165 days: David Tan

Today I decided to take a river cruise along the Malacca River. The weather was perfect and the river breeze was refreshing. As I boarded the boat, I met a fellow traveler named David Tan. David is a photographer from Penang who is visiting Malacca to capture its historic charm. We struck up a conversation about our respective art forms and found common ground in our passion for capturing moments and stories.

David shared his journey of leaving his corporate job to pursue photography full time. He talked about the challenges he faced, including the initial financial instability and the struggle to find his unique style. Despite the difficulties, his love for photography kept him going and he now has his own studio in Penang. His story resonated with me and reminded me of my own journey as an artist.

The cruise offered stunning views of the city's vibrant murals, historic buildings and picturesque bridges. David pointed out several places he wanted to photograph later and gave me tips on how to capture the essence of Malacca in my sketches.

Meeting David was inspiring and his story added depth to my experience in Malacca. As we parted ways, we exchanged contact information and promised to stay in touch and perhaps collaborate on a project in the future. It was a day well spent, filled with inspiration and new connections.