An Amazing Trip to Greweng Beach

photo taken by someone, using someone's camera

two days ago, we were having a nice but extremely tiring (for me) trip to Greweng Beach in Gunugkidul. the trip so called "Rihlah 2015 Daaru Hiraa Family" is an annual trip of our lovely dorm to strengthen our brotherhood (al-ukhuwah) around the Daaru Hiraa students.

it was all started in friday. after having friday prayer, we left the dorm. all preparations were done before the prayer so we can directly go after that. it was cloudy so we put on our raincoat. the trip was rather long. it took about two and half hours if we went straight, but we decided to stop by the gas station in Gunungkidul to refill the gasoline and have a little rest. the road was not straight though, it was meandered. to make it more challenging, it was meandered, elevated, and slippery (due to rain).

we arrived at the parking lot at 5 pm. our motorcycle could not go any farther due to the hard track, so we continued walking on foot. i didn't know how far it was but we walked for about two hours from parking lot to the beach. because on the way, the trip leader akh Faiz forgot the route too. if akh Faiz who had gone there before hadn't forgotten the route, we would have arrived there in one and half hours. the track was hard too. it was rocky, slippery, muddy, and dark. there were hard and sharp rocks around us. and the track was up and down. and that made us walk really carefully.

but then, we finally reached the beach. the splashy sound and the sandy ground paid back all of the struggles. we arrived there at 6.45 pm. the beach was already full of people. i saw 7 or 8 tents already settled there. we built the first tent and had evening prayers. after that we built the next tents (we brought four) and had night prayer. it was extraordinary for us to have prayer in the beach, with the splashy sounds from the sea and the sandy ground. it felt like arabian feelings, but with extra splash and minus hot temperature of the sandy dessert.

after having prayers we set bonfire and sat around in circle. we roast yams and enjoy snacks. the night was not so dark since the moon was almost full. we talked in conference, sharing anything we'd like to. each one spoke alternately, one by one. after the last one to speak, i looked at my watch and was 1 am in the next day. it was saturday already. the wood was all burnt, and we ran out of yam too.

we slept in each tent. one tent contained 3 to 4 people. i didn't need to put on any blanket since it was not so cold. but i still put on my jacket. the tent was little wet and sandy, but for tired body, it wouldn't so much matter.

i got up at 4.45 am. the schedule said it was 4 am to get up, with assumption fajr time was at 4.30, so we would have got time for tahajjud prayers. but the tiredness disagreed. i got up late. they had started the prayer, i ran to the river, had wudhu in the brackish water and joined the prayer. you know what would happen to wet skin to meet sand, of course the sand would stick to the skin, giving me a free facial mask. after having fajr prayer, we read al-mathurat, the morning dhikr. and then we had breakfast, noodles and bread. we cooked the noodles using portable stove and pan.

as what most people do when going to beach, we played in the water. having so much fun and splash, although i can't swim.

we prepared for going home at 8. the sky was sunny, after a little rain. again, walking through the same hard track, but not dark as the day before, but with extra tiredness compared to the first day we went. and to make it more complex, someone's key is lost! Sigh's motorbike key is lost. but the journey must go on. we could think further in the parking lot. we arrived at the parking lot at 10. akh Eko and Santoz went out to call a mechanic. no, not key duplicator, a mechanic to engineer Sigh's motorbike so that he didn't need any key to ride it. finally we continued our journey home at 12.30.

one more chaos. on the way home, Faqih and Hifran was separated. they took the wrong way. we stopped and waited for him in a T junction. Santoz went back to check them while other one call Faqih's mobile. no answer. we waited and waited. it was more than a half hour already. finally, Santoz got back. "nobody was there. they were probably lost." he said, "we'd better go on, while someone please keep trying to call him." we agreed. we continued riding.

finally we arrived at the dorm. there was Hifran already. oh yes, they was lost but could finally find the way home. it was 3.30 pm. for one who had never walked that far like me, I was soooo exhausted. and I think everybody else was too. we took bath, had afternoon and noon prayers (jamak prayers) and slept.

it was the most amazing rihlah I had during my life here in Daaru Hiraa dormitory. and probably, the most tiring one. but the memory is much more worth, that it paid off all the tiredness. this would be unforgettable.

thank you guys.

Daaru Hiraa, 3 May 2015.