Nerine Mak, a 33-year-old former senior commercial counsel for TikTok, has left her corporate career to travel the world on a motorbike. She departed Singapore with her partner, Haren, in January 2024, embarking on an overland journey to Europe. Her parents later joined the expedition, riding from Singapore to meet them.
Mak, the eldest of five siblings, pursued law after university in Australia. Her career included roles as a legal counsel at Ernst & Young in Singapore from April 2017, followed by a position as regional legal counsel for Sephora. A TikTok recruiter approached her in July 2019, leading to a role supporting the revenue-generating business across Southeast Asia and Oceania.
High-Pressure Career at a Tech Giant
At TikTok, Mak's work was characterised by dynamic, face-to-face collaboration in a co-working space, a shift from her previous roles. Her schedule typically involved meetings from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., followed by up to three additional hours of independent work. The most challenging period was 2021, when she led the global launch of TikTok Shop in Indonesia, a project that served as a blueprint for other markets like the UK and US.
"I burned out at least three times that year," Mak stated. Her team grew to ten lawyers, with weekly catch-ups held on ByteDance's internal platform, Lark. Despite the demanding role, she had set a personal goal at age 23 to leave her job by 30 to pursue personal growth through travel.
The Decision to Depart
After 18 months at TikTok, Mak began exploring the idea of van life. In March 2021, a friend introduced her to mechanic Haren for car maintenance advice. The pair started dating and decided to travel together, eventually swapping their van plan for a motorbike expedition. They agreed to leave their jobs to ride off-road bikes from Singapore to Europe.
Mak resigned in November 2023. "At first, they tried to talk me out of leaving, but I was transparent about my dream of exploring the world," she explained. Two months before departure, her father announced he and her mother had bought a bike and would join part of the journey, riding from Singapore to Germany.
Life on Two Wheels
Mak and Haren set off on 20 January 2024 at 5:30 a.m., after a farewell party with family and friends. Her parents joined them on 5 May 2024 on the Laos-China border. The group travelled through China together and reunited in Poland to traverse the Baltics before riding to Norway. Her parents have since returned to Singapore.
The couple's routine involves leaving their guest house by 11 a.m., riding for two-hour stints, and sightseeing during lunch. They aim to stop before sunset, maintaining flexible plans to embrace spontaneous interactions with locals, who have invited them into homes for dinner or to ride horses on farms.
Future Plans and Reflections
Mak has been undertaking ad-hoc legal work for friends with small businesses to fund the journey. The couple plans to travel through February before pausing for eight months due to family commitments. Mak is considering securing full-time or part-time legal work during this period to continue developing her skills and finance future travels.
"One of the biggest lessons I've learned is to be optimistic," Mak reflected. "Your closest people might have doubts about your plans, but you have to follow your heart. The freedom I get on two wheels is my passion and will stick with me for the rest of my life."