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A collection of short travel stories from 2022.

When I started doing this blog, I sometimes made a post with unsorted pictures I took over a month (like Random London). A few years later, time went by faster, and I did collections about seasons (such as Road Towards Winter). Well, the acceleration seems to have no limit, so here's a collection from an entire year.

One thing that links 2022 together is mobility, as I ended up being on the road for most of it. So, here's a little blog within the blog showcasing some of the (almost) forgotten pictures.

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Slowly But Surely

That's how the year started. I had a few grumpy moments when things weren't moving anywhere, but there was a simple solution to that. A short walk, or better, a bike ride later, all improved in my world. Not too hard to smile, when nature delivers scenes like this:

And before I knew it, things moved, too.

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Departure

If someone would tell me a year ago that I'd be in France, I'd doubt it. And if they told me that I'd be swimming in the Atlantic in February, I would laugh it off. Yet, it happened, and it was only one of many unplanned, yet terrific moments that followed. Brittany was splendid.

So were Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and the Grand Est regions. Each in a distinct way, each with wonderful people who showed me around.

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A fun stop in Zagreb later, I arrived in...

Vienna

I went there to be a part of Europe's biggest geoscience conference, and it was out-of-this-world good. The event, the folks, and the city in general... there's something special about that place. Every time I go there, it ends up being joyful and influential.

While on the topic of Austria, I revisited the spectacular Semmering.

And the ruins of the Scharfeneck Castle.

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Nice to See You, Germany

In the past, I was lucky to run into amazing people from there, but I visited only a few cities in person. That changed in 2022, as the German government introduced a ticket allowing to use of any means of ground public transportation except for the high-speed rail for just €9 per month. Wunderbar!

To me, the thing with seeing is that it brings a touch of learning. It is not that I know the country now, but it was just so cool to see it a bit more. In Magdeburg, for example, I saw the oldest Gothic cathedral in Germany, and I learned that the country has the most over-100m-tall churches in the world.

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The Netherlands Re-Experienced

I came to the Netherlands in 2015, intending to live there. However, things turned out differently than I expected, so I moved elsewhere. Years passed, and I learned that when things don't go as imagined, maybe it's not the thing's fault but having the expectations set wrongly. Years passed, and I thought it could be interesting to give the country another go.

The time has come this summer, and I relished it profoundly.

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Summer went by in no time, but the excitement didn't slow down. I got a..

Finland Taster

Ever since hearing the Tales from the Thousand Lakes during high school, I fantasized about the atmospheric land up in the Nordic. Yet, seeing it in person exceeded my imagination: Besides the plentiful water areas, swamps, and forests, there are also lovely hills, and their cities are very pleasant to be in. What a fab unit! Once I find more time, I'd like to write some posts about it. Stay tuned!

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In the Meanwhile

I visited Brussels and made a short stop in Scotland:

Then...

Means of Moving

I was fortunate to see many remarkable places, but it wouldn't happen without some tech:

The advantages of cars and planes come with offsets. I like driving, but traffic sucks, and one can't read a book while doing so. In planes, I can read or nap while getting somewhere, but I have to go through airport hassles.

Luckily, I could access other options, which added diversity and more fun to the travels.

But as usual, the most fun I had on one of these:

Cold or hot, asphalt or not!

So yes, I enjoyed the journey too. Well, and it is winter again...

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Most of the year was unexpected. And while that encompassed some hiccups here and there, I have more reasons to smile than I had a year ago.

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Thanks for reading!