“I can’t remember the last time I was on a vacation traveling. Worst than that, I can’t remember the last time I travelled with my dad. Ever since he got remarried, our path diverges in different direction. I chose to study abroad, which adds to the effect. As time passes, we spent less and less time together—from things like vacation, travel…to just conversations and hang outs. It sure felt weird to sense someone to be so close yet so far away, so familiar to me as a child but now distant, figuratively and quite literally.

I was lucky, because my gap year allowed us to cross paths once again. Our trip to Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh was a combined effort, following the original intention of attending my grandpa’s passed away anniversary. The trip reminded me of all the warm memories I had with my dad in the past, where I would get picked up every weekend. Spending time with him was my weekend getaway from school—we would eat in and out, play Wii sports together, and occasionally go to the mall to take a glimpse of all the newest toys. The rich, warm yellow tones of sunlight in these photos, combined with the lack of subject and movement—ties in the nostalgia that I felt on that trip with my dad…”