Sorry bout the title, can't contain myself and you are all probably the only ones that will appreciate how much fun I'm going to have in the next month or so.
Just a few days to go now before I depart the forum for a while on my epic trip to Sumatra. I’ll log in occasionally whenever I get the chance in any major towns that have internet cafés as well as the one in the Novotel in Bukittingi.
This is the plan but everything is fluid and if I feel like changing it (to a point), I will!
Sunday Jul 20 depart Bali, put the car on the ferry to Java and drive across to Malang in east Java.
Do a 3 day hike up Mt Sumeru, someone claims to have seen Nepenthes gymnamphora up there so I want to check it out. Sumeru is still very active and there are places that you can’t go because clouds of sulfuric acid pour out of holes in the ground so I have to go with a local guide up there.
After that I’ll head west to Jogyakarta and see Borobodur and Prambanan, ancient temples, and climb Mt Merapi, a highly active volcano.
From there I’ll head north west and go to the Dieng Plateau which is very cool, a huge raised area of land that is at about 2,000m (6,000ft) and again there is lots of volcanic action, bubbling lakes and spluttering mud pools.
I’ll then go west again and climb Mt Gede which will take 2 days, there are about 3 species of biggish Amorphophallus up there and I’m hoping to see at least 1.
Next stop is Jakarta, a day looking around a 7 hectare orchid garden I just purchased with my partner, and meet Charlie.
We will then head to the western most tip of Java, put the car on another ferry, and cross to south Sumatra. If it looks like we have time I’ll get a boat out to Krakatoa (actually now called anak Krakatoa) cause I’ve always wanted to go there.
We’ll gradually make our way up to Padang for August 6 for the start of the tour. We’ll climb a bunch of mountains and see about 17 species of Nepenthes over the following 11 days including 2 nights on Mt Tujuh so we can see N aristolochioides.
After the tour, if we have time, Charlie and I will check out a few new mountains and see if we can find something new.
After that I’ll head back here but I have to order a bunch of orchids for the shop which means touring around Bogor and Malang for a week or two sussing out all the little plant stalls for anything of interest. I LOVE orchid shopping so that will be as much fun as the rest of the trip for me.
I am taking a digital video and still camera so I should have plenty to show you all in a month or so.
Ya’ll be good now while I’m away.
Cheers, Troy.
Just a few days to go now before I depart the forum for a while on my epic trip to Sumatra. I’ll log in occasionally whenever I get the chance in any major towns that have internet cafés as well as the one in the Novotel in Bukittingi.
This is the plan but everything is fluid and if I feel like changing it (to a point), I will!
Sunday Jul 20 depart Bali, put the car on the ferry to Java and drive across to Malang in east Java.
Do a 3 day hike up Mt Sumeru, someone claims to have seen Nepenthes gymnamphora up there so I want to check it out. Sumeru is still very active and there are places that you can’t go because clouds of sulfuric acid pour out of holes in the ground so I have to go with a local guide up there.
After that I’ll head west to Jogyakarta and see Borobodur and Prambanan, ancient temples, and climb Mt Merapi, a highly active volcano.
From there I’ll head north west and go to the Dieng Plateau which is very cool, a huge raised area of land that is at about 2,000m (6,000ft) and again there is lots of volcanic action, bubbling lakes and spluttering mud pools.
I’ll then go west again and climb Mt Gede which will take 2 days, there are about 3 species of biggish Amorphophallus up there and I’m hoping to see at least 1.
Next stop is Jakarta, a day looking around a 7 hectare orchid garden I just purchased with my partner, and meet Charlie.
We will then head to the western most tip of Java, put the car on another ferry, and cross to south Sumatra. If it looks like we have time I’ll get a boat out to Krakatoa (actually now called anak Krakatoa) cause I’ve always wanted to go there.
We’ll gradually make our way up to Padang for August 6 for the start of the tour. We’ll climb a bunch of mountains and see about 17 species of Nepenthes over the following 11 days including 2 nights on Mt Tujuh so we can see N aristolochioides.
After the tour, if we have time, Charlie and I will check out a few new mountains and see if we can find something new.
After that I’ll head back here but I have to order a bunch of orchids for the shop which means touring around Bogor and Malang for a week or two sussing out all the little plant stalls for anything of interest. I LOVE orchid shopping so that will be as much fun as the rest of the trip for me.
I am taking a digital video and still camera so I should have plenty to show you all in a month or so.
Ya’ll be good now while I’m away.
Cheers, Troy.