It’s January – we are so excited to begin the new year, to start fresh that sometimes we all forget to look back. To be honest, 2018 was a big year for me, a year filled with new experiences, memories and lessons. But most importantly a year that showed me what I’m capable of and how far I’m willing to go just to follow my dreams.

I remember the decision I took in January 2018 – to visit at least 7 different countries – having bills to pay, a 9 to 5 Job and no trips planned, everyone said I was setting unrealistic goals.

Well, guess what? I didn’t! I visited so many new places this year that I kinda lost count.

Hope this will inspire you to travel more, be more aware of those dreams and go after them. Only you can change the direction of your life!

My travel year started in April, when I made a solo trip to Norway. (Yes, you don’t need anyone to start traveling, if that’s what you want to do.)
I explored Bergen and then took the Flam Railway for the most scenic train ride ever. Favourite memory? The safari boat ride to see the spectacular Nærøyfjord.
Here are some photos:

May started with a trip to Sweden. I visited Stockholm and Drottingholm with a friend and did something I’ve never done before: slept on a boat.
Here my favourite memories:

I also visited Serbia in May and climbed its highest peak outside Kosovo. The Midzor peak is situated exactly at the border between Serbia and Bulgaria, oh… and that’s me holding the Romanian Flag at the Border Stone. So cool, right?

June has brought me to the Canaries and to the windiest place ever: Fuerteventura, there I visited almost the entire island but also took the ferry to the Lobos Island, an amazing place with only, well, 3 inhabitants.

I also climbed another Mountain, this time in Romania and reached the Stan Peak in the Mehedinti Mountains. The best views come after the hardest climbs, right?

In July and August I decided to spend more time visiting Romania.
In July I visited the Cheile Nerei – Beusnita National Park, an amazing place for easy hikes and pure wilderness.

In August I took off to Bucharest and spent a weekend in Constanta and at the Black Sea.

In August I also went on a city Break in 3 Cities in Switzerland: Zurich, Bern and Basel.

September was an amazing month for me, I spent one week in Italy, attending a wedding in Cava Dei Tirreni, then visiting the entire Amalfi Coast – Amalfi, Positano, Pompei. Oh what a dream.

During this trip I also visited Bari, which reminded me so much of Dubrovnik Am I the only one? Anyways… enjoy some photos:

I returned to Italy at the end of the month, for one day in Milano… kinda that’s what you do when you find flights that are cheaper than two coffees at Starbucks :))

This year I enjoyed being outdoor, as remote as possible, in the middle of the ocean, exploring a forest and just simply being close to Mother Nature. Strangely I fell in love with a city… Copenhagen. I visited the city in October, it was one of the coldest weekends, the gloomy weather almost forced us to get to know the architecture and truth is, I never expected to enjoy the city so much.

I suffered from a severe form of wanderlust in November but December came with an unforgettable trip to Morocco.

Any of the places above made it to your 2019 travel list?

Want to travel more this year?
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To your biggest dreams,
Claudia xo