Eyes Opened

"... that I'll write right after this."

-- previous post    

Pft. Me and consistency. Big issue. But no worries, it's only 24 hours late. Now I'm here, ready to write about the quick escape to one of Indonesia's pearls,

B A N G K A

Parai Tenggiri Beach, Sungailiat, Bangka

First of all, let's have some prologues. Bangka, was my very first domestic trip I ever did. I know, pity. Mom's from Manado and I never even been there. Dad's from Cirebon I go there all the time, but I don't really consider that as a 'real' trip. Also when I went to Palembang, Bandung, Jogja, Semarang, Solo, Surabaya, Malang and Bromo, ya, because with mom and dad around, that's called 'vacation', not 'traveling'.

And Bali... Well, I've been there tons of times without mom and dad. So whenever I go there, it is, a traveling. But not domestic. I don't know, Bali no longer feels local to me. It's too overexposed with bules, bules everywhere so... Yea, really un-local. I love it tho, really much! But it just doesn't taste 'domestic'.

So when I say "a domestic trip", it should be something... Exotic. Something mainstream people don't go to. Something you can't easily see in your Instagram timeline. Something expats don't wander around because, there's not many expats! Just, something when you mention to people about your plan going there, they'll be like "wow, what are you gonna do there?"

The Bangka trip, actually it wasn't my plan at the first place. My friend initiated it. I myself preferred going to Belitung tho because, it's more popular. But then one thing led to another and Bangka it was. Only three days, two nights, but eventually, I realized a thing.

Indonesia, is really, literally rich.

Not being cliche, but it is. You don't even have to fly far to the east to see how diverse this nation is. Bangka's just 500 kilos away and there you go! It feels more like Malaysia rather than regular Indonesia. Then the next thing I know, I imagine myself in Sulawesi, and it'll feel like Philippines. Then I'll be in Sumba and it's the extremely different other thing! Crazy.

I saw common tourist spots tho in Bangka. Beaches -sick, sick beaches because those were so beautiful, museums, historical residences, Chinese temples, souvenir shops, yea, regular. What made me stunned, and really made my eyes opened about this whole "Indonesia's so fvckin marvelous" thing was, the local living itself. As well as the culinary.

Oh my God, wow. Can't believe myself.

Never thought I'm so obsessed with locals.

Went to Vietnam, acted like a local. Went to the US, tried to be local. Went to Philippines, people thought I was local. At this point I really just realized that my main personal ultimate objective of traveling, is actually nothing but to see how locals live!

It's not just overseas trip, apparently domestic ones too.

Air Anyir Beach, Pangkal Pinang, Bangka

Presindent Soekarno's Excile House, Menumbing, Bangka

Pangkal Pinang City

Tin Muesum, Pangkal Pinang, Bangka

Now Bangka, thank you so much.

You didn't only make me see that

Indonesia's filled with sick islands.

But you also made me be fully aware of

The true essence of traveling