From Indonesia To The World

Our rental car was cruising through hills of endless roads, through wide green pastures of rural Australia. The sky was clear, with a dash of clouds here and there. Every now and then there are sights of cows grazing in flocks. Some rest under shadow of trees, for it was a hot summer in countryside Australia. But I could adapt easily to the heat because I was from a tropical country of Indonesia.

Every now and then we passed small towns where I can see the unique sights of rural Australia. We would like to make more stops in the countrysides and small towns to breathe in the atmosphere and take photographs, if only we were not a tight schedule.

I was in Australia to go see my favorite band Pearl Jam headlining Australia’s famous Big Day Out festival. At first I intended to go to Sydney Big Day Out only, but my fellow Jammer Irawan asked me to come along for a road trip. Then we decided to go to Melbourne Big Day Out as well, 2 days apart from the Sydney one. That’s why we are on a tight schedule, having to make an overnight in resort coastal town of Merimbula and catching the Melbourne festival the next day.

Irawan is a permanent resident of Indonesia origin, living in Darwin. He arrived in Sydney one day prior to my arrival, rented a car and picked me up at Sydney airport and we went straight to the countryside, Melbourne bound via Sapphire coast route, southeast of Australia continent.

Not having a proper orientation upon my arrival, surprisingly I felt so serene and it was soul soothing to go on a countryside road trip and see greens as far as I can see. It was very contrast from the condition my origin country was in when I departed: torrential rain, floods and traffic jam everywhere in Jakarta. Being in a beautiful weather and atmosphere like this, it was like I was setting my soul free.

I was always a reluctant traveler. When I travel, either I had an event to attend to or visiting friends & relatives. I was never traveling for the sake of soul searching and being in and seeing other parts of the world.

Having this surreal Australia trip, I intend to travel more for the sake of traveling itself, to enjoy life and expand my horizon, learn and experience new things. My sister lives in Marseille (France) so I have a valid and justified reason to go to Europe on my next travel.