pete,

while i do understand that you might find my itinerary too hectic, you
really dont have to be mean about it. i am totally open to your suggestions
as well as anyone else as to how i could change it - maybe even based on ure
personal experiences with the surrounding volcanoes in the area. i am fully
aware alot of the volcanoes do not need more than 1-2 days to climb but the
deals i was researching online all seem to group the volcano trips together
and didnt offer me an option to break it down to a specific trek, etc. i am
emailing the trek companies personally to inquire if they do offer this
option.

based on what ppl are saying, perhaps visiting singapore can be dropped from
the list as well as spending time in jakarta to make it less strenuous. the
plan is not fixed and keep in mind i am looking at travelling in november
06.

i am against travelling up mt bromo simply because it seems a bit
unstrenuous for me. i tend to get bored easily so something that challenges
me physically would be more suitable. i am well aware of mt merapi's
condition - that is why i was half joking earlier about it exploding in my
OP.

regards


"Pete Loud" wrote in message
...
Climbing Merapi doesn't take a 21 day or 6 day trek. First of all I
wouldn't
recommend climbing it at the moment, you must be aware that it is spewing
out lava and gases and is dangerous.

If you are determined to climb it, you have two main options, the usual is
from Kaliurang which is south of the volcano or from Selo to the north.
Most
non-Indonesians climb it from Kaliurang with a guide from Vogels Hostel. I
suspect that Christian, at Vogels, who organises treks from Kaliurang will
not organise treks up Merapi at the moment, although he may have some
treks
on the lower south eastern slopes.

The route from Selo is straight forward just follow the path upwards, but
is
still dangerous and should not be undertaken at the moment. I did it
several
years ago when it was quiet. I stayed the night at Selo, got up just
before
sunrise walked up Merapi alone and was back down to Selo by late
afternoon.
The next day I was told by a colleague that eight of his friends had gone
up
Merapi from Selo and that near the summit they were enveloped in toxic
gases
and five of them died. So it can be dangerous even when not erupting.

Your plan to visit 4 South East Asian countries in 2 weeks is as dumb as
your idea of climbing Merapi at the moment.

Selamat Jalan,


Pete Loud
Maps of Indonesia etc. etc.
www.peteloud.co.uk/






"G" wrote in message
...
This is a long post guys - be warned.

i recently decided to doing a trip across some of asia during a span of
2
weeks. now before ppl tell me its too short a period of time please
understand i dont get alot of vacation. i keep track of posts on this
site
and find it alot more useful than some articles on the net.

this is my itenerary so far.
I plan to visit Jakarta from Canada for a day. I dont know the best way
to
get from Jakarta to Java to climb Mt Merapi (assuming it doesnt
explode!!).
i'd like to know the names of a couple of trekking agencies that do the
peaks of these mountains without doing 21day or 6 day treks. i dont have
the
time. perhaps 1-2 days max.
After that i plan on going to Bali for some beginner scuba diving thing
for
a day. Does anyone have any recommendations on this?

After that hopefully a day visiting Singapore and a day in malaysia
followed
by a few days in Thailand visiting Phuket ( i saw some pretty good trips
on
http://www.phuket-travel.com/water_a...ge=rafting.htm but
if
anyone has recommendations im more than willing to check it out) then
Bangkok before flying back to Toronto.

What do you think? doable or too hectic?

Cheers
G