Bonjour, Le Meilleur!

It’s time.

Three weeks afterwards,

And now I feel like I’m ready.

To finally start a talk about it.

Yes.

Where should I begin?

Wow, I’m not sure, really...

Maybe from the fact that it was my very first trip to Europe? Could do. But how about the fact that I’ve visited the world’s Christmas Capital City, right during the Christmas eve? Or about getting lost in the midst of grand European buildings by the riverside—a scenery so typical to any writer’s beautiful description about a French Ville? Or about how I can land my feet in the mecca of advertising? Or the story of one-day-trip-ing to three other countries? Or how I end my year of 2017, and start 2018 in the world's most wanted city?

Seriously, it’s just so hard to decide because, because I can't even think I'm able to describe the trip! All I can think I could do now, is to describe my own feeling. Because this one, was distinctive. Because never in my life I felt so proud, so warm, so blessed, so contented and so moved, all in just one time.

Proud because, well, who wouldn't be proud to one's self if he could lift his ass up to Europe with his own great works -helped considerably by others' supports, too, but hell yea I played an important role on my own trip! I've been dreaming of visiting Europe for God knows how long. And to be able to arrive there, in such big trip,on the same damn year after I finish one other big trip to Australia, well, I don't think I've ever been more proud to myself than today.

Then the fact that I was there during winter, that's what made me feel so warm and blessed. Oh yes, I was there when Christmas celebration was lit. And by "there" I meant, Strasbourg. French Christmas Capital, where Christmas markets were the vein of the city, and Christmas Carols were the talks of the town. All my life, I never experienced any better Christmas celebration.

After Strasbourg I raided Lyon. France's second city with historical touches oh so pretty. It was only for two nights, but I couldn't ask a better European charm. Then I went on to Nice, the country's everbright coastal beauty, which I made as a base camp for my other visits: Cannes to fulfill my ambition as an adman, Monaco to fulfill my obsession as an F1 fan, and Ventimiglia to fulfill my... tummy - I swear I tasted just the best aglio olio in my entire life in this small infamous town. So much things I did, so many goals I accomplished, and if I didn't say that I wasn't contented, I don't know what else could make me so.

Finally I wrapped it up in the anticipated city. The main dish, the grand destination: Paris. Where I got to see the landmarks I could so far only dream of visiting. Where I got to walk down the passageways in which I usually only see from any travel article photos or French indie movies. Where I got to prove to myself that anything you wished to do, you could do if you tried hard enough.

And those, were what made me felt so moved.

Because I know I could go back there again. I know I could return and do the things I had not much time doing. I know I could even do better. Visit other European countries, check the big cities off of my bucket list, land in smaller towns I didn't even know existed.

I'm so moved to do more. Explore more, travel more,

Achieve even more than this trip I called Le Meilleur,

"The Best"

Can you guess which one is which?

So France,

And Europe too,

For the time being,

À bientôt, mon amour!

Finally

Let's talk about roots.

Oh, no, not those curly-fingers-of-mother-nature roots. I'm referring to family history. Not the whole history but, more like, hometown. My parent's hometown, as I technically have none—I was born and raised in Jakarta. So yea, hometown.

Think I've told you once about my Dad's. It's Cirebon, the used-to-be small city that is now one of West-Central Java's top travel destinations. When I was a kid until several years ago, my family and I always paid a pilgrimage to the city every Eid holiday - it's a thing in Indonesia, remember, the homecoming thingy? Cirebon's pretty reachable from Jakarta by road. It didn't take long to get there, and we've got places to stay, so, it has always been Cirebon, when it comes to homecoming.

Meanwhile Mom's, is Manado. It's like thousand miles away from where I live. Located on the other island, crossing the seas, with different time zone, plus the fact that the city itself is the northernmost capital in Indonesia, and that Mom's close relatives are all in Jakarta, we didn't have much reasons to fly there. And much time too, remembering that my family and I have intolerable schedules.

Visiting Manado has always just been a dream to me and my family. It's pretty sad, because when people ask about origins, and I answer I'm half Manadonese, and they ask if I ever been to Manado, then I say no, it feels so wrong.

Well I've always had opportunities to visit the city. As a free individual, non committed guy and of course, a solo traveler, I could just easily browse any cheap flights and fly myself there. But I never want that. Because Manado is my family's destination. I won't be there just with myself—I want to land in my mom's hometown, for the first time, with all my family members.

And so it happened.

Spontaneously, quickly, without thinking much, without considering too hard. We've had enough plans. It's time to actually go, and so we finally went...

...to our long lost hometown.

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

It meant a lot to all five of us.

To finally be able to go on a family vacation again, to travel somewhere local further than Bali, to listen to all Mom's stories and memories every time we passed a glimpse of her childhood, to eat all the divine Manadonese food - this was one of the major highlights of the trips—I actually gained THREE KILOS, whatever we did, wherever we went, it meant a lot.

But what made my heart reached its fullest content were, to know that I still have relatives there, making Manado a city not only for traveling, but also to come home to...

 

 

And to realize that I really love these people.

 

Thank God we made it.

Now if I ever get another chance to solo-travel Manado,

I no longer have to feel bad about literally everything.

Because I've finally been there, completed my list,

With my family

Check Two

So I've crossed the second point on my list.

I had an awesome trip with my company.

And that's not the only highlight.

In this second visit to Hong Kong - Macau, I brought back my book. The book I wrote, about the two cities. And I had my second experience in Disneyland. And I went here and there for the second time once again, and ultimately, I met one of my best international mate, also for the second time.

Well, first time's a blast,

Second time's a wonder, eh?

Hippy Holiday

March is way past my annual trip schedule.

By this time three years ago, it was two months after my first solo trip ever—to Malaysia and Thailand. Two years ago, I had my trip to Vietnam and Cambodia already finished for about six weeks. And today last year, I had even finished my book script after I visited Hong Kong and Macau. For the last three years, my annual trip has always been done somewhere around end of January to the beginning of February, as for this year, well, all I did was just working and escaping for a while to Bali.

I don't want to break my habit.

So I planned a simple trip to

It wasn't big, like what I usually did for my annual trip -I'm kind of financially overwhelmed too anyway, after Japan. And unlike any other annual trip of mine, Singapore is not someplace I've never been to. I've been there several times. With family, with friends. But yeah you might know why I finally ended up choosing Singapore.

Because I want it to be done solo.

Booked everything myself, flew alone, slept at the airport -I've finally crossed Changi off of my list!- and stayed at the dorm, talked with random people, made new friends, got lost, did all the things I wanted, man, it doesn't really have to be Singapore, honestly. Whenever I travel, if I just do it my way, and no one is there to interfere, I'll have the best time of my life.

Plus this was my visit to Singapore for the umpteenth time -lol no I'm just making that big, it was only like my sixth time- so I've roughly seen most of the tourist spots. And thanks to that, I had all the four days and three nights of my visit last week, in a complete serenity and non-rush sense. And I got to visit more of the 'hipster' places.

Staying around Chinatown instead of Orchard or Bugis,

Crossing the water to some other island instead of Sentosa.

I really enjoyed every second of it. People on my feed would probably think "okay Vick, it's only Singapore. Don't make a big deal out of it." but I don't care. I cycled through the real jungle of Singapore, while all you can do is just walk around in the fake-jungle-you-call-concrete-jungle-it's-not-even-a-real-jungle and shop.

I really enjoyed every bit of it, and guess what, the timing is just right. It was a long weekend, and I was there far before Friday, and I returned on Saturday just before everybody returned on Sunday -which I'm pretty sure would create a messy scene of Indonesians everywhere in the airport. I dodged all the bullets!

Although actually, it's not the right timing I was talking about.

It's more because at the end of the trip,

Just in one hour, after my arrival in Jakarta,

Is my big day

So yeah, I planned it really well.

Because returning from the Hippy Holiday,

I got a "Happy Birthday"

Homey Holiday

I've been talking much about Bali.

How I adore the island, the atmosphere, the people, and of course, the scenery. I never get bored of this place, and I've always had the urge to write everything about it—from the very first time I landed my feet there, started blogging about it after the second visit, then back and forth, back and forth, with different stories and companions, until finally I reached the time that I don't feel like writing about it anymore. I'm still in love with Bali, I just gradually lose my interest to keep reporting about my journey every time I finish a trip.

Like after I returned from Lembongan during 2016 New Year holiday. It was sick and crazy nice, but I didn't even have the interest to write about that because I knew, I'd be back really soon. And I did. Just last weekend. Initially I'd want to not write anything about it.

But somehow, I can't.

Because this one was different.

All these years, I've always traveled to Bali with tons of objective. Exploring this side of Bali, that side of Bali, this beach, that beach, Gili, Menjangan, Lembongan, blah blah blah. All was fun, oh really. Never once in my lifetime I visited Bali, and had a bad time in there.

And now, as it seemed like I've been to almost all Bali's top destinations, I felt like it's time to enjoy the island in a new way. Not to spot a new place, but to celebrate the whole place, in a new way. A more relaxed way.

Yes, a way to live Bali,

With not much of an agenda.

I call it Bali staycation.

Enjoying the island, by doing nothing.

Hotel, swimming pool, hip eating places, hotel, swag cafes, laptop by the rice paddies, hotel, clubs, nice drinks, good meals, hotel, slow bike ride, book by the beach, hotel, bright sun, hotel, rain, hotel, cotton candy sunset, hotel, hotel, hotel.

Damn.

I stayed in Batu Belig area, and not even once going much too far away from my hotel. For some people it may be considered a waste of time, but, honestly, it was really worth the waste. Beyond valuable, precisely.

Because apparently,

Bali is a good place to apply

The art of procrastination.

I've unlocked another way to enjoy the island.

And I've always found more reasons to return.

Well Bali,

You just can't ever fail me

Witnessing a History

Just this morning.

I saw something dramatic, something intense.

Something people won't forget for a plenty of time.

Because it was mind-blowing.

And I'm not just saying that.

Well,

First, the scoring was bicycle-pants tight

Liverpool first, then Spurs, then Liverpool again and so on.

Liverpool's first goal by Lazar. Pic's from here.

Spurs' first goal by Harry Kane. Pic's from here.

Secondly, Gerrard equaled legend Robbie Fowler.

For 183 Liverpool goals, now both sharing crown at 5th place.

That's our Captain Gerrard. Pic's from here.

But things got a lil rough, a lil more intense

As Spurs leveled and almost ended the game draw, in Anfield, again.

It's Mousa Dembele, who almost ruined my whole day. Pic's from here.

And all of the sudden, Super Mario rocked our world

Scoring his first goal ever for the Premiere League, and saving Liverpool's ass

Definitely wasn't the MOTM tho, but still, he was sick. Pics are from here and here.

But the highlight of the victory was,

Seeing these boys hugging

Pics are from here, here, here and here.

And realizing how that scene made my heart melt.

I know I love them now