It was nearly 10am and after hiking all night (Part 1) I could easily do with a week in bed. Four hours “sleep” the night before meant I was exhausted. We all were. Everyone was suffering. We had picked up so many injuries. Technically we had one day done and two left. My body was in bits. Everyone was ready to go when Laura and I dragged ourselves from our tent to find bathroom spots. We thought our porter was being great picking up any rubbish around till he then turned around and launched it down the side of the crater…
The first couple of hours of descent was brutal and steep. I felt like a little injured mountain goat trying to hop from rock to rock. The stick went from being a helping luxury to a necessity to survival. I named it Leo. I caught myself talking to it sometimes. Everyone ached. It was silent as we climbed onwards. Everyone trying to process their own nighttime journey on the mountain. It became clear that in fact my knee was injured and not something that I could walk off. It was progressively getting worse. We were clamouring down crazy rocks were one misstep would send you to your death. I felt lucky to have long legs and didn’t struggle as much as the other girls. I tried to land on my other leg more and the pole but the leg I hurt was my right leg so it was difficult. My poor left leg got so tired and wouldn’t stop shaking. My right arm and shoulder ached from use of the pole. I imagined how much stronger all my muscles would be when I got down. Finally, the terrain flattened out slightly.
We trekked another two hours on this flatter terrain with gentle curves up and down. It was such a relief, we were practically back at sea level. I stretched out my legs still angry about the climb the night before. The lake looked miles away. It was now hot again, the temperature reaching the mid-thirties and we started to sweat profusely. Far cry from minus six degrees with wind chill the night before. I was desperately looking forward to a swim in the famous lake. It looked so inviting but when we got there I realised it was much too cold for my chest infection. Instead, we headed to the hot springs. My knee roared in agony and I tied my buff around it soaked in cold lake water to cool it down. It had started to swell. Lovely.
Ten minutes to the hot springs, to the most amazing swim I’ve had in my life. The water was so hot! It felt so good and insane it was all-natural. All our cuts and blisters burned. I imagined the heat killing off all the bacteria and potential infections. This was our only ‘wash’ of the trip. Most of the dirt would not come off. Volcanic dust is stubborn like that. Everyone’s mood picked up instantly even the two Czech girls who were the two experienced hikers of our group. I gave myself a fright trying to swim 20m to the waterfall and nearly drowning in the process, coughing hard. Maybe the worst is over now, we just have to hike back to Senaru now.
Putting back on our dirty hiking clothes was awful. Even worse putting back on our layers of damp socks and hiking boots. I took forever. I was so tired I was tearful. I climbed back on my own as I hate people having to wait for me the injured and sick girl. It went against the athlete’s personality in me. My knee was killing me and I blaring Aguilera’s ‘Fighter’ on my phone. Lunch was hot and probably good but none of us could eat a scrap. The tea was the highlight soothing our dusty throats. I was desperate to drink more water. There was never enough. The girls napped as I smashed through my first aid kit again. Running low on alcohol wipes at this point. I was so annoyed I had picked the cheaper pack as the bandage for my knee was absolute shite. Nurse Lizzie strapped it for me best she could.
Matt is standing up. Laur makes a joke, “What are you ready to go Matt?” “Yes, go.” He responds. Jesus. A twenty-minute lunch was not nearly enough. However, we agreed we needed to reach next camp before dark especially as we had passed some Germans who told us it was extremely steep on the other side of the crater. How could we climb all the way back up to 2600m, impossible? We were as close to the active volcano chamber as we were going to get. It last went off in 2010 and then six weeks after our climb. There it stood a beautiful sleeping beast.
We started to climb and of course, I started fast not having learnt my lesson yet. I wanted the pain to be over and done with. My chest went absolutely crazy as we started to climb. Again echoing around the mountain. We couldn’t see the top for the clouds. At one point a combination of my knee giving up and my chest collapsing I fell over into a bush on the side of the track. I was so angry and tried to stay angry because otherwise, I would just cry. I couldn’t get the energy to stand up with the weight of my heavy backpack keeping me there. Kristina was the first to come across me and she half wanted to laugh because I am sure it was hilarious and we both have a strong sense of humour. “I’m fine! I’ll catch up!” I stubbornly roared her off. She had the good sense to keep walking, bless her.
I had cooled my temper ten minutes later when the Lauras came along and I let them help me up. A few minutes later we came across Matt and the Czech girls. They were waiting for me. The experienced mountaineers took out their first aid kit which was the real deal. They went about strapping up my knee with a super strong support. OMG, the instant relief even without standing up. Matt took my backpack and we continued on. I calmed down completely with music in one ear and the two Lauras in the other. We had much fun figuring out Matt’s sense of humour. We watched him struggle under the weight of my backpack. He was sweating, taking breaks and actually walking at the back. I offered to take it back numerous times, honestly, I was so used to it at this stage it didn’t make much of a difference. But he kept saying ‘no for you I bring to the top.’
We came across hardly any hikers on this part of the climb. We were mostly surrounded by cloud as we ascended through the ‘Lord of the Rings’ scenery. There was heaps of rock climbing in this section. Not too difficult for a coordinated person but challenging for my knee. You’d only have to climb two metres at a time but trying to find handhold and footholds took forever. It was very slippery and you had to be careful not to put your hand into human faeces. It was somehow a nice meditative challenge. Putting one foot and hand in front of the other. This is surely what hiking is all about. Primal.
Just as dusk began to fall and the colours began to soften we reached the ‘top.’ Back at 2,600m in four hours, so steep, an accomplishment. The porters were here already not a bother on them. My roommate was asleep before I had my hiking boots off. This time we made sure to get a tent with flat ground.
Even though the food was only twenty minutes away since we took so long – apparently – I curled into my sleeping bag anyway. My comfy slipper socks the best thing in the world warming up my poor feet. We were both out for the count. I woke up to the porter banging down our tent with food. Night had descended as had the temperature. We just couldn’t eat anything again feeling very sick. We waited for a cup of tea and sugar. I hate giving back a full bowl of food such a waste! So unlike me, it was crazy. I should be starved. Antibiotics on an empty stomach was hell. I set my alarm for our six am start, finally a sleep in. Then I braved the ice-cold for a trip to the toilet. I curled up for a solid nights sleep. I piled up everything I owned to make a high enough pillow so I didn’t feel like my lungs were drowning in fluid.
The next morning we boldly turned off the alarm and went back to sleep waiting to be called. Luckily we weren’t disturbed for another half hour as everyone was exhausted and then our breakfast came. Again I forced myself to eat if only for my antibiotics I felt too sick to eat more. Laura and I were at two different extremes in the same tent, she was very hot and I was violently freezing so we both took paracetamol to fix one of us. I felt so horrendous I can’t even explain. I couldn’t straighten my knee as the swelling continued. The Czech girls strapped it for me again. Matt gave me a good morning hug which was much appreciated. Too cute.
The first hour of hour descent reminded me of the Burren in Ireland, an infamous limestone landscape. I had to really concentrate on my foot placement. It annoyed me because if I was halfway healthy I would have absolutely loved hopping around it no bother. I was comfortable back with using Leo, my sturdy mate. However, I was super stressed about my knee. Was it a serious injury? A torn ligament? Would it stop swelling?
I came across the lovely Czech girls who were waiting for me again probably watching me looking broken, limping my way down. They sat me down and taped my knee up before strapping it giving it some extra much needed support but also making it less mobile. I took more Ibuprofen, nearly finished the box now and thanked them profusely. Absolute saviours.
Next, we finally entered the rain forest. The funniest event of the trip for me occurred here. These big enormous bees were buzzing around the trail every now and then. Our first scare some of us had sprinted off into the forest at speed pushing our exhausted bodies past the brink, pure adrenaline and fear. A while later in I was with Laura L and Lizzie. They were slightly in front when I saw the hive. I told Lizzie who was beside it to keep walking and there was an urgent tone to my voice. She took off like a mountain lion was after her. Didn’t see her for at least half an hour. Laura meanwhile decided to see a thorn in her leg and did a serious inspection of it, right beside the hive! I hung back looking at the monsters flying around her alike creatures from the ‘Hunger Games’. Laura was completely oblivious.
A group of hikers passed by nodding a greeting. Then a nice German lad turned around “I have something to help you actually.” Laura looked up curiously. He gets to her and takes off his bag rummaging in it. His friends watched from afar. The monsters finally made their move and zoom in on his head they circled buzzing loudly. The nice young man decided his life was worth more and abandoned poor Laura. He ran off screaming with his arms flailing around, his friends horrified. They spoke harsh German hands covering their mouths in shock. Make no mistake I was standing in the middle and laughing my ass off. I mean the uncontrollable laughter that concluded with me in a coughing fit. The monsters followed the Germans so we were free to walk on.
With the altitude, cold air and coughing continuously my nose decided enough and in dramatic fashion one of my nostrils actually exploded. I found it difficult to stem the bleeding. Anytime I did I would cough and off I go again. On and off for the rest of the day. One hand on my nose, one hand on my stick, one leg working and breathing as shallow as I could I proceeded very slowly.
We had a good last lunch, most of us managed to eat something this time. Nothing like the cuppa of course. We were thirty minutes ahead of schedule. ALL of us were so eager to get off the mountains. Recovery and parties on Gili T was the main topic of conversation. Hoping the rest of our girls’ group had booked us some luxurious accommodation.
I’d say Matt didn’t know what happened to us, we flew down the last three hours. The thoughts of milkshakes and showers turned us into speed demons. Finally, we hit a road or a big path. The pain in my knee kicked up to unbearable. I got a second stick and couldn’t put any weight on it. I fell to the very back of the group. Honestly, I was walking down these gentle slopes backwards to avoid the pain. Fair play to the girls for knowing me well enough to give me space and leave me alone. The athletes’ pride would kick in. But they always stayed just within sight. We made it to Senaru.
But the adventure wasn’t over just yet. We had to get the last boat to Gili T to avoid being stranded on Lombok island. We got a lift to the cafe beside the port. It had terrible coffee and even worse milkshakes but even the sugar from the soft drinks felt great. We were all limping, poor Laura had done her ankle as bad as my knee during the last section. Both Kristina’s knees were ripped open. We had all our luggage with us. Suddenly we were told the boat was leaving in ten minutes and it was at least ten-minute walk to the port. WALK???? NONE of us could walk!!! It was ridiculous. With our luggage. Nuts. There was commotion trying to quickly order horse and carts enough for our group before the boat left.
In the middle of this commotion, my nose burst out bleeding again. I mean serious flow, I grabbed a packet of tissues. Laura shouts now look what you’ve done! All the locals leap in action. We are trying to get on a horse and cart. I can’t limp, lift two bags one weighing twenty kilos, and my cane and hold my nose to stem the blood. A local woman approached with her brother, big chunks of leaves in their hands. Next thing I know it is going up my nose. It is way too big, just because I am tall in this country does not mean I have a big nose.
It hurt so much my eyes were tearing up automatically. The sting. I gradually got all my luggage to the front. “Jess, obviously you can’t get on this one, get it under control!” Harsh sounding but true. It would not stop and was all down my face. The big leaves making it worse. Two other men come running back with more leaves. Two different types and so ensued a big argument I assume over which is better. I ripped the nettles out of my nose. The wife got involved. I’m stood in the middle on one leg. “Lizzie, help!” Lizzie and Stella were laughing at the hilarity of the situation that only I get myself into. They focused on getting the next horse and cart for fear we got stuck on this island. Finally, I accepted the leaves that were cut the smallest, the man yelling in triumph. I shoved them up my nostril as I hopped on our horse and cart. Instant relief with these leaves. Never have I been in such a scene in a restaurant in my life.
The horse took off and suddenly the relief of these leaves was beyond amazing. I left them in there for three hours to afraid to take them out. We were back on the boat which was much calmer than the one over. One last look up at Mt. Rinjani with mixed feelings but primarily relief. It was all going to be okay now.
If you are a traveller reading this blog I hope you also read the other blogs like we did. Searching for clues and information in between lines. Hopefully, this story was somewhat helpful and not deter you from your quest for Mt.RInjani. Hopefully, it will just prepare you. Maybe you are fit and an experienced hiker. This was my first ever real hike. We were completely unprepared and untrained for what was described in tourist offices as a ‘family activity.’
In conclusion, weeks later I see the value of conquering yourself in extreme situations through extreme landscapes. Safe crawling to all.
“In conquering the mountain, we conquer ourselves.”
Edmund Hillary
theaccidentalbackpacker 
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