Four Eyes - anywhere
Exceptional Destinations
Listened gobsmacked photographs in Afghanistan rubric Portfolio Magazine National geographic Traveler.
Become more familiar with the author and photographer, Augustine Wibowo.
FAMILY FROM hardly ever roam, dozens
of men who control the world's languages actually have crossed the globe. Almost
all trips done alone or with colleagues he met in the street, "If appropriate,
get together, if not match, live apart on the road."
His
experience exploring Afghanistan and
Central Asian
countries he poured each of the book
covers Dust (2010) and
Border (2011). On two occasions came face to face with these
friendly men in
Jakarta,
some time ago, continues via the virtual world chat, implied how great enthusiasm
for learning to
surf-worth which he reflected on his book
reader.
When and where
the first time flier Far? First time doing an
independent trip
to Mongolia,
2002. In the first
and second day I was robbed in
that State. That experience taught
me that the real challenge
to be faced. At
least I am no longer afraid
to travel independently, that later created the concept of traveling
for me. For three weeks in Mongolia, I
witnessed many cultures are
"alive" again because of
tourism. For example, the
tradition of eagle hunting (hunting with eagles) which
gets crowded because every year held for
foreigners.
Is there something to inspire you traveled the world? I collect a lot of stamps from
almost every country in the world. Seeing
paintings on sheets of stamps made me fantasize
about the countries of the middle
of nowhere.
So, how did you explore Afghanistan and countries in Central
Asia? Generally I
avoid tourist spot, because for me the trip was a learning process. I
learned about the lives of real people, and it's kind a hard to find in the tourist
spot. I prefer to visit remote villages that are not included in the list of
tourist destinations, or arguably off-the-beaten
track, because I can find the real life and get a real learning journey. Afghanistan,
according to me, is like a treasure box. Every time I go, there are always surprises,
no paradox. I'm fascinated by the mystery of Afghanistan, to stay in the country
for three years. Writing a book about Afghanistan titled Dust Blanket.
What exactly do you want for the reader? I hope the
reader is not just a look at life
in the locations that I wrote, but at the same time can
take reflections from
life stories, both successes and failures of
other nations, and be learned for our own
lives in Indonesia.
Actual trip is a
reflection, so travel writing. I promote
responsible traveling, because the journey is
done irresponsibly will cause
negative effects, especially for the places we visit.
Many people who write travel
books, but few books a memorable trip. According to you? Writing a book is not so easy way people
imagine. Not just to go to
a place or country, journal writing, and published.
Book a trip, or here
I focus on the narrative journey, should have a common thread and a strong groove. The trip was a learning process, the maturation process itself, and
the process of finding something.
For the trip I
did in Afghanistan,
for example, I take pride in the groove
of paradox in a
country completely destroyed by
the war. For Central Asia trip, I
was impressed by how the state boundary line dividing
the lands there-Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan,
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and they are fighting each other for the sake of the boundary line and concept creation invaders. Then
I lift the plot
in the book The Borderline is on
the line, not just physically but also mentally, which
separates humans.
Experienced traveled the world, how you look at
tourism in Indonesia? We had a rich country, the
interest of visitors from abroad,
and of course we should be proud of it. But on the other
hand, we must remember tourism are the two sides
of the coin, on one side of
a developed tourism
sector brings a
lot of tourists and income, but on the
other hand many of the 'poison' that
damage the tourism culture
of local communities. My own most memorable during a visit to Disneyland. Funny thing is, there are local residents
who do not believe I am Indonesian,
and he continued to converse in English.
Destinations that still makes you curious? Curious? I
think I now no longer be too curious destination.
Once I'd love to
Negra-closed state
like Bhutan or
North Korea, as well as to countries
that do not exist, such as Nagoro Karabakh, Abkhazia, or Transdniester. But
now, my destination
was not everything. Traveling
in essence no longer seek the exotic, but
the process of learning, and we can actually learn
on the go. One of my philosophies is
on the way: it's not about the destination, it's about
the journey. So, wherever the destination is special, even the
home itself that
is so you know.
Augustine Wibowo,
a travel writer. Currently working in the media in Beijing.
Next project, working on the third and fourth books about travel in Tibet,
Nepal, India,
Pakistan, Kashmir,
and Mongolia. Youth from Lumajang, East
Java, was once a volunteer earthquake in Kashmir, Pakistan, for six weeks. Interests:
Photography, traveling, and fitateli.
