LILY had been planning her Resort Island getaway for months. Her social media was already filled with photos of faraway beaches, smoothies in half-cut coconuts, and infinity pool reflections. Now, it was time for the holy grail of Resort Island photos: a beautiful shot of Resort Island’s iconic ‘nasi goreng‘ (fried rice) against a perfect sunset backdrop.
After a long day exploring temples and rice terraces, Lily found a beachside café famous for its nasi goreng. She ordered a plate and waited, watching the sunset spread a golden glow over the water. When her nasi goreng finally arrived, it was nothing short of art. Perfectly arranged with a sunny-side-up egg on top, shrimp crackers, sambal, and slices of cucumber and tomato—all on a banana leaf. The sunset glow made it even more magical.
As a dedicated food ‘grammer, Lily knew what to do. She pulled out her phone, holding it just above the plate, angling it for the best possible shot. First attempt: almost there, but not quite perfect. She adjusted her angle, holding her phone a little higher. Second attempt: now the sun was too bright, so she adjusted again. Third attempt: oh no, now she was blocking the sunset!
Determined to get this right, she stood up, one leg on the bench, leaning as far forward as possible for that coveted aerial shot. In her quest for the perfect angle, she barely noticed that the local beach dogs had gathered around, drawn by the tantalizing aroma of her ‘nasi goreng’. One particularly bold pup sneaked up behind her, jumped up on the table, and—CHOMP—snatched the entire fried egg right off her plate!
Lily froze mid-photo, her mouth open as the dog happily trotted away with its prize, followed by its friends. But the dogs weren’t done. Seeing the egg successfully stolen, they grew bolder, circling her table, tongues hanging out and eyes locked onto her food. She quickly scooped her plate up, trying to shoo them away with one hand, while still clutching her phone with the other. She couldn’t let the dogs steal the entire *nasi goreng*—and definitely not without a good photo!
In a last-ditch attempt, she turned the scene into a photo opportunity. With her half-eaten plate held high, a pack of Resort Island’s friendliest “foodie” dogs at her feet, and a laughing crowd of tourists around her, she snapped a photo with the caption: “Resort Island Belly: When even the local dogs won’t let you enjoy your ‘nasi goreng’ in peace!”
The post went viral. Her followers loved the chaos, and she became a sensation among dog-loving foodies everywhere. Lily’s imperfect moment became her best travel story, and she left Resort Island with her most liked post yet—and a new respect for the island’s hungry hounds. (*)
