At this very moment, I work the ‘front office’ at a hotel made solely with old authentic teak, a destination you may not be aware on a crater-like mountain range in Indonesia. In other words, I am a receptionist at a hotel but I always like to say “going to the office now” to my girlfriend and friends to hide the truth of my wasted potential. “Stop hiding the fact that you’re a receptionist at a hotel Jem” is the final conversation after my look of evil eyes as she said the comment and some laughs, followed by me driving 90 km/hour on my bike getting to work early rather than late thinking about how free I am flying and enjoying the ride of my life.
I do love life; I live it driven primarily by curiosity with a pinch of clumsiness. Thankfully I have had my fair share of experiences getting involved in the best and worst of situations, living through all that I stumble upon – one of them being; dropping my GoPro camera in a den of wild dogs! “Oh James! Not again” was my family’s reaction on the occasion when we were enjoying the African Safari as I almost got everyone in the jeep mauled to death.
There is no such thing as coincidence in my belief, everything has its reason, wild dogs are a very hard find during Safari gaming; the family was lucky enough to get an up close and personal upside down ‘selfie’ of one in particular during my exploits! The ranger called ‘Promise’ got my camera back and he will forever be my GoPro hero.
I motivate all travelers to experience the safari games in South Africa at least once in their lifetime; I must also say the ‘amarula’ is the choice of beverage there. In Safari Gaming you can sit on a jeep for hours staring at an animal and feel at peace. I am a traveler myself; starting this year I can honestly say that I have been to 6 continents of the globe. I just need to witness the Aurora in both Arctic and Atlantic and then I may be called a world traveler.
Currently I rest my head on a rock called ‘Batu’, which metaphorically does mean a rock in my language. I found this now recent Tourist city of Batu, 4 years ago after travelling 4 years in both New Zealand and Australia, then finally United Kingdom. I was in search of farming which is my dream. ‘Money can’t buy life’; so from a young age I dreamt to have my own farm and live on it. When I found Batu, I was on the way to Mt Bromo to visit the ‘Tengger’ farmers who live there. The Tengger people have a radical way of farming and way of life. As you enter the Bromo area you can see all around you the vertical farming that goes on, all over sides of mountains and even on cliffs! I found the place I was looking for at last in East Java.
I spent 3 years as a farmer and I can honestly say it is the calmest, relaxing and peaceful experience I have lived through, just to be one with nature and to be able to see all the beautiful nature which grows step by step around you. I hate vegetables; unless I was the one growing them from the start then I love them! A lot of people in my country take organic farming for granted and the dream I have now is to successfully influence growing organic in my country, better economy for the farmers and a lifestyle that does not need to be expensive. I am starting from home this revolution, I have a green house outback and I created a farming ‘co operative’ promoting organic farming through tourism and selling produce which is affordable and chemical free.
My heart is where I call home, I am where I belong; my heart is the country which is my own, called Indonesia. There are around about 17,000 islands to visit; some parts are not even explored yet! Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world and my dream is to sail the islands, taking all travelers from around the world as guests on my future Phinisi schooner. In hopes to help travel seekers worldwide to find the beauty within, encounter the enchanted Indonesia. From snow capped mountains to the depths of sea floors, this will not be my last log in our book of travels. No longer shall I feel like wasted potential, all thanks to the future I have here, time is ticking and I want to travel in time.
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