When our flight from Singapore to Jakarta was cancelled on November 5th 2010, no other flights was allowed to take off out of Singapore airport. The eruption of Merapi carried the hot ashy clouds westward, from outside the town of Yogyakarta, where the volcano is, towards Jakarta and beyond...... My husband was determined to get to Semarang that day. We had spent 4 days on the Indonesian island of Batam, before we took the ferry back to Singapore to catch the flight to Jakarta the next morning. Upon learning about the flight cancellation, Mitch arranged a flight from Batam to Semarang and was successful, though we had to take the ferry back to Batam, we did finally made it to Semarang via Surabaya.
As soon as we got out of the airport, we began to notice some cars were covered with thick dust (pretty obvious of volcanic ash). That day and the days after, we kept our eyes on the news, following the disaster. We also learned that volunteering on disaster area is not easy and not many people are welcome to do so. All volunteers must be trained to do the job. It bothers me that being this close to the disaster area, I cannot be there on the spot to help.
Now 10 months later, I am back in the country "with vengeance". With the generousity of a couple friends whom I just met recently via Facebook, I stayed at their beautiful home at Casa Grande, Yogyakarta. Joined by another couple friends, the five of us drove up to the devastated area of Merapi. Destination: Kinahrejo village. A village that became famous after the November 2010 eruption because the "Old Man" died. The Man, namely Marijan, had the job of "guarding" the volcano under oath and devotion to the Sultan of Yogykarta. He reportedly refused to be evacuated. He wouldn't want to leave the disaster area until he made sure that everyone else in the village had been evacuated. Ironically, everyone else was younger and stronger than he was. He was found dead in his praying position. Marijan was a devoted muslim.
Signs of devastation started to appear before us, about 20 miles away from the mountain village as we drove up. Some houses are still left damaged and abandoned, some are in the middle of repair work. New houses have been built. As we approached the mountain we saw the burnt forest ...... burnt by the hot volcanic ash. We got out of the car to get some fresh air and hiked up towards the village, while the car was being driven up slowly following us. The group had spread at this time. Kinahrejo village is still about two miles up. Alongside the road, there are people selling food... hot steamy cocktail soup called 'ronde', barbeque corn on the cob, fresh pumpkins and bananas ...
Arriving at Kinahrejo village, we were swarmed by tour guides on their motorcycles, offering a ride to the Old Man's pad, where his house used to be. Laras and I each took a motorcycle with the guide, and rode with him about 10 minutes up to the higher elevation. He pointed to an area where there used to be a valley with a river, but now it's all gone, the area is now covered with sand and rocks from the volcanic eruption 10 months ago, as though the valley was never there. The guide introduced us to the sister of Marijan the Old Man, who is there selling goodies... then to Marijan's wife, who is also looking like she is in the 70's. She tells her stories as people approach her and ask her questions about what happened to her and her husband when Merapi was about to erupt, and receives tips...... which is the only 'retirement plan' that her husband left behind.
References: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/sky-high-indonesias-merapi-eruption-the-worst-since-1872/405014
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