Taking a trip up Mt Merapi, the most active volcano in Indonesia. May 2016

[firth1974 2,659]

Mt Merapi is the most active volcano in Indonesia, and is listed in the top 5 most active volcanos in the world!!

For the trip, we organised a jeep tour with Merapi Lava Tours, at a cost of IDR 400,000 for 2, and for a trip taking 2 hours. Actually, the trip took the better part of 3 hours, and was amazing. Its interesting to hear how so many villaers stayed during the eruption, and died because of that!! All because tyhey believed that if they left for safety, then the gocernment would coe and take their homes and their land away from them, effectively leaving them homeless and without a pot to piss in afterward.

Whilst staying in Jogyakarta, we took a trip up to Mt Merapi. Now this volcano last blew its top back in late 2010, and did serious destruction to the local villages and infrastructure in this area. This volcano is also only 30KM in a straight line from the city of Yogyakarta, so if it ever decided to blow its top big time, this city would surly be destroyed.

Cemetery to the dead from the eruption in 2010...................................

Lava flowed down here like a river..............................

Drove through many an abandoned village on the side of the volcano, most destroyed by lava and the ash clouds........................

One old building has bee transformer into a shrine/museum to the eruption of 2010, full with bones, photos and salvaged possessions....................

Our guide/driver.............................

Our jeep for the journey, and trust me, you do need one of these for the roads around here.....................................................

I believe that this is a crack in the landscape caused by the eruption, which then turned into a free flowing river of lava.........................

[firth1974 2,659]

See the face in the rock?.........................

The bunker that was used by the villagers during the eruption. This is the only thing that survived in this village afterwards.........................

It might be very hard to see or understand, but do you see the 2 very large steel bolt locks on the OUTSIDE of the door!! No lock on the inside, and the villagers were locked in, with no escape!!....................

[firth1974 2,659]

The cone of Mt Merapi is directly up that valley, but covered in rain cloud........................

Good luck trying to outrun lava and a pyroclastic flow from a volcano!!...............................

[Chang_paarp 253]

A couple of farmers were killed in a eruption on that volcano last week. So that comes under the title of adventure tourism.

[firth1974 2,659]

A couple of farmers were killed in a eruption on that volcano last week. So that comes under the title of adventure tourism.

And i would happily do it again too!

[Kev 178]

Excellent stuff as per usual firth thanks again for another view of life we don't normally see.

[Fatboyfat 361]

"It's interesting to hear how so many villagers stayed during the eruption, and died because of that!! All because they believed that if they left for safety, then the government would come and take their homes and their land away from them, effectively leaving them homeless and without a pot to piss in afterward."

 

You'd think that the lessons from Mount Pinatabu in PI would be taken into consideration wouldn't you? There, the local villagers at least moved away on their own volition, albeit not far enough, prior to the disastrous and fatal explosion.

[mrgreenjeans 29]

Looks like the eruption did a number on those roads too. Were they paved all the way before it blew its top?

[gunzel3808 113]

Thanks for the photos firth.

 

I was in Java in August 1982 when a volcano near the railway town of Tjibatu southwest of Bandung was erupting. Everywhere was covered in grey ash and the driver of our vehicle (the brother of an old school mate of mine) was petrified of driving thru the countryside. But as I was paying for his driving and I was confident we were all going to be OK (and we were) I insisted he keeping driving. It was very óut of this world' and despite a few scary moments it was all OK and I would do it again.

 

I think this particular volcanic eruption was the one that caused problems for a certain British Airways 747. Google it and you will see what I mean.