Summit
We walk relentlessly through the loose gravel and sandy pathways, proceeding from 3 to 5 hours of hiking. Trekking pole does help you a lot during this kind of trekking since you always need something to grasp on to keep you steady. Almost at the end of the path, just before the summit, there is one steep trail stretching about 300m long that makes its visitors either depressed or exhialirated, depend on how they see the things.
This last trail is damn long and challenging, considering of the hours of trekking that you have spent, you must be utterly exhausted by reaching here. This is about the battle of the mind. All of us face the same situation but the output is significantly different.
Even though they are facing the exact battle, it is mind which will dictate the actions, it is your thoughts that will determine how you see the challenges out there. If you ask where my position during facing this last trail, well I was in depressed side ;)
I woke up in a cold morning with a clear sky above. Full moon arises and give its light to illuminate our journey ahead. It was 2 in the morning and some hikers already packed their small bags and be ready to explore the summit.
While one can focus at the end point, on the destination, which is getting closer than before, they become excited and would be able to gather all the energy to generate their last steps,get the pace faster & arrive at the destination quicker. But there is some of them who find this challenge depressing. Tired & beaten up by situation, they lost their spirit to fight in. Sometimes, they would question the value to be out there, to be at the summit, whether is it worth the battle they wage on.
Summit Expedition
A destination - a point, that perhaps the only motivation why most all the hikers / climbers keep continuing their journey. We know that there is nothing there. The summit does not promise you a glory, wealth or even a beauty. And somehow, we do not expect to obtain such things as well. The ultimate reasoning why we go there is maybe because, it is there. We never know exactly why we would like to trouble ourselves & involved in this kind of expedition.
Ultimate Solitude
To be alone, is a key to know more about yourself. People come, people go. It is only your own self that will be remained as you. Give yourself some times just to think about what do you live for.
As I reached the summit just during the sunrise, I put my bags down, didn't think much & sit for awhile. Well, it is not that I did not appreciate the sublime Rinjani. The view is astonishing but, I need some times to take a breathe :D
By the time I took a walk around the small area of Rinjani's highest peak, I could sense this is how it felt to be on top of the roof of Lombok - beholding on 4 directions while the sky is clear - I can witness an aerial view of the whole land [not whole actually, I just used this word to dramatize the description ;) People love to dramatize]. And it was not same at all when you saw this kind of view from the plane. The scenery maybe about similar, but here you may also breathe the atmosphere, experiencing the breeze, smell the freshness of air & what's most important, you put all your efforts just to land here. It is never been easy to beat the summit, that's why the feeling when it's accomplished is never been ordinary.
Well, during this signature moment, I did not only observe the grandeur of the nature. As I took a deeper look into the hikers behaviour, I could grab a kind of similarity between them. The path to the summit is quite tough, so as soon as they realized that they were already on top, I could sense a pure expression of complacency. Sometimes, they did not even smile. They were exhausted & not talking much. They had a seat with an empty gaze. Until for quite awhile, they regained their consciousness & knew that they had succesfully beat their own self. Self conquest is done. Then they were smiling with a meaningul gaze through the beaty of horizon, feeling pride & joy. They took some photos to localize its memory then afterwards, they descend. It clearly noted that
it was not the summit at all which gave you an excellent feeling. There is nothing much to do on the mountain's peak. It is the process, the difficulties, which award you with such extra-ordinary feeling. Doesn't feel like make any sense? Maybe you will never know before you experience it yourself.
Then I spotted something different for some of them, just few of them - few of us. They reached the summit, they sit & they just keep sitting there. Staring far away through the distance. While the hikers were keep coming then going, me & some of another 2 guys were staying in our each particular space, didn't do much & didn't seem have anything to do. It was hours since we were first there, but we didn't want to leave yet. 3 of us & we don't speak to each other because we knew we were in our ultimate solitude state.
I am not trying to be a philosophical guy or kind of a thinker, but it is fun - to be alone on a such awesome place like this summit, think about something worth to think of, not about problem or even worries, just to think about myself, about my existence - while gazing the wonder of natures. We just knew when we shall go & leave this summit. We knew when to finish. Then off we go.
Mt. Baru Jari
A view of Mt. Baru Jari from summit. This small kid grows up within Segara Anak Lake & recently erupted on 2015. For me, this scenic view is actually a true signature of Rinjani that you will rarely find on another volcanoes.
