2008, that was the year when I first met Evans. I called him my dear friend. We worked for the same company, but we had very different jobs so somehow never really met each other. We went for a rafting trip together that year and in 2009 went to Karimun Jawa in Jepara. I mostly remember the Karimun Jawa part, since it was such a big adventure for me at the time. I can’t remember precisely how many people joined the trip, probably around 20 persons. We didn’t really know each other, but we were committed to having fun and we spent three days together on the beautiful Karimun Jawa island.

my best travel friend

We had fun on the island and shared so many moments together (but definitely not on the boat to Karimun Jawa, all of us, with the exception of Evans, were seasick). We went snorkeling, relaxed on the beach, played with the friendly shark, ate barbecues fish, made some holiday snap shots together and just shared good times. What I most remember about the holiday was how much we laughed and how happy everyone was. I have so many happy memories from that time.

trip to karimun jawa jepara

July 2013, more or less 5 years had passed since I firstly met Evans, he went on a diving trip (apparently become his last diving trip). July 13, 2013, everything should have been fine, but then a storm hit the boat and it sank. Two people disappeared when the boat sank and for the last seven days, my heart ached and my throat was tight. For two days he was not found and I held out the hope that he was stranded somewhere and would suddenly come back, just like Tom Hanks in Cast Away movie. It was an empty hope. July 19, 2013, yes he was stranded and in the end the search & rescue team did find him, but he had died. It was the opposite of what I had hoped would happen.


It is a big lost for me.

travel friends

I am not sure how long I will feel the pain or feel the hurt of losing him, but the feeling of loving that I had for my friend will last forever. Evans was the kind of person that you knew would keep a secret. He was a nice man with a very genuine heart. One of that I consider as a close friends.

karimun jawa from jepara

My friend, saying goodbye can be the one of the most difficult things in this world and that is why I will not say that. Rest in peace my dear friend, enjoy the eternal beauty of nature out there and explore the world like you always did. I will always remember the beauty of the friendship that we shared as the beauty as the island that we visited together in 2009 and the other beautiful destinations in Indonesia that we always talked about together.