2017 WISHLIST

The year 2016 will be over, so does my work as video journalist at a national media at Jakarta. A lot of up and down memories for 5 year and 6 months, including a chance to travel, for a job assignment or for vacation has been happen through all the year 2016. A 2016 review? Come on, that's super ordinary. So this time I will make a wishlist instead for 2017. Who knows those wishlist could push me ahead to spend more time for useful things for me and hopefully for peoples surrounds me.

1. Traveling overseas with my parents

This is actually a wishlist since 2 years ago. When I just back from my Brunei – Malaysia roadtrip. I visit my parents at Pati town and telling my mother about my roadtrip on Brunei and Malaysia that been passed immigration check point 8 times. 

Suddenly my mom said “What a trip. I wanted to have a lot of immigration stamp on my passport too, just like yours. My passports only have stamp from doing haj”. I was stunned! Hearing that from your lovely and precious ones makes me suddenly wanna cried. I’ve been traveling to many places but never took my parents for traveling. *I’m a perfidious child* *crying out loud deep inside my heart* 

Since that conversation, I was determined to take them for traveling overseas someday. Insya Allah, God will give the bless for me in 2017 to take them on overseas traveling. 

2. Visiting Maluku 

I don't care on which island I will start the trip, but I really really want to leave my footstep again on this province, a placed where my grandfather (from my mother) was being born. I will be feels so grateful if I could visit Banda Neira island again, but I can't promise that, so we'll see what will happen next. 

3. Sulawesi island Roadtrip

This island was the place where my grandmother (from my mother side) family came from and also the island that i used not to visit quite often, yet. I usually only visit this island when had a transit flight at Makassar city (South Sulawesi province) for 1 night before heading to eastern part of Indonesia. That's why I would love to doing a roadtrip from east to west, south to north on this island. I hope I would have enough money and time to do a roadtrip for at least 1 month here. 

4. Visiting Timor Leste

Many friends of mine will said "Why do you want to visit this country?! Everything is expensive there". Actually I had a special memory with Timor Leste. I ever visited this area, Dili city to be exactly when I was still on elementary school, when this area still part of Indonesia so no need a passport at that time. The Indonesia Government Shipping Company (PT. Pelni) at that time decided to add Dili city as one of the transit city for Surabaya (West Java province) to Sorong (West Papua province) ship route. 

It was only 4 hour transit but somehow my memory and my heart still stuck on that city. That's why Timor Leste suddenly appear on my travel bucket list and stay there for a long time and I want to make it happen this year. Wish me luck!

5. Publish a Book! 

Actually I've been contacted by a book publisher in Jakarta to write a travel book since September 2015. But due the extremely random schedule of my job assignment, I could finished, finally, the book draft on November 2016. For now the book draft still on selection and revision process with my book editor and I hope this year, 2017, my first book will be display on book store throughout Indonesia. Amin for that! 

6. Visiting Riau Island province

From 10 province that exist in Sumatera island, only Riau Island province that I never visited so this province was my last "homework" for traveling in Sumatera island. Hmm.. I'm thinking taking my Parents to overseas through Batam island on this province and then go to Singapore with them. So by doing that, 2 of my 2017 wishlist will be fulfill. Insya Allah! 

7. Visiting Indonesia outermost island

With 17.000 island that my country had, it would be a shame if I never step on at least one (of 111 outermost island, according to data from Indonesia Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries January 2017). I want to see, hear and experience the life of the peoples who lived on the outer boundary of Indonesia. It would be an awesome experience. 

Actually, I still had a lot of wishlist that i would like to share. But some of them will be suit for a long term wishlist like for the nest 3 to 5 years ahead. So for now, I just hope I could achieve all my 2017 wishlist. Wish me luck, everyone! (EKW)