Two months after my Bali trip, I’m back in Indonesia. This time I landed in Java, trying to catch the perfect weekend to watch volcanos before the rain season. First day I managed a 2 hr mountain hike to see the largest acid lake on earth, Kawah Ijen sulfur lake. The acid fumaroles could literally choke an elephant, but the sulfur carriers have to suffer the smell and carry 80 kilos sulfur deposits from the mountain several times a day - maybe one of the most stressful and hazardous jobs in the world.

I wonder how lucky I was to have witnessed the fast modernization in China even I was born in an under-developed era.Life has kindly offered me so many choices, way beyond the survival level for the sulfur carriers.  I feel I am blessed, and am really grateful.