TRIPS: Yogyakarta, Indonesia

I don't think I'm the the first who's considered riding Merapi, but I must admit that a mountain spitting fire balls is a bit further than I'm willing to go. Despite spending the past two weeks here with a Navy and Marine Corps medical team that has treated about 4,600 earthquake victims, and regardless of being able to see the glowing red rivers of lava flowing down the sides of Merapi at night from 60km away, it's tough not to at least consider riding the volcano.

It's even tougher to ignore all of the bikes (and mopeds) here in Indo. However, it's not about the distance or the downhill grade here. Here, it's about merely surviving the bike commute among thousands of cars, trucks, motorcycles, buses, horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians.