When I think about how to describe 2024, the word that comes to mind is challenging. It was a whirlwind of events—so much happened that it feels like the year flew by in the blink of an eye. It was exciting and fun at times, but also deeply painful and sad. We traveled quite a bit, mostly on shorter trips and extended weekends, but sadly had to postpone our dream trip to Vietnam 😭
The year began with the hustle and bustle of moving into our new house. We spent the early months unpacking, painting, and learning how to tackle DIY renovations—a mix of exhaustion and pride in building a space we could truly call home.
In July, we received exciting news: I was pregnant! But around the same time, my boyfriend began experiencing health issues. Life was already shifting, but by the end of September, everything came crashing down. I suffered a silent miscarriage that required surgery, and my boyfriend was diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg. On top of that, we had to cancel a long-anticipated trip to Scotland.
The remainder of the year was dedicated to healing—both mentally and physically. I won’t sugarcoat it: it was incredibly tough, and the loss of my baby still hits me from time to time. However, I’m incredibly fortunate to have an amazingly supportive network of family and friends who were my rock through it all. To them, I am endlessly grateful—thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤
As 2024 comes to a close, I hold onto hope that the coming year will be brighter 🙂
Life has been hectic, leaving me with little time to update the blog. There are so many posts still waiting to be written and countless photos to share. But for now, let me give you a brief review of this year’s travels.
January
We had just moved into our new house, so I decided to skip the annual ski trip this year—how grown-up of me, right? 😛 Instead, we made the most of a sudden snowfall, taking peaceful walks around our new neighborhood and soaking in the rare sight of Denmark’s white winter landscapes.
Then, in the middle of January, something monumental happened in Denmark: the queen abdicated, and the king ascended the throne. It was a moment straight out of history books, and I was lucky enough to be there, standing among half the population of Denmark, snapping photos of the historic event. What an unforgettable experience!
February
February kicked off with a thrilling three-day escape to Rome, where I had the best carbonara of my life! It was so good, I’d go back in a heartbeat just for another bite. After basking in a bit of Roman sunshine, I found myself back in Copenhagen, dashing through the city streets at night to revel in the annual Copenhagen Light Festival—a tradition that never fails to dazzle.
March
March was all about preparing for the hiking trip I had planned for the end of April. I started training seriously and went on plenty of walks in the local area, discovering beautiful new spots like the Bognæs Forest.
Midway through the month, I made a quick trip to Poland to visit my family and even convinced my dad to join me on a short hike in the nearby mountains – it was such a lovely time together.
For the Easter holidays, we decided to explore Turkey, a country that captivated us with its rich history, vibrant culture, and delicious food. We visited Ephesus, Istanbul, and Izmir, soaking in the sights and learning so much about the country’s fascinating past—and yes, we even got a few lessons on how to get scammed :P. True to tradition, we managed to squeeze in a photoshoot in Ottoman attire, which added an extra layer of fun to an already incredible trip.
April
April began with even more hikes across Denmark as spring finally made its grand entrance. I went a little overboard taking pictures of flowers everywhere! I discovered a few new cherry blossom spots, finally visited Boserup Forest to see the anemones in full bloom, and enjoyed a delightful hike through Zealand’s largest reed forest at Gundsømagle Sø.
The highlight of the month, however, came at the end of April when I embarked on the most ambitious journey of my life: hiking part of the Camino Portugués Central trail with my mom. Starting in Valença and finishing in Santiago de Compostela, we walked an incredible 210 km over seven days. I still can’t believe I did it! While this might not seem like a huge distance to some, for a couch potato like me, it was monumental. As a bonus, we even managed to squeeze in a day trip to Porto.
May
May is always a wild month in Denmark, with all the national holidays packed into just a few weeks. Almost every weekend turns into a long weekend, and I absolutely can’t resist going all out.
Fresh off the Camino hike, I stumbled upon an online post offering ridiculously cheap VIP tickets to Eurovision, which was being held in Malmö, Sweden—just a quick trip across the bridge from Copenhagen. As huge Eurovision fans (if you don’t know what Eurovision is, Google some of the songs—it’s a bizarre music competition with entries from European countries, and oddly, Australia and Israel), we couldn’t pass up the deal. We ended up enjoying VIP treatment at the concert, and it was so much fun!
One of the longer weekends in May gave us the perfect excuse to use a birthday gift card from my friends for the Ystad Saltsjöbad Spa in Sweden. We spent a relaxing break soaking in warm pools and indulging in delicious food—a much-needed recharge after all the hiking I did.
May 26th marked Mother’s Day in Poland, and since it fell on a weekend, we hopped on a plane to celebrate with my mom. My brother and I planned a family outing to the Dunajec Gorge, where we went rafting together. It was such a fun day, especially because my mom got to try not only rafting but also stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) for the first time.
To top it all off, May gifted us with an incredible display of the aurora borealis—the best I’ve ever seen in Denmark. I was so amazed that I called my brother in southern Poland, and he managed to catch a glimpse too. What a magical experience!
June
June had barely begun, and we were already making the most of the last long weekend by flying to Mallorca for a few days. It turned out to be such an unexpectedly fun trip! With no real expectations beforehand (we went because the tickets were super cheap, I wanted somewhere warm, and we hadn’t been before), Mallorca completely exceeded anything I could have imagined. I’ll definitely write more about it on the blog when I find the time!
On June 23rd, which is Father’s Day in Poland, I decided it was only fair to surprise my dad after having done the same for my mom earlier in May. I flew to Poland and had another wonderful weekend with my family.
To wrap up the month, we flew to the Netherlands to visit my boyfriend’s friends. We spent a cozy and relaxing weekend catching up with them, which was the perfect way to end June.
July
July was a relatively calm month after all the craziness of the first half of the year. We took a relaxing summer holiday with my boyfriend’s family in Gedser, exploring many lovely spots in the surrounding area. It was the perfect way to slow down and enjoy a quieter pace for a change.
August
August began with a visit from my parents and cousin to our new house. It was so lovely to show them different places in Denmark. We explored Copenhagen, Stevns Klint, and Knuthenborg Safaripark. Their visit also made me realize something—I’ve never written a guide on what to do when visiting Copenhagen! Definitely need to fix that soon!
Then, something completely unexpected happened: Aurora lights! You don’t usually expect to see them during summer in Denmark because it’s so bright, and darkness is essential for a good view. But as if that weren’t magical enough, there was also a meteor shower that night! It was absolutely breathtaking—a night I’ll never forget.
September
And then September arrived, filled with exciting plans—we were supposed to celebrate my birthday in Scotland, exploring the breathtaking Scottish Highlands. But life had other plans, and everything came crashing down. The unexpected loss of my baby and the subsequent operation turned the month into one of the most challenging times of my life.
My dad flew over to be with me, and I’m so grateful he did. Having him there helped me focus on simple joys, like cooking for him and sharing my favorite hiking spots. Then, on my birthday, my mom and brother surprised me with a one-day visit. It was incredibly heartwarming to have my whole family with me during such a difficult time. Their presence meant the world to me.
Aurora again surprised me, and even though I was too lazy to venture far, I managed to capture nice pictures in my neighborhood.
October
Travel has always been my best distraction and medicine, and October was—let’s just say it—a bit intense, but incredibly effective at keeping my mind off painful topics.
The month began with a trip to Vienna to meet my best friend. We had planned to spend the whole weekend together, but she somehow mistook Vienna for Venice and booked the wrong flights! 😛 Thankfully, she managed to find a connection that allowed her to spend one day with me before heading to her next destination. With the extra free time in Vienna, I seized the chance to run around capturing autumn’s vibrant colors in the city’s beautiful parks.
The next weekend brought another adventure—this time to Poland for my brother’s wedding. He announced it with less than a month’s notice—classic crazy brother! 😛 He also asked me to be his official photographer, which was quite a challenge. Let me tell you, capturing weddings is so much more stressful than photographing landscapes or animals! After the wedding, my parents and I made the most of the free weekend by discovering a new hiking spot – Ojcowski National Park. I can’t believe we’d never been there before—it’s breathtaking, especially in autumn, and so close to where I used to live in Poland!
After a short return to Denmark (I had tickets to two musicals!), I flew back to Poland again for a weekend to celebrate my dad’s birthday.
The last weekend of October was just as eventful. My boyfriend surprised me with a trip to Cologne, Germany, to visit Phantasialand with his sister and her fiancé. If you’re a fan of amusement parks like me, Phantasialand is an absolute hidden gem! It was so much fun, and Cologne itself is a fantastic city for a short getaway.
October also delivered some excitement in the skies. I missed an aurora at the start of the month due to my brother’s wedding, but I managed to photograph the Comet NEOWISE later on. Astronomy never fails to amaze me!
November
I tried to slow down in November, but let’s just say I wasn’t entirely successful.
We kicked off the month with a weekend trip to Prague to meet up with my brother and his wife. The visit was packed with escape rooms and lots of fun—definitely worth the trip!
Back in Denmark, it was time for Christmas festivities and markets. While exploring the Christmas markets in Copenhagen’s city center, I was thrilled to discover a new troll, Lomme Ulrik, to add to my collection! As always, a visit to Tivoli Gardens was a must—there’s no better time to go than Christmas, when it’s adorned with magical lights and decorations.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the crowds, we decided to seek out Christmas markets off the beaten path. That led us to Gisselfeld Kloster’s Christmas Market, which turned out to be a delightful experience. We’ll definitely explore more unique spots like this next year!
Dealing with loss and my boyfriend’s health issues had left us both feeling pretty drained. It reminded us of how rejuvenating our stay at Ystad Saltsjöbad Spa in Sweden had been earlier in the year. So, when I stumbled upon a promo code for a stay, we didn’t think twice—we booked two days at the spa, and it was exactly what we needed. It was pure relaxation, and we came back feeling so much better.
December
December was all about preparing for Christmas and embracing the cozy hygge vibes. We cut down our own tree at a tree farm, decorated the house with twinkling lights, and made everything warm and inviting to combat the darkness of December.
Of course, the cold and darkness didn’t stop us from running around! 😛 After having so much fun with Christmas markets last month, we kept the tradition going and discovered another off-the-beaten-path gem—Esrum Kloster Christmas Market. It was absolutely worth the visit, and I can’t believe it took me this long to go there!
The rest of the month was spent celebrating with friends and family. Since this year was my turn to have Christmas at home, we flew to Poland to spend Christmas Eve with my family. Even though our time there was short, we made the most of it—relaxing with my parents, my brother, and his wife, and adding two more castles to our Eagle’s Nest Castle collection: Pilcza Castle and Ojców Castle, which we explored on beautiful hikes.
As we wrap up 2024, we did something unusual for us—not taking advantage of the perfectly aligned holidays to travel! Instead, we are staying home, catching up on games and courses we’d been meaning to enjoy for ages. Now, we’re looking forward to a quiet, cozy New Year’s Eve, just the two of us enjoying each other’s company.
And that’s it—my crazy 2024! If you’ve made it to the end of this summary, thank you for following along and supporting me! I hope you have an amazing 2025!
To my friends and family – love you lots, and thank you for being there for me 💕
