My first-ever trip abroad was on 26 June 2018, back when I was living in Bali and working at Mövenpick Hotels (before Accor came into the picture). It all started with one simple question from Mba Orie:
“Do you want to travel outside of Indonesia?”
Without missing a beat, I said, “YES!”
Next thing I knew, she sorted out the flights, and I handled the hotel using my staff privilege. Just like that — we were off.
We stayed at Mövenpick Sukhumvit 11, right in the heart of Bangkok. Free shuttle, great location, and that surreal feeling — OMG, I’m really in another country! I had only 5 million rupiah in savings, and somehow I made it happen. The highlight? Finally meeting the team at SOHO Hospitality BKK. At the time, I was managing Above Eleven Bali (a franchise from SOHO Hospitality Group Bangkok) — so visiting their home base felt extra special.
I’ll never forget Mba Orie’s words:
“Anne, they’re not your friends. They’re colleagues.”
Back then, I didn’t fully get it. But looking back? She was right. Not everyone you meet is meant to be your friend — and that’s perfectly okay. Some people are just meant to pass through, and you learn to manage your expectations. Through it all, Mba Orie always had my back.
That trip was full of firsts: my first temple visits, my first Bangkok street food feast, my first IKEA BKK adventure (don’t even ask why I ended up there — ha!). Mba Orie showed me the whole city — trains, tuk-tuks, bars, street stalls, hidden gems. It was three days of pure discovery.
And yes… I had my share of rookie mistakes. Like the time I bought two bottles of Iron Balls Gin (trying to impress a guy — eye roll) and put them in my cabin bag. Let’s just say airport security had a field day, and my gin dreams went straight to the trash. Lesson learned — the hard way!
If there’s one thing that trip taught me, it’s this:
There’s a time for everything. And sometimes, what you need most is that one person who’ll look at you and say, “Let’s go.” Because at the end of the day, we’re all wired for connection — and I’m forever grateful to have had Mba Orie beside me, keeping me grounded, making me laugh, and reminding me (loudly, if needed) when I messed up.
So tell me — where was your first travel destination? And who was by your side?
