The Best Three Hours Drive

Often the most memorable time came from making a spontaneous trip with an ideal companion. This one was a three-hour drive from Jakarta to Bandung, with a girl named Cella in one sunny weekend. With her, everything seemed to flow effortlessly in modesty and without pretense. We chatted about many things, argued on a few cases and giggled away on some humiliating incidents. Time flew and for once it did not matter.

From Bandung, we continued to travel South until we reached the White Crater, also known as Kawah Putih lake. The lake is one of the two craters of Mount Patuha, a relatively stable stratovolcano with no significant records of activity since 1600 among many numerous volcanoes in Java.

Standing 2,430 meters above sea level, the air around the lake was brisk and surreal.

It was breathtaking to watch the lake change its color from teal blue to pale jade, depending on the temperature and sulphur concentration.

The acidity of the lake had painted the sand and rocks around the crater with a white wash, making the whole scene charmingly mysterious.

Driving back, I thought of how some people could easily be unconscious of the natural richness and beauty surrounding them. Sometimes, we hardly need to travel so far and spend the high expenses to find one of these unforgettable experiences. It could just be standing close to you.

Warmest regards, Fadly CAP