Recently I got this rather surprising yet pleasant news from a fellow blogger, Sony, who nominated me to receive the Versatile Blogger Award. Actually prior to receiving this award, I have known about this Versatile Blogger Award thing. But being nominated for the award itself is somewhat I never thought I would get. So, I thank again to Sony who has nominated me for this, and oh, the way he told his readers about What an Amazing World! makes me humbled, indeed.
Anyway, according to the rules, I have to share 7 random things about me. So, here they are:
- I am the only child in my family and when I was a young boy I never really went anywhere by myself (let alone traveled to faraway places). But now, I have traveled solo to a few countries (and still counting!). This contradiction always makes me smile every time I think of it because I never pictured myself traveling alone to explore places in other countries.
- My first travel abroad was in 2007 when I went to Europe to attend my cousin’s wedding. I really enjoyed my time back then because I got the chance to explore those small cobblestone alleys and visited hidden but very nice restaurants in some of the cities which I visited. Most of the time, I did the stroll with only a map and accompanied by my uncle who doesn’t speak English at all.
- (Still related to number 2). Nevertheless, it is my trip to Singapore which started these series of travels that I have done for the last 12 months or so. When I arrived at Changi airport, the smell reminded me of airports in Europe, and as soon as I ended my short trip to Singapore, I opened AirAsia’s website right away and booked a flight to Kuala Lumpur, which happens to be the first time I went abroad as a solo traveler.
A Red Fountain at Marina Bay, Singapore
- Okay, enough about me and my travel. Let’s talk about my daily life. I am not that good at sports. In fact, I suck at sports. But, if I have to pick one kind of sport which I love doing, it would be swimming. Actually some of my friends mocked me for this because even though I tell everyone that I love swimming, yet they swim faster than me. In the end, that brings a clear conclusion: I am lame at sports!
A Swimming Pool on A Hill in West Java
- Astronaut, spy, architect and graphic designer are some of cool jobs that I have ever dreamed to be (I wanted to be an astronaut after watching Star Trek, and a spy after watching Mission: Impossible).
- I love singing! But I don’t know why I always sing well when I’m alone but it turns awful when I sing at karaoke with my friends. I believe my voice is as good as Michael Bublé’s when I sing ‘Home’. Okay okay, please don’t throw up! Well, I must admit, he sings slightly better than me (now you can punch me).
- I love National Geographic magazine (come on! who doesn’t?). In my opinion, it is the best magazine in the world. I have the complete National Geographic magazine collection since its first edition (in DVD), and I also have the complete collection of National Geographic Indonesia since its inaugural edition back in April 2005. The magazine is also one of the reasons behind my wanderlust.
So, those are 7 random things about me. Also according to rules, I have to pass this award to 5 other bloggers. Actually there are great blogs out there, but in this occasion I would like to nominate some new blogs (the first three blogs) which I believe have a good potential to become great blogs one day and two more well-established blogs. Here they are:
rob.in.the.blog by Robin. He shares the same passion with me, especially in traveling and photography, and in my opinion he writes better than me (in fact he also writes some poems in his blog). When reading some of his stories, I could feel the atmosphere that he brought to his readers through words. Check his photographs of Bangkok and Ayutthaya and also some older photographs of Bali. Simply beautiful!
glovecompartment by Reza. He is the first solo traveler that I know in personal since he happens to be one of my colleagues at office. Before knowing him, I have only read stories about people who travel around the world solo. Soon after I met Reza I learned that he has visited Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City all as a solo traveler. Then I thought that this solo traveling thing is much feasible than I previously thought. And it is, indeed!
Captures on Life by Liesha. She is a very unique woman who loves so many things in life and has a rather different taste from other women that I know (for example, she has a wedding cake which looked like something that belongs to Willy Wonka!). In her blog you can read about her musings and enjoy her photographs. I happen to have spent 2 days with her on a very short vacation on an island off the coast of Jakarta which I must say was a very fun experience.
So Many Places by Kim and Brian. They live in Oregon and in the near future they are about to do what most people can only dream of: go on a Round-The-World (RTW) trip! The stories on their website bring us into their world and make us feel how it’s like preparing everything for their dream. I must say, they have endured some really tough life experience though by making hard decisions and sacrificing some things in order to reach their dream for traveling around the world. No gain without pain.
Nomadic Notes by James. In my opinion he is one of those lucky people who can work and travel around the world at the same time. Recently he has visited a new country for him which also happens to be one of the top-list countries in my list: Iceland. Personally, I like his post about Borobudur in Indonesia which is less known to most people than other great places on earth. Enjoy his stories!
What an Amazing World! 
Wow! First of all, congrats to you!
I always knew it that you have all the talents and everything else to do awesome things. Good luck on the nomination, and don’t you worry, we still have plenty of time to practice on the swimming-stuff– or maybe some reality-based martial arts? 😀
LikeLike
Hahaha, dude!
Btw thanks a lot, and thanks but no thanks for the reality-based martial arts. Now I remember what I’m more lame at than sports: martial arts!
LikeLike
Hahaha… Thank you for nominating me Bam! I’ll do my best 🙂
LikeLike
Anytime Liesh! Just keep writing and taking fun pictures!
LikeLike
Congratulations on the award! I love your blog and actually I was just going to nominate you as well! Some one beat me to it!
LikeLike
This is funny. You know what? when I got the award, I was also going to nominate you! But then a few minutes later, I found another blogger has nominated you first.
I really enjoy reading your blog (and just FYI, I actually have been reading your blog since your post about Morocco).
Are you already in China?
LikeLike
You deserved every millimeter of the award, Bama … Anyway, I had so much fun reading the seven random facts about you. And I must say we have a lot in common. We both suck at sports, I love swimming … and the same conclusion goes to my story on that. I also think I can sing well when nobody’s around but when I used the microphone in videoke machine in front of my friends, they don’t think the same.
The history of your solo travels is motivating I must say. I wish I could also do that in the near future when the means permit.
Again, CONGRATULATIONS!
More power to your blog …
LikeLike
Thanks again, Sony!
Hahaha it’s so cool that we have a lot in common. About your future travels, just believe that the time will come for you to do your own broader travel experience.
LikeLike
You deserved every millimeter of the award, Bama … Anyway, I had so much fun reading the seven random facts about you. And I must say we have a lot in common. We both suck at sports, we love swimming … and the same conclusion goes to my story on that. I also think I can sing well when nobody’s around but when I used the microphone in videoke machine in front of my friends, they don’t think the same.
The history of your solo travels is motivating I must say. I wish I could also do that in the near future when the means permit.
Again, CONGRATULATIONS!
More power to your blog …
LikeLike
you sound happy, that’s the most important. congrats, pal.
LikeLike
Lol. Well, I feel honored to be exact. Oh btw, next year I’m planning to go to China, but unfortunately I don’t think I will go to Shanghai (yet!). Probably on my second visit to China 🙂
LikeLike
it’s fine 🙂 let me know where you will go, any tips you need. you’ve got my mail, just drop a mail anytime you need.
LikeLike
Cool! I will drop a message then should I need any information or even simple tips 🙂
LikeLike
thanks men for the nomination..i’ll try to be as productive as you are,, cheers!!
LikeLike
Well, I’m not that productive actually, compared to other blogs out there (I become productive only if I have gone traveling, haha). Anyway, take the award as a wake up call for the slumbering glovecompartment you have 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Bama–just want to drop a note to say that I really enjoy your blog (just took a little around here and there). I’d so love to do more travels in Asia, but one or two a year is about all I can manage–so kudos to you for being able to mesh work, travel, photography, enjoying life etc. I like your 10 year plan or list ! Always good to have a reminder of things that matter to us, even if obvious. Best of luck and fun with traveling, on the blogosphere, and elsewhere!
LikeLike
Hi Lauren! Thanks a lot! I actually also enjoy reading your blog and I love your photographs very much (especially the street arts).
About the 10-year plan, I believe I need to make one because I’m afraid one day I’ll get too busy and too complacent so that I’ll just give up my passion for traveling. No, I’m not going to let that happen. 🙂
Thanks again for visiting and btw, congrats for being Freshly Pressed!
LikeLike
Abt the 10 year plan — totally! Not to belabor a point, but I had a friend who’d make a list of 4 or 5 goals and and just put them on a post it somewhere and would take a look now and then. I did same thing a while back, and it’s really amazing how having a reminder like that, even if you don’t slavishly follow it, really makes a difference. So I need to make my 10 year list, or 5 yr list of places too, thanks to you. Many thanks again, Lauren
LikeLike
Anytime Lauren! I’m glad I could help 🙂 Btw, I have a friend who makes another kind of list, she calls it 30 before 30. 30 things to do before she gets 30. It’s quite different from my 302020, but at the end it has the same purpose: to remind ourselves that there are great things in life other than just our daily routines.
LikeLike
Heya my friend! Congratulations, you surely deserve it, you work hard with your blog mate!
Keep it up!!
LikeLike
Gracias Javi! 🙂
It makes me even more motivated to write better and take better photographs.
LikeLike
Hi! Congrats on your award, and I LOVE that red fountain! I’d look good standing right in the middle of it. I wouldn’t get electrocuted, would I?
LikeLike
Hi! Thanks! I don’t think you would get electrocuted, but you’ll definitely get so much attention from other dogs! 🙂
LikeLike
Reblogged this on My Favorite Spaces.
LikeLike
Pingback: Awards Season 2012 « What an Amazing World!
I second the nomination =) http://sandstoneandamber.com/2012/07/07/award-time/
LikeLike