During the half-year trip of Dreamstarter Adventure Travels through Southeast Asia, I discovered something even more important than adventure itself: family & friendship. I wanted to honor that with a tattoo on the most important tattoo spot of my body, my right inner forearm. This ink is dedicated to the family I deeply miss, and the lifelong friendships that bring me joy even when I’m far away.
The tattoo also features a tree of life, which symbolizes how everything is interconnected. It tells me I am one of the universe and all it’s creation, and this gives me inner peace. The tree also represents the personal growth I’ve done and my dedication to growing more.
The design itself is a story in its own right. My talented friend Maya, whom I traveled with for a week, helped connect all my chaotic ideas into one cohesive, beautiful design. She hand-drew each part, and even the tattoo artists were praising her work. She made smoky artsy plants that would fill in the gaps so my right forearm would become a half-sleeve. Thank you a million times Maya, it means a lot to me!
But to really make it a half-sleeve, the Viking axe were added and the Nordic compass encircled by Jörmungandr, the mythological serpent biting its own tail. Another reminder of life’s cycle. With these Viking tattoo’s I really embraced my Viking identity and their compass should even help me find my way in this world. Let’s see how well that works out.
And then there’s Bigg Nguyen from Bigg Ink Tattoo, the artist behind the needle. He’s a well-known name in the tattoo Ho Chi Minh scene, and after seeing how he improved the design by tweaking placements and customizing symbols, I understood why. He moved “Friendship” to make space for the axe. He morphed two compass designs into one strong Nordic piece. He even suggested we drop a mystical plant to let my guitar flower tattoo breathe. Every detail was intentional.
If you ever find yourself in Vietnam and want to carry something deeply meaningful with you for the rest of your life, make sure you go to a hygienic and professional place like Bigg Ink Tattoo. Getting tattooed is not just about the ink. It’s about trust, intention and honoring your story. And I will cherish this tattoo forever.
