Letter: 27 August 2006

Krakatau

We’ve had two public holidays recently – a week ago Thursday was Indonesia’s Independence Day, and then Monday, August 21 was a Muslim holiday (I think it was the celebration of the ascension of Mohammed). Because the boys didn’t have school and I didn’t have to work, we decided to go to the island of Krakatau. I had heard about this island from other people and we finally got around to doing it. I got a referral for a boat and called several days in advance to make a reservation. We had a arranged for 4 other people from church to go with us, so on Monday morning we all got up early and left Jakarta at about 5:30 and drove 2 and a half hours west to the west coast of Java, then about an hour south down the coast to the marina.

We set out in a decent sized boat (just big enough for 10 people plus 3 crew) for the hour-long trip to the island, which is right in the middle of the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra. Krakatau is (was) a volcano / island that erupted in 1883. I have been reading a book called Krakatoa (the incorrect English version of the name) about the eruption. Before 1883, Krakatoa was an island with 3 separate volcanic craters – I think the height was about 2,700 feet. After the eruption, all that was left of it was about ¼ of the island on the southern side (more on that later). The rest of Krakatau exploded into the air and/or sunk back into the sea – I think the experts rank it at about the 4th or 5th worst volcanic eruption on record. About 35,000 people were killed because of the eruption – most of them because of a huge tsunami & flooding on the shores of both Java and Sumatra. The volcanic activity didn’t end in 1883, though. It continued on beneath the sea until in 1930 a new island – in the same spot as the old Krakatau – started forming, this one technically called Anak Krakatau, meaning child of Krakatau. Today the island/volcano is about 1,500 feet, and growing at a rate of 5 inches a week, or something like that. After the hour boat ride we landed on the black sand shore of Anak Krakatau and started the hike to the top. We walked through a few hundred meters of forest, and then the trail quickly turned to small black rocks & sand (I’m no geologist, so don’t quote me). We reached a plateau about half-way up, and then most of the group continued on to the top. At the top was a big crater (a couple of hundred feet across and about a hundred feet deep), with a bit of smoke coming from the sides of the crater. The fumes were pretty bad and it was really hot. Nash and I were glad we made it to the top – it was really hot out there, being in the open (no trees) and hiking on the dark rocks, not to mention the fact that it is a somewhat active volcanic island.

Here's a link to a Wikipedia article about Krakatau.

Another link to a SDSU website about Krakatau.

We made our way back down to the beach and darted across the hot black sand beach back to the boat. We went over to the island called Rakata, which is about 2 miles away from Anak Krakatau. Actually, Rakata is the only remnant of the original Krakatau. It is interesting because it basically looks like half of a volcano, cut in half – the entire north end of the island is a steep cliff that goes up to a point. The rest of the island blew up in the 1883 explosion. We stopped briefly at a sandy beach so that a couple of people could go into the trees on the island (yes, also deserted) to change into their swimming suits, then we went to a small coral reef on the east side of the island for some snorkeling. We headed back to the marina at about 2:00 or 2:30. Luke slept for about half the boat ride bike. I was surprised that he was able to sleep, though, because the boat was bouncing a lot and we kept getting sprayed with salt water. He didn’t seem to mind, though. All in all it was a great day – something we had looked forward to doing for a while.

Everything Else

The boys are in full swing with school. Nash starts Track & Field today and will have practice three days a week. He had to run a timed mile for PE last week. They make the students run it at the first of the year and then they have to run it again mid-year to see if they’ve improved. Nash ran it in 8 minutes. I was impressed. He’s never had to run a mile before, so I think Track & Field might be his thing. He’s pretty excited. His PE teacher told him that he had nothing to improve on. I think he’ll do well.

We also bought him a ¾ size violin last week and it fits him much better. He is in one of the orchestras at school and will enjoy it, I think. He’s doing well on the violin and seems to be a natural. He spent a lot of the weekend teaching Grant, who is so excited to learn how to hold the violin and bow and how to make a nice sound.

Grant is so excited to play the violin; he couldn’t get enough of it this weekend. When he went to his beginning strings class after school, there were only 4 students. If it stays that way, he will get a lot of personal instruction, which will be good. He’s very anxious to start playing songs.

Luke is enjoying grade one. He has a great teacher and some good friends in his class. He’s still reading up a storm and gets so excited to go to the library. He has signed up for some after school activities and is waiting to hear which one he gets (some activities have limited availability). He and Grant start soccer this week with their first game on Saturday.

Mallory is talking, talking, talking. One of her favorite things to say is ‘Muppet’s punny (funny).’ We bought season one of the Muppet Show while we were in Utah and she loves to watch it. She loves to walk around and sing, often with a toy for a microphone (whose daughter is she?) and she climbs on the piano bench to play and sing. She has quite a sense of humor. We can’t get her to eat much, though. She has abandoned all her ‘favorites’ for breakfast and resorts to nothing, or cookies. Nice.

Creed is in heaven with our cook who makes cookies on demand. She has made 4 or 5 batches in the past two weeks! She is always surprised when she comes in the kitchen in the morning to find them gone. Creed will call me during the day to tell me to ask her to make a certain cookie recipe. I’m getting very embarrassed asking her every other day to make cookies!

I leave for Scotland on Wednesday and will return on the 4th. I am excited to see that country. I’ve heard so many beautiful things about it. It will be a fun trip.

We were in the mall on Saturday and we discovered two fabulous things!!! Krispy Kreme is opening a store in Pondok Indah Mall just 5 min. from our house!!! They also just opened a Cold Rock ice cream store (the Australian version of Cold Stone) in the mall as well. Well, I was beside myself and said to Creed, ‘Okay, with the discovery of 4 lb bags of C&H powdered sugar in one of the grocery stores (I could never find it last year) and Krispy Kreme and Cold Rock, what more could a girl need? I am content here. I don’t need to move.” We laughed. Nothing like food being the main focus or your life…tee hee hee!

We had the branch pot luck at our home yesterday. The pot lucks have been happening in the branch for quite awhile and is usually hosted by a member of the branch presidency once every two months or so. It’s nice to have everyone over and get to know people in that kind of environment. Because of the layout of the branch, everyone lives quite a distance from each other, we don’t get to see each other much so being able to socialize with one another outside of church is great. The branch is getting larger though and I believe we had about 80-90 people here yesterday! Quite a house full.

The interesting thing I saw this week on our drives around the city….a man driving his motorcycle with 5 children piled on and another man driving with a huge air conditioner tied to his motorcycle! I don’t understand how they do it.

Photos: 21 August 2006 - Krakatau

A shot of Nash right after we left the marina, with the shore of Java in the background.

About 45 minutes later, our first view of Anak Krakatau. Notice the trees at the bottom of the island, and then the path that angles up to the left to a small plateau, with another path that angles up and to the right to the summit.

There was a small hut on the island with about 8 people - most of them employees of the Indonesian forestry service. We stopped there for a few minutes to change into our shoes and to have something to eat before we started our hike. We had to pay an "entry fee" of about $10 (for the group), and 2 of the guys walked to the top with us as our guides.

After walking through the forest for a couple of hundred yards the trail quickly turned to dark, coarse sand and the vegetation disappeared.

At the top of the first ridge there was a small plateau.

Nash and I went with most of the rest of the group to the top. This is the best photo of the crater in the background - dark red rocks/soil, with patches of yellow, orange, or green rocks. Several of these spots also had smoke or steam coming out.

Nash and I on the edge of the crater, with a view behind us in the direction of the island of Sumatra.

Grant and Luke didn't go all the way to the top. Luke spent his time writing his initials on the hill with rocks. In the background on the horizon you can see the silhouette of the small seismic monitoring station.

Here's Nash squinting in the sun with a mouthful of food, but this is the best shot of the island of Rakata - the only surviving part of Krakatau that erupted in 1883. Rakata is about 2 miles away, just to give you a sense of the size of the island that disappeared in the eruption.

The three boys on a tree branch in the forest on Krakatau.

Luke snorkeling in the water on the eastern shore of Rakata. You can see some of the coral in the water beneath him. It was a pretty good reef - lots of large coral, and quite a few fish.

Photos: June 2006 - Bali plus Luke

Heather came for a visit to Indonesia in June, and she and Heidi went to Bali for a few days.

Here are some rice terraces in Bali near Ubud.

This last photo is a shot of Luke with Spencer Powell playing pool at the farewell party for our good friends, the Powell's, who left Jakarta in June.

Photos: June 2006 - Hong Kong Disneyland

Then Heather flew back to the US with Heidi and the kids. On the way, they stopped in Hong Kong for a few days, and went to Hong Kong Disneyland for one of those days, which happenned to be a very rainy day (a total understatement).

The Chinese love Westerners. Did we know these women? No, but they really wanted to be in our picture! Heather was taking the picture and laughing so hard.

Photos: July 2006

Mallory and Gabe.

Luke and Isaac at the firing range.

Fourth of July morning with Bret's kids.

Mallory with her friend, Louie.

Mallory loved it when Louie licked her face.

Photos: July 2006 - Aspen Grove - Aspen Follies

Megan, Truman, Hannah, Rachel, Matthew & Luke.

Nash in the bucket, ready to be filled up with water.

Mallory & Rachel.

Luke getting ready to launch his rocket.

Photos: July 2006 - Aspen Grove - Timp Hike

On Wednesday a large group of us attempted a hike up the Timp trail. Unfortunately, none of us made it to the top, but we had a great time anyway.

Grant and the view back down into Aspen Grove, which is in the center of the photograph.

On our way back down, Grant and I stopped for lunch and ate in the trees.

Christian, Nash, and Peter in the lodge after the trek up the Timpanogas trail. They made it as far as Emerald Lake.

Photos: July 2006 - Aspen Grove

Heidi and I took a pottery class with some other family members.

Luke and Trevon on the big tree stump in front of our cabin.

Photos: July 2006 - Aspen Grove Frontier Night

Nash attempting to lasso a steer.

Luke panning for "gold."

Nash & Peter practicing their aim with air rifles.

Nash, Peter, and Christian trying to pop a balloon with a whip.

Luke, Nash, and Peter.

Photos: July 2006 - Aspen Grove

Our cabin at Aspen Grove.

We ran into a moose that crossed the river and started climbing up the hill.

This is Grant in front of the nature yert - we're still not sure what yert means, but it was a place that had all sorts of things for the kids to learn about nature.