Mount Batur
well I have to say that having trekked the High Sierras 12-14,000 foot peaks where one starts to get altitude headaches etc & the Santa Monica mountain range extensively for years I was expecting to crush this little 2-3 hour trek up the face of Mount Batur, Bali. But it was no joke !! I got my ass kicked, it was pitch black dark when we set off around 3 am. We had these little torches, I did not have the proper shoes on (converse no tread like hiking boots) and the terrain was jagged coral like volcanic rock mixed with black sandy ash sand = "slippery". And as is often the case the higher you get the steeper the climb. It was a challenge to say the least. It's my first Indonesian volcano hike but not the last. If Agung is 5 times the hike (I'm told) I better get more rest and eat plenty energy food prior. It was a blast though and a beauty to behold as the clouds lifted, people were cheering and gasping at the view... being in nature's bosom !! it feeds the soul.
