Hiking the rim of Batur crater in Kintamani Bali: part V

Mt. Batur is 1717m high and the crater rim has to be 1000m. The air is thinner and the sunlight stronger. I plastered my face with sunscreen and was covers with long pants, hat and long sleeves. My face got a bit of toasting but nothing serious. After a couple of hours walking I passed a guy filling a rectangular whole with water. He told me he was keeping fish in there, the water came from a pipe jutting out of the hill. He said there was some kind of pump somewhere. This area, while dry seemed fertile and forested. The end of my trek was the very top end of the crater. Sitting in the shade I could see the lake and the Bali Aga village of Trunyan on the left side, hugging the coastline. A local told me its is possible to follow the train around all the way to Trunyan. The outside northern edge of the crater is far more appealing than the tin roofed Trunyan, but if I had the time I would like to check out that part of the hike.

One of the great things about hiking the crater rim is the lack of anyone demanding money and using threats. I get the feeling that not many outsiders make it up here and everything will stay cool as long as people don’t start making the rim, the new 'in thing'.