Break the Challenge; Survive and Hike the Bridge of Demon

Text by : Alifia Afflatus (13,5 y.o homeschooler)
Image by : Didik Ristanto

Last March on 2015 we previously had a camp in this pine forest, Mangli on the foot of Andong mountain, located in Magelang, Central Java. And this November, we, PotTrack a.k.a nature-lover family community spent three days in this forest, for twice. Reckoning how the location was challengeous, wild, but still, affordable that here were children joining the camp.

But definitely it`s not us to pick the same spot, that PotTrack community likes confronting new challenges of surviving in the life of nature, which is now, a bit harsher than big city livings. If we spent overnight at the ledge of forest on the previous camp, now we picked the spot amid the forest. Way further from local dweller settlement, far from the toilet, and far from comfortness, obviously. We weren`t close, actually, to wild animals or something but still, this was outdaring, to city dwellers like us.

A family image to represent the lavish camping properties of the other families.

And how we survived, it is written in the journal... 

Nomadic-Families Alike

Embarked since I prepared for the urgences, and noticed the other families being in the camp, I deemed we have been nomadic-families alike. The families built camp inside the forest, building public kitchen, and just one public 'toilet' which was built in sober (just a few scout longsticks and swarthy fabric as the 'walls' with shovel to take the soil and burry the 'disposals'). To make us relieved, the water source is sorely close to the public toilet. It was the source for the toilet itself, nor drinking. In fact, water source was the must, and a most neccessary for venturers.

Probably this was not a too comfortable toilet but for some of us, functioning this facility (void) was such a sensational experience to do in this camp. Presumably that was what my father deemed.

Simple longsticks and fabric as PotTrack camp`s toilet.

 A plenty of urgences automatically made us brought abundance of stuffs that to take them from the parking lot to the camping ground, we faced some obstacles. First was the heavy materials; kitchen stuff, sleeping stuff, survival kit and so on, followed by sloping terrains and long fascia to go. 

In the camp, we cooked tubers, soup, grilling tuna, and anything provided. But in case it`s lack of food, we used to order foods from the local catering bussiness. Like the principle my father taught me, "when we are somewhere outside or far away from home, or when we survive, there is nothing feels not good. Only two impression for what we consume; tastes good and tastes excellent." In a circumstance where everything is in minimum amount, the simple menus, even the smokey water, have been sumptuous for me, squarely.

In this family camp program, all families also attemped to save nature and environment, like using natural objects for daily activities and aspects like sanitary, washing dishes, clothes and more. Here, we used betel leaf for handwashing, lerak for cleaning the dishes and lemon for sanitary.

Grasshopper found in tent.

A Media for Family Encounters, and Introducing Nature to Children

Let me explain straight that in daily life, I actually rarely do what we shall assume as 'socialization'. And gadget, modernization nor technology perhaps were the causes of that. In the big city living, people live contiguously with technology and sometimes, when we malfunction them, they might replace human as our interlocutor. With technology, I never feel really get socialized. I met people, but not communicating. And when it came to nature...

Nature undeliberately insisted us not to hold gadget. And it felt better when we truly socialize with people around us.

In the obstacle and picturesqueness of nature, human solely synergize, be caring to others, and having vaster space to socialize because, of course, there`s no gadget replacing their human interlocutors. 

I was glad to see families communicated, working together, like helping to build tent and more, and turned into more caring people; if they need helps, or even if they can help. Children (involving parents) play games which involve physical move, communication and not about playing virtual games or with virtual friends. It was good to hear their laughter, and face-to-face conversations, sometimes it was a rare phenomenons in town.

On the whole two nights we spent here, no gadget got interjected in the activities. So to create a rousing campfire nights, we opened a drama night where children played role as characters in a story titled "Wortel Raksasa" or The Giant Carrot. We played music, educating games, or at least talked in discussion or small conversation. Nights that arduous to found when we did not in the camp.

The wonderful drama presented by children and parent on the second campnight.

So when technology, in some sides, has destroyed our social life, nature can repairs...

Not only it diverts modern people back into the true socialization, nature is a bunch of lesson book which can be a learning media. Biology, the branch of it; zoology, geography, physics, survival tips... nature already provides materials for all of that.  And the most important, plunged directly into nature remains us to save its environment.

The Satan Bridge

One session that probably has turned into a very new experience for some camp participants was the hiking session. Started from the basecamp named Pendem, the hiking session turned into plot which was the mix of adventure, fatigue, threatening challenges, and admiration to the nature and its Creator.

The basecamp offered hot tea, and cordiality for hikers. When we entered the tracking line... the adventure began. 

The foggy terrain which byname from local people was 'Satan Bridge' or 'Jembatan Setan'.

Nothing was really different during the hiking time; walking on sloping terrains where horticulture panorama in the beginning and pine forest amid the track (unfortunately, a part of the forest was scorched by conflagration back on the dry season), stopped for a while for snacking and amassing energy back. 

One of the different part was that when we met other hikers and we could inspirit each others. That was the good part. But the frightening part was perhaps when challenge insisted us to walk thru, the frightening track.

The Satan Bridge. 

A narrow and sloping track linked the trackers onto the top of mountain, roughly only 50 metres from the top. Short, but in fact, the parochial way with no barrier on the right and left side made its byname becoming The Satan Bridge, perhaps people assumed or imagined if uncarelessness would cast hiker into the engulf of doom.

Some tips to strengthen the mental while hiking this track was, not to lurk on right or left, notice the track and weather carefully (to stop while fog and wind moves rapidly) and be confident.

If you readers already elapsed this terrifying section of hiking, you can now be excited because the top of mountain is now under your feet. There, were two tiny smalls where the mountain-top-hiker stopped to amass back the energy. And there, too, were picturesque Telomoyo and Merbabu mountain could be seen upon the top. 

Actually no more way to hike, and why did hikers need their energy back? Because after this there would be 6 kilometers descending track to disembark the mountain, go back to the basecamp. It was not wrong if trackers deemed it was wretching. Not the whole body but the legs would be fatigued, killing as it might break sooner or later.

Fortunately on the way descending the mountain, many exquisite panoramas to see. Besides, water source also provided by the nature on this track. Too bad, no toilet on the whole mountainside so after approximately 3 hours walking and no piddling, I used to do it behind the shrubberies because in fact, the descending track gave more thick shrubberies more than when we walked up the mountain. Honestly, was also an explorer sensational moment.

 Not so long after we stopped amid the track, the 'finishing line' appeared, escorted us back to the basecamp.

 New Impression After The Ending of Camp

  

Previously, I only experienced being in what my mom abbreviated as "Spoiled Camp" where everything has been served for us. And this November 2015 PotTrack`s camp was the first time of the real survival camp i`ve been in. The experience of being the part of the camp was worthwhile, and learned many things from it was such a wonderful thing. Like surviving, caring, and struggle.

Obviously me, and seemed to be the other camping participants too, expect for the new challenge and sensation of the upcoming camps.

*Thanks to PotTrack community and the whole participants for making the camp becoming advantageous and a worth experience.