The blue flames of Mount Ijen

At 2 o'clock in the middle of the night, my alarm clock rang. I dressed and prepared myself for my nighttime tour of the Ijen volcano on the island of Java in Indonesia, known for its breathtaking blue flames that are only visible at night. 
A driver took me and a few other tourists from the same hotel to the 'base station' of the Ijen National Park, where hundreds of other tourists were already waiting for the national park to open and the ascent to begin.

Equipped with a headlamp and gas mask and wrapped in warm clothing, we finally set off around 4 o'clock. The climb was challenging, but the anticipation of what awaited us at the top drove us forward. After about an hour, we still in the dark reached the crater rim. Now it was time to climb down into the crater for another half hour. As we almost mastered the quite adventurous descent into the crater, it was time to put on the gas masks for the last 200m. Shortly thereafter, we were offered a sight that was worth all the effort: The blue flames of Ijen shone in the darkness, a natural spectacle that seemed almost extraterrestrial. The reason for this phenomenon is the approximately 500 degrees Celsius hot sulfur that flows out of cracks in the volcano in small streams and ignites upon contact with the air, leading to the fascinating blue flames. Despite the gas mask, the sulfur gas made my eyes tear up and when I was once completely enveloped by a cloud of sulfur vapor, I could hardly breathe and had to flee to get air again. But that did not stop me from marveling at this wonder of nature. It was an unreal experience to stand there and feel the beauty and power of the earth so directly. After everyone had taken enough photos and videos, we made our way back out of the crater, which proved not to be so easy, as more tourists were still streaming down the small trail, so we often had to wait. Just as we finally arrived at the top of the crater rim, the sunrise was announced by a red-blue glowing horizon. The first rays of the sun, which bathed the volcano and the surrounding landscape in a golden light, were the perfect conclusion to our adventure. The journey to the Ijen volcano was more than just a hike; it was an experience that deeply impressed me and that I will never forget. The blue flames of Ijen are proof of the incredible beauty and power of our earth, and I feel lucky to have been able to witness this natural spectacle.