A year since settling down (yah know, the “for real” one), and I actually have not settled — in its truest sense. What I realised this year is perhaps I never will. And it’s okay to never settle. Here’s 16 of my fave snaps of 2016, compiled while half cut. Because New Year’s Eve. 1….
indonesia
Lombok, Indonesia: Eat, Play, Laze
12 days in Indonesia. 39 restless souls (also known as social media influencers/bloggers/vloggers). 5 destinations — only one of which I had not visited. Lombok. Lombok, an island in the West Nusa Tenggara province, was exactly how I imagined it. Paradisiacal and relatively uncrowded. What Bali must have been like a long time ago. Day…
Borobudur And Ratu Boko, Indonesia: The Sun We Chased. The Day We Seized.
“Dua orang domestik.”, I remember it so vividly. Our Javanese Couchsurfing host paid the ticket price for Indonesians for him and me. The lone person manning the booth looked up, met my gaze, and I nervously pretended to be busy with my iPod. A couple of minutes later, I was successfully (sorta) smuggled into the…
The Lagoon Spa, Seminyak, Bali
“Do you play Pokemon Go? This is a Pokestop.”, it felt like an Astadala Hotel Management staff just spilled some classified information. The last thing I’d expect to hear at the entrance of a spa. “Oh. Do players flock here then?”, I wondered if the guard spends his day catching/shooing trespassers or non-guests/clients or… Pokemons….
Alila Seminyak, Bali: A Ten-Hour Affair
On a sizzlin’ Saturday, early arvo, the dog-tired motley crew of Trip Of Wonders flooded the lobby of Alila Seminyak whilst I hogged a groovy Kombi parked at the driveway. “Wow look at that view.”, the ladies chorused, heads turned towards the water. “Quick Potpot, picture!,” I almost dragged Travel Trilogy to the vintage VW…
NuArt Sculpture Park, Bandung, Indonesia: Molten Metal Marvels
Under the shade of towering trees, whose branches swayed to the haunting Sigur Ros-esque music played by a duo in the middle of NuArt Sculpture Park, we strolled in packs. We clung on to what was familiar: Spoke mainly our native language, and shared our thoughts within our respective groups. Our interaction with people outside…
The Trip That Was In Indonesian (And Non Indonesian) Food
The Bene Hotel, Kuta, Bali: Budget Luxury
5 Reasons Why I Love Indonesia
Indonesia, cintaku. Currently forty-nine countries into this life-long goal of visiting at least half of the world’s countries and territories, and still, Indonesia remains to be one of my top faves. Tens of countries ago, I instantly fell in love with Indonesia/ns when I stepped out of Soekarno–Hatta International Airport. Our Couchsurfing host who promised…
Fond Farewell To Pre-School Nomadism
33 countries under her teeny crocheted belt. Some people think that, for her age, it ain’t nothing but a number. Sure, she can’t remember all the country names (and never correctly pronounced most of them). She can’t remember the tens of airports she passed through (though the memory lingers briefly for she’s got a photographic…