MONITORING a volcano is like babysitting an infant. When the baby is sound asleep, the babysitter can take a rest. However, if the little child is troublesome, he or she cannot sleep at ease. The same goes for a volcanologist. He or she will always become restless whenever the mountain they are monitoring begins to show signs of volcanic activity.

That is what Ismail, Mount Merapis monitoring post officer, has been experiencing. The worlds most ac