We set off from Catimor Homestay at 5:00. Mr Black had not told us that breakfast was included, so we missed it. He arranged for a takeaway - dry bread and boiled eggs. Back on the bumpy 'road' again for 45 minutes in the half light of dawn until we reached the start of our Ijen trek - about 5kms of steep walking to the top. We had read that Ijen was a volcano scaling 2368m and used for mining sulphur. At the top would be a sulphur lake in the crater, where 'freelance' miners hack out, collect and carry the sulphur deposits back down the mountain - they repeat this process many times through the night and the morning. They are paid 600 Rp (4.5p) per kilo. Many now supplement these meagre payments with 'photo money' from tourists who want them to pose. Jacket and scarf were put on again as when we set out it was chilly, half-light with a damp mist in the air. Mr Black sat out this tour too and retired for a kip in the car. We were joined on the way up by a couple of miners, warmly dressed. They were carrying two sets of empty carriers (bamboo rod with a basket on either end) up the mountain. The path was a bit slippery and very steep in parts. Paul had his three stone backpack on again, what a martyr! We were struggling to say the least. Other backpackers overtook us, then to make us feel even worse, we were passed by miners on their way down laden with 60-80 kilos of sulphur. They bounced down the mountain wearing flip-flops - the bamboo hods squeeking under the strain with every step. As we climbed the narrow shaley path, surrounded on all sides by Javanese flora and fauna, Paul stopped at a clearing and as we looked out we could see a volcanic peak rising above the clouds. The photos are a must-see. We will try and load as many as we can, but are struggling with internet access at present. From then on the views from every angle and turn were breathtaking. The walk is always easier when you have amazing views to enjoy. The views were surreal, like the views from an aeroplane. Towards the top the path became flatter and wider and we got our second wind. The last stretch was easy. The vegetation thinned out as it neared the sulphur lake, until eventually there were just dead tree trunks lining the path. We reached the rim of the crater and looked down at the lake. In the mist and steam of the billowing sulphur vents we could make out a green lake in the crater. We climbed higher around the rim to get further views of the surrounding landscape and the crater below. Other tourists had started the descent to the sulphur vents where the miners were hard at work. The path was narrow, extremely slippery and potentialy treacherous and the sulphur gases poisonous.... we bottled out! We stayed a while to savour the views and bask in the glory of having managed the trek before heading back down. The trek down was even more slippery and a killer on the knees. We could hear the distant cries of gibbons on the way down but never saw any. We woke Mr Black up from his slumbers and asked him to take us straight to the ferry terminal for Bali - we decided to skip the clove and coffee plantations. We had no accommodation booked in Bali and so we were keen to get there as early as possible. The ferry was more of a roll-on-roll-off vehicle transporter than passenger and only 6000 Rp each (45p). Find out what happened in the next thrilling instalment!!!