On the itinerary of many a world traveler is greeting the sunrise from the top of Indonesia’s Mount Bromo. It’s considered a kind of spiritual must-do.
But the downside of a “must-do” is that so many people are doing it.
So now blogs and travelers complain that what was once an inspiring, contemplative wonder has become a crowded and noisy hassle.
But Pat Herson won’t tell you that. She speaks of Mount Bromo with awe. But it’s not the sunrise she’s speaking of, as she never did get to see that. She’s talking about the “Eskimo” who reached out to help Pat and her husband Ron when their plans to hike Mount Bromo went awry.
Their misadventure started innocently enough. They flew into Surabaya, Indonesia, feeling quite pleased with themselves.
And why not? On the plane they’d met a travel agent who made it her business to see that they got on just the right van to get out to Mount Bromo without any problems. At her insistence, they boarded the van she pointed out and took their seats amidst the locals heading home from market with their chickens and vegetables.
“We didn’t speak the local language,” says Pat, “so we couldn’t ask for help but something about the trip just didn’t seem right. We were skirting the mountain but never getting closer. But there wasn’t anyone to ask.”
Finally, an English-speaking student got on the van. They explained their predicament and she explained that they were on the wrong side of the mountain. Then she added, “Don’t worry. I’ll help you. The next town is where I live. Just get off with me.”
Now, Pat and Ron were very seasoned travelers so they had no trouble trusting her good intentions. But seeing she was a college student, they weren’t expecting much. Maybe she’d just lead them to another van and send them on their way.
But no. She insisted on taking them home. “We were tired and scrubby looking, carrying our duffels and shuffling behind her as she walked through town,” says Pat. Then the girl came to a huge gate. As she did, two women came flying down the driveway to take Pat and Ron’s bags.
The girl was a student but her parents lived in a mansion of breathtaking opulence. “They invited us in and insisted on giving us dinner.” And although Pat and Ron were hardly decked out for a sumptuous meal in an ornate dining room, that is exactly what they had.
At the end of the meal, the girl and her parents invited them to spend the night. “We felt we’d put them out long enough,” says Pat, “so we said we’d just go and stay at a hotel.”
The family wasn’t pleased but they agreed, insisting, however, that they accept a ride. “We’re standing in front of the house when a driver pulled up in a Rolls-Royce to take us to a town nearer the trail to Mount Bromo. We climbed in and started pinching ourselves.”
The very best part of their rags-to-riches story?
Because their plans had gotten their timing all fouled up, Pat and Ron hiked up Mount Bromo in the evening, just as the sun was setting. No crowds. No noise.
Just the spectacular view and time to contemplate the wonder of a stranger’s kindness.
By Jamie Simons for PeterGreenberg.com.
Read more entries from the Grateful Traveler series:
