Hey Mom,

Bad news: I bought my first pack of cigarettes today.

And I guess what they say about it being addictive really is true, considering I also bought a second pack.

Now, for the good news: Neither pack was for me.

When I was researching hiking near Bali, Mt. Bromo and Ijen immediately rose to the top of my radar.

Ijen is unique in that it’s also an active mining site.

What to do when your workplace becomes a tourist attraction?

In their case, humbly interact with the guests, wait for them to move out of the way as you carry 50 kilos of sulfur on a steep slope with loose rocks, all while engaging in a friendly manner, encouraging them to interact with you and take photos.

Basically, be a total goat.

And for that inspiring attitude and inconveniences they put up with, a token of appreciation was in store.

But what to get a miner?

Enter the cigarettes.

After handing out my first pack, word spread like fire in dry brush.

Suddenly, I had a bunch of mining besties.