Every now and then I lug my giant SLR around for no good reason. It gets x-rayed, poked and prodded by airport security but stays comfortably tucked away in my luggage upon arrival. It’s a (rare) sign that I’m on vacation, and not traveling. The difference between a getaway and an adventure.

The last three years has been an adventure of a different sort, and with graduation only a week away it’s time for some much needed R&R. I was lucky enough to steal away to the Bahamas for a few days, where the only photographing I did was with my mind’s eye… and my iPhone . I feel refreshed, and maybe even ready to tackle the bar exam. Maybe.

It’s hard to believe that Spring Break was just a week ago. Back in Cambridge it’s nose to the grindstone with classes, readings and long days in the library. Right now sunshine feels like a distant memory. I went on my first cruise to the Caribbean over the break, and for someone whose travel repertoire has mostly consisted of backpacking and sleeping in yurts – it was quite the culture shock. I’ve never been so pampered and fussed over in my life. I can now fully relate to David Foster Wallace’s experience in Shipping Out.

Cruising is part luxury travel and part magic. You can never quite shake the feeling that you are the target of an elaborate scheme everyone else is in on but yourself. You wake in the crystalline waters of Aruba, and when the sun sets it lights up the sky, and turns the sea into molten gold. Aboard the ship, things function seamlessly as if controlled by a hive mind. It seemed like every time I opened our cabin door (no matter what time in the day) our room had magically rearranged itself and there was yet another chocolate placed on my pillow. Or four. And try as I might, I could never actually catch our cabin steward in the act. And the food. My God. The. Food. Unending lobster? An entire meal dedicated to chocolate?? The mind. It boggles.

Of all of us on the trip, Jonny undoubtedly made the most of what the cruise had to offer. He became our gastronomic icon, nay, our hero. It is with the fondest of memories that I think back on Spring Break 2013 – and proudly present my first comic, shot and edited entirely on my iPhone. Without further ado, I give you The Many Meals of Jonny Lim.

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In college I had a photography professor who shot a series entitled “Tucson at Night.” She moved there shortly after graduating from college and had conflicting emotions of living there, which she captured on film. Since then, I’ve wanted to photograph a similar project as an homage. She inspired me to see the beauty in the every day, and not just when I’m on the road.

Fort Wayne is the second largest city in Indiana, and is probably the smallest city I’ve spent an extended amount of time in. On New Year’s Day I had most of the day free and ventured out at night with my camera. Most of my experiences in the US have been confined to big cities and I was shocked by how eerily quiet Fort Wayne was at night. The streets were so silent the hum of fluorescent lights seemed loud when walking past. And I realized I must be the oldest pedestrian alive in the state, if only because of the cold. Being out on the streets alone made me feel like I’d wandered into the final scenes of a zombie apocalypse movie – I don’t think I’ve ever seen a city so silent at night.

At -13C, I barely lasted 30 minutes on foot, even with gloves on. I photographed until I could no longer work the trigger and scuttled home. I’m surprised at how eerie and beautiful Fort Wayne can be at night – and it definitely encourages me to be more intentional and photograph more of my daily life.

The door swings open and the smell of pancakes and bacon on the griddle invites you in. Inside is a mish-mash of 90’s collectable toys, coca-cola classic memorabilia and a miniature juke box. Customers sit along a narrow counter alternately chatting with each other and the waitress making the rounds with fresh coffee.

Cindy’s is the sort of place that attracts everyone from hipsters and octogenarians. A piece of Americana that transports you back to a time where front doors were always unlocked and kids played in the backyard.

There is something so friendly and wholesome about Cindy’s. Having always lived in big cities, I can’t help but feel a certain nostalgia for the Midwest, and all that it represents. The pace of life is slower, people “honey” and “sweetie” you wherever you go.

I’ve got one more exam to go, but I can already feel the worry and stress fall alway. I’m not sure if it’s the feeling of being away from campus, or knowing I can always drop into Cindy’s for a milkshake and a chat.

I find I have about a six month shelf life when it comes to living in a city.

Around the fifth month or so, I start to feel the usual restlessness, a sense of frustration like being crammed in the back seat of a packed car on a long road trip. It’s one part claustrophobia, and two parts wanderlust.

Between the three internships, classes and exams this summer, there hasn’t been much time left for R&R. Thankfully I was able to block off a few days. There was a lot of last minute emails, and fighting the ever-present feeling that maybe something had slipped between the cracks, I crammed some clothes and my photography gear into a rucksack and hit the road.

10 hours later, I got off the overnight bus at 5AM and found myself back in Yangshuo.

AAAHhhh.

Despite having lived in a city my whole life, I cannot wait to get away. There is something about getting back to nature, hitting the trails on a mountain bike or spending the day rock climbing that no spa or retail therapy can ever replenish for me.

I wiped out speeding downhill on my bike, am slightly bruised and cut from an intense climb, and I can’t tell you how good it feels.

It feels like like the last few months were an unending blur of deadlines, exams and work (which it was). But having a few days to get back to my roots, travel, climb and photograph… I’m feeling like myself again. :)