Sidoarjo Mud Vocano (Lapindo)

Up early this morning to find a taxi to take us to desa Porong to see the mud volcano which is said to be caused by a mining company and has been erupting mud for almost 7 years now and has totally swallowed up 15 villages and continues to erupt mud and shows no signs of slowing down. The taxi driver we talked to insisted on using his meter and said he would be sacked if he did not use it. His estimate of Rp200,000 was spot on.
The drive to Porong/Sidoarjo was very quick with the amazing freeway however i definitely wouldn't feel comfortable driving it myself. While it was a 2 lane highway, the stopping lane ensured it became a 3 lane highway!
As the mudflow has split this highway in half, it was very easy to find. Along the sides of the embankment are several crudely constructed stairways to take tourists up to the top and up there waiting are groups of people waiting to sell dvd's, ojek (motorbike taxi). Waiting at the base of the stairs were 2 guys who demanded an 'entry fee' (Rp40,00 for 3 people) to use their stairs. All the guys touting around
the mudflow had been displaced by the mudflow and their employment now relied on tourists.
We grabbed 3 ojeks and they took us to Porong River where at 9am, the pumps would start pumping the mud from the volcano into the river to try to move it out to sea. They pump something like 120 tons per hour.
It was so desolate there and the vastness of the flow is incredible. Mud for as far as you could see. Have a look on google earth and you will see just how vast an area the flow has covered. The height of the embankment above the road was at least 20m tall. Along the edge of the embankment we saw house shells missing their rooves, doors and windows because the gas leaking from the volcano had caused explosions. One house amongst it all had washing drying in the garden!
I am so glad we did get out there and saw it for ourselves. Could easily stay in Sidoarjo and see More of it.