18.08.2022. Nusa Dua, Bali.

The date was set, the location was perfect, and our dream wedding—just the two of us—was about to become a reality. Yep, you read that right: we eloped. No big guest list, no awkward family dynamics (sorry, not sorry), just us, our closest friends, and a beach in Bali.

In January 2016, I set off on my first big trip to Asia with my long-time friend who had been backpacking through the region. We started with an overnight stay in Jakarta before catching an early flight to Lombok, Indonesia…