DECEMBER 31, 1995, I was shivering on Mount Ciremai. As far as I can remember, that was the only time I celebrated the new year by watching the sun rise. Every New Year’s Eve after that simply passed me by, on the road, watching television, or being fast asleep. I was still in high school then and I wanted to welcome the new year with my classmates. I did not want to miss out. After all, I was only 17.

We had to reach the peak before night