Yes, I know. I’m a few days late with this 2019 travel report.
It’s been a busy few weeks here in Belgium, but I couldn’t resist writing another article like the one I wrote last year. So here it is.
This is my 2019 travel overview.
Note: when I mention ‘blog post/video coming soon’, it might already be up and I forgot to update this post. So please take a look at my recent blog posts and my YouTube channel to stay up to date with all my content.
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My 2019 travel report
Click the links below to skip to the destinations you’re most interested in!
Berlin (Germany)
What did I do?
In February 2019, I took my third solo trip (after going to Berlin and Malta in 2017).
This time around, I went to the German capital Berlin (which is an awesome city for solo travellers, by the way).
I visited the Berlin essentials, like the DDR Museum, Brandenburger Tor and the Reichstag Building, on my first day. But after that, I went a bit more off-the-beaten-path. I went on a street art walking tour, hiked up a hill with a man-made Nazi station and explored an abandoned children’s hospital and an abandoned airport.
Video might be coming soon, but it might never come.
I’d say I’m sorry, but I don’t know if this video can deliver the quality that I want it to deliver.
Who did I go with?
All by myself, baby. It might seem strange to some of you, but I love travelling alone.
And, although there are plenty of reasons why solo travel sucks sometimes, I still think it’s one of the best ways to explore the world.
Edinburgh (Scotland, UK)
What did I do?
I went to Edinburgh in June to celebrate graduating from university.
So, we celebrated. (Pro tip: Dragonfly has the BEST cocktails.)
We also walked along the Royal Mile, took a ghost tour in Mary King’s Close, admired university buildings, climbed Arthur’s Seat and visited some museums, among other things.
Check the embedded map below to see more of what we did, ate and drank.
I’ll probably end up writing an article (or several articles) about Edinburgh in the near future.
Who did I go with?
I went to Edinburgh with my two best friends (@febelamkowski and @onanas_vandenameele).
India
What did I do?
Whelp. This is the big one.
In August, I went on a 3-week road trip in and around Rajasthan, India.
We definitely did too much to boil it all down to one paragraph, but I’ll try.
We admired countless palaces, forts and temples. After a wild camel ride, we slept in the desert. We zip-lined between hill forts and ridge tops. We took sleeper trains across the country. Indian ladies taught us to cook traditional Indian dishes. We went on a sunrise hike. We visited the Taj Mahal and the place where the Beatles spent three months. And, lastly, we took yoga classes and got Ayurvedic massages.
God, I want to go back.
I might write another article about India, but I’m not sure yet.
Who did I go with?
I went to India on a group tour, organised by Evelien from Joker (a Belgian travel agency).
Lyon (France)
What did I do?
My last trip of this summer was a quick weekend getaway to Lyon. I was going on a trip with my mom, and I wanted to surprise her by planning everything. She only found out where we were going at the airport.
Fun fact: I was originally planning to go to Budapest with her, but a few weeks before the trip, our flights were cancelled for no apparent reason. I had to find an alternative, and I chose Lyon.
We mostly walked around the city without having a real plan, and it was great.
I won’t be making a video of this trip, because I don’t have enough suitable video footage.
Who did I go with?
I went to Lyon with my mom, as previously mentioned.
London (England, UK)
What did I do?
Since this wasn’t our first time in London, we decided to combine some of the must-sees – like Oxford Street, Hyde Park and Notting Hill – with some more obscure locations – like Southwark, St Dunstan in the East Church and Leadenhall Market.
It’s always been one of my big dreams to experience the Big Smoke around Christmas. And this year, I made it.
Article coming soon.
Who did I go with?
I went to London with my parents and my sister.
2020 travel plans
So, this was my 2019 travel report.
Now, that only leaves me with my current travel plans for 2020. And it’s going to be a big one.
For starters, I’m going skiing in France with my parents.
Next up is a Joker reunion (you know, those people I went to India with) in Bucharest, Romania.
That will be followed by a visit to two friends who are doing an internship in Pamplona, Spain.
In the summer of 2020, I’ll be going on a kayak trip to Sweden, a road trip through the south of Norway, a sibling trip to Snowdonia NP (Wales) and a surprise trip with srprs.me to top it all off.
If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s this: 2020 is going to be a good one.
2019 travel report: final thoughts
Although I travelled less in 2019 than I did in 2018, the same message applies.
I didn’t write this to make anyone jealous of ‘how I’m able to do this’ or to rub my travels in your faces.
If anything, I did it to show you that — if travel is your priority — you can do it.
And also, I think I might make these travel reports an annual thing. They’re fun and easy to write, and they give you a quick overview of where I’ve been and where I’m going next.
Again, I know that I missed the mark by a few days. But hey, what can you do?
Catch you guys on the flippity flip!
