the deeper we dig, the messier things become.

Photos made in January 2013, Kobe

I miss japan,
but i won’t be going back in near future.

I’m emotional,
but I’ll always decide on the rational mind.

contradiction is my middle name.

Photos made in December 2012, Osaka

这美丽的黄昏，看似温暖，但实际上，太阳和寒冷可以同时间运作。对此，我非常陌生。

身穿四五件衣裤打底，还是抵不住海港寒风。

按下快门的决定瞬间，在于它是否值得我把手从温暖口袋拔出。

 摄于大阪，十二月

在这个大人的世界，成熟面对一切是必然的。

成熟就是尽量不影响或麻烦别人。

所以，情绪困扰这类琐碎事，只能吞下，自行解决。
因为，大人世界里的成熟人，不会有时间去聆听可悲的情绪问题。
身在大人世界里的你，也开不了口去谈吐对生活的感慨。

但只要一个眼神交流，即可了解彼此都背负”成熟”的定义，埋藏了很多情绪。
却，一切尽在不言中。

大人的世界，很安静，也很寂寞。

摄于大阪，十二月

冬季 • 最简约的季节。没有多余的颜色及花纹，一切回归它最初的形式。

如此单一白色的画面，如此适合拍摄黑白照。

摄于白马，一月 

目的地，往往不比路上的景色美妙。
那份期待，忐忑的心情。

摄于高速公路，一月

Not exactly the “gingerbread house” yet one that resemblance a lot. After all, it was brought in by the Germans during 1930s. The japanese called it “Gassho style houses”. “Gassho” means an act of putting both your plams together to form a prayer gesture, just like the roof.

To get to Shirakawa-go isn’t as convenient becuase there’s no train access to the mountains. The only way is to board the daily coach transfer from Kanazawa and Takayama, 2 small towns not far away from Shirakwa-go.

It is indeed a challenge for us to get there, as we are based in Osaka. First, we took shinkansen from Osaka to Nagoya, and spend a night there. Then, from Nagoya, we’re lucky to discover Gifu bus company which offers a direct bus that bring us to Shirakawa-go, without needing to stop at Takayama. The whole bus journey took around 3 hours. It may seems long, but trust me, most of the time you’ll be amazed by the mountain scenery.

From city slowly emerged to neighbourhood and finally into white mountains covered with snow. We were thrilled to see snow pilling up the sides of the road. Soon after, it starts to snow.

At last, the bus stops, and we’ve reached the magical Shirakawa-go village. It was still snowing and the landscape too beautiful, it’s almost surreal. One of a feeling that you can only experience it for yourself.

The plan is to stay in the “Gassho Style Houses” for 2 nights, as we’d love to slowly absorb and explore this charming little village. Indeed, it’s a small village, with only one main road, and not more than 50 houses. Most people would choose to come here for a day trip, however, staying at least 1 night, is what we strongly recommend. Because the weather is totally different from when you arrived during noon and when you wake up in the morning.

Also, staying in a “Gassho Style House” is something you wouldn’t wanna miss. I recommend Koemon Minshuku, where we stayed there for the first night. The locals who guard this house is the 6th generation of the family, whom continuingly devote themselves in maintaining the culture of Shirakawa-g0. The cost is around 9800yen per person inclusive of breakfast and dinner. To me, it’s reasonable as the dinner is served with famous Hida beef plus many appetizing side dishes. Plus, the they played a documentary film about a huge ceremony when everyone in the village come together in renewing the straw roof of Koemon Minshuku. We chat with the owner as he continue to feed us with more information about this village. What a lovely dinner with great food and conversation.

The next morning, we woke up to a crisp blue morning, completely different from the snowy weather yesterday. Everything further enhanced by the bright sun, what a great day to burn some film!

We went up to the observatory deck by a mini bus, then we choose to walk down the hill. It took around 1 hour plus, but it’s a pleasant walk.

Although it’s been a while since our visit, but the impression is very vivid still. Perhaps snow is not something very common in the south east asia, the whole place to me, feels like a man-made theme park. As if the mountains behind are huge backdrops, and the snow comes this huge air condition. Of course, it’s all real and not a single artificial attempt would be up to par, and that just show how little we know about nature, and how effortlessly it could amaze you.

Photos made in January 2013, Shirakawa-go

开始听见很多人对我说…
”哇！怎么你好像一直不停在旅行啊？很好命哟！”

有很多吗？最多一年四五次罢了啊。不是我不知足在说风凉话，而是，一直以来，旅行是我的梦想啊。而一年四五次，对于一个立志环游世界的人，算少了吧！
而为了这个梦想，我努力赚钱，开着一辆多毛病的旧车也不肯换，全因那些剩下的钱，可以让我出国啊！

但可怕的是，那些对我的评语，开始起作用了。即使旅行也玩得心里有愧似的，内心纠结着莫名的罪恶感，好像，快乐是不应该的。
果然，人言可畏啊！

如今清醒的我，明白了那种罪恶感实在要不得！因为，能够旅行并非侥幸，而是一步一步努力的耕耘得回来的。

然后，我领悟到….

一般当梦想接近实现时，总会有一些不了解你付出多少的人，对你乱下定论。把你的成果看成一种侥幸。这时，你要记得曾流过的汗水，然后骄傲的告诉他，“不必羡慕我，因为如果你也想达成梦想，只要肯努力必定能实现的”。没错，谁都具备“实现梦想”的条件。也不需太谦虚，因为光明正大得回来的成果，本应有尊严地享受。有尊严不是傲慢，而罪恶感才是鄙视勤劳。要不得！

我也只是乘搭廉价航机啦，真的，没有什么了不起。

摄于LCCT，五月

“只有在失去了，才后悔从来没有珍惜过”

人在“拥有”的当下，无法领悟“失去”的滋味。而不可能做到“珍惜”。
所以，“珍惜”这词，本身就包含“后悔”和“遗憾”。

当你不停付出，盼望有人懂得珍惜时，必需停下思考。
因为，这是一件不可能的事。
他不会主动珍惜。而等到他懂得珍惜时，就是他失去你的时候。

如果可以领悟当中意义，就不必再为了期待”不可能”而痛苦。
反而，可以放开，自由的生活。

摄于新干线上，一月

I’ve always been a fan of post-rock, ambient genre. It seems to me, like the kind of music that only fit in your solitary moments. Never imagine enjoying it with a huge crowd, like a concert? But this foray into live post-rock concert by Sigur-Ros is so trance-like, words cannot describe. Probably because I can’t decode icelandic, the words coming out of Jónsi sound completely foreign and it’s solely beautiful tune.

What’s more interesting is, this sort of concert you don’t scream, clap and get “high”. Instead, the music absorb you into a different place where your body swings along with it while you gently close your eyes. After some time, when you open your eyes, you’ll notice everyone around you swings along unconsciously too. Pretty creepy, but i guess that’s the way to enjoy it!

Photo made in Dec 2012, Urbanscape

if we are looking for something to hold all of us as malaysians together, seek no further as music is the answer. (real good heart felt music)

Photo made in Dec 2012, Urbanscape

urbanscape
Probably the last year i would attend.

The venue, sound system, price, vendors… below average. What was suppose to be a celebration of art, music and design had turn into something too commercialized. Already it’s overpriced, we get muddy field, with 2 or 3 different performance jamming at the same time. How is it to concentrate? Plus, vendor selling bottled mineral water for rm5 each, ridiculous. Imagine you are caught in this place for almost a whole day, and the water supply cause you a bomb. Not making sense to me.

When you put something meaningful into solely money making, it never worked. (at least not for me)

However, music is still damn fine. But i’ll rather attend a proper concert than a huge blood sucking “festival”.

Photo made in Dec 2012, Urbanscape

广告业，本应是个搞创意，开拓视野的行业。身为广告人，我们的专业除了“卖”之外，也带一些社会责任。因为我们坚持相信，广告能够拉近商业和艺术的距离。在“卖”的同时，也可以融入艺术，让市民看的东西远些，了解的东西多些。自然，大家水准也会提升。这是个漫长的过程，但如果没有客户的支持，根本很难实现。而我们的社会只能停留在“肤浅”的定位，停留在一目了然，重复又重复的广告模式。

可惜，我忘了，“客户”也只是一般市民。要他们去了解我们的坚持，谈何容易？

而我们广告人，只能忍气吞声的不停迁就客人去重复做一些没有进步的东西。

慢慢目送”进步”与“改变”的潜力。而自己在坚持的边缘不停挣扎。

做狗都不如。

恐惧会把自由吞食。

摄于urbanscape，十一月

forgot to tell you, the best thing about melbourne is their wildlife; not the cafe nor the scenery.

Photo made in May 2012, Melbourne

There’s a need to put a closure to the melbourne chapter. The 7days and 5nights journey had lasted in my writings for too long, i lost county. But I bet it’s alright, I like how it can slowly unfold.
Every journey you learn something, lose something and eat a lot of things. (lol)

But of all that’s matter, Melbourne will remain as always, the first time experience to many things. A good beginning to kick start further countries. The only regret, didn’t get to visit Victoria Market! So, i guess that’s the reason to visit again. (perhaps years later…)

btw, that’s the closest i get to famous brighton beach bathing boxes. Overlooking melbourne city, from Black Rock.

Photo made in May 2012, Melbourne

信，不需要证据。
因为有了证据，就失去选择信或不信的必要。

信，是一种坚持。
因为无论情况如何恶劣，也绝不动摇。

信任是一种尊贵的精神。几乎难于圣人的境界，所以才有神。
神的存在是为了满足人类追寻“信”的真谛。

相信神的人，从来不需证据证明它的存在。
而在于这么不明确的状况下，也可以做到坚持信念。

为何，要一个人相信神，感觉非常理说当然。
但要一个人相信另一个人，却总是有所保留？

摄于墨尔本，五月 

“The closer i allow myself to feel the universe, the further i felt away from mankind. The impalpable affect on me, have no appropriate words to describe. I tried to explain but non comprehend. So I turn towards drawings, lyrics, melody & images. They allow me to tell the story by not looking insane.”

Photo made in May 2012, Melbourne

Autumn blooms in shades of red and yellow, so warm and charming. But we all know, that’s how leaves great us with it’s most beautiful form before their cycle ends. We may appreciate such scenic, but deep inside, we can’t help but to feel blue as autumn’s a melancholy season, indeed.

In fact no one can ever stop anything from decaying to make space for the fresh and new. We knew it’s inevitable, but does that mean all we can do is to accept and eventually get used to it? We seek meaning to all the deaths and births but nothing ever come close. Only thing unchanged, is that the cycle never stops.

I wanted to capture Autumn’s beauty with it’s vibrant colours. Yet, i misused a rare film that turns everything into blue.
Then I realized, Autumn wants me to know of it’s true colour.

Photo made in May 2012, Melbourne

付出正真得到的，除了成长的果实以外，其实什么都没有。而体会到的是酸甜或苦辣？只有你自己懂。

摄于墨尔本，五月