There is something comforting about having a rhythm and consistency. It allows you time for reflection. Whilst you have a rhythm during a tour the consistency is somewhat lacking! No two days were the same. Different people, different spots for lunch and never the same place for sleep.
After a couple of weeks I started to enjoy the rhythm but maybe not working on the laptop all the time. I should’ve offered to do some construction work as well. But I also wanted to work on my website and develop a few pages for it.
Joe, another helper from Myanmar, would do all the cooking and the construction work. Although, I did do the washing up. AiVee would often not be here during the week so it was just Joe and I. I would often have to head into the local town to find Wi-Fi. I didn’t realise it initially but I had a limited amount of Hotspot available to me.
Meeting the locals
On one Sunday AiVee and I were invited to a meal by the village for the start of Ramadan. It was a nice chance to meet many people and see a little of how people live. However, as I had noticed in many Muslim countries the sexes were separate. Men eat at the table, and women and children sit on the rugs. The food was delicious, a combination of several regions from Indian curries to local Malay fish dishes. Fishing is a major part of life here in the village.
I also had the job of interviewing a couple of local businesses to help create some content for the website. The big standout was a gentleman by the name of Raymond who has had a passion for butterflies since he was four years old and is now retired. Raymond converted the lower half of his house and backyard into a venue for butterfly conservation, education and a cafe.
The project called My Backyard Garden is awash with colour from all the flowers, butterflies and budgerigars he also breeds. Interviewing him required little work; his passion came through strongly. It was fun to visit and write about.
Becoming a Passionate Photographer
I was also starting to really push my photography and just finished reading The Passionate Photographer by Steve Simon, which encouraged me even more. I now had an idea of where I was and where to go with my photography.
However, I had also noticed I didn’t have the confidence to just walk up to people and take photos and confirm it was ok. I reflected on my early 20s and not having any issues walking up to people and saying hello. But now in my 40s, I’m hesitant. Even though a friend said ‘that being in your 40s is like being in your 30s but with confidence!’ It doesn’t always feel that way.
But alas, I still need to take more photos! So, off I popped on a little cycle tour of the surrounding area and discovered a beach with lone mangrove trees. It was part of a project to try and restart the mangrove forest and push it further back out to sea. However, it provided me an opportunity to produce some nice pictures at sunset. It was worth revisiting. Some of my best sunset shots and a chance to experiment with longer exposures and composition.
The book also discussed the process of promoting yourself and selling your photography. Not sure I want to go that way yet! But Steve Simon’s point of view is if you don’t start you won’t get the feedback you need to progress. Hmmm, decisions to be made.
Writing content and Websites
I had been continuing to write content for the website and had now got to the stage where we could send out the new website and (hopefully) start to see an impact in the number of visitors viewing and booking. But it might be several more weeks, the Google robots like to take their time, and there is a release of new content by week.
But I also got to take the kayak out for a spin through the mangroves several times. First on an official tour and then by myself on the hunt for otters. I didn’t get to find any but they did visit the house. It’s been a fun month; working on my photography which I hope pays dividends when I enter Indonesia. A big thank you to AiVee for the opportunity and Joe who was with me during the whole time. We spent many an evening with a few beers watching the sunset.
Now it is time for Indonesia and (hopefully) a step up in my photographs.