2024 was an intense year filled with many changes. I went through challenges and new chapters in all aspects of my life and ended the year much more quietly than planned, really slowing down and processing what this year saw.
I traveled as much as ever, both for work and for personal fun, including some longer trips both in Asia and Europe. I started out the year in snowy Germany, spending January at home enjoying local spots. February saw me celebrate my 28th birthday in Gran Canaria, Spain, before a nearly-month long trip to Thailand doing some island-hopping and visiting Bangkok. I went through a breakup the day I flew home from Thailand and spent the following weeks once again picking up the pieces of a broken heart. A trip to Liechtenstein to ski in the beautiful mountains of this tiny country did wonders.
I then spent four long months based at home in Salzburg with no real travel plans or changes on the horizon. I had started a new position within my same company on return from Thailand and spent time adjusting to the new responsibilities and most of my days saw me exploring Austria on my bike, swimming in lakes, hiking mountains, going for long runs along the river and hanging out with friends, nourishing my spirit and my soul.
In July, the new job wasn't working out for me and so I decided to quit and take an "adult gap year". From then on, it was basically non-stop traveling with a few weeks in Eastern Europe traveling through Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia before flying back home to go to the Adele concert while she was in Munich for her incredible summer residency. Two short weeks of hiking and repacking at home (during which time I met my now-partner...!) and I was off again for a six-week train journey through Northern Italy, visiting countless cities and knocking some exceptional spots off my bucket list, many shared with friends who joined me for different legs of the journey along the way.
A few weeks spent in Germany in the fall and then I was off to California to spend six weeks unwinding and relaxing at my parents house. It was then that I realized how intense this year had been, what with all the traveling, the break up, the new job, quitting that job and the nonstop traveling that followed and I desperately needed to just do nothing. For someone like me who loves to constantly be on the go doing things, this was a bit of a harsh eye-opener and I had to really learn to let go and not feel disappointed in myself for "not achieving" anything.
I had planned to stay in North America and head towards Central America in December, but something in my heart pulled me back towards Europe and I decided to spend December at home in Austria. There is just truly no place like home for the holidays and I celebrated the most wonderful season of the year with wintery roadtrips across Austria and a few neighbouring countries and quiet days at home in Salzburg. The year ended in the most beautiful way possible with a surprise roadtrip planned entirely by my partner through northern Germany, Denmark and Sweden to celebrate the New Year together in Stockholm.
I visited 19 countries this year, eight of them new, connecting with so many people along the way who hold meaning in my life. I stepped foot on three continents, taking 15 flights between 12 airports, and stayed at 18 hotels, six friends' houses, 14 hostels and three airbnbs and took three night flights, an overnight bus and an overnight train all of which saw me spend 165 nights not at home - nearly half of my year!
While curled up in the many trains, planes, cars and beds I slept in this year, I read 48 beautiful books. I ran whenever possible, clocking about 325 km, and hiked in nearly every country I visited, not to mention the countless walks, bike rides, yoga classes, lake swims and ski days which I got to enjoy. I continued to share all my experiences on Instagram and got really into Threads this year, as well.
So with that, here's a summary of everywhere I went in 2024, with my favourite accompanying blog posts for you to peruse alongside:
January
The year began slowly, much as December had ended. I rang in the new year with my (now-ex-) boyfriend and some of his friends in Bavaria, in southern Germany. We wore sparkly clothes, cheersed alcohol-free bubbles, watched the fireworks and hugged each other as we brought in 2024. The first week of 2024 was spent in Bavaria, too - we went out for meals with friends, enjoyed an organ concert, went ice skating, committed to our personal goals for the year and got back in the swing of full-time work.
6 January is a public holiday in many countries in Europe and just so happens to be the day I flew on a one-way ticket to Australia in 2019, with the 2024 edition marking five whole years (!!) to the day since I left Canada. I had planned to leave Canada for a six-week backpacking trip to Australia. Things happened and... I never went back. To celebrate this milestone - one I could have never anticipated for myself five years ago on that cold January day in Vancouver - we drove down to a very snowy Tegernsee in Bavaria as snow gently fell on our heads.
Tegernsee
Posts to read from my time there:
January
I returned home to my little snowy Salzburg to spend the rest of the month settling into new routines. I prioritized seeing as many friends as I could, dove back into my daily reading and writing habits I had neglected the last months of 2023, booked a whole bunch of appointments before my travels took off again (!), got to dogsit my darling Nacho, who belongs to my dear friends Melisa and Denis. One day I rescued a solid slab of wood from the dump pile outside my building and built myself a brand new desk, twice the size of my old one. Another day, I cleaned out and sorted through my entire basement storage locker. Another day, I donated at least 30 articles of clothing after a big closet clean out. It was a month of shedding the old, welcoming the new and resetting my intentions. I loved it.
I spent as much time as I could outdoors, going for wintery runs and bike rides, skiing and ice skating on the frozen Leopoldskron lake (where they filmed Sound of Music!).
Zauchensee
Posts to read from my time there:
February
I’ve been fortunate enough to experience a number of European islands during my time living on the continent, but I had yet to visit any of the Canary Islands, a group of four clustered together just off the west coast of Morocco. I’ve also been to Spain every year in a row, and am determined to continue making this a reality as often as I can.
Gran Canaria was the perfect destination for a sunny escape in mid-February and to celebrate my 28th birthday. While we spent much of the time relaxing on the beach, one of my favourite moments from our five days on Gran Canaria was when we rented a car to explore as much of the little island as we could in a day. And, for my birthday, we did a surf lesson and I even managed to stand up multiple times (but also, probably swallowed at least half an ocean’s worth of salt water)!
Surfing at Playa de Las Canteras, Gran Canaria
Posts to read from my time there:
February - March
I was home from Spain for all of 13 hours in which I showered, repacked, slept and found myself back at Munich Airport for 24 hours of traveling on two flights via Abu Dhabi, a taxi and two ferries and another taxi to end up in Ao Nang, a town in the Krabi region of Thailand. It was my first time in Thailand, a country that ends up on many backpackers' lists as an easy and beautiful country to travel around. I loved Thailand, unsurprisingly. It's a gorgeous country, super safe, photogenic and super easy to explore.
We started with a few days in Ao Nang where we stayed just back from town in a jungle hut and ate pad Thai and drank mango smoothies every day, a trend that would continue for the rest of our trip. A highlight from Ao Nang was our snorkeling tour out to Hong Island. We took a long bus ride along the Krabi Peninsula and boarded a ferry to Ko Tao, a small island which would end up being our absolute favourite spot on the trip. We spent three nights here, snorkeling, dancing, eating, watching the sunset and really settling into backpacker life again.
We got back on the ferry and visited another island, Ko Samui, which was a bit of a let down after the perfect experience we'd had on Ko Tao. We spent one of our days cleaning up and reorganizing our entire hostel which actually was a ton of fun, and the other day visiting the best beach on the island and capturing some gorgeous photos at dusk. Sometimes, you just have to accept the moments you're given and let go of the ones that are meant to pass you by.
We finished the trip in hectic Bangkok which was hot, wild and a true photographers' playground and we wandered around the busy city, cameras in hand, finding the best mango smoothies to stay cool. A highlight was riding on the back of Grab scooters in our flowy skirts out to the Lumphini Park for sundown where we stumbled across the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra playing Swan Lake before watching the sunset from the 52nd floor of one of the city's iconic sky bars.
I can't wait to come back for more explorations and adventures in this delightful and welcoming part of the world.
Ao Nang
Posts to read from my time there:
March - April
I returned home to Austria after a whirlwind adventurous month in Thailand to a break-up (the day I flew home) and a new job (the day after). It was a stressful homecoming, to say the least. My mum ended up flying in a few days after I did and stayed with me for a month in Salzburg and we spent our days reading books, working from my little flat, enjoying the surprisingly hot spring weather at the Almkanal and the Mirabell Gardens, going secondhand clothes shopping, going out for little coffee dates and spending cherished time with each other. With my parents living in California for the past eight years, every moment we get to spend together is so special.
Salzburg
March
An already-planned long weekend to Liechtenstein, in collaboration with Hotel Turna, was already on the cards since the beginning of the year and instead of going with my (now-ex-) boyfriend, I went with Janna, a friend from Salzburg instead. We were met with gorgeous spring weather in the capital of this tiny little country, Vaduz, before driving up into the mountains for a long weekend of snowstorms and skiing. It was actually the perfect combination of weather for a quiet, healing, peaceful weekend away.
Malbun
Posts to read from my time there:
April
And then... another of my infamous work trips to Brussels. This trip marked the 12th work trip back to Brussels since I moved away in late 2021. It's always mentally and emotionally exhausting to keep going back to this city that has been interwoven into so much of my past, but it was nice to be with colleagues in person and collaborate on a conference there, all the same. I also squeezed in some dinners and coffee catch ups with dear friends who still call the city home.
April - July
And then, I faced an empty, quiet and plan-less summer at home in Salzburg. It would end up being the longest I had ever stayed put in Salzburg without a trip somewhere in between. Four months at home, without visiting a new country, marked the longest time I stayed in one place in more than three years, the longest I’ve stayed at home in Salzburg since I moved here. It felt strange for me, waking up in the same bed every morning, drinking the same coffee from the same mug. No plans, no booked trips. Some days I woke up and decide to spend the day on my balcony, coffee and book in hand. Others, I would get on my bike and discover secret little spots.
But, like a constant thread weaving through it all, was the element of sameness. A little bubble safely enveloped me in Salzburg and the immediate surrounds, never stepping foot further than what I can reach within an hour or two. I tried to absorb all that Salzburg could give me in the summer, healing, resting, enjoying.
There were lake days, plenty of hikes and long bike rides, lots of reading, the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the northern lights over Salzburg, meals with friends and little weekend escapes. It was a summer like I'd never had before and one I so desperately needed.
It was in late April that I also celebrated an entire decade of writing this blog!
Salzburger Dult Festival in Salzburg
Almbach near Hallein
Posts to read from my time there:
May, June, July
While I was at home in Salzburg, with the German border just a 15-minute drive away, I made a few cross-border trips with friends to explore more of Bavaria. It's been a delight to get to discover more of southern Germany, arguably one of the most naturally beautiful regions in the whole country. There was a visit to the idyllic Burghausen and a picnic at Thumsee in Bad Reichenhall, a hike around the Hintersee in Berchtesgaden National Park, and a hike up the Kneifelspitze and a drive along the highest road in Germany, the Rossfeld Panoramastraße. And I had the extra special honour of attending the civil wedding of Mélisa and Denis in Mannheim as their photographer, dog-sitter and friend.
Hintersee in Berchtesgaden National Park
Posts to read from my time there:
July
My 13th work trip back to Brussels, the city I once called home, came around in July. It was a challenging trip and I was happy to go home again. I hope it was my last trip to Brussels. 13 is my lucky number so it felt - in a way - final.
It aslo saw the closing of this chapter; after nearly four years with the same company, the very same one I joined when I first moved to Europe in late 2020, I handed in my resignation letter. It was time for me to move on and do something different with my life.
July
In need of a change of scenery, I booked a spontaneous two-week trip through four southeastern European countries. I booked the trip two days before I left and it all felt both a bit of a rush but also calm and right.
First stop: Lake Balaton, the largest lake in central Europe. So large, in fact, that it can be seen with the naked eye from space! I visited Hungary last year but only had time for a long weekend in Budapest. I had Lake Balaton on my wish list for quite a few years now and it was so wonderful that the opportunity presented itself to spend a long weekend there.
Lake Balaton is probably the most popular summer destination in all of Hungary, with Budapest residents flocking there in droves to escape the city. I booked into the only hostel at the lake and spent my days exploring the little lavender village of Tihany, visiting the ruins of the Szigligeti Var fortress, swimming in the warm waters of Lake Balaton, eating ice cream and hiking to a pretty viewpoint. It was just what I needed.
Lake Balaton
Posts to read from my time there:
July
Following my gorgeous long weekend in Lake Balaton, I took a bus from Budapest to Belgrade and finally entered a new country. After so long, I really enjoyed the thrill again of discovering a place I had never visited before and I was glad that feeling came back in earnest.
I spent three nights based out of Belgrade which was the perfect location to see Serbia's capital city as well as to do a bit of exploring of eastern Serbia. A walking tour of Belgrade, plenty of wandering on my own and a fluffy knedle made for a great introduction to Serbia.
Belgrade
Posts to read from my time there:
July
From Serbia, I arrived by bus in Sarajevo, the heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The frustration of realizing this international bus journey dropped us off an hour outside the centre of the city quickly evaporated as I made friends with Jonah with whom I'd get to spend the next few days exploring both Sarajevo and Mostar. In the end, I actually loved my time in Sarajevo, the capital city and the focal point of some pretty mega events throughout history. It was truly awe-inspiring to walk through the streets where the 1914 assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sofia occurred, leading to World War I, and the heavy and harsh recent genocide of the 90s that saw the end of Yugoslavia. Notably having been part of once both the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Sarajevo reflects these vibes very clearly. The east-meets-west is so clear that even a line has been drawn on a street to symbolise where the European influence becomes a Turkish influence.
After a few days in busy Sarajevo, a gorgeous train ride through the mountains brought me to Mostar, perhaps one of the most iconic spots in all of the Balkans and home to the famous Old Bridge. While I somehow ended up in the city on the day of the annual RedBull bridge-jumping competition in which daredevils jump a whopping 23 metres off the bridge on the last Sunday of every July, I really just loved exploring the little streets. Highlights included the day trip I did with my hostel in the region, visting some bucket list spots such as Blagaj and Kravica Waterfall, among others.
Mostar
Posts to read from my time there:
July - August
From Mostar, I caught a bus across the border from Bosnia and Herzegovina into Croatia, my 65th country. I've been wanting to visit this European gem for so long and as it borders Austria, where I currently live, there is really no excuse as to why I haven't been here sooner. On my two-week whirlwhind Balkan trip, I only had time to visit Dubrovnik, in the far south of the country, and I am already so looking forward to coming back and seeing much more of the rest of Croatia.
I met a fellow traveler, Evie, at the bus station in Mostar as we both tried to figure out which bus would get us to Dubrovnik and thank goodness we did because we then got to spend the next two days together exploring Dubrovnik before her flight back home to Wales.
Upon arrival in Dubrovnik, to get our legs moving again after a long bus ride from Mostar and to catch golden hour over the Old Town, Evie and I tackled the beautiful hike up Mount Srđ. It was surprisingly easy and seriously beautiful with views of the Old Town the entire way up. And of course we were very proud of ourselves for not spending the €27 on the cable car and earning the view with the free hike instead! The following day we walked the entire way around the Old Town and took gorgeous photos - it is such a joy to meet fellow travelers along the way, swap stories and not feel so alone on the road. I call it solo traveling, but I meet so many people this way that I'm never really alone that much.
My final two days in Croatia were also the final two days of my Balkan trip and I spent them exploring a few different beaches around Dubrovnik, lazing about in the sunshine and swimming in the unreal Croatian waters. My flight back to Vienna was eventful as my suitcase didn't make it (it was carry-on, but had to be checked as the flight was full, and then never came out in Vienna) so I ended up having to report it as missing and wait for it to be delivered a few days later to me in Salzburg... the joys of traveling! But I did manage to squeeze in an overdue dinner catch-up with one of my best friends, Ann Cathrin, who lives in Vienna, during my stopover.
Dubrovnik
Posts to read from my time there:
August
I returned to Salzburg for a few weeks in August but made an extra special trip across the border to Munich - the main reason I'd flown home on the date that I did from Croatia: Adele. I had been extremely lucky (after waiting ten hours in the waiting list back in the early spring) to snag some tickets to the Adele concert. She played ten concerts on a custom-built 80,000-person stadium just outside Munich that was gorgeously designed and featured an entire Adele World surrounding it.
It was the best concert of my life, featuring the most detailed and wonderfully thought-out visuals for every song and I had tears in my eyes for most of the night. Seriously surreal.
August
I spent two weeks home in Salzburg - a final hurrah to an Austrian summer. And I seriously made the most of it and had some of my favourite summer days ever. I hiked, I swam in seriously beautiful lakes, I played tennis, I caught up with all my friends, I ran along the river, I hosted Alana for a few days whom I'd met more than five years ago in Kaikoura, New Zealand, and in general I just really remembered why I love living here.
And perhaps best of all, it was in this time that I met my now-partner - the kindest, gentlest, loveliest man. More on him next year.
Schoberstein
Posts to read from my time there:
August - September
And then, it was time for one of my biggest adventures of the year - a massive six-week trip traveling all throughout Northern Italy. Traveling by train, ferry, bus and car, I explored countless cities and towns and saw so many of the most iconic landmarks and highlights of this gorgeous country, firmly claiming Italy's place in my list of top ten favourite countries.
I started with a week in Rome, wandering the streets in search of the best viewpoints of the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Forum, and also commencing a series on my Instagram stories about my daily gelato find. I also made a day trip to the gorgeous villas of nearby Tivoli and was told by a young woman who took my photo that I was brave for solo traveling, which was a nice reminder. From Rome, I took the train inland to Perugia and spent the better part of a week slowing down and exploring the idyllic little towns of the heart of Italy. Then it was on to San Marino - which I've written about below, as it's a separate country entirely surrounded by Italy - and then further north again to Venice, with a stop to visit the world's oldest botanical garden in Padua.
I completely fell in love with Venice, spending five days wandering the littel streets and crossing the canals by ferry and by foot, and even landing tickets to the world famous annual Venice Film Festival and heading out for a spontaneous evening. Then it was back south again to Bologna, a hip university city which I wish I had had more than one night in to explore all the porticoes, dining and shopping opportunities. I moved on to Florence, the city of art, to see Michelangelo's David and visit the Duomo, but unfortunately, while those two things were wonderful, I didn't like the city at all and was so ready to head even further west to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Then, it was time for an extended jaunt on the western coast, with a few days hiking through the colourful towns of Cinque Terre with Marika, a girl I'd been Instagram friends with for nearly a decade but whom I'd never met in real life until this trip. Then I spent a few days at a farmhouse in Portofino with Sophie, a friend from Salzburg, where we soaked up the glitzy lifestyle of this glamourous little fishing village.
My partner then joined me in Portofino for our second set of travels through Italy together and it was wonderful. My biggest love language might just be sharing travels and it was a joy to share this leg of the trip together. From Portofino, we traveled up the coast to Genoa which was a let down, spent a final day beachside at Baia dei Saraceni and then turned inland for a week at Lake Como. Lake Como was as delightful as everyone says it is, and we spent our days driving around the lake, exploring the villas and making day trips up into southern Switzerland.
We left Lake Como behind and, via Milan and photogenic Bergamo which was a pleasant surprise to both of us, arrived in the final spot of my Italian trip: Lake Garda. We had one night in Garda together and drove the entire way around the lake, stopping for little markets, viewpoints and gelato along the way. Then, one of my best friends Amelie joined me for the final week of my trip and we combined relaxing and slowing down on the rainier days with little ferry trips across the lake to explore some of the cute towns.
While Italy was phenomenal and I ate my weight in gelato and pasta, I also returned from this trip fairly exhausted and worn out...
Cinque Terre
Posts to read from my time there:
August
During my time in Rome, I made a day trip to the Vatican City, which is a separate country! It is not legally or technically part of Italy; it is in fact the world's smallest country, covering just forty-four hectares, or just barely more than 100 acres. It's truly tiny. You can visit the whole country in just a few hours. Most famously, it is the home of the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
I spent my one afternoon in this tiny place visiting its iconic museums, spotting Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling and climbing up to the very top of St. Peter's Basilica, the largest in the world.
Vatican City
Posts to read from my time there:
August
During my time in Italy, my partner joined me and we started our time together with a three-night trip into San Marino, the world's oldest republic and the fifth-smallest country in the world. This little microstate is surrounded entirely by Italy, located near the east coast. I didn't really have any expectations for my visit to San Marino but was honestly blown away. There is so much to discover and explore in this beautiful historic place. San Marino became independent from the Roman Empire in 301, so it's been around for a really, really long time!
I loved the food, I loved exploring the little capital on the mountain, I loved the views from the Three Towers... I can highly recommend this little old microstate.
San Marino
Posts to read from my time there:
September
While in Lake Como, we drove up into Switzerland for one day to explore some of the gorgeous lakes and mountainous regions of the south. I love Switzerland very much, having first visited last winter to Bern and then last summer in the idyllic town of Lauterbrunnen before hiking through part of it on the Tour du Mont Blanc.
Switzerland is known as being one of the most expensive countries in the world, coupled with an unparalleled quality of life, and every time I visit I am reminded of these facts. The lakes are stunning, the cities clean and welcoming and we really enjoyed our one day here. Stops included the Balcon d'Italia which has panoramic views over Lago di Lugano and the cities on its shorelines, lunch in Lugano, a visit to the Disney-like Ponte dei Salti and dinner in Locarno.
Ponte dei Salti, Lavertezzo
Posts to read from my time there:
September - October
Returning from my Italy trip was by no means relaxing and I spent the seven days (that's it...) in between trips to go to what felt like a hundred appointments, catch up with my girlfriends, unpack, do laundry, repack, prepare for apartment renovations, try to enjoy some of autumn in Austria, go on a run and then already it was time to hit the road again. I'd be gone for the rest of the year and well into the new one, too.
Leopoldskroner Weiher, Salzburg
Posts to read from my time there:
October
I spent two weeks in Munich with my partner. It was all very new, given we met in the summer completely unexpectedly, and we wanted to spend some more time together before I disappeared to the other side of the world for the remainder of the year. We had lovely dinner dates, carved pumpkins from the local farmers market, went to the movies, saw the Bayerisches Staatsballett perform Le Parc, visited the gorgeous library at Metten Abbey, had lunch in Passau, explored Regensburg, spotted autumn colours in Berchtesgaden National Park and went for runs together along the river. It was really, really, really lovely.
Regensburg
Posts to read from my time there:
October
While in Munich, we decided to very spontaneously spend a week in Czechia. At midnight on Friday night, after we had been out to watch Le Parc by the Bayerisches Staatsballett, we booked a beautiful boutique hotel in Český Krumlov, a cute town in southern Czechia, for a night. And so the next morning, we quickly packed and got in the car for a gorgeous drive east into Czechia, along roads full of autumnal colours and sunshine.
Our weekend in Český Krumlov saw us exploring the idyllic old town, eating yummy vegetarian traditional Czech food, catching up on sleep in our hotel, visiting the castle and climbing up the castle tower and enjoying a bit of an adventurous weekend away. My two weeks in Munich were meant to be about "doing nothing" and "chilling out" but... I can't seem to sit still for long.
Český Krumlov
Posts to read from my time there:
October - November
My parents have called California home for nearly eight years now so I only get to see them once or twice per year. The most recent times have usually been with them visiting me in Europe, or our family trip to Ecuador two summers ago, so after three long years I figured it was finally time for me to head back to San Francisco to visit them on their home turf.
I ended up spending six weeks just unwinding and relaxing at my parents house. It was then that I realized how intense this year had been, what with all the traveling, the break up, the new job, quitting the job and the nonstop traveling and I desperately needed to just do nothing. For someone like me who loves to constantly be on the go achieving things, this was a bit of a harsh eye-opener and I had to really learn to let go and not feel disappointed in myself for "not achieving" anything.
I spent my time hanging out with my parents on the sofa, reading tons of books and cathing up on American Netflix, as well as joining in with neighbourhood events, visiting some of my favourite American restaurants and shops (hello, Costco!) and walking dogs from the local animal shelter in the warm California sunshine.
Moss Landing, California
Posts to read from my time there:
December
I had planned to stay in North America and head towards Central America in December, but something in my heart pulled me back towards Europe and I decided to spend December at home in Austria. There is just truly no place like home for the holidays and I celebrated the most beautiful season of the year with wintery roadtrips across Austria and a few neighbouring countries and quiet days catching up on life admin at home in Salzburg.
Some of my favourite moments were a weekend getaway with my partner to southern Austria for a wellness spa weekend, stopping to visit the gorgeous library at Stift Admont along the way and driving through some postcard-perfect winter wonderland scenery on the way, and our day spent in the snowy Austrian Alps in the spa at Das Edelweiss.
Bad Aussee
Posts to read from my time there:
December
While on a weekend getaway just south of Graz in Austria, we realized that, with the Slovenian border being just a few minutes away, it would be silly to skip out on the chance to visit another country this year and so planned a quiet Sunday afternoon across the border in Maribor. We didn't have very long in Maribor before our long drive back across Austria to Salzburg, but we did manage to squeeze in some beautiful Christmassy things and a visit to an art gallery.
Maribor
Posts to read from my time there:
December
I spent Christmas with my partner's family near Munich in Germany and felt so welcomed and loved that I knew I made the right decision to come "home" to Europe for the holidays.
We spent lots of time on our weekends in December taking in the Christmas vibes of Germany, visiting plenty of Christkindlmarkts in every town and city we went to, as well as day trips to visit ruined castles and the idyllic city of Bamberg.
The year finished in the most beautiful way possible; my partner planned an entire mystery roadtrip for me (all documented on reels) which I had no clue about other than I needed enough warm clothes for ten days. We ended up driving north, stopping along the way in northern Germany before crossing the border by ferry into Denmark. Stops included the Eremitage in Bayreuth to wander the gardens, a visit to the exquisite Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Weimar, two nights in Lüneburg, one of our new favourite cities in all of Europe and a breakfast in the coastal town of Lübeck. This surprise roadtrip was an absolute dream and I feel so lucky to have someone in my life who gets me so well and to share this experience with.
Eremitage Schlosspark, Bayreuth
December
From Lübeck, we drove up to Puttgarden and took a 45-minute ferry across into Denmark, marking my 18th country for the year. We drove northward and spent a night in Copenhagen, a city I visited 12 years ago back in 2012 on a post-high school graduation trip. It was so surreal to be back, getting to show my partner around some of my favourite spots in the city. Our favourite moments from our night in Copenhagen were spending the evening exploring the magical Tivoli, the world's second oldest amusement park, and photographing the iconic Nyhavn.
Copenhagen
December
And with that, my final country of the year and a brand new one on the list: Sweden! My 68th country visited and the perfect place to ring in the New Year with my partner. We spent our first night in a gorgeous boutique hotel on the west coast in Halmstad before driving across southern Sweden to visit the IKEA Museum, which was one of the best museums I've ever been to and made me fall in love with the brand even more (if that's possible), before we fuelled up on veggie Swedish meatballs. Our final nights of 2024 were spent in Stockholm in the oldest hotel in the city at more than 400 years old. Stockholm has been on my list forever and it was an absolute joy to close out the year here.
IKEA Museum, Älmhult
In summary, I think the word I would use to describe my 2024 is unexpected. So much changed in my life, both personally and professionally. I started the year in one relationship and ended it in a totally different one. I started a new job and then quit that job. I traveled so much, even though this was a year I thought I would travel less. Ironically, this was also the year I spent the most time at home since moving to Salzburg. I hope 2025 is a space for grounding, building and growing. Who knows where I will end up and what I will achieve.
Before you go, check out my 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 travel round-ups, too.
Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
