Good Times, Great Company: Trip to Solo

Another list unlocked to start the new year 2025.

The longest road trip with my Bubub to Solo. Guys, can you guess what i did along the way?

If you said i slept, you're totally wrong! :)) I wasn’t a princess passenger, but an authentic "Kenek".

It was so much fun! We literally sang random songs along the way. Often, we played Javanese koplo and Indonesian pop songs.

This road trip was very meaningful for me. It was even more fun because I got to meet some of Gilang's friends there. They were so kind and humble, especially for an introverted person like me.

We had the opportunity to stop in Semarang and have lunch at Ayam Goreng Pak Supar. The place was crowded, but fortunately, we found a seat right away without having to wait in line. We ordered Ayam Goreng and Sop Buntut (oxtail soup). I had never tasted fried chicken like this before. It was intentionally fried to keep it moist and a bit oily. The flavor was incredible—a true delight! And of course, the oxtail soup was just as delicious, with incredibly tender meat.

On the first day in Solo, we attended Nadia & Febi’s wedding. After that, we continued our adventures to Sarangan Lake. There were many food stalls, like one selling Sate Kelinci (rabbit satay), which i couldn't resist trying. The taste was great, and the meat was similar to Sate Ayam (chicken satay). I almost couldn't tell the difference.

On the second day, we met a newlywed couple. Gilang wanted to try Soto, but unfortunately, we arrived late, and the Soto was sold out. So, we decided to try "Ayam Goreng Bu Better". It was so good, similar to Ayam Goreng Pak Supar but with less oil. After that, we headed to Calf Coffee Shop, located in front of Manahan Stadium. The coffee tasted similar to Tuku, and we enjoyed many stories and discussions during our conversation. In the evening, we craved some food at Pasar Gedhe. And to end the night, we had Wedang Ronde and Asle around Manahan Stadium. It was my first time trying Asle.

The next day, my Bubub and i went to Atsiri. We were very excited and had planned to take many photos there. But sadly, the rain ruined our plans, and we couldn't take photos outside. Still, we were happy to visit a new destination together. We didn’t stay long and messaged Nadia & Febi to meet up again. We asked them to join us for Sate Kambing, and we headed to Sate Kambing Pak Manto. From the outside, it looked small and crowded, which made us hesitate. But once we went inside, the space was much bigger, and there were many more people than we could see from the outside. We ordered Sate Kambing, Thengkleng, and Tongseng. For the Sate Kambing, we waited about an hour, but it was definitely worth the wait—the food was amazing. Gilang and i are already thinking about bringing our family here one day.

Since that was our last night in Solo, we didn’t stop there. We went to a nearby coffee and bakery shop near the hotel and played Monopoly. It reminded us of our childhood. Time flew by, and before we knew it, it was already 10 PM, and some of the lights had been turned off. So, we decided to wrap up the game and take Nadia and Febi home. That night marked our last in Solo, as we needed to check out by noon the next day and head back to Jakarta.

Before i wrap up, i just want to thank my dear Bubub for taking me on this trip and introducing me to their friends. Let’s bring this holiday to a close and get back to our usual routines.

Looking forward to the next holiday!