Side Quests

After I started earning my own income as a software engineer, I realized there were a lot of things I could finally try–because I could afford the lessons now. Trying out new things has always been one of my favorite hobbies. I love progress, especially the feeling of something that’s completely unfamiliar slowly becoming second nature to me.

I created this page because I want to make sure that I document all of my adventures and the new skills i picked up. It’s also a way for me to show some more personality beyond my professional side. Most of the “quests” that I did stems from my curiosity, or as simple as if the thing chases me out of my comfort zone. And honestly, I love doing those kinds of things.

My family had a car until I was in middle school, but we had to sell it due to certain circumstances. So during my entire “driving-age” years, we didn’t have a car at home. That’s why I never learned how to drive. Sure, I could’ve taken lessons at 17 like everyone else, but without a car to practice with, why bother?

I recently bought my very first car on February, so I took a driving course like 1 week before it came, hahaha. It wasn’t actually my first time learning though. I was first taught by my ex’s dad–in which I failed miserably. I couldn’t figure out which way to steer when reversing 🤣.

Now I would say I'm pretty decent at driving, especially in tight space. There’s this narrow road near my house, and I have to pass through no matter what, so I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve developed a good enough spatial sense whether my car will hit something or not.

Here’s a clip of what the road looks like during peak hour 🤯

I don’t know why, but for a whole 23 years, I never properly learned how to swim. I could float by lying face down, but I couldn’t do any real strokes or breathe correctly. I actually drowned once when someone pushed me into a two-meter pool back in middle school. It wasn’t serious enough to turn into a full-blown phobia, but ever I always felt little bit uneasy in deeper water.

So I finally learned how to swim as an adult! I took multiple swimming lessons, and now I can say that I'm comfortable in the water. I still couldn't do freestyle that well—I keep running out of breath, lol. But breaststroke and treading water are good! Also, little did I know, learning how to swim unlocked another adventure of mine.

Three months after my swimming lessons, I did an impulsive thing which is to sign up to a freediving certification course. It was a two-day course in Nusa Penida. At the time, I was working remotely from Bali. Out of boredom, my friend and I booked the course on a Wednesday, and by Friday we were on a speedboat heading to Nusa Penida.

I actually had been quite curious about freediving. Back in 2024, I went snorkeling in Labuan Bajo, bear in mind that I couldn’t swim back then. I remember wondering why I couldn’t dive down no matter how hard I tried. Turns out I didn’t know the technique.

During the course, I learned how to hold my breath, equalize, and duck dive properly. I managed to dive down to 16 meters and officially became a certified freediver. As of writing this—July 13th, 2025—I can hold my breath for around 3 minutes 🔥

After my tandem skydiving experience in Dubai, I always wanted to do it solo. Fast forward, I am now a licensed skydiver. I can now jump by myself in anywhere around the world.

It was one of the most amazing experiences I've had. There's nothing that can beat the adrenaline rush of jumping out of a plane.

And the side quests don’t stop here. Here’s to a life full of stories 🥂