Indonesia, 2019 (part 1) | Travel Photographer

While I loved Bangkok, upon arriving in Indonesia, I had no idea what this country had in store for me. It was my first time visiting, and all I knew was what I've heard from Indonesian friends or read online. Imagine learning the following before even setting foot into the country:

Indonesia is made up of 18,307 islands, inhabited by 261 million people, it's home to the most giant lizard in the world, and finally, it has 139 volcanoes(some of which are active and you're allowed to climb).

It's quite a challenge for me to sit down and write about my time in Indonesia because, looking back, Indonesia hit me like a storm. It was quite an impact on the senses. The weather, the light, the colours, the smells and even the sounds. The meat of travelling.

A man lighting candles at a Chinese Lunar New Year event in Jakarta.

If I had to choose what stood out the most, it would undoubtedly be the people. I've never been to a place where a broad smile was an immediate reaction to making eye contact. Of course, I've yet to travel the world so for me this is absolutely the friendliest place in my opinion.

If I had to choose a number 2 on my list, it would be the various photographic opportunities that are available. It's ridiculously easy to walk up to someone and politely request a portrait be made. Due to this, I had very little resistance where exploring was concerned. It was a lovely break from Seoul or South Korea in general.

A portrait of mother(90 years old) and daughter(65 years old)

There are a few memories that I'll cherish for years to come. Allow me to share them with you. A fond memory was waking up at 2h30am and having our Indonesian friend, Anggi, driving us around the city of Yogyakarta for a day of exploring. We started at Borobudur Temple for the sunrise tour. This was surreal. In hindsight, I really should have taken fewer photographs and just enjoy the experience more. We really couldn't have asked for better weather that morning.

We visited many places during the day, but the spot we chose for sunset was absolutely fantastic. It was a lookout point from the edge of a cliff. Even though we didn't actually see the sun(due to clouds), the scene turned out to be visually spectacular in its own way.

I'd like to leave you with this moody sunset photograph, as I'd like to pick up from this point in part 2 of my Indonesian blog post. It contains more atmospheric photographs that were a bit more intimate to me.

Thanks for making some time to join me here. See you in part 2!