In December, 2007, a few of us decided to travel down south, or rather, further east. I’d seen the scenery in posters, films and tv documentaries and heard the unspoiled nature talked about in hushed, almost reverent tones.

We traveled on a 3,000 km road trip in 9 days. I had my first balloon ride, helicopter ride, and I rode a jet boat. (Honestly, I don’t have a head for heights. I was so afraid
of sudden movement by the balloon ride, but in the end, though it was very high, it was also very steady.)

I agree that a photographer should be multi-talented – able to take all kinds of photos, including portraits of people But the Earth looked stunning in this part of the planet.
It was on this trip that I realized I liked taking landscapes most of all, despite Cartier-Bresson’s scorn when he wrote, ‘the world is falling to pieces and all Adams and Weston photograph is rocks and trees’. (Edward Weston is another great photographer of natural forms, landscapes, also nudes.)

The blue skies were so blue. The towns looked like film sets, from Queenstown to Lake Tekapo. (I kept comparing everything to Jakarta; everywhere we went, we saw old buildings but so well maintained and appreciated.)

And it’s not true that you can only see sheep!