Gili Trawangan, Lombok. Saturday Feb 13th, 7pm.

Kate: "Hey Phill, would you call this paradise?"
Phill: "It's pretty good."
We found paradise (as did all the other backpackers here) after a gruelling two-day trek to the crater rim of Mt Rinjani, Indonesia's second largest volcano. It started at 5am yesterday (we were lucky that it got put back a day because of bad weather, because Phill had a bad case of the runs...), when wer were driven from Sengiggi to Senaru, and started walking about 7am. It was Phill and I, our guide and very strong porter, both in thongs. We walked through dense rainforest for about 6 hours...nothing much changes scenery-wise in the rainforest. There was cloud and mist to block any view we might have had. It was very difficult going - muddy, slippery and slow. We had lunch and a bit of a nap at 'Pos 3', where it started pouring rain and getting well cold. We met other trekkers there, Brigette and Yves from France, about 50 years old and with not great English (mind you, it was better than our French), but we managed to get on. Then we continued, up, up, up for about two hours in very loose volcanic stones and soil. Phill is 'lucky to be alive' after the path collapsed about a metre because of the rain run-off. There wasd still very thick cloud and mist, but once it gradually cleared the view was spectacular - luch rolling green hills, rainforest below and the sea.
We camped the night at Pelawangan 1, 2,641m above sea level, and it got cold! Out amazing guide and porter cooked us nasi goreng for dinner - fried egg and all!
Just before sunset, when the clouds slowly cleared, we went to the crater rim, about another 25min hike. From there we would see the peak of Mt Rinjani (3,726m), and the volcano Gunung Baru (2,315m) in a 6km wide liake, Danau Segara Anak (...thanks to Lonely Planet for the stats...). WE had enough time for photos and looking before the bloody clouds rolled back in.
WE were properly knackered. I had sprained my hip flexor and any movement up hurt. Not to mention the feet, calves and cankles. We were in bed (in tents set up by our porters) by 7.30, but then the rains came, urchin dogs that followed us up started fighting, and the real muscle pain set in. Being so exhausted but not being able to sleep is upsetting and annoying, especially knowing that the next day we had a 5-hour hike downhill.
We started walking again about 7am, after about 2 hours sleep, and by 9am I was having a bit of a cry. Getting to a check point and knowing how far there is still to go, hot and humid, and every muscle aching - our guide carried my day pack after he saw my tears.
From Senaru, at the base of the mountain, we were driven to Bangsal harbour, where the local touts wanted Phill's Socceroos t-shirt, and one boy said he was in Sydney yesterday...'in my dreams'. They all had really good English, learnt from hassling tourists every day.
There was an outrigger type boat to take us to Gili Trawangan, packed with people and cargo, but safe enough. We were approached very quickly by a bloke with bungalows, and we were so exhausted we said yes to 150,000Rp a night.
Gili T looks gorgeous, from what we have seen so far. Lots of dive schools, western style restaurants and bars, and young folk playing soccer and volleyball. The water is beautiful, with white coral washing ashore.
So knackered now though, so we will leave the bars and clubs for another night.