“I made trips to Jakarta frequently. But I can’t stand it. I just want to do my business and then get the heck out of there.”

I was in a pickup truck with Francy and Ko Robert. A mid 50’s man who looks like he’s been in a good shape his whole life. He’s what we called ‘Indiana Jones’ of the diving world here in Ambon. I was fortunate enough to hitch a ride with him for a diving trip to Tanjung Setan, one of the most beautiful underwater gardens on the upper coast of Ambon.

“I just don’t know what to do,” he continues. “Malls? Well, malls are just that. You saw one, you’ve seen everything.”

We’re going on a winding road passing villages after villages.

“Here, you can go in a good weather like this, get some wrapped rice (nasi bungkus), get into a boat with a few friends, then just go into the seas with your diving gear.”

“Today is this coast, tommorow, we could be on that coast, or that one. Any sea that you like.”

A half an hour later, with the jet engine’s roars deafening behind us and Ko Robert standing on the boat with his shades on, looking deep into, if I can say so, the most beautiful sea+sky+cloud panorama I have ever seen, I started to understand what he was saying.

Now, inside of a car, trapped for almost an hour in the evening Jakarta traffic, I completely understand. Haunted by the images of clear skies and crystal clear waters, all I want to do now is to kick the door open, smash the windshield of this Fortuner that has been cutting me all night long, run by foot to Soekarno Hatta and book the first flight back to Ambon.

Then I remember the blogpost that I wrote almost a year ago, The Good Life : “The good life is about life with a purpose pursued passionately, with playful pleasurable pauses. Six Ps.” Yes, I made that one myself 🙂

That one month in Ambon might sample the good life, but to be honest, I was there in a holiday mood. People are friendly, I was a new diver that people love to bring along, I don’t have to think about expenses, I don’t have to think about making money. When the strides of ordinary life came on knocking, if you don’t have that purpose, then it is all the same.

So wherever you are, when you are pursuing a purpose, you could be leading the good life.

So wherever you are, when you are pursuing a purpose, you could be leading the good life.

Or if you want to have the good life AND live in a place where you could go diving every other day, I’m not blaming you 🙂

I’ll see you guys all very soon,
Edward