IJEN BLUEFIRE
KAWAH IJEN
my trip to Ijen in November 2022, we started the journey from Bali using a private car and crossed from Gilimanuk Harbor to east java banyuwangi via Ketapang Harbor , From the port to Ijen camp, it takes around 1 hour 20 minutes to the nearest accommodation because we will start the journey midnight .
The air there is very cold, make sure you have a jacket , The average accommodation there is around 200-400 rupiah . and there are several local stalls to choose from for food. and you can find many guide services there, I recommend using a guide service because the terrain and climbing situations are quite dangerous . I forget the price for the guide, around 300 rupiah I'm not sure but it's very helpful .
continue to the night chapter where I looked for bluefire, to be able to find bluefire you have to go down a crater with complicated rocks, the terrain is not easy, you need a stick, flashlight and don't carry too heavy a bag in cold weather. I was quite hot and confused, the smell of sulfur was not very strong. friendly, you have to wear a mask that is good for breathing and below it is very dangerous, I lose control of oxygen, the further down I go, the stronger the smell of sulfur becomes.
I have to rest for a moment to regulate breathing and the more down the more minimal oxygen , The burning of sulfur is very strong, until the sound of a blower from the ground there is a source of the famous blue fire in the world if lucky you will be able to see it, there is where my point is really unable to be below and must run up to get oxygen climb half of the steep rocky hill .
I ran as hard as I could climb a rocky cliff because I thought I had to be safe because there was no oxygen under my best I achieved in my mind just talking I had to survive .
How can you breathe with bad air from burning sulfur ???
I even saw farmers not using masks , I am grateful because I have a guide who helps me from climbing stones and directing steep roads , Although there are many other climbers, but I see that they are also exhausted and until they are mildly injured due to the derivative road full of stone, foggy and a little oxygen , I got a sudden confusion . for a moment I want to give up and sleep there, but I have to stay .
If you ask if I regret visiting Ijen? I will shout NO ! Because this is a very memorable experience even though I can't see Bluefire but this climb is quite challenging and memorable in my memory and will always be the best experience. Up to the train taxi I was waiting for me to be able to go down the mountain by relaxing on the train enjoying the beautiful morning scenery of the cool air and unforgettable people. I will come back here and enjoy Ijen in a relaxed , because at that time it was my first experience so I was quite an amateur with this situation, once again I say this experience is really worth it for me to get and I will keep looking for the blue fire, because maybe at that time the weather was not so good, the wind was strong, so there was too much fog and smoke to make it impossible to go down . Thank you to Ijen
