') I feel happy!
The top of mountain is full with other hiker and full of tents! Lots of people wants to celebrate Independence day this way
We reached top of Mt Prau at 5ish pm, so almost sunset and the weather getting cold and the fog started to fill the air. I saw the process when the sun started to set and fog started fill the air, they came so mysteriously and yet beautiful, it’s like on horror movie! Ahahaha
When night came, the stars were so bright and so nice! you may see milky way and I saw several times fallen star, but I forgot to make a wish because to amazed with the night sky :/ my stupid camera was off suddenly and also fogged because of cold weather, I need to learn much of bringing camera to different kind of travel situation :P
this is the picture at night time, i borrowed from my good friend, Ananda Supriyanto
What famous from Mt Prau is the majestic golden sunrise, it claimed as one of the best place to watch sunrise on South East Asia, on clear weather, the sunrise’s background is Mt Merapi, Mt Merbabu, Mt Sumbing, Mt Sindoro, and Mt Slamet. But this bonus is so rare to watch
and when dawn came, with sleepy eyes and cold weather, I pushed myself to go out and watch the sunrise, and yes, it was the most beautiful sunrise I ever watch my whole life. with the background of Mt Sindoro and Mt Sumbing, the sunrise view was so amazing, lot of people took a selfie or even record this cold yet beautiful moment, while me, myself just stand there and enjoyed this rare moment ^^
we only spent 1 night in Mt Prau, after having breakfast, we must prepare trekking again to back to Village, instead of took same route as we climb up, we took different way, even a little more far, we will walk through Dieng hill.
and actually the camp area before was not the top of Mt Prau, if you walk a little further there's the highest hill of Mt Prau, there the highest point of Mt Prau, but you know you're not allowed to camp on highest point due to the thunder always hit that point
and if you keep following the uphill you may found telletubbies hill and go further is on way back down through Dieng. as we continue our way back down to Dieng, the view was amazing and even it took a lil further way instead Pathak Banteng, but the view is a lot! You may see lots of daisies flower, pine forest and all, so we walk and walk and enjoy the view and had picnic with simple food and rest a lil
And finally we reach below of the mountain, we took around 6hrs to reach the Dieng’s Village, this way that we get through is easy, fun and great, we enjoyed every moment of it!
I’m not a hiker, nor mountain climber, this activity is not my thing, I tried it because my best friend, Wulan, asked me to try her favorite activity and as a good friend, I followed and I honestly love every step to reach the top of Mt Prau, when on top of Mt Prau with the beautiful night skies and even cold and amazing sunrise or even when back down to below of the mountain, the daisies field, pine trees, and all.
it teach me, myself, that the goal is nothing if you didn’t enjoy every step to reach the goal, and when you feel down or tired, you have friends to help you get through those steps. And for sure, it’s always good to defeat yourself, your tired leg, your short breath, or even your ego when the situation is uncomfortable, to challenge yourself and to find out that you can get through it.
it feels amazing to reach the top of Mt Prau and I know I can’t do it with my friends here, thank you for the accompanied, or even the special treat because you guys scared of my asthma and all :p but after all, we know, and I know, I’m strong enough for the journey.
thanx my friends, Opank, Dayat, Cemong, Anggit, Sendy, Kekok, Aldi, Amel, and my dear best friend Wulan! You guys are the best! Next stop Mt Mahameru, shall we?
