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The locals. We were greeted with “Hello mister!” at almost every passing, the kids would come up to us and ask for photos and high fives which we gladly gave. The adults were just as friendly, most times whilst i was shooting on the beach they would come up to me, introduce themselves, ask where i was from and simply stand there. They couldn’t speak any english, but they would still appreciate your company and greet you with a smile. Some of the most grateful human beings I have had the privilege of meeting. Photo: @AlexBenaud
Sumatra is one of the most beautiful islands in the Indonesian archipelago. Raw, unique, and excluded from the overdeveloped, big business and tourist-driven islands, such as Bali. After a 7 hour layover in Jakarta, coming within minutes of missing our plane to Bandur Lampung, followed by a grueling 6 hour car ride through the rocky terrain of Southern Sumatra, we arrived at our home stay sleep-deprived, starving, sweaty, and extremely excited to surf.
All in all, Sumatra was an experience of a lifetime. It was great to experience the rawness of Indonesia that many people who visit the tourist-rich regions are unable to experience. From the misfortunes we encountered along the way to the friendliest of locals we had the pleasure of meeting, this trip will forever be in our memory. We will be back soon, Sumatra. We will be back soon.
See more of Alex’s photography on Instagram: @alexbenaud.