Is it only for the ‘Gram?

Let’s face it, Instagram seems to be one of the most popular social media platform around right now, and has been (for better or worse) for the past few years.  While they recently got rid of the public display of how many “likes” photos have, it’s still a place where we all try to post the most eye catching, colorful, exciting, adventurous pictures we have… mostly to show our friends… followers… all of the cool things are are up too.  It’s also used by many “lifestyle influencers” to talk about life and products and tips and trick to look or act or dress or live a certain way.

Now I love posting as much as the next 20-something woman, but I’m not in it for the likes or the followers… I just want a place to share stories and experiences with friends – without having to privately text or email every single person I know!

But what I really want to touch on here is how Instagram and the cultural obsession with getting the “most perfect, Insta worthy” picture has impacted my travels, especially here in Bali.

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Let’s go back- 2016 and my first trip to Bali.  Sure, plenty of people were visiting here and tourism was booming, but social media and the quest for the most amazing picture was not.  When you went someplace- a temple, a waterfall, a cliff with stunning views… there wasn’t a long line and 30 minute wait to get your pictures taken seeing the view.  Most sites were still relatively hidden and untouched.  Getting a picture was a secondary thought- first was getting to take in the experience with all of your senses and be fully present in the moment.

Fast forward to 2018 and my second trip to Bali.  There were some totally “new” tourist sites to explore that were becoming more and more popular because they were picturesque… they were more and more exotic.  But it was still casual.  Still raw and so what if there was someone in the back of your picture?  Who cared if you were sweaty and had fly-away hairs and weren’t wearing makeup?  You were in Bali for goodness sake- that’s the cool part!  And anywhere you went, there was still time to take it all in, without the camera or someone asking you to move out of their way or your guide telling you how to pose.

Fast forward to now- 2020- and this trip to Bali.  Can you see where this is going?  Now it’s all about getting the most perfect, unique, unblemished photo in the most exotic location.  There are sites (temple gates, gardens, palaces, cliffs, vistas, etc) that were not “popular” a year ago that are now the hot thing.  There are attractions that aren’t even mentioned in my 2015 edition of the Lonely Planet guidebook for Bali!  And there are lines and lines of tourists at every site… in crazy dresses with accessories and full on camera crews to capture the perfect moment.  No longer do you get to experience these beautiful sites because if you take too long the next person in line will fuss– just get you pictures and get out.

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SO, why do I bring this up?  Well, because I went on a full day tour a few weeks back and hardly remember it… but I got great pictures.  And I honestly hardly feel like I can share the pictures because part of me feels they are so inauthentic.  I don’t really remember being there and taking them… even though they look fantastic!

This tour started at 4am… that’s when I was picked up… to start the drive to The Gate of Heaven.  This lovely gate is part of a very old and sacred temple in the North East of the island that looks onto Mt. Angung (one of Bali’s volcanos).  You have an incredible view- but what everyone is really there for is about 60 seconds to stand in the gate and execute 3 different poses for the camera- for a small fee, of course.  Ok I got some pics, but my favorite part was the time I had to wait for my number to be called and just sit up on the temple steps and watch the sunrise around this volcano.  AKA- the less Instagramable moments.

Next we drove down the mountain to a “hidden jungle waterfall”… I want to this waterfall on a tour last year.  And my little group of 3 were the only people there for about 20 minutes.  We got to walk all around the cave of the waterfall and swim in the pool.  We stood under the powerful water and just took in the sheer beauty of the experience.  Then we got some goofy pics, soaking wet and trying not to ruin our phones.  A few other people started to show up and we took a few shots for each other before leaving them to enjoy the falls on there own.  This sticks in my head as one of the most amazing moments of that trip (2018). … … … Well when we got to the cave this year, there was already a line of people waiting to stand in front of the waterfall and pose in a ray of sun.  No one frolicked in the pool or just stood under the water taking in all the majesty and power of this hidden gem.  You walked in, took your pictures, and walked out… and if you took too long or wanted to spend some time, the next group would walk in and glare at you to get out of their shots.  It felt so fake.  Just there for a picture then “Good Bye!”  If I hadn’t truly experienced this in 2018, I wouldn’t even remember it from the 2020 trip.

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There were a few more stops on the tour and while YES they were gorgeous, I think you get what each thing has in common– just get the best picture, forget actually experiencing it in real time!  And I don’t want to depress everyone reading, LOL!

But I feel so inauthentic posting some of the beautiful shots I have because I really don’t remember them… and I love posting things that mean something to me.  So here- just for my amazing readers, is a never before seen picture from that day:

Gate of Heaven- Bali

Real talk, how do you feel about the social media craze for the “perfect picture”?

<3always,

Christiane