F.I.B.I. – what an overpacked, yet beautiful year taught me

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13 – the number of times I boarded a plane this year.

4 – new countries I visited for the very first time.

50.5 hours in the air, covering a total of 39,381 km. Fun fact: that’s 7,876 times the distance between my home and my workplace.

What truly matters is that 2025 was a year full of adventure. A year when childhood dreams came true, fears were faced and overcome — and, if I’m being honest, there were moments when I almost ran out of steam along the way. But before diving into the details, let’s take a step back.

I also got caught up in that viral trend about what you’re supposedly meant to do in your twenties, according to everyone else. Try it. Travel. Say yes. What started as a ten-minute video edit turned into a full hour of thinking, because I wanted to say something that would speak to a younger version of myself in my twenties. Don’t put things off just because you think — or are told — that you have plenty of time. And that’s when it hit me: this is exactly what I did this year. Consciously or not, it could easily be my motto for 2025. The only difference is that a version of me ten years younger probably wouldn’t have been nearly this exhausted by it all.

Ádi and I knew our calendar would be tight. We had a lot we wanted to make happen in 2025, which automatically made it a fast-paced year — and still, we decided to go for it. Looking back now, it worked out so well that I find myself jumping from one moment of awe to the next as I retrace where I’ve been — or where we’ve been — throughout the year.

The Royal Palace - Brussels

The year kicked off in Belgium, staying with my friend. January and February are far from ideal weather-wise, but if you want to avoid the crowds, they’re actually perfect. We revisited some old favorites, discovered new spots around Brussels, went for a trip in the area, and I even visited the Belgian–Dutch–German tripoint for the very first time. As a little bonus, we made it to nearby Aachen and its Lindt factory outlet — a place where you can practically feel full just from the smell alone. These visits are usually short, so we try to squeeze in everything we can’t easily make up for the rest of the year because of the distance.

Our usual trip to Zakopane couldn’t be skipped either — it just got pushed to February, hoping there would be more snow. There wasn’t. The mountains towered over the town half-bare, but that didn’t kill the mood. We snowboarded on new slopes, and for the first time, our instructor took us onto a black run. Definitely still above my level, but it felt pretty badass to make it down — on the board, not sliding on my butt or face. My body, however, was quick to remind me that I’m no longer in my twenties: bruised knees, a strained elbow, and muscle relief cream being used in industrial quantities.

At Easter, Ádi surprised me with a trip. It felt strange not knowing where we were going or what we’d be doing, but as departure got closer, he started dropping little hints. In the end, our destination turned out to be Vienna. We were only there for one night, so we packed as much as possible into our time. The weather was absolutely perfect, with bright sunshine all day. We kicked things off at the Parndorf outlet, had lunch at the Prater, and even went on a roller coaster ride. It felt like time had stopped there. Childhood fairground memories came rushing back — the same music, colors, rides, and games, just better maintained. The highlight of the day was a magic show. I know it’s not real magic, but they were so entertaining and skilled that I simply couldn’t keep up with the tricks.

Grande Anse - La Digue

In July, we went on a relatively short trip to the Seychelles. Even now, it’s hard for me to fully process that I actually made it there. It wasn’t planned, and honestly, it wasn’t even on my bucket list. Ádi found a great place to stay at an amazing price, and from there, all that was left was hunting down the flights. The trip itself was short because of our Advanced Open Water Diver certification — 2.5 days went into that alone. Conditions weren’t perfect: the ocean was a bit murky and choppy, yet the experience turned out to be unforgettable. We had an amazing instructor, saw incredible things underwater — shipwrecks, stonefish, lionfish, turtles — and I also faced one of my old fears. On the first dive, I got a little overwhelmed and old bad memories resurfaced, but I gave myself two minutes. I looked down, took a breath, and after that, everything just clicked. Still, I came home feeling like it wasn’t enough. Not the usual “I wish I could’ve stayed longer” kind of feeling — this was different. Something I’d never experienced before. I would’ve needed just two more days to truly feel recharged. Instead, leaving felt genuinely hard and painful.

Then came the biggest move of the year — the realization of a top-tier bucket list dream of mine. A journey through Southeast Asia, taking in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. I had been to Thailand more than ten years ago, but since Ádi and I were traveling in the region anyway, it would’ve been a shame to leave it out. I was curious to see whether old memories would resurface, and how I’d perceive them after all these years. Vietnam had long felt out of reach to me, and Cambodia felt just as distant. Taking on two and a half weeks of constant movement — city to city, country to country — in October, toward the end of an already exhausting year, doesn’t exactly sound like the smartest idea. But learning from earlier experiences that year, I planned this trip far more intentionally. I built in downtime, rest days, moments with no schedule, and no rushing around. And that made all the difference. On the way home, we had a long layover in Doha, which we didn’t just want to survive, but actually make the most of. We squeezed in a short outing — and somehow, it fit perfectly with the overall rhythm of the journey. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Heidelberg

You’d think this is where it all ends — but no. A few more trips still managed to squeeze themselves in. A work trip, admittedly just to Budapest, but with such unfortunate timing that after getting back from Asia, I spent four days at home, then five days in Budapest, and from there headed straight to Belgium again. I had barely landed when we were already back in the car with my friend and her family, heading to Germany. By then, my body was clearly sending signals that I was running on empty — I got a little sick — but as we all know, friendship has healing powers. In Sinsheim, we visited the Technik Museum, where I stepped inside a real Concorde, saw the armored Mercedes that belonged to the German Reich Chancellery — though Hitler also used it — and countless other incredible exhibits. We also spent an afternoon in Heidelberg, which fully delivered that mystical autumn vibe. After all that, I came home exhausted — but full of experiences.

My final little getaway took me to Nagyvisnyó for a girls’ weekend — a place I hadn’t even heard of before. We stayed at a magical guesthouse, Kékkút Cottage, visited Szilvásvárad, and I had the best fried trout of my life. I learned what Molnárkalács is (a local delicacy), we sang, cooked (or rather, they cooked while I enthusiastically cheered from the table), and simply enjoyed being together.

This year was intense. More than once, I felt like I’d pushed myself too far — but if I had drawn the line in any of those moments and said maybe next time or I’ll do it later, I know I would’ve regretted it deeply. I tried to keep work in balance and not run at 200% in every area of my life. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t.

By early December, I could honestly say I felt “thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread,” to quote Tolkien. That’s when I finally slowed down. The gifts were bought, or on their way, I stuck to the usual Christmas menu I can prepare on autopilot, and now, sitting by the lit-up tree, I feel like this year I actually made it through the holiday season without being a nervous wreck. With all the family gatherings I look forward to and truly enjoy, it’s hard to imagine being anywhere else at this time of year — but who knows what the future holds. Advent in New York, maybe?

One thing is certain: I’d love to go back to the Prater. I never expected to enjoy it this much, and the crowds were surprisingly well spread out — it never felt overwhelming. I’d also love to actually see Vienna properly next time, since we didn’t really have time for sightseeing. I’d return to Vietnam in a heartbeat; there were so many places and regions we had to skip simply because we ran out of time. The same goes for Thailand, with the difference that if I went back, I’d probably skip Bangkok, and maybe Pattaya as well. The Seychelles were absolutely beautiful, and there’s still plenty left to see, but I might choose a completely new destination first — or even return to Bali once again.

All things considered, it was a fantastic year — but it also took a lot out of me. I’m not making any New Year’s resolutions, because I know I wouldn’t stick to them anyway. My “bikini body” has been a work in progress for about five years now. What I do know is that there will be no shortage of adventure. I want to travel, see the world, go snowboarding, go diving — and above all, rest more.

You don’t always have to do everything at full throttle or cram it all in. Our Asia trip taught me that sometimes letting go actually makes the whole experience better. I don’t want the what if I never come back feeling to dictate my choices that much. What I do promise myself, though, is that I won’t skip things simply because I think I have plenty of time. There will be other chances — to go somewhere, to try something new, to live.

The point of this article isn’t to show off or complain, but to shed light on a side of traveling that isn’t always visible — and definitely isn’t always glamorous. My year-end takeaway, in short, is F.I.B.I. — fuck it, book it, followed by chill & relax.

I wish all my dear readers a happy New Year filled with health, success, and plenty of adventures!

And of course: onward to new adventures — just a little wiser this time. 😉