This is a continued post from this post
The last time I visited this city was around 15 years ago. I was 7 or 8 at that moment, and jogja was quite different than I remember (duhh!) wkwkwk. Anyway, as soon as I arrived, I was picked up by my friend, we went having breakfast and meet our driver + car at the meeting point.
The "Amazing-Race" Cave
We then immediately headed towards gunung kidul area where the infamous cave located. Actually there were lotsss of caves in this area, but we wanted to go to the one which was in the CBS show - The Amazing Race hehhehe.. You named it, Jomblang - Grubug cave :P. So, basically jomblang cave is a vertical cave that is 50 meter low which you will get down there by rope, then once you get inside, you'll then walk to a horizontal cave called "Grubug" cave. In the end of Grubug, u'll then see what I and my friend called "heaven light" wkwkwkwk. This light fenomenon only exist in 3 places in the world according to the Bapak (guide guy). One in Indonesia, another in New zealand and the other one is in morocco (if i'm not mistaken).
The road to Jomblang is quite hard, after you reach to Gunung Kidul area, the road was not polished and veryy rocky. Well, time for a little offroad experience ;). After arriving, we then put some socks on, wear the very heavy boots (apparently it's called safety boots and heavy because there are iron plate in it --') and time to get ready to be 'rope' down to mother earth belly :P.
 |
| After putting on those safety boots and damn do we look good with it! :P |
Being 'rope' down (is this even a word? hahha) is very thrillingggg... But I love it!!! You get to experience the adrenaline and excitement and seeing the inside of the cave. veryyy prettyyy!!
After reaching the land below, waited for some people, we then walk towards the entry of Grubug cave.
 |
| Can u see the cave? yess, we enter that 'hole' wkwkwk |
 |
| View from the 'inside' |
So, how did this vertical cave happen? It happened due to the underground river thousand yearss ago start to do something. The guide says that probably some whirlpool happened and thus erodes the soil underground to a point where the land on the surface fall down and thus creating this vertical cave.
Since it happened yearss ago, the forest and plantation down there are different from plants above the earth. Ancient forest they say, because many of the species down there are not yet identified.
 |
| Found a unique 'mushroom'? |
 |
| The one on the left is actually of the guide who handle people from 'The Amazing Race'. And can you see the black area behind him? That's the grubug cave, and we're going to enter it. |
 |
| To reach there, we have to go 'down' hahha... Very carefully otherwise, we'll fall due to the slippery slope (litterally). Imagine getting back up with the exact same road hahha.. and yess we went through it as well. |
 |
| This is from the inside of Grubug cave, pretty amazing view huh?? |
Reaching grubug cave was a challenge for the road is muddy, slippery and quite steep. Getting inside the cave is another thing hahha. For not only it is dark and rocky, but slippery as hell! The shoes also added to the uncomforted (mine was quite tight).
But at lasttt..... I see the light..... (THIS IS SOOO WORTH ITT!!)
 |
| So the light actually come from a hole above the earth :) |
They say that this use to be an execution place for the G30S PKI victim. People were thrown from the hole above :(. Such a beautiful place but has witness so many horror of human history. *sigh*
 |
| This is the underground river |
We went to the rock area. This rock was created by the water poured down. For it to takes to be a huge rock took yearsss and so we were told to be careful not to touch the rocks. In order to preserve its beauty and what mother nature has try to do. The guide even told us to not throw garbage or plastic or anything here. It pains me to see other people disobeying what the guide says :(. Many of the tourist in my group still went on and on touching, standing on the area where the guard had specifically told them not to step on or touch. Also, I saw packagings of food quite far from the safety area. (thus i can't take them with me). Friends, if you ever want to visit, please consider the nature, environment and the preservation of it.
 |
| Me and my friend, taking a picture is challenging coz most of the time, u'll end up being shilouette --' |
 |
| Those are the rock that thou shall not touch. |
Anywayyyy, after hours being in the cave, we then went back. Stepping through the mud (now climbing it) became even harder that almost everyone run out of breath hahha. We then were 'pulled' up again, this time I was more relaxed and get to enjoy the view more.
 |
| People were pulled up by the ropes |
 |
| Bye2 jomblang |
We quickly change our clothes, pay the dude 450k, pay for 2 photos (50k, 25k for each), take our lunch and water (it was provided by the jomblang team) and quickly go to our next destination. :)
Kalibiru and Waduk Sermo
Now, this is the place that become very trendy in the internet through hipwee.com, which one is it? you'll see later heehehe..
We quickly went from jomblang as it took 3 hours to go to Kalibiru. We ate our lunch in the car, and although wasn't planning to sleep, we fell asleep during the roadtrip hahha. Woke up not long before arriving, and we faced how scary the road can be. If the road to Jomblang was horrible due to it's rocky condition, then this one is bad due to its very narrow yet extremely steep road. It was quite dangerous that if a car wants to go up, the car that want to go down has to wait.
 |
| The "tree" spot |
Remember this spot? Yeah, apparently you have to queue for it and have your pic taken by their photographer. By the time we got there, it was full! and gotta wait quite long. So, after taking some pics, we decided to head to our next destination. In the car, our driver ask us wether we wanted to see the lake we saw from uphill in Kalibiru. Apparently, it's called Waduk Sermo (Lake Sermo). We said yess since we're passing it anyway and the timing couldn't be more perfect..
Time for sunset at the peaceful lake Sermo.
 |
| Colors that a samsung phone can capture, but my nexus can't T__T |
 |
| This is what you can call as serenity. |
After looking at computer screen or phone screen all days, seeing nature is relaxation for me eyes -__-
 |
| *deep sigh......* |
 |
| Panoramic view hehehhee... |
Indomieeee, Seleeerakuuu...
From this point, we head back to Jogjakarta, wanting to go to Mie telep 12. The place where they served indomie that looks like its the picture on its packaging ;). But first, let us shop for Bakpia. My friend and even the driver have told me to buy bakpia from other brand, since this brand is not as well known as others. However, I insisted upon this brand because of its packaging wkwkwk. It's soo cute that as a designer, I just couldn't resist it!!
 |
| This pic is actually taken the morning after at my hotel room hehehhee... |
I bought bakpia in chocolate, milk, cheese, cappucino, and green tea flavor wkwk. The green tea is really nicee! Heart2
Now, for dinner.. Indomieeee... seleeerrakuuuuu. Due to our hunger, each of us order 2 portion hahha... And after the food come, rather than eating it immediately, we take food photo with our phone first! wkwkwkw..
After eating and satisfied with Indomie, we realized how extremely exhausted we are. Our legs started to get sore, so we decided to get back to our hotel and call it a night. We stayed at the trending hotel in Jogja: Greenhost boutique hotel :P, we checked in, took a nice bath to clean ourselves, and I just went straight to my dreamland hehehe...
Comments