sometimes have to get off the beaten track to
find it.
After two weeks in Sumatra, Carly and I
spent a few days in Bali and on Gili Air.
Despite it being quite touristy as compared
to Sumatra, we had a lot of fun discovering
different places, riding on motorbikes, going
snorkelling, and getting foot massages. Carly
had to leave after Bali and I found a cheap
ticket to Sydney so I decided to go to Australia
for a few days before moving on towards east
Asia. Five days obviously weren't enough to
experience Australia but it definitely gave
me an insight. I did a day trip to the Blue
Mountains and was yet once again floored
by the wonders of nature. It was nice to be
in a country again where communication
was easy and where I could escape the heat
as it was autumn in Sydney. I then flew to
Singapore for a few days. It was refreshing to
see the interesting mix of people and some
incredible skyscrapers in Singapore. I also
made a quick stop in Hong Kong which was
quite a culture shock again. Being a world
class city, I expected it to be easier to explore.
My hostel was located in a neighbourhood
with only local Chinese people so I felt a bit
lost and had a hard time finding food the first
day. I got used to it gradually and now I’m
grateful for the experience as I got an insight
into the Chinese culture. I also happened to
meet a photographer with whom I went to the
outskirts of the city and took some great shots
of the massive apartment buildings and the
beautiful temples.
For the final month of my travels, I met my
friend, Sahra. We spent around three weeks
in Japan and two in South Korea. I took a lot
of photographs in Japan and started to take
more and more people portraits. Initially, I
used to be hesitant to ask people if I could
take their pictures, but seeing the interesting
people, cute babies and adorable couples, I
just could not resist. We had about a week in
Tokyo where we had our own little apartment
and it truly felt like home. I absolutely loved
Tokyo for its loud and colorful nightlife
as well as for the quiet streets and temples
during the day. We visited Mount Fuji and
went up the mountain even though the
official path was closed. Fuji is the absolute
definition of beauty and I could not stop
myself from capturing as much of it in my
camera as I could. In Nagoya, we stayed at my
mom’s friend’s house. She was kind enough
to show us around town and also introduced
us to her neighbours. One night we went to a
bar by Swiss expat called Heinz where we got
very drunk and had a lot of fun. After that,
we moved on to Kyoto, which is probably one
of the most beautiful places I've ever been to.
Riding into the sunset in our bikes was one of
those experiences that take your breath away.
Our last few days together were in Osaka, the
second largest city in Japan. We met some
cool Japanese people there and made a few
day trips to Nara and Mount Roco in Kobe.
The very last country I visited was South
Korea. I’ve been interested in Korean culture
for some time so it was amazing to finally be
there. Seoul is a really cool place and Sahra
and I are already making plans to move
there after uni. I loved the cute little shops,
the palaces, the underground shopping
centres, the nightlife, the food and the people.
Everyone in Japan and Korea dress really well
and their way of living is something I really
admire. After three days at the coastal city of
Busan, I had to take my flight home. While
watching a sad movie on the plane, it was the
first time in five months that I had to cry. It
still feels strange being home now but I’m
eternally grateful for all the experiences and
for all the incredible people I’ve met along
the way. I’ve grown so much creatively and
intellectually and it feels like I've only started
living this year.
' In
my head the visions never stop'.
For now, I'm refusing to unpack my
backpack. What is 'home' anyway?'
Busan
Canon EOS 5D Mark III 35mm F/1.4 1/1250s ISO100
Hong Kong
Canon EOS 700D 18mm F/7.1 1/40s ISO125
Seoul
Canon EOS 700D 34mm F/7.1 1/160s ISO100
Vol 5
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