Staying up until the wee hours and setting off at 12:30 AM to climb the volcano and wait for the sunrise? Personally, I really don’t see the necessity. Why can’t we leave a bit later? From my experience, starting at 4 or 5 AM would be perfectly fine. I’m puzzled by the local arrangements that seem to follow this pattern; in reality, watching the sunrise at 6 or 7 AM is just as breathtaking.
The middle of the night on the mountain is bone-chillingly cold. Climbing up to the pitch-black viewing platform to await the sunrise is like standing in a wind tunnel. By the time the sun finally appeared, both my child and his father were shivering and exhausted; it was more of an endurance test than a pleasure [laugh-cry emoji].
I suppose we’ll only make this volcano trek once. It’s certainly a unique experience, but once is definitely enough.
I totally agree! Waiting in the cold dark feels unnecessary when the views are just as stunning later. Maybe it’s more about the experience than the actual sunrise.