Hi! My name is Willis, one of the owners of this property. I hope you are enjoying the unit and we are truly grateful that you are staying with us! Our home is all designed by us including the tiny details in place like the photos on the wall. In fact, I took a few of these photos myself. I hope you enjoy these photos as the story behind each one remains very close to my heart.
Land of the Mist
Location: Mt. Batur, Bali
One of my most incredible trips thus far, Bali has a truly special place in our heart besides from being Best Man for one of my best friends. The whole experience was surreal, the food was delicious, the people were wonderful, and the scenery was just unreal. This photo was taken on top of Mt. Batur, we set out early in the morning with hundreds of other hikers. Sometimes I take for granted how lucky I am to be living in a developed country. As we were hiking, there were school aged Balinese children with us. Their goal was to sell soda, water, and juices to the tourist (us) as we hiked our way up top. I felt bad, so I ended up buying a few bottles from them. I spoke to one of them, and they told me that after this trek, they would rush back down and head to school. This is why I love traveling and exploring other cultures. I feel so humbled and grounded by my own selfishness sometimes and it really gives me a more realistic perspective. On top of the mountain, we were given hot cocoa to warm us up as we waited for the sunrise. As the sun slowly raised above the sea, the shadows of trees and mountains began to contour and elongate. With the morning fog settling in as well, the wild contrasting colors were mesmerizing.
Proposal
Location: Whistler, Vancouver
Luck was on my side that day. Jin Ah and I had planned a vacation to Vancouver. I think she knew that this trip would be the trip that I would propose to her, but God had different plans. They don’t call it Raincouver for no reason. I think during that 5 day stay, it rained 4.5 days. I had envisioned that I would propose to Jin Ah during a beautiful blue bird sky next to a glistening emerald lake, but the rain and fog would not let up. My plans were becoming more of a dream than a reality, we even had plans of canceling our flight and staying longer because of the rain. Luckily, on the second to last day there, the rain had ceased. Cloudy nonetheless, but that was enough for us to head out on our hike. As we got closer to my destination, the sky started clearing up. By the time we reached the glacial lake, the sun was beating down on us, and it painted the lake in the most saturated green and turquoise. It literally looked photoshopped. This was the perfect chance. As I told Jin Ah to pose for a photo, I set my tripod up. I grabbed the ring out of the pack, pressed the record button, and ran to her side. As I was getting down on one knee, I nearly fell off the rock and into the lake! No surprises, but she said yes :)
