Karen Lai

Four years ago, I started carrying a camping bag with half of my height, travelled around different states in Taiwan, Indonesia, and East Asia to explore their traditional cloth arts, and share with the locals an ancient printing technique – Cyanotype that I had learned myself.

Cyanotype only requires simple materials, but with enormous variation and technique behind it. The angle of sunlight, amount of exposure time, and even the texture of the printing material such as paper and cloth. If the sunlight is a little stronger or weaker, the final product will be affect, but I just love how many unexplored possibilities there are.

However, I had to stop being a backpaccker and return to Hong Kong under the pandemic, and I decided to get into a completely new of industry for me – local toruism. I joined Hong Kong Free Tours to plan local tours, bring people back to Hong Kong, and to break down old misconceptions to the society, restart new conversations. I am just as excited to explore a new state as I was to explore before. I alawys look forward to meeting every participant and partner, sparking new ideas through every one I meet.

Life is a journey full of unknowns, and it’s important to care about the scenery along the way to ger more of what you want.