| We caught an overnight train to Malang, in East Java and spent some time exploring the old Dutch colonial town and markets. One of the occasional downpours caught us while we were on a becak bicycle rickshaw.
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| The following day we set off at 1.30am to go up an incredible volcano complex. We watched the sun rise from the edge of a huge crater (filled with a layer of cloud) which contained 4 more recent volcanic peaks. One of which is still active - Gunung Bromo, and can be seen steaming in the foreground. To make things even more impressive, in the distance another volcano erupts reliably every 20 minutes or so!
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| We went down into the crater and climbed up to the rim of Bromo, then drove back up to the other side of the crater in time for breakfast, with this incredible view.
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| Our tour continued further east into Java, driving through ever more impressive rice terracing and jungle.
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| We spent the night sleeping in a guest house on a coffee plantation. The workers lived in a local village, and the children were interested to meet us, and ask us what religion we were.
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| The village had naturally hot volcanic springs, which we bathed in...
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| ...and an impressive waterfall.
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| Another day, another volcano. This time a one and a half hour trek up Ijen.
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| The crater is spectacular because it contains a lake and a sulphur mine. A group of around 50 men work in the crater, solidifying molten sulphur with water from the lake and breaking it into chunks.
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| They each carry basketfuls on their shoulders, 200m up to the crater rim then 3km down the mountain. They were typically carrying 80kg, which none of us could even begin to lift off the ground. They started work at 3am as the gasses in the crater became too dangerous in the afternoon. Unquestionably the human element made an even greater impression than the astonishing natural spectacle.
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