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Lang
@galangwnie
Best of the week 25 at #nomadict 2021
Feeling bored is just, well, very boring. But they say that boredom has great benefits as well – it stimulates your mind to wander and be creative. And I can affirm that.
I had been in an office, facing the computer, working as an architectural assistant for four months. I started there right after I graduated, three years ago now, and it was this feeling of boredom that I didn’t expect I would encounter that brought excitement back into my life.
I began seeking adventure, stuff to do, and stumbled on some travel content creators on Instagram. They inspired me and encouraged me to do the same – to explore, capture, and make money from it.
"I didn’t need much to be convinced; I quit my job after four months, bought a camera and started a roadtrip to discover East Java."
"The East is unbelievably gorgeous. I found views that are so amazing that I can’t do anything else but keep searching for those hidden gems."
Because they are everywhere; majestic mountains, stunning beaches, underwater beauty, and not to forget the hospitality of the local people and their rich culture. I felt more alive than ever and I will continue to pursue this feeling, this journey. And I will definitely explore East Java until I know it like the back of my hand and beyond.
My most favorite place – which I almost didn’t get to see – is Tumpak Sewu, with a splendid waterfall and the background of Mount Semeru. It’s the waterfall seen in the winning shot, which I took during a four-day road trip starting from Surabaya, visiting Mount Bromo, Tumpak Sewu, and then to Mount Ijen.
It was a trip characterized by a lack of sleep as we were catching sunrise and sunset every day while traveling tens of kilometers in between. I went with a friend who just came back from Italy and if it wasn’t because of him, I would probably have surrendered to my fatigue after exploring Mount Bromo. I woke up so tired that morning, but my friend forced me to hike down to see the waterfall. I am glad I obeyed my friend’s wishes!
"We started tracking at 5 A.M. After walking in near darkness for about 30 minutes through the barking gardens and bamboo gardens belonging to local residents, we arrived at the Tumpak Sewu waterfall."
The sun had not yet risen, still covered by Mount Semeru. I waited for the moment until the sun rose and then flew the drone to get a view of the waterfall and Mount Semeru in one single frame. Such an amazing moment had never occurred to me before – A beautiful waterfall meets the majestic Mount Semeru. I had been here a few times but hadn’t seen such scenery where the mountains behind were clearly visible.
At that very moment, the most important thing to me was to capture what I was witnessing in the most real and perfect way. I don’t like having to change much to get the color and shape of the scene that I personally saw. My drone had some signal disturbances due to the thick trees, but I managed to take several photos.
"First a few to adjust the exposure, white balance and composition and once I had the balance and frame I wanted, I took the winning shot."
After taking pictures I went back to rest and continued my road trip to Mount Ijen and Pulau Merah before we finally returned home to Surabaya. I learned my lesson: When I really don’t want to go, it’s still worth it to get up. And always listen to persistent friends, especially at 5 o’clock in the morning!
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