Somebody said, “When you want to travel with others, start by looking for congenial companions, not for desirable destinations.” In my case it was relatively simple. I have been traveling with this group of mature, congenial friends of different backgrounds for years. Two common threads holds us together. One is a shared interest in trekking. The second is the pleasant memories of past trekking trips dating as far back as a decade. I like this bunch. They are wonderful people and I feel relaxed with them, even though a few new “trekkies” joined in recent years.
These folks typically plan for 4-5 trekking trips a year. This year they have plans to go to the Everest Base Camp and to climb the Pinnacles near the Mulu Caves. I usually join them for at least one trip a year. This Rinjani trek was the big one for me this year. I have missed out on quite a few interesting ones in recent years because the planned dates clashed with church priorities. Hopefully next year I can make it for at least one of the big trips.