Say hello via text message and join in the conversation!
Pandhu Waskitha, aka 'Backpacker Tampan', is an Indonesian travel photographer with a heart for storytelling, and he shared with me his remarkable evolution from a backpacker sharing tales on 'ASKfm' to a social media sensation. He doesn't like to just snap photos—he weaves vibrant narratives that celebrate the spirit of adventure and the soul of places far and wide. My conversation with him peeled back the layers of Pandhu's artistry, revealing his battle for creative authenticity in an ever-changing digital landscape that's often more about the viral hit than the story behind it.
Navigating the tides of social media, he talked about the seismic shift from still images to the dizzying world of Instagram reels and TikTok's bite-sized content. Even as the ground shifts beneath our feet, he tries to stand firm, marrying his vision with the demands of new platforms without sacrificing the integrity of his work. Together, we uncover the delicate balance between embracing market trends and staying true to the craft, and how Pandhu's keen eye has captured more than just images, but the ethos of the communities and cultures he's encountered.
The episode culminates with a peek into Pandhu's philanthropic dreams and a touching reflection on travel's profound impact on personal growth. His stories are a mosaic of humanity, from the market vendor in Bali whose hope was kindled during tough times to the ambitious goal of building a school on Sumba Island. It's not just a conversation about photography; it's about the power to 'give back', the transformative lessons learned from each project, and a gratitude for the ability to inspire and be inspired. Join me for this thought-provoking episode that's as much about capturing the perfect shot as it is about cherishing the journey itself.
If you want to see more of Pandhu's work please visit his profiles below:
Instagram: @backpackertampan, YouTube: @BackpackerTampan,
TikTok: @backpackertampan
__________________
Thank you for listening and for being a part of this incredible community. You can also watch this episode on my YouTube channel (link below) where I also share insights, photography tips and behind-the-scenes content on my channel as well as my social media, so make sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok or check out my website for my complete portfolio of work.
yoreh.
www.yoreh.co
discount code: moodpdcst.23
My FREE eBook:
www.form.jotform.com/240303428580046
My FREE Lighting Tutorial:
www.mattjacobphotography.com/free-tutorial-sign-up
YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@mattyj_ay
Website:
www.mattjacobphotography.com
Socials:
IG @mattyj_ay | X @mattyj_ay | YouTube @mattyj_ay | TikTok @mattyj_ay
Say hello via text message and join in the conversation!
Pandhu Waskitha, aka 'Backpacker Tampan', is an Indonesian travel photographer with a heart for storytelling, and he shared with me his remarkable evolution from a backpacker sharing tales on 'ASKfm' to a social media sensation. He doesn't like to just snap photos—he weaves vibrant narratives that celebrate the spirit of adventure and the soul of places far and wide. My conversation with him peeled back the layers of Pandhu's artistry, revealing his battle for creative authenticity in an ever-changing digital landscape that's often more about the viral hit than the story behind it.
Navigating the tides of social media, he talked about the seismic shift from still images to the dizzying world of Instagram reels and TikTok's bite-sized content. Even as the ground shifts beneath our feet, he tries to stand firm, marrying his vision with the demands of new platforms without sacrificing the integrity of his work. Together, we uncover the delicate balance between embracing market trends and staying true to the craft, and how Pandhu's keen eye has captured more than just images, but the ethos of the communities and cultures he's encountered.
The episode culminates with a peek into Pandhu's philanthropic dreams and a touching reflection on travel's profound impact on personal growth. His stories are a mosaic of humanity, from the market vendor in Bali whose hope was kindled during tough times to the ambitious goal of building a school on Sumba Island. It's not just a conversation about photography; it's about the power to 'give back', the transformative lessons learned from each project, and a gratitude for the ability to inspire and be inspired. Join me for this thought-provoking episode that's as much about capturing the perfect shot as it is about cherishing the journey itself.
If you want to see more of Pandhu's work please visit his profiles below:
Instagram: @backpackertampan, YouTube: @BackpackerTampan,
TikTok: @backpackertampan
__________________
Thank you for listening and for being a part of this incredible community. You can also watch this episode on my YouTube channel (link below) where I also share insights, photography tips and behind-the-scenes content on my channel as well as my social media, so make sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok or check out my website for my complete portfolio of work.
yoreh.
www.yoreh.co
discount code: moodpdcst.23
My FREE eBook:
www.form.jotform.com/240303428580046
My FREE Lighting Tutorial:
www.mattjacobphotography.com/free-tutorial-sign-up
YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@mattyj_ay
Website:
www.mattjacobphotography.com
Socials:
IG @mattyj_ay | X @mattyj_ay | YouTube @mattyj_ay | TikTok @mattyj_ay
Okay, rewind Go.
Speaker 2:You know a Photoshop.
Speaker 1:Do you think that's a good thing or a bad thing Um this thing called paper signing?
Speaker 2:is like life-changing. I just always have this thinking of like I'm running out of time. For me, everything is about art. You know how you tell your story.
Speaker 1:You've written two books. Ooh, okay, Exclusive right here.
Speaker 2:I can actually add one more thing.
Speaker 1:Welcome to another episode of the Mood Podcast, and today I spoke with Pandu Waskata, more commonly known as Backpacker Tampan. He's an Indonesian travel photographer and videographer, and his story is truly captivating. It's one of which dreams are made. He started from absolutely nothing and chased his ambitions of wanting to travel at a relatively early age. Through his experiences, he developed his skill of telling stories, and it is his passion for storytelling that underlines everything he does. We talked a lot about the genesis of how he became such a popular storyteller and how photography played a large role in this. Now that he has evolved into an artist with many strings to his bow, he shared with me how much he still wishes his creativity could be more his own and not just for others, harping back to when he began having full creative freedom on what he does and how he does it. He's a happy man and it was a privilege to have such a kind-hearted and optimistic artist on the show. May, I hope he spreads as much joy and inspiration to you all as he did for me. Enjoy, hey guys.
Speaker 1:Before I let you continue with the video, just indulge me for a few minutes. I want to briefly talk about my new brand, yore, founded with my business partner and photographic artist, finn Mattson, we're proud to bring you a new artisanal jewelry and specialty coffee brand Yep. What on earth do they have to do with each other, or anything at all? Well, they're both our passions. They've always been another artistic outlet for me, now for over a decade. So, for those that know me, coffee has been my other obsession since I was young and as a result of it, I'm a qualified SCA coffee specialist. So when I met Finn some of you might have seen my podcast with him when we barely knew each other, our love for art and jewelry had a home, and that home is here House of Yore.
Speaker 1:Yore is, amongst others, an artisan jewelry label, and it's all about the art of intent for everything that we do. Our intention with Yore was to add a touch of celestial elegance and artistic expression to our visual narratives. Every jewelry piece is a statement, a reflection of your unique story and purpose. It's not just about jewelry. It's a wearable piece of art that speaks volumes. Picture this Silver or gold are dawned with an actual piece of art. Silver or gold are dawned with an actual piece of lunar meteorite that's right straight from our moon, making every piece as unique as the moments that we usually capture through our lenses. From limited edition lunar jewelry pieces to finely crafted 925 sterling silver and gold rings, pendants and chains is something for all of you.
Speaker 1:In our unique designs, we're also committed to the environment as much as possible. Our coffee is direct trade, organically produced and locally farmed, minimizing impact on the environment as much as possible. Our jewelry packaging is all sustainable and recycled other than the moonrock, of course Proudly eco-friendly in both packaging and jewelry production. You can feel good about looking good At the top of it off. We offer free worldwide shipping, ensuring that a piece of lunar beauty can grace your collection no matter where life takes you. And if you ever find yourself here in Bali, please come and visit us. Our cafe and community driven art house is a haven for creatives just like you. So before we head back into the video, please just take a moment to explore Yore's collection and as a special treat for you, my one foot audience, yore is offering an exclusive discount. Head over to our website and use the code below for a 10% discount off your jewelry purchase. The link and details are in the description. Anyway, thanks so much for listening and I'll let you get back to the video now.
Speaker 2:Dampan.
Speaker 1:Pandu, I'm not going to try and pronounce your full name because I'm not that good, but maybe you can pronounce your full name for us. Give us an introduction. Welcome to the Moon Podcast. Thank you, give us a little intro about yourself.
Speaker 2:So my full name is Pandu Wasgita Adiraharja, but people call me just Pandu, or my social media name is actually Backpacker Tampan, so a lot of people also call me Tampan. Normally if you're a foreigner you call me Tampan because they usually think that's my real name, but if you're Indonesian you know that Tampan means actually handsome.
Speaker 1:That's a good name for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a very catchy name, so that's why I make it. I just want to be catchy and I'm well-known as the travel guy on social media and TikTok and YouTube and Instagram. I used to be a backpacker, like a few years ago, but then I grew and now I'm more like luggage than a backpacker. But I would still use backpacker name for like forever because it reminds me of where and when I started it and how did you start?
Speaker 1:Tell us the story of how you started.
Speaker 2:It's cliche, but it started as a dream, like as a big, big dream, because I was born and raised in a very ordinary family but like very loving, and I have like three siblings, so my parents, we don't travel and it's quite hard to raise four of us.
Speaker 2:Especially education in Indonesia is very expensive, so we don't travel. But I just had this big dream to travel because I don't know, it's like it's a big calling for me, like I used to read like encyclopedia books, like about seven world wonders, and I like to watch TV shows and movies about traveling around the world and like adventure around the world. And that's how my dream got bigger and bigger. But then I realized it was quite hard because, again, I was born and raised in the ordinary family, so financially it's hard for me to travel. But then I grow into bigger and older and wiser and then I started to realize that I am the only person that can make my dream come true. So I tried many ways to make my dream come true by working, by joining competition, until I actually won a competition in 2014. And that's when I started first traveling and it was to Thailand, bangkok.
Speaker 1:So the competition was, the prize was to go to Bangkok.
Speaker 2:Actually, the number one prize is a trip to Australia, but I didn't win that one. Okay, I won the second one, and it was I got an iPhone iPhone 4, I think, 4s but I sold it, sold it and I bought tickets for Thailand.
Speaker 2:That's when I started traveling and that also the time I realized that traveling is not as expensive as I think I thought, because there was a time I first joined a culture thing community, so it really opened my eyes about this traveler around the world who is like hosting people in their home and it could save money and brings like the community bigger around the world. You have friends and family everywhere and since then, I used always used culture thing and travel as a backpacker with a very tight budget until 2022, 2020, sorry, 2020.
Speaker 1:The famous year, infamous year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, 2020, my, I would say my life changed. I don't know because it's a big thing to say, because 2020 was like a hard year for almost every people, because it was pandemic and a lot of people losing their job and stuff. But at some point I grew so much on that year.
Speaker 1:And I think in social media.
Speaker 2:Yes, it really changed me. I think it's because the screen time of people is like getting really high, so I don't want to lose that momentum. I was very consistent on making content, starting TikTok as well, and that's when I grew very big that year and since then I got many job offers from brands and from you know To do what, what you know when brands reach out to you.
Speaker 1:what is, what is that main desire? Is it content, essentially, or is it blogs, or is it reviews, or is it a bit of everything?
Speaker 2:For me specifically, because I am a person who is like also have a, I show my personality I talk to in front of camera, so people want me to promote their brand in my content. But the challenge is I need to make it match with my branding, which is travel brands and yeah, so that's like. That's how the creative work is challenged on that part, because a lot of time the brand is like is not quite related to travel. So you have any brands. Yeah, now it's very diverse. Example like skincare.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:It's like a beauty product. But that's the challenge how do I make this into my travel travel brands? So the things I did is like something like you know, even though I travel and I got sun so much in my skin, but my skin still like looks good, or whatever, I use this brand, so something like that. They just make stuff up, yeah.
Speaker 1:But no, I mean, we just get. We just went to the UK and it's a reminder of how I don't know why we're talking about skin, but it's a reminder of how those types of little things are important, even if you are selling them for a brand. It's skincare, healthcare, all about that. When you're traveling so much, especially if you're backpacking where you don't have maybe the luxuries of a five-star hotel and massages and all that, you can sort of look after yourself.
Speaker 1:So, I'm sure it's kind of easy to kind of incorporate that into your content. Let's rewind it a little bit. So you know, when you first went to Bangkok, that was your first experience of traveling, right.
Speaker 2:Correct.
Speaker 1:What was it about the travel experience that really hurt you?
Speaker 2:It's more like about it's finally the big dream that I've been dreaming of all the time is coming true. So it was very like I was very excited in every part of journey. Example like that was also my first time traveled by airplane, so seeing clouds is just very like wow clouds, and then like temples and like pad thai. So every single thing is just very exciting because something new Okay, something totally new for me always excites me.
Speaker 1:So how did the videography, photography and the kind of content creation come into the travel? Was that always an interest of yours as well, or were you just looking for ways to combine travel with something, with pay, I guess?
Speaker 2:I think at some point in the middle of the journey it gets into, I need to combine this. Like when I started it, it was just like as simple as I want to take pictures, as much as I want, Okay.
Speaker 1:That's it.
Speaker 2:So it's just like a tourist picture. You know selfie and this pose and you know not photography at all. But then I started to share in my social media account. But that time I was, I didn't have my Instagram, I think it was. I don't know if you know it. I don't think you know it, but like Ask FM, ask FM yeah, it's about writing, like blogging.
Speaker 2:People ask and new answers. I've heard of it. You never used it, so I started that there. Actually it's based on writing story. So, yeah, my story goes viral on that platform which is Ask FM and then it was all about storytelling it's about. It's not about like, of course it's like selfie picture. People don't really interest it on like selfie picture. But the interesting part for audience is like the story.
Speaker 2:Because after 2024, that's in the mid-year, also 2024, I started backpacking to Southeast Asia, five countries, three weeks, with four of my friends and that's when I get a little bit of attention in social media because, yeah, it was like a very interesting journey for Indonesian as a backpacker, because there are not so many backpackers that time who travels outside the country. So I kind of like first starter who is backpacking and bring it to social media which is Ask FM. And from that my Ask FM grew and grew. Then I tried to bring my audience to visit my Instagram and that time my Instagram also still not very like. Yeah, you know, it's like a very old fashioned photography which is like there's no angle or there's no story about the photo, but like time by time I learned photography. Actually I learned more into like a real photography in 2017, when I got, when I moved to Bali. Okay, yeah, why, why I moved, or why I started.
Speaker 1:Why was Bali? Why did Bali allow you to learn photography? Why did you learn photography many times in?
Speaker 2:Bali, because when I got to Bali I met this community, actually in Changkuk, of photographers. That time I actually missed that time where, like, the community of photography is really supporting and it's really it's pure photography and it's just learning skills together and shooting together and like riding motorbike at 5am to Tegalalang to shoot sunrise. I missed those times. I met a lot of photographers in that time and that's when I learned and I when I also buy my first real camera, which was Sony a 6000.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:That was my first camera. I used to shoot in auto, always for like a year, 2017 until 2018. I met one of my best friend. He's not here anymore. He's in US now. What's his name? Ali Al Fatt. Okay, his photo is amazing, like amazing. You would love it if you see it. He is the one who taught me about all the technical things about photography, about ISO, app and shutter speed and everything. And since then, 2018, I never shoot in auto anymore. I never shoot in JPEG anymore, always shoot in RAW.
Speaker 1:Well, we've all done that before. We know better, right yeah?
Speaker 2:Everyone has done that, but I don't know I have to disagree with that because a lot of my friends who is also like a travel influencer, they seem like still comfortable on shooting in auto and in JPEG. So okay yeah.
Speaker 1:I don't yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean depends what you're using the images for right.
Speaker 1:If you're just going to use them for social media, then I would have, I would find it difficult to call you like a true photographer. But you know, if you know the differences and you say, okay, well, I know why manual is better than auto, but I still choose to use auto because it's quicker, I don't have to think about anything, fine, that's cool, yeah, like. But you know, when you don't know about manual and you don't know about RAW and you don't know about all the things that digital cameras can do these days, then you know I feel like you're missing out on so much you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, especially if you want to be a photographer. But I noticed when you were talking about photography and learning photography, your face was like lit up, like super happy, and talking about 2017, when you learned to.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I feel like a lot of it is about the people for you.
Speaker 2:Is that correct you?
Speaker 1:know what's changed since. I know you said you've missed those times. What's changed since 2017 in terms of photography community specifically?
Speaker 2:Well, there are two points, I think. The first one, I think when I talk about that you can see I like, I'm like into this friendship and meeting people. But if you talk about like in what do you say? Social media culture, I would say especially Instagram, because Instagram changed the way we work in creative space. Yeah, because, again I talk about this it used to be a very pure photography and very dreamy photo. No AI, just like I mean Photoshop, okay, but like no AI, pure art. Now it's shift into like very organic reels that you don't seem like you don't need a camera anymore, just like record with your phone and that can get a lot of attention and you can get viral and grows so much more. So I just feel like I don't know if you feel the same way but like photography now get less more appreciated and less attention than these, like very simple reels that you can get attention with phone and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:Totally agree.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I'm going to put it back to you now. Do you think that's a good thing or a bad thing?
Speaker 2:Be honest, it's like for a lot of people it's a very good thing, especially if you want to start social media. So the word it's too late, it's not there anymore. You can just get a hundred K views in just one night now, when in the past you have to like wait and work and very constant posting and editing and getting into the community and support each other. For like few years Now it's like it's very easy to get viral. So again, I wouldn't say it's bad because it's very beneficial for a lot of newcomer.
Speaker 1:But beneficial for what I mean. It depends on the intent of the individual. If your intent is to become a celebrity and it's become social media famous, then I don't think that's good. How does that breed anything that's good and productive to society? It's not art, it's just attention grabbing. You're going to post like you're either going to post something nude, or women are going to post something in their bikinis, right or they're going to post something that's not very nice to see in terms of, like an accident or a fight or a crash or something that's like grabs the attention, yeah.
Speaker 1:So the more people do that because they want to go viral, because they want to get famous or they want to be known or they want to be get this dopamine hit and it's all just when it comes to photography. That's why I still love, that's why I think photography is timeless, in every sense of the word. In both photographs actually photographs, but the industry is because, you know, true photographers will just want to do photography and you're going to fuck about, like I mean, everyone cares about their social media presence, everyone does. And if people say they don't, I don't believe them. But if you're not doing photography purely for social media likes, I think that's a good thing. If you're doing photography just for social media views, what is the end goal?
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:You get a hundred thousand views like oh, now I want 200,000. Yeah. Or you get a hundred thousand followers, now I want 200,000. Then I want 300,000. I want to be liked, more, more people to like me. I don't think that helps photography, because the images and the content just gets diluted. Right, yeah, I mean, I've just completely taken over that.
Speaker 2:But that's what I think. Yeah, yeah, I am on the same page. Like, again, it depends, like you say, it depends on, like, what is? What is your aiming for? Yep, your aiming for business, or just like pure passion and hobby? Because, again, if you're, like, truly into photography, then you don't mind getting less attention because you love your work, you know. But if some people are, like, quite business minded and they want popularity, they want money, they want to, you know, I want to be influencer and that's when some people, yeah.
Speaker 1:Do you see yourself as an influencer?
Speaker 2:I hate to be called an influencer. I think it's how people see us. Are we in, like, what are we influencing for? You know, I cannot label myself as an influencer, but if people think, like, I influence people by inspiring, but like through my story, through my how I get my dreams, then okay, then I influence you. But I would say I'm more comfortable to be called as an artist rather than a photographer because, yeah, for me everything is about art, is about how you tell your story.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think you mentioned that earlier. I wrote it down. You know, you really first got into all of this because you wanted to tell stories, yeah, and I think that's wonderful and I think that's why you're so popular and why I follow you and we enjoy seeing your stuff, because you're authentic, you are the real person and, yeah, everyone does brand work and has clients because you've got to pay the bills, right.
Speaker 1:So, you've got to find that outlet. But you know your content is very artistic and certainly your videos. I love watching your video stuff because it's you, it's real tampon, right, it's backpacking tampon, and it's nice to see that you've started. You started in a you know from nothing, essentially, and you've got to a point where you're still that same person. Where was the trip, where was the destination? Or you know, I know one of your biggest kind of travel experiences, which is going to India with very limited budget and you had to really improvise with how you earn money, right, and this thing called paper signing. What is that? So tell me about India first, and then we'll talk about paper signing. How are you?
Speaker 2:I'm really like, I'm happy that you read about that. Well, yeah, it's a lot of while ago, yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean, but that was your first real kind of travel experience where you just went, fuck it, I'm going to go to. India and see what happens right, Tell us a story.
Speaker 2:It was like 2015. That was like my first time ever solo backpacking. So my challenge is I have a year from 2015 to sorry 14 to 15 to save money as much as I can for traveling to Nepal and India. But, short story, I only have the money that I got from saving. It's just like $250 USD for like a month. I bought the ticket already, like the how do you call it?
Speaker 2:F the ticket, the plane ticket, yeah, but like the, you go to India and then you go back to your country. Oh my God, my English Visa, the return ticket, I return ticket, I got it already and I have to $250 for, like, surviving there, like I knew living expenses.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for a month. I knew I would at some point, I would run off of money somehow. But it's just like, fuck it, I'll just go, I'll just think about it later. Yeah, like I'll do, I don't know, I'll find a way. There's always a way. And then I went to Nepal for hiking in Himalaya alone. Because I did. I want to see snow. I've never seen snow in my life and when I research, nepal is like you can do a border crossing from Nepal to India, and that's why I put Nepal as well. It's supposed to be just India. But okay, I can see snow, let's go. And then I did a little research and you're supposed to go with a tour guide, like a hiking guide, which costs $20 per day. But I can't afford that, so I just went alone, which is amazing. It's like life changing. But, short story, I got lost in the jungle in the way back. Okay, yeah, it's like a real jungle.
Speaker 2:Where I have to, I use my like cut for the selfie stick to cut because I didn't have a knife and then it was like I fall down a few times, I fall a river, and then it was a happy ending because I found a farmer house in the middle of the jungle and I stayed with them for like a night. Can you show them the photo? Maybe I can?
Speaker 1:Absolutely yeah, we'll put it on the screen.
Speaker 2:The family is like, like, that was like the photo that I will remember for the rest of my life. Anyway, were you?
Speaker 1:sorry, were you into photography at this time or you had to?
Speaker 2:I have a GoPro, okay, so I did vlogging, so I talked to camera Okay, for YouTube, but for photography, just like a very simple one with GoPro, like selfie and stuff like that. And on that hiking trip I miscalculated because I need, I turned out I need to pay a permit for like quiet, expensive, and that's where I, my money is like almost gone just because of that trip Because I miscalculated. I didn't know about like this one permit. And then, short story, I went to India and I arrived in Taj Mahal, which was my big, big dream ever because remember I used to read book about encyclopedia seven world wonders.
Speaker 2:Taj Mahal was one of my like biggest dream. I love India, I love culture, I love colorful streets and I arrived there, taj Mahal. I was sad because I didn't get the chance to get inside Taj Mahal because I didn't have money. So the time was like walking to the, the how do you call it? The locket stuff who sells tickets Entrance stuff, entrance stuff. I talked to them, I begged them if I can get a local ticket price which is very cheap, but they couldn't help me. So the thing that happened was there was actually a tuk-tuk driver who actually watched me begging to the staff, or like a local ticket price, because I didn't have enough money. He offered me to bring me to the backside of Taj Mahal because there was like a park where we can see Taj Mahal.
Speaker 2:Yes, I didn't know about that. And then he brought me and then, yeah, I saw Taj Mahal for the first time, even though I didn't get the chance to get inside it, but like it was beautiful. I cried because it's my dream. And then, for being grateful, I took out my notebook and I write in Indonesian it's a spell Alhamdulillah, sesuatu. Alhamdulillah, is like something that you say to your God, to Allah my.
Speaker 2:God for giving me this experience. And then I took a photo with my GoPro with that writing, with the background of Taj Mahal. So after that I went to Agra. I was hosted by a culture thing host, but I didn't tell him that I did not have enough money anymore because I don't want to stress him out and you know, I probably got a bad review because of that. So I'll just sit down in my room and like think, what can I do? What can I do to make money? I had option to call my family, but I didn't want to do that. I don't want to be like crying baby, you know. So I just like what can I do? What can I do? And then I opened social media, which is Ask. I Vam the blogging platform and I saw my last picture that I posted was the writing with the background of Taj Mahal I took. And then suddenly I got like a inspiration, like a magical inspiration.
Speaker 1:I think I can make money with this.
Speaker 2:So the thing what I did is was I announced to my audience that time which is not many, but like still I have audience that tomorrow I'm going to this mountain in India, which is very beautiful. I can write any writings that you want, like happy birthday to your friends, or like I love you, for your boyfriend, your girlfriend, any writings that you want me to write, I'll do it. I'll take it in a very beautiful background and it cost $2, I think that's for photo. So I didn't expect that much. But then again, it was like life changing, like life changing moment of my life, because in one hour I got like $70, which is like a lot for me to survive.
Speaker 1:In India that goes a long way right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, $70 in like one hour in my bank account because people like, interestingly, okay, I'm interested, so that way I I continue the same way in the next city, in the next city, in the next city. So that's how I survive in India. Amazing, the paper sign Cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Do you still do that? Not anymore but you could do like videos on your TikTok for people. Shout out no no, no, no, I get messages all the time. Can you give me a shout out?
Speaker 2:No, not but.
Speaker 1:I know celebrities in the US, around the world, they, they, they, you know offer to send my my sister-in-law. She actually my brother, got my sister-in-law a birthday present, which was one of her favorite celebrities sending her a message. I think it was like a hundred. It's like a hundred bucks or something.
Speaker 2:A hundred bucks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I know a lot of celebrities do it. They just they can do video messages as well. 250,. Oh, it depends on how big it is, so maybe you should. You're a celebrity in Indonesia, so you can do it.
Speaker 2:That's not something I'm proud of.
Speaker 1:Well, I yeah yeah, it's not exactly art, is it? So from then, you obviously completed your India trip, you had the money, and then then what happened? So, you, you, when did photography kind of fit into that, those kind of travel experiences?
Speaker 2:So, like I said before, I didn't get really into photography until 2017.
Speaker 1:So you, oh so you didn't even think about it before you came to Bali. I take pictures but it's like a very like traditional with with phone, but you weren't thinking like, oh, I need to, I want to take photos, like I want to be better at this.
Speaker 2:Actually, yeah, oh, okay, but like in a very like, again, traditional way, because I didn't have like expensive gear, like a real camera which is like with GoPro. So what I did was actually, again, I, I, I like to be called as an artist, because I don't mind if I have like a very cheap camera, but what I want to aim is like actually making a picture that tells a story. So in that time, no matter how bad the quality is, but my work is something that I'm proud of is, yeah, it's, it's meant to be telling a story to the people. How do you do that? So I would say there's like a little. I wouldn't say tips and tricks, but like, okay, why not? But like I always try because I'm a travel photographer, so I travel to a lot of places, mostly nature. That's something I really enjoy.
Speaker 2:I never take picture, only just the nature. If you can see my Instagram, especially the old ones, because again it's was like I would say more like pure photography, I would put a subject or like anything that could make a story. So when people see it, especially like example, like waterfall. So if you take a picture of a waterfall, just the waterfall then when people see it, it's just like oh, it's a beautiful waterfall, that's it. But when you put subject in it, for example, like a people, even better, if the person like doing something, post, or like interaction to the nature itself or like anything, then it tells more story. Oh, it's a story about a fisherman that is fishing in the river, that, like, goes to the waterfall and something like that.
Speaker 1:So yeah, do you miss those types of photographs? Yeah, a lot actually. But you must do your own kind of trips, right? Just not for clients. Then you must get your own style of photos and do your own photography. You still do that.
Speaker 2:So that's like something I don't know what other word than regret, because it's not a regret, but like a little bit. There's like a little happiness that took out from what I am now and where I am now Because, honestly, if I can be honest, now I travel. All of them is like sponsored. I did say to you that I will go to Bromo. That will actually my second time this year that I fully paid my trip for my own, without any brand, without any sponsor, so I can do whatever I love, which is photography, like really high quality cinematic video. Other than that, this year it was all sponsored and that time I did not have enough space to pull out my creativity that I love, which is photography, because you know, brent wants me to do reels and they want me to do that and that. So that's something that is a little bit lost from me, if I can be honest.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, please. I think that's always a difficult battle for any photographer, any videographer who's trying to make money right.
Speaker 1:Because the art and the you can't always do your own personal projects, those people that do their personal projects and get paid for them. That's the dream, right. Because you get free creativity, you get complete control of your project and you get sponsored. Yeah, brilliant. There aren't many companies and there aren't many jobs out there like that. But if you were to speak to a beginner who's trying to do photography, videography, looks at you and go I want to be like Tampan. Would there be any specific advice that you would give them that maybe you might do differently if it was yourself, would you just say I just do it like I did?
Speaker 2:I would say from what I learned about this culture shifting from like pure photography into like reveals is like you have to adapt. If you want to grow faster, you have to lower down your idealism if you want to grow faster. If not, then well, if you're happy with like what you're, what you're posting, then that's what matters the most. But if you want to get more like into a business side like I want to grow because I want, I want to get brand deal and stuff then you have to lower down your idealism and see what the market likes. But please don't lose, don't lose yourself in the process because, like from what I mean, don't lose yourself, don't lose your style Because, like, you need to really show who you really are Like. If you see me in my page, you can well I would describe myself as like a magical. I like color, like bright, like smile and make people happy and storytelling emotional and try to post and be who you really are. If you're like not very like magical person, because everyone have a style you know some people more like like a dark, moody, like faded editing and stuff like that then be that and be consistent on that and yeah, along the way in. If you're consistent, then you will.
Speaker 2:It will grow, it will get more attention, because what I can note about at least few of my friends that like stuck in that numbers of growth is one of them is like they are trying to be someone else, like. I know that maybe they are bored with their style. I'm bored, I want to try something new. But you can try something new, you can try new style, but don't lose who you really are, because a lot of people does that. They copy because they want to be like. I'm going to try to be like him or try to be like him, but then what's your uniqueness? Your uniqueness is like gone.
Speaker 1:I think that's very easy to see, especially with photographers, because a lot of photography including me, when when I've seen a lot of growth just through consistency and I found a way to just express myself, much like you like to be able to be consistent with expressing myself, but in a format that the algorithm likes right, correct, real is essentially, but still keep photos in there Like I can't. I would never want to go on Instagram ever if I couldn't post photos and if I couldn't see photos like there are other platforms, of course, for photos.
Speaker 1:I desperately hope there are new apps coming soon that are just photography specific, but I don't see any. You know Vero tried it. There are other platforms, like 500 px and flicker, but they don't really have a social media profile. You know, youtube is obviously or video, tiktoks or video, even though I think now you can post photos. But I think that's really important and but really difficult for photographers these days, especially when it, you know, a couple of years ago, started just transitioning to just real heavy because photographers are just left in the dust.
Speaker 1:What do? What are we meant to do? Do we look elsewhere now? Do we not worry about it? But people have to worry about it because that's an income stream and it's also a kind of fulfillment platform. So, yeah, I get that. I think it's really important, like, if you're talking to beginners, yeah, I think it's really important to kind of do what you've done, maybe a little bit more, but leave that space for personal time. Yeah, leave that space to do your personal projects. Yeah, go to Bromo, go traveling and just well, you just have a holiday, like I see, so many guys have friends, friends here, who are amazing photographers.
Speaker 1:They just burn out so quickly because they they love it so much and they want to you know, they don't know how long it's going to last for right With income, especially job, job, job, job, job, personal project, job, job, job, personal project. Yeah, and they're always, always, always working, which is which is great, but knowing when to have that personal time? Because it's super important right, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Can I actually add one more thing, Because I didn't feel like my last talk didn't? It didn't give like a good okay.
Speaker 2:so it was like a tips for beginners, right, I talk about. You have to adapt. You have to see like what market likes right now, which is reels. You can actually combine those two, like if you like real, pure photography, yes, you can still be in that, but in a form of reels. So you can, example, you can show like a video of reels that shows a BTS versus the result, so you can still show your quality, right, yep, you don't have to be like influencer would like hey, I'm here, you can still be a photographer. You just have to create it. Enough to combine and to follow what market likes Nowadays. What's the trend if you want to grow faster.
Speaker 1:I don't think it's important to understand that Instagram is not a photography app Like it's. It's not. Don't treat it like a photography app. It used to be it used to be.
Speaker 2:It started as a photo. It was purely that right.
Speaker 1:Just photo, sharing your photos in a social way? Now, it's definitely not. It's. It's just not. They've changed it so much. It's. I don't know what you would call it. I mean, it's pure social media, but it's not social anymore. This is another media platform.
Speaker 2:Like how many?
Speaker 1:people like when you were talking about community and how people socialized when Instagram back in, I wasn't even on it in 2017. I don't think maybe it was just starting, but you know it was way gone by then. Even back in 2017, the emphasis was on being social. You know, you wouldn't grow unless you were active with other accounts and meeting people online and engaging with them, chatting to them, commenting like sharing, saving all of that stuff. Now and you said it earlier I don't think that really matters anymore. I think it's probably still important. I still use it a lot for DMs and reaching out to people and obviously have my friend network where, you know, I see their photos all the time. But you know, compared to five, six years ago, I think it was a true social media. Now it's just I don't know what it is. It's just like a viral media platform.
Speaker 1:People just compete to yeah, it's a dopamine platform, you remember they used their.
Speaker 2:It's like Instagram worldwide meets every year In Indonesia. It's very like. It's very, quite, very famous, like back then, before real era.
Speaker 1:Social media is huge in Indonesia, isn't it? I mean, it's huge everywhere. But TikTok and Instagram, yeah, like just so huge. Yeah, people love it, don't they?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely love it, and I think that a lot of people use it for such cool yeah, experiences and yeah, I mean a lot of, really a lot of good things as well from this thing and you can get a lot of diverse information.
Speaker 2:You can get so many inspiration from a lot of unique creators, actually from TikTok and Reels, who is not like again, not only like showing pure photography, but like other things that we, you know, we haven't really heard before but like all these new creators are like, they show up with such a unique personality and bring such new information and knowledge that we don't know before and that's a really cool thing about nowadays Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 1:I think we I mean I we talk about I mean it's every podcast. We talk about Instagram, I think, because it's it's very important for photographers, or at least has been and still is, arguably in a different way, but we also talk about it. I talk about it with Fie, my wife, a lot. You know it comes up in so many conversations. For me, it's all about the intent of using it. So what are you using Instagram for? I 90% of my Instagram use. I mean I go on it every day. My screen time is probably less than 10 minutes a day. Like most of that 10 minutes is posting. The rest is getting inspiration. That's what I use it for and I'm really proud of that. Like I get so much inspiration from some amazing artists on Instagram and I love that those amazing artists are are there and are doing so well and are able to find that platform for that. Such unique and I totally agree with you such unique and creative artists out there who've adapted so well and it brings something new to the game and that's what reels and the shift has done. It's created this new world of creativity and those people who call themselves artists. I love it. You know people's if people tell me they're content creator. I don't have any, I don't have any time for you, but I understand how people make a business out of that. Now I understand the value of it, but getting inspiration that is my main source of inspiration.
Speaker 1:I don't know about you, but going back to you, being influential, not an influencer right, there's a big difference. Influencer I feel just like a job type. Yeah, it's, everyone is influential in somewhere. You know we're human beings. We were able to influence friends, family we come contact with. I think it's. I think it's so good for that and that's why people follow you. Right, because you inspire people. Some people will educate and inspire at the same time. Some people will inspire through just their art. Other people will just engage, be kind of someone who can, you know, be there for other people.
Speaker 1:There are so many cool ways to use it, but I just think that it gets a bit lost with photographers. Some, you know other industries have benefited from it, right, but Indonesia I found it very interesting experience here because if you're not big on Indonesia, big on Indonesia, if you're not big on Instagram, here you're not considered like a good photographer. It's weird, like in the West, instagram is obviously very important, but there's a whole world outside social media, like, there's a whole photography world. So many photographers that just are not on Instagram, right, they just use websites, they use YouTube, they use galleries, they use publications, they use Twitter. You know where? Maybe they're NFT, right? You really into NFTs, photography state.
Speaker 1:It's funny because you get in this bubble, this social media bubble, where Instagram is like your life. It's like, oh, no, this, if I'm not big on Instagram, then I failed and I would always want to say that to begin as like, yes, if that's important to you, like, give it everything you've got, be consistent, post a lot, make it good content. Like, tell your stories, be authentic and just keep at it, right, it will happen. But it's not everything. It doesn't work out, it's not everything. I know so many photographers that have been like, really successful and have not given Instagram any time really at all. You can still get brand work without Instagram, right? Anyway, that's my rant. Let's talk about something other than social media. Touch a little bit on your other interests, because you know I haven't read your two books. You've written two books, two books, yeah, I haven't read them.
Speaker 2:It's in Indonesia.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay. Well, I was hoping you'd bring me a free copy so I could at least you can read Indonesia.
Speaker 2:Yes, I will bring you.
Speaker 1:Is it? Are they? They're physical copies.
Speaker 2:Physical and ebook.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, I can get the ebook and then just run it through Google translate.
Speaker 2:There's going to be a lot of work, or you can rewrite it for me in English. Maybe I'll publish an English version.
Speaker 1:Tell me, tell me a little bit about them, because one's fiction, one's non-fiction, right, both are non-fiction, both are non-fiction 100% based on my story.
Speaker 2:Okay, the first one was called Quit. That's the second one. First one is Bucket List.
Speaker 1:Okay, tell me about it so it's about.
Speaker 2:I think I spelled the story already.
Speaker 1:Oh, it's the same story.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's like about the Nepal in India, but like it's really how I started traveling and like why I want to go traveling, my big dream to travel around the world, and I wrote down, I think, 12 Bucket List.
Speaker 1:What were?
Speaker 2:they. Oh, I didn't want to do a stash mahal and then so was it all the Seven Wonders?
Speaker 1:No, no.
Speaker 2:Okay, I haven't, because Seven Wonders always change every year.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, there's the original Seven Wonders of the World and then the modern Seven Wonders of the World. Don't ask me to name. I could probably name a few, but yeah, anyway, sorry, tell me the other 11 items on your.
Speaker 2:Bucket List. That's like a memory test. I don't remember it. When did you write the book? The first one? 2016. Yeah, 16. Okay, so it's like a long, long time ago. I haven't read it again since.
Speaker 1:Okay, let me rephrase the question. Tell me what your Bucket List is today. Tell me you have a Bucket List now.
Speaker 2:Now, okay, Now Bucket List. Yeah Well, so I have this dream project. Actually, I haven't really talked to, I haven't really announced anything. Well, because it's like still a dream project Right here but again. Yeah, so it's a story about the paper sign actually. Okay, I would not be proud of if I do the paper sign and use the money for me I wouldn't get profit for it. But what I really want to do is actually I will go to one of the top of volcano in Indonesia probably Rinjani because, that would be like really challenging.
Speaker 2:And a lot of people, big journey, and I will announce that I will go to Rinjani and you can order your paper sign to me and I would let people pay as much as they want and I would 100% use the money to help others. One of my big dream is actually building a class or a school in Sumba.
Speaker 1:Sumba Island Cool.
Speaker 2:So for children like a whole children, Because I went there in 2017 and I also did the same project, but it was not my your own. Yeah, it was like I saw I did, like we were together building a class for kids in Sumba in their school, because their school is very, very Like the roof is, there's a lot of holes in the roof and just very ordinary. I think ordinary is not the right, even the right word for it. So I hope I can make that dream project come true.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, we can be your first customer. Oh yeah, yeah, Definitely.
Speaker 2:When do?
Speaker 1:you plan on doing that?
Speaker 2:I hope next year, 2024. I just want to do something good for the people, because I feel like I get a lot from who I am now and where I am now, which is like, well, okay, I get the popularity, I get followers, I grew my life change because of this, but then, yeah, what do I bring to the world? You know, I feel like I haven't done enough for the world. It's just like I'm much more taking than giving. I do help my family, I do have few people, but to compare with what I get, I just feel it's not enough. So I, yeah, I want to give more than what I take. Good for you, yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 1:I think that's important to, I guess, to reach that point where you've okay, I've looked after myself, I've looked after my family. That's like the bottom levels of the human needs. Yeah, now how do I start giving back? But people, especially photographers and artists on social media, forget the amount of people that you do help because you don't see it right, you don't see the people that you inspire. You know people might watch your videos, my watch your reels, might see your photos and go, oh, that's amazing, I want to do that. I'm going to go out and try doing that. You know you are helping people. It's not like the. It's not like the. It's not like the normal way of helping people in terms of, like, giving money or going to build something or volunteering or whatever it is. But you know, having the amount of audience that you do, you're definitely helping some people in there, right, but it's I think it is important for, I guess, artists to get big, who get a lot of followers, get a big audience, to give back in some way.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because else what's it for? What's the point? Do you feel like there's a pressure on you to do that from other people or just from within yourself? No, within myself, yeah.
Speaker 2:No other people at all.
Speaker 1:So the first product would be helping children in Sumba. Yeah, any other people you want to help or any other projects.
Speaker 2:Well, aside from that, just like dream countries, maybe like Iceland.
Speaker 1:Iceland, the US Whereabouts in the US would you like to go?
Speaker 2:Actually anywhere because like it will be well. No, because I got rejected twice the visa oh why, I don't know my job that time. Or like, us visa is like the hardest to get for Indonesian, because they judge by I don't know, actually, because they wouldn't see your bank account. They just ask you a question and right away, in front of your eyes, and people queuing behind you will know that you will get a yes or a no based on the interviewer judgment.
Speaker 2:So yeah, Interesting Maybe how you dress up, maybe your job, because the time I explained myself as a freelancer, yeah, so that could be.
Speaker 1:There's often better if you're sponsored by a company in the US, right yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, I hope you get there. I will get good luck with that. Yeah, what I was going to ask you was about education Do you have any interest in? You know you've been through lots of experiences, you've had a lot of stories. You certainly know how to backpack, right. I haven't read your blogs from back then, but you know I've seen a lot of your vlogs and obviously, a lot of your social media content. Do you have an interest in that form of giving back, in terms of educating others on how to do what you do, or any advice when you go traveling, or how to be a better videographer, how to be a better photographer, how to write books, or we haven't even talked about your clothing line but is education like an interest for you as well, in terms of giving back?
Speaker 2:For sure. Yeah, I think that's also like other than interest. It's also a challenge for me because I realized that I don't give much information in social media. I am much more sharing a good story about me, like inspiration about how you get your dreams in a form of technical information about budgeting, about how to do backpacking in the cheapest way and stuff like that, or a traveling route or top five cheapest country that you could travel. I haven't done much on that area. I'm not as informative as the other blogger, so that is a challenge for me and I feel like I need to get more into that because it gives big value to the people.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think your personality as well gives value to the people. Like I said before, like being authentic, being who you are. Is there something you can share with us now about your personality that maybe other people don't know? Not like a secret or anything, but give us an example of something about you that no one else knows.
Speaker 2:Oh, Well, hmm Well, we need to think about that. Because, like I told to my audience that I'm introvert, actually quite introvert, so people know about that. Oh my God, maybe like okay, I have anxiety of time, tight anxiety, okay, yeah, like really high. I'm not a patient person, I hate waiting and I just always have this thinking of like I'm running out of time.
Speaker 1:I know that feeling.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's really giving me really hard times many times, but in the other side, I could use it also to motivate me to always on the move, to always like I have to do something, I have to grow. You know what I mean. So it's a matter of like, how I control it. It could become an anxiety or it could become a motivation.
Speaker 1:Motivator yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:But really like, thinking about time is like it's crazy.
Speaker 1:So you get anxious about wasting time essentially, like in terms of your life, or wasting time when you're talking about like a specific job or task.
Speaker 2:No, it's more like yeah, like life in general, because, like, I feel like now I'm like in my prime age, where I'm like I can think very clearly. My creativity is still there, but I realized that by the time I will get older, I will be like I don't. Maybe I will like get weaker than before. My body is not function as well as before, my brain, my creativity and, yeah, even like nowadays, if I like open Instagram, I see this newcomer who is like young and like very creative and like they grow very fast, faster than me. I will freak out like how am I old? Imagine like like it's my 29, 23.
Speaker 2:Like, yeah, I feel like I'm old and only just like you're definitely not old.
Speaker 1:You've got a long way to go before you get old, don't worry about it. I think that I don't want to go talk about Instagram too much more, but that is one negative of Instagram. Right, the platform dictates that people want to show the best side of them. Right, yeah, they want to show their best work, they want to show their best life. They want to show all the cool bits, but actually, behind the scenes, they're also struggling. They're also finding things difficult. They might also be anxious, they might have down days. They have good days and bad days. Right, yeah, they're just humans at the end of the day.
Speaker 1:But when we go on Instagram, we go, oh, like that's better, he's better than me, or they're having a better life than me, or he's got more money than me, or whatever. That's just normal. But if it, it's up to us to not let it affect you. I mean, I I haven't really struggled with that before, but I do empathize with that and I felt like that, especially in photography sometimes go into other artists like, oh, fuck it, now they're, that's amazing. Why can't I do that kind of thing? But then channel it into more inspiration than anxiety or or like imposter syndrome or any of the kind of things.
Speaker 1:I think that's really key. It's like, oh well, now I need to be better, or now I can practice more, or or just accept the fact that these guys amazing.
Speaker 2:Like let's celebrate that.
Speaker 1:I'd celebrate that these people are in our lives. It's difficult to do, but yeah, how does that anxiety like manifest in you and and what are the symptoms? Do you have any symptoms? You like wake up in the night going like really anxious like that, or do you do you kind of deal with it easily on a on a daily basis?
Speaker 2:Um, I would say I deal it quite very easy. It's just like a few minutes of like, the first seeing of like something that really makes me like, oh okay, I need to do something. And then, yeah, it will take me quiet short to actually slap myself. I need to get up.
Speaker 1:How do you stay?
Speaker 2:healthy Jim Jim thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Nowadays is a little hard because I travel a lot, but I always try my best. To like yesterday, two days ago in Singapore, I have a work to to review some brand, but I still spare my time to go to the gym.
Speaker 1:What about mentally? Do you do anything in terms of mental health?
Speaker 2:I would say Jim is like very mentally evolving for me, but music really helps me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what's your favorite music?
Speaker 2:I like something very high, energetic, but like in a positive way.
Speaker 1:I never.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but like, not a party song, more like a dreamy electronic song. Okay, like be quiet or okay Something like electronic, but it's still sweet and like very inspiring and uplifting. It makes me very more imaginative and like it's actually one of a big way of how I manifest my life, because when you close your eyes, listen to the music and you just can imagine things that will come.
Speaker 1:Yeah, how does your imagination dictate what you do every day? I mean, you're always thinking about oh yeah, next project, next project. What do this want to do with that? Or do you have, you know, very structured life? Are there clients that you really want to work with, or we just wait for clients to come and approach you? How does your process work on a kind of, you know, imaginative and creativity schedule, almost?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm a very like living it for today. So like I would. I wouldn't say I'm like a very structured person, because idea can come anytime and that's when I get the idea. I'll just make sure that I write down, not in the notebook, but like in my mind and my heart Okay, I feel like I need to do this and I see in the next few weeks or a few months, if I still think about it, then I really have to do it. But if I forget about it, then okay, maybe it's just like a, like a how do you call it?
Speaker 1:Destruction.
Speaker 2:Like an instant imagination, or like it's an instant, like inspiration that is not high, yeah, yeah, but it's not very necessary. Or like you know, but like if I keep thinking about it each week, each month, then I really.
Speaker 1:you know it's real, I know it's real.
Speaker 2:Like the book and a song. Do you know what song?
Speaker 1:No, it's in Indonesia, oh wow, yeah, oh, I missed that one. Maybe you can move, it's not.
Speaker 2:Spotify. Yeah Cool, what's it called? It's called semester. Semester is the name of your clothing brand.
Speaker 2:Yes, semester means the universe. Okay, why do you call it that? Uh, it's actually love story. Okay, it's cliche, but I feel like it's cute and sweet. Um, it's a love story, but I connected with uh, it's how, if it's meant to be, if it's like the universe says this is for you, then it is for you, but if it's not, then good things will come, interesting, something like that. So, yeah, so I know a song. It keeps in my mind like each week that time. Okay, you need to do it and I made it happen. Books, I made it happen. Now I am currently thinking about one more business, but I will see in the next few weeks if I still keep thinking about it. Can you share any information? I'm scared because I don't know if it will happen or not.
Speaker 1:Tell us when it happens.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but.
Speaker 1:I will cook a bowl. How has travel made you a better person?
Speaker 2:Very deep question. I feel like I feel like travel is just like one of the forms that could shift a person to be a better person, like, for example, what I'm talking about is like if I didn't get into travel, maybe, let's say, if I got into a coffee shop, I'm sure it will also shift me into a better person. But it's actually how I see the world by meeting people, because I always get a lesson from each people that I met during travel that I have deep connection with. I had few people on my mind that I had deep connection, that I really learned from them. Not directly, they say anything or teach me something, but I'm quite, very observing and I always try to take lessons from things that happen. So, yeah, what I Can you give me an example, example? Okay, so this got into my core memory. So I had this One of my close friend, best friend.
Speaker 2:He used to live in Bali for like a year, but now he's in the Netherlands. I remember a conversation, so I made like a deep friendship with this person and one day it was in pandemic. We were strolling around Changgu. It was like very, very quiet, so the business went very, very down. We went to one of the local market in Changgu that sells souvenirs. By the time we get into that market I feel so sad because a lot of people, a lot of Most of the buyers, are like trying so hard to get us to buy their stuff because there's zero customers. And it was all an old lady Like approaching us please buy, please buy. It was so bad. And then, yeah, we cannot win everyone's game, but, like, we just support one or two of the store. And then on the way back in the front of the store there was this old lady came to us and offering can you please buy this? And then one of my friends say, not now, but tomorrow I will come. And then the lady was like, okay, please come tomorrow. In such a very hopeful way. And then we left.
Speaker 2:And then a week after I just realized that I remember that time I got the lady again and I asked my friend, like did you went back to the shop and he said no. And I say to him this is actually a quote that I will remember for the rest of my life I say to him like this well, you gave her hope, and I think hope could be the best thing, but it could also be the worst thing for anyone and I think you give the worst hope Because she is in need and she got slapped. I mean she like he got slapped from my words. And then the next day we went together to the shop and the lady remember us. She was so happy.
Speaker 2:I was like you come back, thank you so much for coming back, and we bought something and the lady said, good person, don't lie, thank you so much. And yeah, that's one thing that makes me become better and better person. From these small things or small accident or like small experience that seems just an instant thing that happened, but it actually means really big. That I will remember for the rest of my life, that I think it taught me a big lesson of my life and these things I got from the people I travel with that I made deep connection with. Wonderful story.
Speaker 1:Good for you and well done for pushing your friend to go back. Having people like you around is extremely beneficial. I think hope is everything. I think without knowing some people are religious. I know you're religious, I'm not. Other people are different religions, other people have different belief systems or different spirituality and somewhere in the middle of all of that, a common denominator is kind of hope. We hope that there's belief and then there's hope For her. She didn't. Maybe 99% of it was belief and then, to that point, 0, 1%, it's hope. Hope is underlines everything.
Speaker 1:We hope that we wake up tomorrow healthy and happy. We hope that a lot of people hope that they make a million dollars. We hope this and we hope that. I think it's extremely powerful and, like you said, it can ruin people's lives as much as make them right. So travel is just an amazing conduit to express hope, to express education, to be able to learn so much from different people. It's always about the people. A place isn't a place without the people and the culture within it. So, yeah, I always. It's the best form of education, in my opinion, and not education in terms of like a book sense, not academic education, but life education, life experiences.
Speaker 1:You educate yourself about yourself. You educate yourself about other people, other ways of life, because it's very easy to just stay in your bubble. That's another problem for the social media. It's a bubble right. You don't really get out there and see the rest of the world. And travel is just so good for that, good for you. I'm sure many people are inspired by your stories and what you do. And a few more questions I have and then I promise I'll let you go. But on the subject of inspiration, you know you obviously have a very active imagination, but who are your biggest themes? Everyone's got their own inspirations and people that they follow and people that they admire. Do you have a couple of people that you follow all the time or at least get inspired by or have done in the past?
Speaker 2:I never think about it. It's like this is. I will say in every podcast that this is like will be the hard question for me Because, like, if you ask me what's your favorite color, I would just also be confused. Because what's your favorite color? I don't know. Maybe you see me in blue because I don't know. But, like, I like every color, I like a lot of color. And when you ask what's your, what's one or two people that inspires me? I don't know, because I inspired by many small things from the people.
Speaker 1:So this is good answer yeah, everything and anything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, maybe, maybe can I say. One person that inspired me was my ex-boss Lhasa Blanc, or Christian.
Speaker 1:Leif.
Speaker 2:He's amazing. Yeah, because I got the chance to work beside him and I saw how he worked really, really hard, like a machine, like I really admire that work ethic. That's how he become very successful in this platform and he combine a lot of things, not just travel, but like he built houses. He built like creator academy. And I don't know what's on his mind for the next business, but I'm sure he will do a lot of things and that really inspires me.
Speaker 1:Wow, Amazing. On this podcast we have a tradition where the previous podcast guest leaves a question for the next guest, not knowing who they are. Our previous guest was Alex Stroll. Actually we did Fin Mattson, but he doesn't matter, that's a completely separate podcast. Our last mood podcast guest is Alex. Stroll, he wrote this question for you, not for you. He just wrote a question. For what in your life do you feel most grateful? What are you most grateful for? Oh?
Speaker 2:that is a deep question. Once again, I've got deeper questions. I think I'm grateful that I have my own way of seeing the world in a positive way. I always believe that there is always good in everything. That's one of my biggest life motto and I'm very grateful in that because it keeps me a very positive person all the time. Even though I'm not a perfect person I've made mistakes a lot. I always try to see the good things from every mistake, every challenge, every bad thing that happened in my life. I think that lesson actually I got from my dad. So I'm grateful that I have my dad Wonderful, because, again, I remember I learned from even a small accident.
Speaker 2:It was actually an accident that happened to my dad and me in the past, like 11, 12 years ago. We had an accident like a car hit, like road accident. My dad got bloody, but I didn't. That time I didn't see him sad or like grumpy or anything and what he said to me is like he was laughing and was smiling. I'm grateful. I was like I was going. Why are you grateful? We just had an accident and he said, yeah, I'm grateful because it could have gone worse. We could have died. This is what the universe gives to us only just small scars, even though he got so much blood in his hand. I'm grateful I still have you, I'm still healthy, I still can walk. So that really taught me a lot that there's always a good thing in everything, amazing. I'm grateful for my dad.
Speaker 1:So you like your dad Does your dad and your mom, she's still alive, yeah, do they kind of understand what you do? And I mean that in the best sense, because their generation didn't have what we have right. So do they get it. They kind of get what social? Media is and how you use it for money and et cetera.
Speaker 2:But the first time they didn't really get it and didn't really like more like questioning about how I chose my life. They would be like, huh, what, what is this Like? How much profit you will get and salary, and blah, blah, blah. Until time by time I proved to myself and to them that I'm growing and I helped my family too. And now they're like they never questioned and they're just like super happy and like a thousand percent supporting and even promoting me. In any chance they could have a meeting with friends they would be like, hey, this is my. When I wrote my book, this is what I remember from my family we went together to like a touristic place in Jakarta that's where I live. Before my book titled Baguette List, my dad made a shirt for all of us six of us with a writing of baguette list and they promote into the people in the street and this just like shows how they're really like proud and really supporting and loving.
Speaker 1:What do I do? And that's still in Jakarta. Yes, how often do you see them?
Speaker 2:Maybe three, four times a year. Okay, yeah, cool.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you so much for being out, you're extremely busy. I really appreciate your time and I'm sure the audience appreciate the value you've given everyone and continue to do so. So please continue inspiring everyone, continue doing what you do best. Good luck with the projects coming up and with the charity projects and giving back and making a difference. So good luck with that and thank you so much for joining.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. Such an honor. I'm so happy that I got invited to this because, again, this is something that brings value to the people. So, thanks to you, because you made this podcast, you invited a lot of inspiring people and people are listening, people are watching and people get inspired, and it's because of you. Thank you very much.
Speaker 1:Well it's nothing without you guys. Thank you to both of us, I guess. Before you leave, before we close up, please write a question for our next guest. Take as long as you need. Thank you once again. Hopefully, we'll have you back on the show after some of your next amazing projects. Yes, I hope so too. Thank you, thank you.