Not even 30 before 30 – So What?

Hey, it’s me again. I hope you’re doing well wherever you’re reading. I just wanted to give you some news about what’s going on. Remember when I first started this blog? I had this vivid dream in my head that by the time I reach 30, I’d have visited all the provinces in Indonesia. Guess

The Intentionally Sentimentalized North Sumatera

Around 75,000 years ago, an ancient volcano situated in the Barisan Mountains of Northern Sumatera erupted, expelling an estimated 2,800 cubic KM of ash and lava, and caused nearly half of the living species on Earth killed and vanished. Nearly 60% of human population reduced following the volcanic eruption. That event is considered by many

Falling for the Understated Charm and Distinctive Beauty of West Nusa Tenggara

To the east of Lesser Sunda Islands, the coast of West Nusa Tenggara seems to stretch to infinity. While the whole province boasts over 2,333 KM of coastline, you might start to think that the shore contains the entirety of that figure. The pristine wilderness there scattered with mountains and hills, long stretches of white

Bali: Unshaken in the Midst of the Pandemic

It has been 6 years since the last time I went to Bali. It was in 2014 when I got the chance to experience Nyepi for the very first time. I’ve been there a couple of times before, mostly for its beaches and holiday vibes, but spending Nyepi in Bali is second to none. It

Traveling to Togean Islands During Pandemic: The Most Eye-Opening Travel Experience in 2020?

It’s August 2020 already. 4 months to go before the end of the year, and if we think that 2020 could get any better as its end is approaching… we were wrong. Totally. Just the first week of August, the world was shocked by the explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, causing at least 180 deaths, 6,000

Riau: A Short Trip to Appreciate

Who would have thought that 2020 would be this cruel? A series of unfortunate events from the bushfires in Australia, Ukranian plane that being shot in Iran, the volcanic eruptions in the Philippines, the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, the earthquake in the Carribean, the floods and mudslides in South America, to the

Japan, Part 3: Cities and Contentment

Paul Graham once said in his essay, great cities attract ambitious people. We may sense it when we walk around one. In a hundred subtle ways, the city could send us a message: we could do more or we should try harder. Some other cities may attract different types of people too. It depends on

Japan, Part 2: A Quest for Snow

There’s always a first time for everything. I remember back then in 2017, when I finally travelled to Singapore was my first time going abroad. The amount of excitement was equivalent to a kid getting his first PlayStation. Seriously, I’m not exaggerating. The fact that I could finally get my first stamp in my passport

Japan, Part 1: The Unswerving Tokyo

“What’s your New Year’s resolution for 2020?“. Pertanyaan tersebut seolah-olah muncul ketika pikiran saya sedang berkonsentrasi memperhatikan gerak-gerik pramugrari JAL yang sedang bertugas melayani penumpang dengan begitu ramahnya di dalam pesawat Boeing 767 yang bertolak dari Cengkareng menuju Narita malam itu. Pertanyaan tersebut kemudian semakin bergaung di sepanjang langkah kaki ketika turun dari badan pesawat

Maluku: The 23rd Province of Blue

I came across on the internet the other day and found that the most popular color in the world is nothing else but blue. No further explanation related to why is that so, but supposedly because we are living on Planet Earth; the Blue Planet, due to the fact that about 74% of its surface