This is the last chapter of the previous article.
“Rahmi Hidayati, who is commonly called Mimi, is actually 50 years old. Her small body and facial features seem to not reflect her long life in this world. She shared that she has climbed Mount Gede more than a dozen times. Since she was in college at the University of Indonesia until now, she has continued to pursue this hobby. What’s unique is the kebaya she was wearing. It turns out that it’s part of her campaign with the slogan ‘Indonesian Women in Kebaya.’ While listening to her story, I imagined myself when I reach 50 years old. After exchanging contacts, Aldi, Ibun, and I walked back to the tent, leaving Aunt Mimi who was still enjoying herself at the edge of Surya Kencana.”
“The scorching heat of the sun was already intense, even though it wasn’t yet 9 AM. People were already bustling about, going about their activities.
When we arrived at the tent, none of the others had made it yet. Kintan and Adi were probably still enjoying themselves at the summit. Puput and Ari seemed to be busy running around here and there. Finally, Aldi, Ibun, and I decided to start preparing breakfast. Actually, it was Ibun who contributed the most. Aldi and I just washed the dirty dishes and brewed some coffee.
Half an hour later, Ari and Puput arrived with smiles on their faces. They looked really happy. Half an hour after that, Kintan and Adi arrived with equally cheerful expressions. They shared that they had taken so many beautiful photos up there. I was happy to hear that. Finally, my friends had experienced the beauty of the mountain summit.”
“After allowing my friends to rest for a while, I said that I wanted to refill water and wash the dishes. Kintan eagerly wanted to join me. The two of us walked carrying five empty bottles and a lot of dirty dishes.
In all my years of hiking, I think this is the first time I’ve been so diligent. Usually, I’m very lazy when it comes to getting water or washing dishes. Maybe I still had a lot of energy because I didn’t go to the summit. Surprisingly, Kintan still looked very energetic.
When we arrived at the spring, we started our task. We filled the bottles with clear water from the small Surya Kencana stream. Then we moved about a meter from the spring’s edge and began washing the dishes with water from those bottles.
I found the activity very enjoyable, perhaps because I was doing it with a friend. Climbing the same mountain with different people surely creates different memories and experiences. Kintan and I exchanged stories about life while capturing it in a timelapse video. After we finished, we headed back to the tent.”
***
“If you’re reading this and have never climbed a mountain before, try it. Even just once. Feel the sensation of eating up here. Not even a fine dining restaurant can provide the same pleasure. Don’t believe me? Try it.
That day, we ate on a mat, using sheets of rice paper as plates for the dishes. Our breakfast menu was quite luxurious and abundant. Ibun and Aldi had intentionally cooked all the food supplies so that our load would be significantly lighter when we descended.
After eating, we packed up all our things and made sure to clean up all the trash we had generated. My bag became very light, only containing clothes and some trash. This was also the first time I took my trash down the mountain. Usually, it’s always the men who take the initiative. But this time, I wanted to take responsibility myself. If we bring supplies up, it’s only right to bring down the leftovers.
Before descending, as usual, we did our photo ritual. This is a must whenever you go on a trip. We made the most of Ardhito Pramono’s services for this activity.”
***
“The descent went smoothly without any obstacles. Just like the ascent, the trail was still crowded with hikers heading back to their respective basecamps. What I found surprising was how many hikers were running down the trail while carrying large backpacks. At first, I thought nothing of it, but as the trail got more crowded, I started to get annoyed.
First, why run down? Isn’t it harmful to your own body? It must be tough to carry the weight of your body and a heavy pack at the same time. Unless they’re doing trail running, of course.
Second, the narrow trail, which can barely fit one person, made movement difficult. I had to quickly step aside when I heard the pounding feet of the running hikers. It was quite troublesome, because if I wasn’t quick enough, the ‘runners’ could knock into me.
Third, where are they going in such a hurry? Why the rush? Isn’t hiking supposed to be a moment to enjoy? Besides, it’s only 1 PM. The moon is still too lazy to take the sun’s place.
Frustrated, I decided to walk faster. I used all my agility to avoid the roots and tree branches that were blocking the path. But it seemed like I wasn’t cut out for it. When I reached Shadow Post 3, I tripped over a root while stepping down. And there were so many people witnessing it. Kintan, who was a few meters behind me, was startled by the incident. Embarrassed, I got up and continued walking… slowly.
Climbing a mountain isn’t a competition to show off. I was directly reprimanded by the residents of Mount Gede.
***
We arrived at the basecamp around 3:30 PM. It only took 3 hours to descend. A new record for my mountain trips. Usually, the ascent or descent takes much longer and can get boring. Maybe it felt quicker because the trail was crowded, or perhaps because the trail wasn’t very long.
Once we got to basecamp, we rested. Aldi went to find the angkot driver who had taken us there the day before. Then, we said our goodbyes to Pak Ade and moved to a lower basecamp. There, we took a shower and had a meal.
Soon, the rain started to fall, accompanying our return.
The End
