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A travel journal is not always about delicious food, luxurious hotels and beautiful picture-postcard views. Sometimes when you embark on a travel adventure things just don’t go according to plan. Indonesia’s first graphic travelogue, “Duo Hippo Dinamis — Tersesat di Byzantium” (“Duo of Dynamic Hippos — Getting Lost in Byzantium”), focuses on just that: the good and the bad of travel and the unexpected mishaps that can occur when visiting a foreign country.

This black-and-white comic book, co-authored by seasoned travelers Erastiany and Trinity (the author of “Naked Traveler 1” and “Naked Traveler 2”), tells the story of best friends DD and KK and their impulsive trip to Turkey.

The “adults only” rated adventure commences in Indonesia, the dynamic duo’s home country, and records the trials and tribulations of the two anti-heroes (nicknamed “hippos” due to their large, round bodies and love of water) when they holiday in Turkey.

Although the comic touches on the typical tourist experiences — touring historic buildings, making new friends, sampling new food — it is also filled with many unexpected and often hilarious incidents, which require the two friends to face adventure head-on, and give the comic its adults only rating.

One of the more memorable scenes in the comic comes when the two “hippos” have to fight the embarrassment of entering public baths because they are the only two women on the premises.

Another adventure comes when the two women meet ET, a former New York drug dealer who accompanies them on a section of their journey and introduces them to his best friend, Hasan, who is living in a mental hospital to avoid being drafted into the army.

Illustrated by graphic artist Sheila Rooswitha, who has previously worked on “Lovely Luna” and “Cerita si Lala”, the book’s hand-drawings bring to life the natural and historic splendor of Turkey.

Uwi Manthovanie, a senior graphic designer, said a lot of imagination, technical skills and emotion were required to successfully illustrate a comic book.

While the Trinity and Erastiany collaboration may not take Indonesia by storm, this comic has been well received by both graphic novel enthusiasts and comic lovers.

In a market that is saturated with comedy and action-themed comic books, a “graphic travelogue” based on the experiences of two backpacking “hippos” presents a truly novel concept.