Living abroad have opened the possibilities to travel around with small budget. Moving from one city to another, from one country to some other neighbouring country and so on.
Unfortunately, I did not get the opportunity to really enjoying travel in nature. More like become one with it, with campfire, tent and so on. Not because Europe, in this case, has no natural beauty and so on, but it was more that I had no chance to check them out. As most of my travelmate are more likely to be tourist, city type of traveler.
2016 was the first time I started to traveling in different way. A year after I returned back home, in Aceh, western part of Indonesia. No more flight to take, no more hostels and restaurants to enjoy. As far as it has something to do with nature, i tried to always join the team.
It was the first time I went to Pulau Breuh, an island which can be reached by boat after 4 hours journey. Then Pulau Keureusek, another an hour or so, which was no one living there at that time. Felt like we own the island. It was amazing first experience. Especially when we were the only people on that island.
Among all the places I visited in Aceh during 2 years after returning, there was one trip that was very remarkable. Trip to Krueng Teunom in Aceh Jaya regency. Btw, most of my journey were already written, but from different perspective than this one.
Krueng means river in local language. Krueng Teunom located in Aceh Jaya, around 3 hours ride by car from Banda Aceh. It was just a normal journey at first. But as soon as we got to the river, that was another story. I was flabbergasted, as if my previous first experience become nothing after this journey. What I knew was that we were gonna hike little bit till we reach the waterfall.
But..
We took a viber boat to go to the location where we will camp and enjoy the giant waterfall. The river in teunom area was the the last location for rafting. So could you imagine how the current / rapids would be. The thing is, we were going on the opposite direction, so our boat was against the current. I couldn’t help but holding my travelmate as hard as I could. It was seriously scary. Those who were there at that time, knew my face was pale enough :D
The next day, across our place for camping, we had to hike to get to the waterfall. Another trouble I needed to face.
Our walking area - or hike, or climb maybe, was numbers of rocks. They were spiky, slippery, mossy. I kept thinking to give up, and would wait for them when they return from the waterfall. There was no way I would do such things. That was what I thought.
Lucky me, none of my travelmate left me behind. I felt sorry for slowing down their journey, but at the same time, I was really grateful for their help. The journey was so scary, but the waterfall was magnificent. If there was a way to stay there, probably i would do that, instead of going back down through the spiky, slippery stones haha
Traveling was my way to get out of my comfort zone, but usually would be in another comfort places. I never knew or expected that one day I would be out there, in unbelievable scary yet untouchable place, and had great time.
A journey, start with a single step. Be careful, that single step, might be the first step that get you addicted to another journey ;)
Thanks for reading :)
This is my first entry for #sndboxquest