Gunung Agung

Rising high above the warm waters of North-Eastern Bali stands the mighty volcano Gunung Agung. At 3300m it is high enough to trap clouds and create weather patterns, the ‘mother mountain’ is a sacred mountain to the Balinese and one heck of a climb to the top.

We began at midnight. It was an interesting experience to hike with no idea where we were going or where we have come from. The only thing we knew, we were going up, high up.

Quickly the clouds moved in, and bodies were shrouded in white mist. Half way up, the toll started to weigh heavily on some of our group and when it became apparent that we wouldn’t see a sunrise, three of them huddled together on the mountainside to wait out our return. Over the next three hours they would shiver together as they tried to catch some sleep and survive in the wet windy conditions.

The steady trudge turned into a fourth class scramble and soon we were scampering over wet volcanic rock. It was classic misty conditions, an adventure it was turning into.. The three that continued, Charlotte from Belgium, Rob Niven from Canada and myself were having a dandy time. Charlotte was like a cat on her way up the mountain and Rob and I scampered up like the mountain goats we are trained to be.

Some people thrive on these conditions, perhaps it is because it makes a good story afterwards but it makes me feel alive. We arrived on the top and were greeted with cold, wet, mountain weather and 20 feet of visibility. Some would consider the five hour hike a waste of time without the sunrise but I will always disagree. Despite the fact that we couldn’t see anything from the top, the crater, the sunrise or even Bali, it was still wonderful. As usual, the descent was even more difficult but thankfully we managed to get down the slippery slopes in the tropical rain without mishaps. Would I do it again? Tomorrow.

Upload speeds

I would like to apologize for the lack of photos on my blog to date. The upload speeds on small islands in the pacific are not capable of handling such things. Their will be more to come in the future.
Robert

Images from COP13

I have managed to upload a selection of the images from the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali. They are located on my Photoshelter Account. Please stop on by, they will be uploaded on a daily basis.

UNFCCC Day One

Day One at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali has been amazing. It has been overwhelming to try and take in all this information but slowly I am getting into the swing of things and finding my place. Taking lots of pictures and it will be difficult to find the time to write on this blog. I apoligise in advance for that but I am sure you understand. The worldwide youth have been co-operating together on an unprecedented scale and it is amazing to be a part of that process. Please check out the Bali Buzz website, and It's Getting Hot in Here blog, for dispatches from the worldwide Youth Movement.

Till next time I will do my best to keep writing and perhaps provide some meaningful insight into the current stage of this adventure.

R

Montreal - France

There is little more personally satisfying then being able to travel to a foreign country and being perfectly able to converse in the language.

It was a short stay in Paris. After navigating the complicated RER system and the metro I succeeded in meeting my contact in Paris and the little apt that I was welcome in. Genevieve is a cousin of a friend and was kind enough to lend me her wonderful air mattress.

A wonderful time was had, some memories:
the Champs Elysee and the admittedly sad display of Christmas lights. Walking along the river and enjoying the beauty of the Eiffel Tower as it graced the Parisian sky line. A wonderful typical French Bavette avec Pommes Frites enjoyed in the company of a very conservative older French couple. Coffee on les Grand Boulevards with Cassie, a friend from Montreal. All in all a wonderful stop over.

I am now in Bali, please excuse the intermittent posts, we are understandably very very busy.