Skip to main content

Santorini Dream




Tuhan pasti tau seberapa besar impian saya tentang Santorini. Saya jatuh cinta pada pandangan pertama sejak melihat foto tempat ikonik itu di belantara dunia maya beberapa tahun lalu; mungkin sekitar satu dekade lalu. 

God knows how much I dream about Santorini. I fell in love with this iconic place on the first sight eversince I saw a picture of it somewhere in the world wide web several years ago; could be a decade. 
Postingan pathku 2 tahun lalu. Click here for original post

Sejak punya akun tumblr 3 tahun lalu pun, saya rajin banget follow akun dan reshare postingan tentang Santorini. Nggak cuma di tumblr, tapi juga merambah ke semua sosial media saya: instagram, facebook, path, twitter... 

Eversince I created tumblr account 3 years ago, I like to follow accounts and re-share posts all about Santorini. Not only in tumblr, but also in every social media account that I have: instagram, facebook, path, twitter... 


Saya pernah nulis mimpi menikah lagi di Santorini dan eksplore Yunani sama suami... Kalau sudah meninggal pun, saya pingin abu saya ditebar di sana... Teman2 dan follower mungkin sudah tau deh, saking seringnya saya share impian saya tentang Santorini. Teman saya Kenny pun mengirimkan kartu pos dari Santorini sewaktu dia berkunjung ke sana. 

I once wrote my dream to re-marry in Santorini and explore Greece with hubby... When I die one day, I wish my ash to be spread there... My friends and followers might already know, since I often share my dream about Santorini. My friend Kenny even sent postcard from Santorini when he was there. 
Postingan pathku 2 tahun lalu. Click here for original post

 Saya bermimpi suatu hari nanti bisa membangun rumah bergaya Santorini... Saya suka mengkoleksi barang bernuansa biru-putih ala Santorini... dan senang sekali kalau melihat interior maupun eksterior design dengan nuansa Santorini... 
I have a dream to build a house with Santorini style one day... I love to collect things in blue-white a la Santorini... and very happy everytime I see interior and exterior design with Santorini nuance... 


Sebuah kiriman dibagikan oleh Nuniek Tirta (@nuniektirta) pada 
Nggak cukup bermimpi, saya memberikan batas waktu untuk mewujudkan mimpi saya tersebut agar bisa menjadi goal. Dan itu tercatat dalam dreamboard yang ditempel di depan pintu kamar saya: 2 weeks in Greece, before / on May 20, 2017. 

Dreaming is not enough; I put deadline to make my dream to become a goal. And it was written in my dreamboard in front of my bedroom: 2 weeks in Greece, before / on May 20, 2017. 





Suami sempat beritikad memberikan kejutan dengan membeli tiket Jakarta-Yunani untuk ulang tahun saya tahun lalu, sayangnya pembelian gagal. Ya untung saja gagal, karena harga tiketnya saja mencapat 70juta buat berdua! >.< 

My husband was once tried to buy flight ticket from Jakarta to Santorini for my birthday surprise, too bad it was failed. But thank God, because the ticket is 70million for 2 of us! >.<
Postingan path suami 8 bulan lalu. Click here for original post


Makanya waktu Agustus 2016 lalu saya berhasil mendapatkan tiket Qatar ke Yunani dengan harga promo, rasanya senang bukan main. Sudah kebayang bakal eksplor Yunani dan tentunya Santorini selama 2 minggu bersama suami untuk merayakan ulang tahun pernikahan kami, 11-25 Mei 2017 nanti. 

That's why I was sooo happy when I finally got Qatar ticket to Greece with promo price last August. I can imagine myself and hubby exploring Greece for 2 weeks to celebrate our wedding anniversary, this May 11-25th, 2017. 
Postingan path saya 3 tahun lalu. See original post here.

Selama 9 bulan terakhir saya asyik merencanakan segala detail liburan kami di Santorini nanti. Tiket sudah di tangan, hotel sudah dibooking, visa sudah didapat, asuransi sudah dibeli, semua sudah beres. Tinggal berangkat!

These last 9 months I've been planning all the details for our holiday in Santorini. We've got the tickets, hotels are booked, visa is issued, bought the insurance, everything is on hand as we planned. Time to go! 

Waktu liburan ke Maldives via Singapore kemarin sengaja bawa beberapa barang pemberian dari endorsers kesayangan buat bonus foto2 😘 Next trip ke Malang, Yunani & Santorini, sudah mulai packing dan pilih2 barang mana yang kira2 mau dipakai dan dibonusin foto2 cantiknya 😊 Mumpung masih awal bulan, masih dibuka endorse gratis khusus buat UMKM sampai tanggal 5 Mei ini (barang harus sudah diterima paling lambat 9 Mei). Syarat dan ketentuan endorse silakan cek post sebelumnya atau cek hashtag #nutsales yaa. Boleh juga DM kalo takut mentionnya nggak kebaca. Saat ini yang diutamakan fashion items terutama baju2 dan aksesoris lucu untuk dipakai ke pantai, bukit dan gunung 👙👒 *Black & white make up bag used as clutch/purse from @lexika_style 😍 #nutstyle #nutslyfe #nuniektirta #fashion #style #lifestyleblogger #openendorse #endorsegratis #freeendorse #endorsefree
Sebuah kiriman dibagikan oleh Nuniek Tirta (@nuniektirta) pada

Tapi...

But...

Dikarenakan berbagai pertimbangan yang dapat mempengaruhi nasib dan hajat hidup orang banyak, maka dengan sangat terpaksa kami memutuskan untuk membatalkan atau setidaknya menunda keberangkatan sampai waktu yang belum bisa ditentukan... *CRY*

Due to several considerations that can affect many people's life, we regretfully decided to cancel or at least delay until undetermined time... *CRY* 

My wish on tumblr post EXACTLY 3 years ago. Click here for the original post.

Jadi hari ini saya bolak balik ke kedutaan Yunani mengambil visa Schengen yang sudah disetujui (setelah melewati proses panjang yang cukup melelahkan -dan cuma berlaku sampai akhir Mei ini, hiks); ke service center Garuda Indonesia untuk refund (ini juga sama ribetnya, tetap harus email dan kena potongan biaya pastinya); mengurus refund Qatar (ini prosesnya lebih mudah, tapi tetap saja potongan juga besar); mengurus refund asuransi perjalanan (dan ditolak karena refund hanya berlaku kalau visa tidak disetujui); dan membatalkan semua booking hotel. Total kerugian akibat pembatalan keberangkatan ini lumayan besar, cukuplah buat ke Maldives lagi...  

So today I went back and forth to Greece Embassy to collect Schengen visa that has been approved (after long exhausting process -and valid only until end of this May, hiks); went to Garuda Indonesia service center to refund (this also been hassle, I still have to email and of course got quite big amount of penalty); proceed Qatar refund (this was easier, but still, the penalty is also big); proceed travel insurance refund (and it was declined because refund only applies if the visa has been disapproved), and canceled all hotel bookings. Total loss due to this cancellation is big enough for another trip to Maldives...


Iya sedih sih, sudah pasti. Tapi saya nggak mau terlihat terlalu sedih karena suami bisa lebih sedih kalau lihat saya sedih. Apalagi, suami masih punya tugas besar yang harus diembannya. Tugas saya kali ini justru menguatkan dia dan meyakini ini keputusan terbaik buat semua. Rencana Tuhan tak pernah salah, dan ketika sudah tiba saatnya, semua akan menjadi indah. Amin!

Yes I'm sad, that's for sure. But I dont want to look so sad because hubby would be more sad if he sees me sad. Moreover, hubby still have big mission to bear. My duty at this point is to fully support him and believe that this is the best decision for all. God's plan never goes wrong, and everything will be beautiful at its own time. Amen!
Yes, we'll be there someday! 



Popular posts from this blog

The Waiting Room of Life

There are few things in life that test our character more than waiting. Not the kind of waiting where you’re stuck in traffic with your favorite playlist on, but the heavy kind; waiting without certainty. The waiting that weighs on you because you don’t know if it will end tomorrow, next month, or next year. I’ve been thinking a lot about this today because something big just wrapped up. A long-awaited promise was finally fulfilled. And in the process, I witnessed firsthand how differently people behave when placed in the uncomfortable chair of “ the waiting room of life. ” Imagine a waiting room where everyone has been told their name will be called someday, maybe soon, maybe late. You’d see at least two kinds of people. Some people sit quietly, open a book, maybe start a new project on the side while glancing occasionally at the clock. They don’t need to narrate their suffering to the entire room.  They choose dignity over drama.  They know that patience doesn’t have to be ...
Read more

What I Learned from Timothy Tiah - Founder of Nuffnang

Last Sunday when I entered VIP room at JWEF , I was introduced to this guy with his mini version boy on his lap, and his pretty wife with white top and red skirt. We had chit chat and he told me he’d be in Jakarta this Tuesday, and I told him that we’d have 57th #Startuplokal Monthly Meetup on Tuesday night.  To be really honest, only a very few did I know about him until he shared his amazing story on JWEF stage a few minutes later, and get inspired that I took note and now share this with you all.  Timothy Tiah founded Nuffnang with Cheo Ming Shen at 2006 when he was 22 years old, with 150k RM startup capital, partly borrowed from his father. He simply founded it because there’s nobody built it before, while the demand was actually there. The site was launched in February 2007. Sales ≠ cashflow On earlier years, although Nuffnang sales highrocketed, the cashflow was poor. At one point he only has 5k left in bank, while there were invoices need to be paid out urgently. He came to Hon...
Read more

Waiting and Celebrating

This morning was wonderfully slow, the kind of slow where time doesn’t feel wasted but savored. Everyone in the house had their own lazy rhythm. No alarms, no rush, just soft hours unfolding. By two in the afternoon, we finally left for Pondok Gede to check our first house.  We had it lightly renovated: The old, tired canopy was taken down, so the two-story house could breathe and look elegant again. The walls and fence got a fresh coat of white paint, giving it that “new beginnings” look. The cracked tiles were replaced, no more tripping hazards waiting for unsuspecting guests. The windows were repainted, catching a bit of shine when the sun hits. House for sell or rent, near Mall Pondok Gede. Contact here. Now it’s neat, clean, and... how do I say this... ready to meet its "jodoh".  Although we don’t know yet if the match is a buyer or a tenant. Should we sell it? Should we rent it out? We don’t have the answer yet. And for someone like me, uncertainty is both fascinating a...
Read more

Going Home with a 270 Million Bill and a Prayer

Thursday, August 21, 2025 This is it! The day I finally got discharged after 10 nights in the hospital. After surviving ESWL for kidney stones + laparoscopy for appendix + mini laparotomy for myom and uterus removal.  In the morning, Dr. Eko came by with the golden ticket: “You can go home today.” And previously, Dr. Ong team also said the same. Finally! I’d been waiting for that sentence like a kid waiting for recess. Of course, it’s never as simple as “the doctor said I can go home.” Nope. There’s a whole backstage performance involving the nurses, admin, pharmacy, and let’s not forget the insurance company. Meanwhile, my husband was busy running back and forth between the hospital room and the car, carrying bags, while I reminded him, “Don’t forget to buy bread for the nurses and staff.”  Doctor on duty replaced the dressing on my laparoscopy wounds, but left the laparotomy one alone. Too wet, too risky. I didn’t even argue, I’m just glad someone else was brave enough to de...
Read more

Less Fighting, More Understanding

Sunday mornings have this magical way of stretching out slowly, like they don’t want to end. This morning was one of those slow mornings, the kind where the house hums gently, everyone moves at their own pace, and there’s no rush to do anything other than exist. We had plans to go to church, but of course, life had its own little lesson in patience: the War Ticket frenzy. Thousands of people rushing online just to get a spot for worship every week; it’s kind of insane when you think about it. Praise the Lord indeed for the technology that lets us all battle for our pews without elbowing anyone physically. After church, we went for a late lunch, and that’s when I discovered MOKKA tucked away in a corner of the mall. I’ve walked past this mall so many times, but I never noticed it before. It’s funny how sometimes good things are hiding in plain sight, waiting for someone else to point them out. The restaurant was quiet compared to the line at Lekko just down the hall. And while MOKKA’s f...
Read more

Staycation, Wedding Edition

Sometimes the best kind of joy doesn’t come from running away. It comes from choosing to be fully present somewhere new, even if it’s still in your own city. Some weekends don’t just rest your body; they quietly reset your spirit too. Saturday, October 4, 2025. The day I’d been waiting for finally arrived: staycation day with my husband! It had been ages since our last one. Unless you count that time I stayed overnight at the hospital (which I don’t, thank you very much). This time, we had a much better reason: a wedding. Since the venue was quite far from home, we figured, why not make a little weekend out of it? After finishing some work and a blog post (because apparently, I can’t truly rest without typing something first), we headed out at noon to... drumroll... PIK 2. Predictably, it was scorching. The kind of heat that makes you question all your life choices. But honestly, I’d missed the seaside vibe too much to complain, fake or not. We parked at The Land’s End, and after walki...
Read more

What's the point of wealth?

Sometimes the mind gives up long before the body does. And sometimes, the body quietly follows the signals the mind keeps whispering. Today’s event reminded me that resilience isn’t just about having strong savings, but also having a strong brain. Every year, I get invited to   Permata Wealth Wisdom , kind of like my annual “school trip” to The Ritz-Carlton Pacific Place . This year’s theme:   Resilient Wealth, Confident Future.   I arrived at 9:30, just in time for the keynote speech by Airlangga Hartarto , Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs . The topic:   Navigating Indonesia’s Economy Amid Global Shifts .   Basically, he talked about how Indonesia’s economic resilience relies on innovation, infrastructure, and inclusive growth. Then came the talk show, moderated by my friend Aline Wiratmaja , with the panelists: Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) , the former Governor of Jakarta , with his trademark blunt honesty. Josua Pardede , Chief Economist of Permata...
Read more

Not Winning, Still Blooming

Every year, my husband and I get invited to the BCA Wealth Summit at the Grand Ballroom Kempinski, Jakarta. Same venue, same buzz, same format, even the same familiar faces. One of them is Ko Michael, who insists on   not   being called “Pak” because it sounds too old, hehe. It’s always nice to catch up with him, exchanging updates on investments, startups, and the comfort of knowing we’re still orbiting in the same world. With ko Michael the owner of King Foto Indonesia at BCA Wealth Summit One of the things that always makes the Summit worthwhile are the sessions that stretch my mind. Mari Elka Pangestu, Vice Chairwoman of the National Economic Council, talked about   The New Trade Paradigm and Its Implications to Indonesia .   One line stayed with me: in a world shifting from globalization to regional blocs, Indonesia needs to think less like a passive participant and more like a proactive designer of its role. It reminded me that wealth is not just about assets,...
Read more

Cold and Bold

Saturday, 16 August 2025, past midnight “Bu, bu, operasinya sudah selesai ya Bu.” “Dingin… dingin…” Those were the first words that came out of my mouth when I woke up from surgery. Not exactly poetic, but hey, when you’ve just survived laparoscopy and hysterectomy-laparotomy in one go, you don’t wake up quoting Shakespeare. You wake up asking for blankets. I remember shivering, my teeth chattering, my body completely confused about what just happened. The nurses rushed to wrap me in layers, and I drifted in and out of consciousness, half-aware that my life had just been handed back to me, stitched and stapled and sewn together. And honestly, that’s the thing about life, isn’t it? We often imagine survival arriving in big, cinematic ways. Dramatic music, bright lights, maybe even a slow clap. In reality, sometimes it shows up with a shaky whisper: “dingin… dingin…” The doctors told my husband it was quite long, delicate surgery. My appendix alone took nearly an hour, and removing my my...
Read more

Stomach Peace and Birthday Plots

Thursday, 04 September 2025 New achievement unlocked: my stomach behaved today! I mean, zero drama. No bloating, no extra gas, no rushing back and forth to the toilet like I’m training for the 100-meter dash. Just one smooth, dignified bathroom trip. My digestive system is finally acting like a responsible adult. And the secret? My self-imposed “no onion, no Yakult, no chia seeds” rule. Harsh? Maybe. Effective? Apparently yes. Though honestly, I still don’t know which of those three sneaky culprits is the real villain in my stomach saga. Is it the onions that I used to love in every dish? The supposedly good-for-you Yakult? Or those chia seeds that look harmless but might secretly be plotting against me? Who knows. All I care about is: today, I am free. Two days now without painkillers. Sure, I still have a small stash of them from the doctor, but they’re staying in the drawer like an emergency-only squad. (Hopefully never needed again.) It feels like I’ve passed a level in some strang...
Read more