Nature Snap

Mahameru Song Lyric

2009-05-28T10:25:00.003+08:00

Mahameru by dewa19

Mendaki melintas bukit
Berjalan letih menahan menahan berat beban
Bertahan didalam dingin
Berselimut kabut `Ranu Kumbolo`

Menatap jalan setapak
Bertanya-tanya sampai kapankah berakhir
Mereguk nikmat coklat susu
Menjalin persahabatan dalam hangatnya tenda
Bersama sahabat mencari damai
Mengasah pribadi mengukir cinta

Reff :
Mahameru berikan damainya
Didalam beku `Arcapada`
Mahameru sebuah legenda tersisa
Puncak abadi para dewa

Masihkah terbersit asa
Anak cucuku mencumbui pasirnya
Disana nyalimu teruji
Oleh ganas cengkraman hutan rimba
Bersama sahabat mencari damai
Mengasah pribadi mengukir cinta

Back to Reff.

Bersama sahabat mencari damai
Mengasah pribadi mengukir cinta

Back to Reff.

Mahameru berikan damainya
Didalam beku `Arcapada`
Mahameru sampaikan sejuk embun hati
Mahameru basahi jiwaku yang kering
Mahameru sadarkan angkuhnya manusia
Puncak abadi para dewa...

Greenpeace stops palm oil shipments from leaving Indonesia

2008-11-11T11:02:00.003+08:00

Despite the fact that i'm quiet fond on Investing on Palm Oil Industries, which in another words i'm expecting the rise of it's price, i do agree that rapid conversion of forest in palm oil plantation need to be controlled.

The Govt' might need to amend the regulation on deforestation and being strict with it. This articles taken from the following source: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gfR4ra3YHr4m8pgdDgWJni7HfSTw

==================================

JAKARTA (AFP) — Environmental group Greenpeace said Monday it had stopped several palm oil shipments from leaving Indonesia and called for an end to forests and peatlands being destroyed to make way for plantations. The ships were about to leave from Dumai, Indonesia's main oil export port, to Europe. "Greenpeace activists painted the words 'Forest Crime' and 'Climate Crime' on the hull of three palm oil tankers and a barge full of rainforest timber," Greenpeace Southeast Asia Forest Campaigner Bustar Maitar told AFP.

"The government and businesses should stop the rapid conversion of forests and peatlands into palm oil plantation in order to combat climate change," Maitar said. A Greenpeace activist was also chained onto the anchor chain of a ship carrying palm oil owned by the Wilmar group to stop it leaving for the Netherlands.

"Deforestation will continue without strong commitment," Maitar said, adding that meeting demand for palm oil was possible without further deforestation. Greenpeace said massive tracts of tropical forests in the easternmost Papua region were being converted for oil palm plantation.

The group has also exposed ongoing forest destruction for timber in Papua and discovered fresh forest clearances in the peatland forests of Riau. The rapid conversion of forests and peatlands for palm oil and pulp plantations is a major driver of deforestation in the country.

Forest destruction has made Indonesia the world's third biggest greenhouse gas emitter behind the United States and China.

Prince Charles asks Indonesia to preserve its forest

2008-11-03T14:47:00.001+08:00

Jambi (ANTARA News) - Prince Charles of Britain called on the Indonesian government to keep its commitment to preserving its forest as damages to forest areas in various countries had caused climate change.

Visiting Prince Charles, who arrived here on Sunday, made the appeal when he had an observation tour of the Indonesian Rain Forest Ecosystem Restoration park in Bungku village, Batanghari district.

During the tour of the rainforest`s restoration center, the British prince, who is on a five-day visit in Indonesia, was accompanied by Indonesian Forestry Minister MS Kaban and Jambi Governor Zulkifli Nurdin.

When observing the rain forest area which covered 49,000 hectares, the British prince was also welcome by local indigenous tribes (Suku Anak Dalam - SAD) who live an isolated life in the forest.

Charles asked the minister to support the development of the rain forest ecosystem restoration park, now being developed by PT Restorasi Ekosystem Indonesia (REKI).

In the mean time, Jambi Governor Nurdin asked Minister Kaban to issue a license for the development of the ecosystem forest restoration project.

He said that up to now, the Ministry of Forestry had issued only a principal license for the development of the project.

In response, Kaban said he had issued a license for PT REKI to manage forest restoration areas covering 101,000 hectares in Jambi.

On Monday Prince Charles is scheduled to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the state palace.

"The main agenda of the prince`s visit to Indonesia is for an interfaith dialog," Foreign Ministry`s spokesman Faiza said earlier in the day.

Prince Charles last visited Indonesia in 1989 in the company of his wife the now late Princess Diana. This time he will not be accompanied by his second wife Princess Camilla. He is scheduled to leave Indonesia on Wednesday morning. (*)

COPYRIGHT © 2008
Source: http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2008/11/3/prince-charles-asks-indonesia-to-preserve-its-forest/

Legenda gunung Semeru

2008-09-17T12:18:00.006+08:00

Menurut kepercayaan masyarakat Jawa yang ditulis pada kitab kuna Tantu Pagelaran yang berasal dari abad ke-15, Pulau Jawa pada suatu saat mengambang di lautan luas, dipermainkan ombak kesana-kemari. Para Dewa memutuskan untuk memakukan Pulau Jawa dengan cara memindahkan Gunung Meru di India ke atas Pulau Jawa.

Dewa Wisnu menjelma menjadi seekor kura-kura raksasa menggendong gunung itu dipunggungnya, sementara Dewa Brahma menjelma menjadi ular panjang yang membelitkan tubuhnya pada gunung dan badan kura-kura sehingga gunung itu dapat diangkut dengan aman.

Dewa-Dewa tersebut meletakkan gunung itu di atas bagian pertama pulau yang mereka temui, yaitu di bagian barat Pulau Jawa. Tetapi berat gunung itu mengakibatkan ujung pulau bagian timur terangkat ke atas. Kemudian mereka memindahkannya ke bagian timur pulau tetapi masih tetap miring, sehingga Mereka memutuskan untuk memotong sebagian dari gunung itu dan menempatkannya di bagian barat laut.

Penggalan ini membentuk Gunung Pawitra, yang sekarang dikenal dengan nama Gunung Pananggungan, dan bagian utama dari Gunung Meru, tempat bersemayam Dewa Shiwa, sekarang dikenal dengan nama Gunung Semeru. Pada saat Sang Hyang Siwa datang ke pulau jawa dilihatnya banyak pohon Jawawut, sehingga pulau tersebut dinamakan Jawa.

Lingkungan geografis pulau Jawa dan Bali memang cocok dengan lambang-lambang agama Hindu. Dalam agama Hindu ada kepercayaan tentang Gunung Meru, Gunung Meru dianggap sebagai rumah para dewa-dewa dan sebagai sarana penghubung diantara bumi (manusia) dan Kayangan. Kalau manusia ingin mendengar suara dewa mereka harus semedi di puncak Gunung Meru. Banyak masyarakat Jawa dan Bali sampai sekarang masih menganggap gunung sebagai tempat kediaman Dewa-Dewa atau mahluk halus. Selanjutnya daerah bergunung-gunung masih dipakai oleh manusia Jawa sebagai tempat semedi untuk mendengar suara gaib.

Menurut orang Bali Gunung Mahameru dipercayai sebagai Bapak Gunung Agung di Bali dan dihormati oleh masyarakat Bali. Upacara sesaji kepada para dewa-dewa Gunung Mahameru dilakukan oleh orang Bali. Betapapun upacara tersebut hanya dilakukan setiap 8-12 tahun sekali hanya pada waktu orang menerima suara gaib dari dewa Gunung Mahameru. Selain upacara sesaji itu orang Bali sering datang ke daerah Gua Widodaren untuk mendapat Tirta suci.

Orang naik sampai puncak Mahameru ada yang bertujuan untuk mendengar suara-suara gaib. Selain itu juga ada yang memohon agar diberi umur yang panjang. Bagaimanapun alasan orang naik ke puncak Mahameru, kebanyakan orang ditakutkan oleh macam-macam hantu yang mendiami daerah keliling gunungnya. Hantu-hantu tersebut biasanya adalah roh leluhur yang mendiami tempat seperti hutan, bukit, pohon serta danau.

Roh leluhur biasanya bertujuan menjaga macam-macam tempat dan harus dihormati. Para pendaki yang menginap di danau Ranu Kumbolo sering melihat hantu Ranu Kumbolo. Tengah malam ada cahaya berwarna orange di tengah danaunya dan tiba-tiba berubah wujud menjadi sesosok hantu wanita. Biasanya hanya orang yang punya kekuatan mistis dia akan melihat hantu dan dapat bicara dengan hantu. Terserah orang percaya pada hantu atau tidak tetapi banyak orang Jawa yang percaya bahwa daerah Bromo, Tengger, Semeru banyak didiami oleh hantu-hantu.

SEMERU - BROMO MOUNTAIN TREK, EAST JAVA PROVINCE

2008-09-17T12:18:00.003+08:00

BROMO TENGGER SEMERU NATIONAL PARK

Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, before declared as a National Park mountainous highland of Bromo Tengger Semeru is a forest area with many functions like Strict Nature Reserve Recreation Forest, Protection Forest and Production Forest. Declaration of Bromo Tengger Semeru area as a National Park is based on some considerations i. e: rare and endemic flora habitat of migrant wildlife, unique ecosystem, active volcano, scenery of nature cultural and traditional lives of local people as a catchment area for water resources around the area etc.

PHYSICAL FEATURES:
The Area of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park covers 50,273.30 hectares of mountainous highland and vertily valley between 1,000 - 3,676 M above sea level. The area is dominated by mountainous trees are also 4 lakes inside namely: Ranu Pani (4 Ha), Ranu Regulo (0.75 Ha), Ranu Kumbolo (14 Ha) and Ranu Darungan (0.50 Ha). Geografically the area lies between 7'54'' - 8'13'' South Latitude and 112'51'' - 113'4'' East Longitude on the globe. Administratively is situated in four regency's i.e.: Probolinggo, Pasuruan, Malang and Lumajang - East Java Province. According to Schmidt and Ferguson there are four climate types ie : A, B, C and D. The monsoon showers fall from late October through the end of April when the dry season commences. The temperature ranges between 3 to 20 degrees average with frequent intense beat waves that cause hush - fire in the June - August period and stifling humidity of 80 % can be felt during the wet season. The activities of Bromo Tengger Semeru some times have great effects in the freak weather. Winds with the velocity of up to 60 km can become intro lably cold.

FLORA AND FAUNA:
The vegetation of the park area consists of four main vegetation types: Highland Forest, Alvin Forest, Casuarina Forest and Grassland. It is predicted about 600 species of flora in the park. The common species are: Casuarina junghuhniana, Vaccinium varingaefolium, Albitzia lomphata, Acasia decurens, Anaphalis javanica. At the southern part of Mt. Semeru there are about 157 species of orchids. And also endemic species in the park. Little information about wildlife in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is recorded. They're only about 16 species of Mammals and 70 species of Birds. The Mammals are: Wild Pig, Timor Deer, Barking Deer, Panther, Silver Leaf Monkey, Common Porcupine etc. The common birds are : Hornbill, Banded Pitta, Crested Spent Eagle, and Australian Grey Duck at Ranu Pani and Ranu Kumbolo.

RANU PANE, RANU REGOLO, RANU KUMBOLO AND PEAK OF Mt. SEMERU
Ranu Pane and Ranu Regolo are two beautiful creater lakes on the upland of 3 km beyond the southern rim caldera. Ranu Pane/Ranu Regulo mostly passed by climbers who want to climb the Mt Semeru. Ranu Pane about 1 Ha and Ranu Regulo about p0.75 Ha, are located nearby. Ranu Kombolo with about 14 Ha is located between Ranu Pane and Mt Semeru, walking a long the slopes of the Lake Kumbolo getting yours shoes stuck in the soft mud smelling the fregance of pines and pacthes of miniature flowers this is the ideyllic solitude of the Kumbolo lake. For traveling to the peak of Mt Semeru/Mahameru hikers are adviced to avoid visiting the creater of "Jonggring Seloka" and southern part of the area due to the toxic gasses and lava path.

RANU DARUNGAN
Ranu Darungan is another small crater that located in southern flanks of Mt Semeru with area about 0,5 Ha. The lake is surrounded by tropical rain forest with many species of orchids. Some activities can be done here i.e: camping, fishing, education and research.

CEMORO LAWANG
The area is one of the entrance gates to the park from Probolinggo. Some activities can be done here and its surrounding ie: camping, shopping and enjoying the nature scenery of Mt. Bromo and sea of sand, farmland, wild foliage and sturdy trunks plunge to wards the gleamay sand, etc.

THE SEA OF SAND
The sea of sand area was declared as a strict Nature reserve in 1919 for the purpose of protecting the extraordinary sea of sand which forms the floor of caldera with diameter 8-10 km. There are several mountains inside the caldera namely: Mt Bromo (2.392 m asl ), Mt Batok (2.470 m asl ), Mt Kursi ( 2.581 m asl ), Mt Watangan ( 2.661 m asl ), and Mt Widodaren ( 2.650 m asl ). Walking on the sea of sand stepping up on the 249 steps to rim. Enjoying the unique creater in a creater, watching the dawn at Bromo are the main attractionsin the area.

PEAK OF Mt. PANANJAKAN
From the peak of Mt Penanjakan ( 2.770 m asl ) you will get a very good view to the area of Sea of Sand with the mount Bromo, Batok, and Semeru in the backround. From the look out point at Mt. Penanjakan you can enjoy the sunrise between 4.30 am - 5.30 am will sunset is 4.30 pm - 5.30 pm. To wacth the dawn of the day at Mt. Penanjakan you have to be ready on the spot at about 4.00 am.

Hiking Survival Tips

2008-09-17T12:18:00.000+08:00

When you read stuff in the newspapers about lost hikers, it tells that they didn't know what their basic needs were or how to keep themselves safe. There are multiple mistakes people usually make when they end up lost in the woods. What it comes down to is that people don't know what items they truly need when they find themselves in tough situation.

A group of people given a list of items and being asked to rate their necessity from most important to least important. It ends up that most people rate the items similarly. Most people believe, that if they are lost they should have a map, compass and food.

That is exactly opposite of what people need.

People learn to read maps, so they think they're most important. Food isn't to important either, people could go 2-3 weeks without food. Though i personally think that people could last probably lesser when they "desperately" wandering off searching for help.

Instead, people need to keep their body temperature up and keep themselves hydrated.

There are also myths that people have about what they should do if they were to ever find themselves lost or stuck in an unknown area with no one around. One of them is following a river. It doesn't always mean finding people around the water source at some point, by following a river. Instead, it is adviceable to follow the road back where they came from. Consider to go high in the mountain, since that is where rescuer start their search.

what they should eat if they find themselves without food??
Don't try to look for food from wilderness, Because the problem is that in most situations, they eat the wrong thing.

(More updates on this. Last update : 050908)

Right Tent = Right Trip

2008-08-28T12:45:00.005+08:00

Getting out to enjoy nature and the outdoors can be a great way to relax and escape the demands of day-to-day life, whether a hiking trip during the day or a weekend getaway. For the person planning to camp and sleep on a tent floor, choosing the right camping tent is an important part of an enjoyable outdoor excursion. It takes a little research. You will want to find the best tent for the type of area you will camp in and one that, generally, meets your camping needs. Tents are a great alternative for those who do not want to sleep underneath the stars in sleeping bags, neither in bivak kind of shelter.

When choosing a camping tent, you will need to check the climate in the area you will pitch the tent in. Also, it is important to determine if there is a danger from wildlife in the area and what recreational facilities are available. Your camping destination is something that must be considered closely when choosing a tent.

The size of the tent is important, though, or you may very well find yourself sleeping outside the tent while others sleep inside. The tent should comfortable hold the number of people using it, ensure everyone fits in and out.

With this in mind, though, be sure the larger tents can be pitched where you will be camping. If you will mountain climbing, while the mountain is ideal for climbing it is not when it comes to setting up camp and pitching your tent. Keep in mind that the higher the ground, the stronger the wind. Thus, a shorter tent stands better on the higher ground.

For example, a trip to the Mountain (eg. Mount Gede at +/- 2958 masl) requires a completely different tent than a trip to Waterfalls (Curug Cilember +/- 1200 masl). For a camping trip to Mount Gede, you will want camping tents that are durable and warm enough to stand up against the cold temperatures. On the contrary, for a camping trip to Curug Cilember, a dome tent with proper flysheet would be enough.

Of course, you will want to look at cost when deciding which tent to choose. Tents range in price from a few hundred thousand rupiahs to millions, depending on the quality, strength, manufacturer and size. You can always purchase the larger ones on credit, which is a possibility, though maybe not the best financial move. But, anyone who has purchased camping tents will agree that they will definitely help alleviate your fears of wildlife and other dangers of the outdoors. Some things are worth paying, and having a save and comfort place to rest in the wild is definitely one of them.

Most of all, finding the right tent is about comfort and ensuring you have an enjoyable time living outdoors. There are many accessories available to add to your comfort, all of which could make the trip even more enjoyable. Take some time to find the best tent for you and your fellow travelers. You will be glad you did!

(More updates on this. Last update : 280808)

How to use a compass

2008-08-13T18:21:00.009+08:00

I Found this and quiet useful. I hiked mostly at nite so we can spend a whole day staying on the basecamp. And also to minimize an effect of fatique for travelling far (you barely realize how far you've walk at nite).

And often i got lost...

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Kjetil Kjernsmo's illustrated guide on
How to use a compass

Finding the directions without a compassYou are lost. I mean really lost. Standing in the middle of nowhere, and you have no idea where to go. If you are really in trouble, remember two things first of all: stay calm, think rationally, and you can survive a long time without food. What you need is to drink.

Further thoughts about extreme survival skills is beyond the scope of this page, seek advice elsewhere beyond this introduction. This page deals with the situation of finding your way, without the aid of a compass. What you have, is the sun, the stars, and the nature around you.

This page is mainly about the northern hemisphere of the earth, actually north of 23.5 °, because I have never been to the southern hemisphere myself (would like to go there of course!). The methods described do of course apply to the southern hemisphere as well, but in some places there may be a need to swap north and south to get it right. I hope you are able to figure it out.

For a start, it may be a good idea to climb a hill, and get a good look around. Try to see traces of human activity. If you see nothing, you should try to figure out in what direction would be the best to travel. If you haven't got a map, try to draw one if you can of the terrain in front of you, and try to mark off where north is, using the methods below. If you have got a map, try to determine where you are. Remember, you don't want to climb more hills than you have to. Also you should carefully consider not to climb if you are very tired. In that case you should consider staying where you are. Consult other sources for information on how to make it easy for rescuers.

Let us start with the most accurate method. This method requires that you have a pretty clear sky, though, and takes a lot of time. One of the advantages is that you don't need any equipment. You would need a straight pole about 1 meter (or a yard) long, two small sticks or rocks, another stick (or rock) that needs to be a little sharp, and something that can act as a string.

In the morning, at least before noon, the trick starts. Stick the long pole in the ground, upright. The ground around the pole needs to be horizontal. Now, you can place one of the little sticks in the ground exactly where the shadow of the pole ends, like on the figure. Then tie the string to the base of the pole, and tie the little, sharp stick, to the other end, so that when the string is stretched it reaches exactly the little stick standing there in the soil. Then, scratch half a circle in the soil with your sharp little stick, and wait... Wait. Wait until the evening.

During the day, the shadow will get shorter and shorter, until noon, when it gets longer again. At noon, when the shadow is at its shortest, you may want to mark the point. The shadow is now pointing north (if you are north of 23.5 ° north). It is however not very easy to see exactly when this is, but it is useful anyway. Finally, the shadow reaches your circle again, and when it does, place your other little stick at the spot where the shadow ends. If you haven't got a string, you could use a pole that has the right length, or try to come up with some other improvised solution. Just make sure what you draw is a circle.

Now, the line from the first stick to the second is west-east, like on the figure. Actually, you may want to mark points regurlarly, because any two points that have exactly the same distance from the base of the pole will give the West-East line. If it is partly cloudy, this may be a good idea.

There is a short, fast version of this one as well. This is only approximate, though, and the further away from the equator you get, the more inaccurate is it. You don't need the sharp stick and the string. Just wait 20 minutes between placing each of the sticks, and the line between the two sticks will be approximately west-east, like on the figure. Often, you wouldn't need anything more accurate.

At night, you can navigate after the stars. You should, however, be careful with walking, it is easy to stumble and fall and get injured, and also easy to lose sight of the stars as you go, and you might start going around in circles. Often it will also be more physically and mentally demanding. In the northern hemisphere, there is a star that is almost exactly in the north at all times, the Polaris. It is pretty easy to find, if you know the "Big Dipper". (Everybody knows the Big Dipper (or the Plough)?) Take the two stars at the end of the "Big Dipper", and make an imaginary line "upwards", and extend it five times the distance between the two stars. There you have it - Polaris. That way is always north. The figure is courtesy of Kathy Miles. Used with permission.

In the southern hemisphere, you would have to find the Southern Cross. Because I haven't been south of the equator, I can't help you find it, make someone tell you where it is right now, if you don't know it already. That way is south.

If you have an analog wrist watch, you can use the time to find north. Hold your watch up in front of you, and let the short hand, red on the figure, that indicates hours point at the sun. While holding it like this, cut the angle between the red arrow and 12 o'clock in two, (noonwards if the time is before 6am or after 6pm), that way is south. (The reason you need to cut it in two, is because the clock takes two rotations while the sun takes one around the earth, it is of course the other way around, but never mind.)

Many people wear digital watches these days (I do myself, if I wear one at all). If you do, draw an analog watch face on a piece of paper, and then mark the hour hand on using the digital watch. The rest of the method is identical.

This method can be used even when it is pretty foggy. Although you may not be able to see the sun, it may still cast a shadow. If you take up a straw or a tiny stick, and you may see a shadow. You just have to remember that the shadow points the opposite way from the sun, but the rest of it is quite similar as above.

Want to make your own compass? Sure. You need a needle and a glass of water. A needle can in fact float on the water, or that is, on the surface tension forces if put carefully on the surface. Just put it carefully down on the surface of the water. This demands a lot of patience though. There are three tricks that makes it go easier. One: Put the needle on a piece of paper. If the paper floats too, there is no problem, and if the paper sinks, it'll probably leave the needle. If you put some grease on the needle that isn't water-based, it'll go easier, or if you put it carefully down with a fork or something. Once it has got there, it stays there pretty good.

If the needle is magnetic, it will act as a normal compass and be very accurate. A problem is though, that you don't know north from south. All you know is that it lays north-south. You would have to use one of the other techniques to find out, or make a good guess.

The greatest problem with this is: Not many needles are made of magnetic materials these days.... You can't just use any needle. You may just have to look around to see what you can find, if you want to make a yourself a compass.

What if there is no shadow? Then, there are a few methods based on natural signs. I will deal with the ones I have checked myself.

It is very much about trees. First of all, there will be fewer branches to the north. This is usually easiest to see if you look up along the trunk of the tree. The north face of the tree would be more humid than the south face, which is something most species of lichen (or moss) likes, and consequently, there will be more of it on the north face. On the image above, you can also see that ants likes to build their nests on the south side of the tree.

It is also worthwhile to look at how snow melts. In the spring in the mountains, snow will melt faster on the south face of rocks, or in south faced slopes. Also, vegetation and undergrowth will typically be thicker on the South facing slopes, and also fruits ripen earlier on the South facing slopes.

These methods are not very reliable, I am afraid. Winds may alter the average conditions significantly, and cause deviations. If you use natural signs, you should use as many signs as you can before you draw a conclusion.

Advantages and Drawbacks of Digital Cameras

2008-01-31T01:26:00.000+08:00

Photography is my new hobby, found this out after i went for a few hiking trips last year.
For me the value of photography is "Lasting what the Memories couldn't" and "Picturing what the Word missed". what it has to do with the Advantages and Drawbacks of Digital Camera then ??

Nothing... i have the interest...yet i don't have a camera...
*huh ??

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Advantages and Drawbacks of Digital Cameras

by: Jeremy Maddock

Whether you’re professional photographer or a tourist looking to record a few good memories, the first step to great photographs is a finding a decent camera. One of the first decisions you need to make is whether to go with a quick and convenient digital camera, or stick with trusty old film.

The main benefit of going digital include the ability to see pictures instantly on an LCD screen, saving the ones you like and erasing the ones you don’t. Another advantage is the versatility of being able to edit and perfect your photos on a computer, using a program like PhotoShop.There are also immense economic advantages to using a digital camera. Being able to review each picture you take, and print only the ones you really like saves a lot of money that would have gone into buying film and developing poor-quality pictures.

Despite these tempting benefits, however, there is still a case for sticking with good old fashioned film photography. The image resolution, for example, is generally better with a cheap traditional camera than a mid-range digital camera. In order to achieve true film-quality resolution on a digital camera, one must pay several hundred dollars for a 7+ megapixel device. Another advantage of film is its distance from the world of computing technology; even a person who is totally computer-illiterate should be able to use a traditional camera to its full potential with no problems whatsoever. Furthermore, many photographers prefer the simple challenge of taking a good picture on film to the much less artistic process of “cheating,” and editing pictures on a computer.

Overall, the right type of camera depends almost entirely upon the photographer. Each person must choose for themselves which kind of photography they like better.Another option, of course, is to buy both digital and film cameras, and alternate depending on situation. This is often the best choice for a serious photographer who can afford the additional expense.

About The Author
Jeremy Maddock is a well-known technology blogger, and owner of http://www.camerareviews.ca/

Leave No Trace

2008-01-30T23:32:00.000+08:00

I Camped to "Curug Nangka" on West Java by the foot of Mount Salak, few weeks ago with some of my mates for a Clean Ops. It was supposed to be fun and easy...

Until we return to our campsite with 8 Trash Bags "bloated" with plastic waste materials we collected along the riverbank. The place was polluted badly. Not mentioning the damaged we found on the Camping Ground. There were many unused campfire-rings which left over by previous campers...

I found it very disturbing seeing the Forest and Mountains being raped by irresponsible Trash-Hiker ... Let's keep the Nature Green as It Should Be...

"Take Nothing but Picture and Leave Nothing But Memories" -- Crossfico - On Seeing The Green Pastures

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The Principles of Leave No Trace

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

Proper trip planning and preparation helps hikers and campers accomplish trip goals safely and enjoyably while minimizing damage to natural and cultural resources. Campers who plan ahead can avoid unexpected situations, and minimize their impact by complying with area regulations such as observing limitations on group size. Schedule your trek to avoid times of high use. Obtain permits or permission to use the area for your trek.

Proper planning ensures

Low-risk adventures because campers obtained information concerning geography and weather and prepared accordingly
Properly located campsites because campers allotted enough time to reach their destination Appropriate campfires and minimal trash because of careful meal planning and food repackaging and proper equipment
Comfortable and fun camping and hiking experiences because the outing matches the skill level of the participants

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Damage to land occurs when visitors trample vegetation or communities of organisms beyond recovery. The resulting barren areas develop into undesirable trails, campsites, and soil erosion.

Concentrate Activity, or Spread Out?

In high-use areas, campers should concentrate their activities where vegetation is already absent. Minimize resource damage by using existing trails and selecting designated or existing campsites. Keep campsites small by arranging tents in close proximity. In more remote, less-traveled areas, campers should generally spread out.

When hiking, take different paths to avoid creating new trails that cause erosion. When camping, disperse tents and cooking activities--and move camp daily to avoid creating permanent-looking campsites. Avoid places where impacts are just beginning to show. Always choose the most durable surfaces available: rock, gravel, sand, compacted soil, dry grasses, or snow.

These guidelines apply to most alpine settings and may be different for other areas, such as deserts. Learn the Leave No Trace techniques for your crew's specific activity or destination. Check with land managers to be sure of the proper technique.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly (Pack It In, Pack It Out)

This simple yet effective saying motivates back country visitors to take their trash home with them. It makes sense to carry out of the back country the extra materials taken there by your group or others. Inspect your campsite for trash or spilled foods. Accept the challenge of packing out all trash, leftover food, and litter.

Backcountry users create body waste and wastewater that require proper disposal.

Wastewater. Help prevent contamination of natural water sources: After straining food particles, properly dispose of dishwater by dispersing at least 200 feet (about 80 to 100 strides for a youth) from springs, streams, and lakes. Use biodegradable soap 200 feet or more from any water source.

Human Waste. Proper human waste disposal helps prevent the spread of disease and exposure to others. Catholes 6 to 8 inches deep in humus and 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites are often the easiest and most practical way to dispose of feces.Sanitation

4. Leave What You Find

Allow others a sense of discovery, and preserve the past. Leave rocks, plants, animals, archaeological artifacts, and other objects as you find them. Examine but do not touch cultural or historical structures and artifacts. It may be illegal to remove artifacts.

Minimize Site Alterations

Do not dig tent trenches or build lean-tos, tables, or chairs. Never hammer nails into trees, hack at trees with hatchets or saws, or damage bark and roots by tying horses to trees for extended periods. Replace surface rocks or twigs that you cleared from the campsite. On high-impact sites, clean the area and dismantle inappropriate user-built facilities such as multiple fire rings and log seats or tables.

Good campsites are found, not made. Avoid altering a site, digging trenches, or building structures.

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

Some people would not think of camping without a campfire. Yet the naturalness of many areas has been degraded by overuse of fires and increasing demand for firewood.

Lightweight camp stoves make low-impact camping possible by encouraging a shift away from fires. Stoves are fast, eliminate the need for firewood, and make cleanup after meals easier. After dinner, enjoy a candle lantern instead of a fire.

If you build a fire, the most important consideration is the potential for resource damage. Whenever possible, use an existing campfire ring in a well-placed campsite. Choose not to have a fire in areas where wood is scarce--at higher elevations, in heavily used areas with a limited wood supply, or in desert settings.

True Leave No Trace fires are small. Use dead and downed wood that can be broken easily by hand. When possible, burn all wood to ash and remove all unburned trash and food from the fire ring. If a site has two or more fire rings, you may dismantle all but one and scatter the materials in the surrounding area. Be certain all wood and campfire debris is dead out.

6. Respect Wildlife

Quick movements and loud noises are stressful to animals. Considerate campers practice these safety methods:

Observe wildlife from afar to avoid disturbing them.
Give animals a wide berth, especially during breeding, nesting, and birthing seasons.
Store food securely and keep garbage and food scraps away from animals so they will not acquire bad habits. Never feed wildlife. Help keep wildlife wild.You are too close if an animal alters its normal activities.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Thoughtful campers respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.

Travel and camp in small groups (no more than the group size prescribed by land managers). Let nature's sounds prevail. Keep the noise down and leave radios, tape players, and pets at home. Select campsites away from other groups to help preserve their solitude. Always travel and camp quietly to avoid disturbing other visitors. Make sure the colors of clothing and gear blend with the environment. Respect private property and leave gates (open or closed) as found.Be considerate of other campers and respect their privacy.

Learn More About Leave No Trace

More information about Leave No Trace can be obtained by contacting the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics toll-free at 800-332-4100 or on the Internet at http://www.int.org/.

Mount Bromo

2008-01-28T22:01:00.000+08:00

Mount Bromo (Gunung Bromo, 2,392m) is an active volcano in the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park of East Java, Indonesia.

Understand
Bromo isn't the highest mountain in Java — that honor goes to nearby Mount Semeru at 3,676m — but it's probably the most famous one. Bromo is in fact only one of many peaks inside the massive Tengger Caldera, but it's easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. The inside of the caldera, aptly dubbed the Laut Pasir (Sea of Sand) is coated with fine volcanic sand and the overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly, especially when compared to the lush green valleys all around the caldera.

Orientation
The major access point is Cemoro Lawang at the northeast edge, but there are also trails from Tosari (northwest) and Ngadas (west). The village of Ngadisari, on the road from Probolinggo about 5.5 km before Cemoro Lawang, marks the entrance to the national park. Both Cemoro Lawang and Ngadisari are rather picturesque, with brightly-painted houses and flower beds outside.

Get in
By plane
The nearest major airport is in Surabaya, three hours away by car (and more by bus).
By bus
The nearest larger town is Probolinggo, on the north coast of Java. It's about one hour from Probolinggo to Ngadisari and another half hour all the way to Cemoro Lawang, and it's (just) possible to visit on a day trip, although most visitors prefer to climb overnight and see the sunrise. To go there, take a 'Damai' shuttle bus from the Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, to go to the Bungasih bus terminal. Then, take an express Patas air-conditioned bus for a 2-3 hours ride from Surabaya to Probolinggo.

Get around
It's a fairly easy 3-km hike from Cemoro Lawang to the foot of Mount Bromo. Alternatively, you can hire a pony to do the drudge work for you, or have it even easier and do the trip by jeep. Private cars are not allowed inside the caldera. You can join the jeep package at Rp40.000 per person at the Probolinggo entrance office. On the next morning 4am, the jeep departs from hotel to catch the sunrise at Mount Batok (costs Rp40.000 per person for entering the compound). After the sunrise, go down to Mount bromo. You can hire a horse (Rp50.000) to bring you up and then You walk thru the last stair-case to reach the top of Mount Bromo.
Unfortunately, some overly-enthusiastic crowd members can be rather annoying with their loud laughters and blinding flashes. Therefore, it would be pleasant, if everyone try to maintain a certain level of decency so that the "sun-rise watch" experience becomes more enjoyable.

See & Do
Mt. Batok and the Sand Sea in the Tengger CalderaWhen timing any activities in the area, bear in mind that sunset is soon after 5 PM and sunrise is correspondingly early at around 5:30 AM. This means you'll usually need to get up by 3:30 AM or so to get there in time for dawn.

Mount Batok (2440m) is a brown volcanic cone at the north center of the caldera. Unlike the other nearby peaks it is no longer active and actually has some vegetation growing on it, mostly the local cemara tree that somehow manages to survive even on volcanic ash.

Mount Bromo, edges tinged with white sulphur and always bubbling, is the main sight. To reach it on foot, pick the left fork at Cemoro Lawang's solitary crossing, then head down the ramp into the caldera and then across the caldera to the Hindu temple at the foot of the mountain. From the temple a steep path of 250 steps leads to the edge of the crater and a precarious meter-wide ledge from where to gaze into the volcano.

Mount Penanjakan (2770m), located just north of the caldera, is a mountaintop viewpoint accessible by paved road from Tosari and hence popular with jeeps and even tour buses. Most of the crowd comes to see the dawn at 5 AM, and you'll likely have the large concrete observation post to yourself if you arrive later in the day.

Viewpoint #2, along the trail from Cemoro Lawang to Mt. Penanjakan, is an excellent way to get a stunning view of the caldera (see pictures above) without the crowds. To reach it, head west from Cemoro Lawang (past Cemero Indah) for 6 km, past farms and fields. The paved road eventually turns into a twisty mountain trail that ends with a flight of stairs on the right, and the viewpoint (with concrete shelter) is at the top. Allow 1.5 hours for the climb up at a steady pace, and bring along a torch if attempting this at night.

From here, you can continue onto Mt. Penanjakan by following the trail upward, after which the trail merges onto the paved road to the viewpoint (total time about 60 minutes one way). If planning to return the same way, mark the spot where the trail emerges onto the road (if you pass a stone lantern on the way down, you've gone too far!), and note that descending on this section can get slippery due to loose sand and rocks.

Buy
The most popular local product, at least based on the number of hawkers selling them, appears to be the Bromo hat, a colorful ski cap with "BROMO" embroidered on it.

Eat & Drink
Every lodge has an attached restaurant, and simple roadside warung sell basic Indonesian dishes and mugs of hot Javanese coffee (kopi panas). There is no nightlife in the party sense of the word, but all restaurants are open at 3 AM as that's when everybody wakes up to see dawn over Bromo.

Sleep
Colorful farm house, Cemoro LawangThere are plenty of accommodation options around the mountain. Facilities at Cemoro Lawang side of the caldera are rather basic, but there are good hotels in Sukapura and Probolinggo.

Bromo Cottages, Tosari, tel. +62-31-515253, [1]. Despite the name, it's actually an upmarket hotel. Net rates from US$47 for a double.

Cemoro Indah, Cemoro Lawang. Bad reputation: hard sell of tours and transport, thefts reported, gas leaked from the water heater is a common problem, overpriced. It has a nice view of Mount Bromo and provide hot water. You can sit down in its restaurant and view the Mount Bromo directly.

Lava View Lodge, Cemoro Lawang, tel. +62-335-541009. The most upmarket option in Cemoro Lawang, located at the caldera edge some 500m west of the village. Looks better from outside than in, but the rooms are clean and have hot water. Superior rooms are $40 with breakfast.
Yoschi's, Ngadisari, tel. +62-335-541018. Cozy guesthouse done up to look like a Balinese temple. Note that the cheapest rooms here don't have hot water.
Stay healthy

Temperatures on Mount Bromo are refreshingly cool during the day (although sunburn is still a real danger), but outright cold at night, as temperatures can drop to zero in the summer and are rarely much above 5°C in winter. If needed, you can rent jackets and hats at Cemoro Lawang and the Penanjakan viewpoint.

Stay safe
Mount Bromo really is a live volcano that erupts with disturbing regularity: in 2004, two tourists were killed and five injured when the mountain spit out molten rock as far as the temple. Keep your distance if the mountain is acting up.

Get out
All roads into Mount Bromo are dead ends, so you'll have to go back the way you came unless you are an experienced hiker and prepared to hike across the caldera to villages on the other side.