Gunung Sibayak
Lesson no 6: Happiness is a long walk in beautiful, unfamiliar mountains.
So say Hector and the Search for Happiness. There’s a kind of serene happiness to be walking in the cool mountain air, surrounded by nature, uninterrupted by sights and sounds of modernity. Even the sweaty backs and aching legs seem to contribute to the overall happiness.
I woke up at 345am and was ready by 4am. I opened the door and Smiley was already outside waiting on his motorcycle. There are a few routes up Gunung Sibayak. As I didn’t fancy walking in the dark for long and that Sibayak Multinational Rest House happened to be located near to the easiest route, we took it.
We rode in the dark until we hit upon a landslide. Only when I was helping to push the motorbike through the mud did I realise that I was actually aching from yesterday’s hike.
While the path up was not that difficult, a torch was still necessary. A jacket and a beanie would keep out the cold. Gloves would be useful in keeping the hands warm and to grab onto things on steeper slopes. The smell of sulphur was strong and I found it a little choking.
We reached the summit after an hour plus and lied down on the rocks, waiting for the sun to rise.
