2024 has come to an end, and it’s time to reflect on the year that passed. For me, it’s been a hectic year with a big move in the beginning of it, and trying to find my footing in this new era of my life. It has also been a year of exploring with lots of weekend trips around Denmark and several overseas journeys as well. Sadly, this was the first year since 2015 that I didn’t visit my favourite country, the Faroe Islands. It feels strange to go so long between visits, but their pet travel rules are what put a stop to it. If it was easier for me to bring Minnie (if I didn’t have to literally move there to be able to bring her), I definitely would’ve made a trip up there.
However, I did get to visit nine other countries (besides Denmark) in 2024. Much like 2023, I didn’t visit any new countries, but I did return to several that I’d only scratched the surface of before. I did, however, add a new exclave to the list (Baarle-Hertog), as well as a few other geographic oddities! I packed up my life in Scotland and finished my Master’s degree in January, moved to Thy in Denmark in February, attended the tour of the century in Paris in May, went on a weekend trip to Sweden in June, explored Berlin and Děčín in th Czech Republic in the early August heat, presented a paper at a conference in Rome in late August, roadtripped back to Scotland in November for graduation and so much more.
Let’s get into it! Here’s my recap of my travel year of 2024:
January: Dissertation days in Aberdeen
2024 began at home in East Jutland, surrounded by my family. A snowstorm halted a planned trip to Lolland to visit my former host family, so instead, I spent the time walking in a gorgeous winter landscape, working on my dissertation, painting, making friendship bracelets for my upcoming Eras Tour concert and gearing up to return to Aberdeen where I’d spent the past year studying for my Master’s degree in Archaeology of the North.
Minnie and I left my hometown in the early hours of the 13th and arrived back in Aberdeen on the evening of the 14th after a long overland journey through Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, England and Scotland. A train strike in Germany meant that we had to scratch our plan of visiting friends in Kiel for two nights and instead head straight to Amsterdam at 2.30 AM on the 13th to catch our ferry at 5.30 PM the same day. A bit of a risk, but everything thankfully went smoothly!
Arriving in Newcastle the following morning, we explored a few parks near the harbour and then headed into the city centre for a few hours of exploring before catching our train to Aberdeen. I didn’t know what to expect of Newcastle, but I was blown away by its beauty, especially down by the river Tyne. I loved all the different bridges and felt very lucky to be there on a Sunday when the cozy Quayside Market is open!
With my dissertation deadline just around the corner, it was time to get seriously down to business when I arrived back in Aberdeen. I spent the following week in my apartment, writing for hours on end and working on my GIS analysis. That week was literal hell. I hardly slept, hardly ate and spent most of my hours just staring into my laptop. I finished my dissertation with literally five minutes to spare, and I can’t explain how amazing it felt to finally hand it in. I was finally free!!
The last month of January was spent doing as little as possible as I seriously needed to catch up on sleep and try to get over my burnout. I did, however, find time to see some friends, go for the daily morning walks with Minnie’s dog friends and go on a little adventure up the north coast of Aberdeenshire with my boyfriend. We hiked from the beautiful town of Gardenstown through Crovie and ended in Pennan, both small villages with colourful houses dotted along the coast. The only issue was that I’d sprained my toe that same morning by accidentally kicking my hoover… I thought the pain would go away during the two-hour bus ride north, but it didn’t. So for the entire 16-kilometre hike, I limped and complained. What a way to end the month!
February: Moving back to Denmark
Rather spontaneously, I decided to apply for a job at Museum Thy in Thisted in the traditional district of Thy in the north of Denmark, and so I moved back to my home country in mid-February.
That meant I only had two weeks left in Aberdeen with no study obligations to hang out with people, attend the weekly pub quizzes at our local bar and explore as much as possible before leaving. I ended up walking many of my favourite routes in the city, but also managed to visit a few new spots such as St Machar’s Cathedral, Corby Loch and Torry Battery! Oh, and I was naturally glued to my laptop on the 4th to watch Taylor Swift win Album of the Year for the 4th time (as the first artist ever!) and announce her 11th studio album at the Grammy Awards!! Saying goodbye to life in Aberdeen after thirteen months was sad, but I was also excited for what was to come.
On the 14th, Minnie and I once again endured the long overland journey to Denmark, but this time with so much luggage that I honestly couldn’t have carried it the whole way without help from other people (two large suitcases, two backpacks and two bags, all full to the brim)…. But people were so kind. I got help to lift and carry on all train connections and even got a ride from the ferry to the station in Amsterdam from two Danish guys! That being said, I’m absolutely never doing that again haha!
Back home in Denmark, we spent a weekend chilling with my family in East Jutland before moving all our stuff up north to our new apartment in Thisted. My landlady is also my dog sitter for when I’m at work, and the apartment is located just a few minutes by foot from the museum, so it really couldn’t be more perfect. We soon settled into life in Thisted, and I enjoyed getting back to excavating – despite the first excavation site being constantly flooded! Minnie also settled into her new routine nicely and soon became best friends with my landlady’s dog, Bella! And although she tried to charm the cat Mille as well, I think she’s at best tolerated by her…
March: Gallivanting around Denmark
With the arrival of March, it was time to delve into my new backyard, in particular, the nearby Thy National Park. My first hike with Minnie took us through the dense (and rather flooded) forests of Tved Plantage to Hanstholm, a fishing town on the west coast of Jutland. It was a beautiful start to our Thy journey!
Being back in Denmark means that I have much more time to spend with family, which was actually my main reason for going back home. It also meant that I could accompany my grandmother on a trip to Copenhagen to attend a concert with Hansi Hinterseer, her favourite singer. Though I am not a fan as such, I do enjoy how cheery his music is and I thought the concert was great. Especially because he took the time to write autographs and take pictures with all of us afterwards!
Minnie and I spent the following weekend at home with my family to celebrate my niece’s and nephew’s birthdays, and the next weekend, I took an extra day off for a trip to Lolland to make up for the failed January visit. It was wonderful to see my host family and friends again, visit my old workplace and go for long walks in the quiet countryside with three little doggos!
For Easter, we went back home again to spend time with my family and attend the annual family gatherings.
April: Much more Denmark
After a busy March, I was happy to spend most of the weekends in April in Thisted and around Thy. Minnie and I spent many hours exploring our new hometown, going for walks by the fjord, around the harbour, in the forest and to nearby lakes. We went on a trip to the scenic forest of Dybdalsgave and the surfing town of Vorupør with my landlady/dog sitter. And we explored the sandstone cliffs near Vildsund and walked over the bridge to the island of Mors.
I did spend one weekend away from Thy, but it was for a very good reason. My brother and I went on a day trip to explore the uninhabited island of Sprogø, which is only accessible via an often sold-out tour. The island is located on the Storebælt bridge, which connects Zealand with the rest of Denmark, and so I’ve actually been to the island many times before – I’d just never set foot there! It was really special to finally do so. The tour also included a guided walk through Nyborg on Funen, a Medieval town that blew me away with its unexpected beauty!
May: Eras Tour in Paris!
In May, it was finally time for the first overseas trip since moving to Denmark – and it was one I’d been looking forward to for many months! Back in July 2023, I’d secured a ticket to the opening night of the European leg of Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour – in Paris! As a Swiftie, this was a tour I simply couldn’t miss, and I can’t think of a better show to attend than Paris N1 as this was when she debuted the set for her newest album, the Tortured Poets Department! To say that I was excited would be a HUGE understatement. I cried, a lot. I traded friendship bracelets, bought merch and just had the time of my life. Honestly, what a show!
But the Eras Tour wasn’t all that I got up to in Paris. Being back in the city after 12 years gave me an opportunity to see the city in a new light, explore new places and revisit old favourites. It also gave me the perfect excuse to see three French friends, one of whom I lived with in Greenland in 2018-19 and two of whom I excavated with in Alaska last year! Along with my friends, I explored the Palace of Versailles, enjoyed a view over the city from Sacre Coeur, visited the archaeological crypt below Notre Dame and hung out in several pretty parks! Minnie unfortunately couldn’t join me for this trip because of the concert, but she had a little holiday of her own at home with my family.
Another exciting time in May was spent on Lolland, attending the wedding of two friends in their gorgeous farm on the countryside, and once again visiting my host family. Minnie and I also spent an extended weekend in Copenhagen with my two best friends as one of them defended his ph.d.! It was a great time and I enjoyed revisiting the city I once called home.
And then it was finally time for my boyfriend to visit me in Thisted! I showed him all my favourite places in the town, we visited the museum and spent a day exploring Thy National Park. We went for a hike in Lyngby to a large collection of bunkers from the Second World War and visited the tiny fishing village of Stenbjerg Landingsplads. On the last evening, we went to Eshøj and made food over the fire by the fjord!
June: More Thy and a slice of Sweden
Summer arrived and it was time to start a huge excavation at Thisted’s old cemetery, which has been (and still is) a huge adventure in itself! It was also time to get back to exploring Thy! Minnie and I went on a hike from Thisted along the coast to Eshøj in beautiful sunny weather. Another day, we hiked to the art museum Kirsten Kjær Museum, which is located deep in a forest, and then continued to Thylejren (‘Thy Camp’). Thylejren is perhaps my favourite place that I discovered this year as it speaks to my free spirit. The camp started in 1970 by hippies who wanted to create an alternative society, inspired by the Isle of Wight festival and Woodstock. It since developed into a permanent settlement with several DIY houses located in the middle of nowhere. It is basically its own little alternative society outside the Danish society, but surrounded by it. If you have been to Copenhagen, you’ll know the much more popular Christiania, which is very similar, and you might be surprised to know that Christiania was actually inspired by Thylejren!
When my family came to visit the following weekend, I naturally had to show them Thylejren! We also visited the Bulbjerg cliff, arguably the prettiest spot in all of Thy National Park. We then explored the lighthouse in Hanstholm and went on a ride in the old ammunition train at the Bunker Museum in town!
Towards the end of the month, it was time for another overseas adventure, this time to my neighbouring country of Sweden. I’d spontaneously decided to book a ferry from Frederikshavn to Gothenburg, a city I hadn’t been to before. I found a lovely boat hotel which allowed dogs – that was definitely my favourite accommodation this year! Minnie and I spent the weekend exploring the city, which is the second-largest in Sweden, and hiking on the nearby island of Vrångö, which is car-free and absolutely gorgeous!
July: Peak summer in Denmark
July started with a weekend at home with family and two friends from England, to attend the annual harbour party in my hometown, which is always a great time!
The weekend after, my brothers, niece and nephew came to visit Minnie and I in Thisted, and our aunt joined a few days later. We explored Tømmerby Vikingegravplads, which is a large site with remnants of Viking Age burials, visited the popular surfing town of Klitmøller and once again went to Thylejren. But this time, we found ourselves at the last day of their annual festival, which was quite the spectacle!
And then it was time to visit my younger brother in Aarhus, Denmark’s second-largest city! I am planning to write a little guide to this city, so the weekend was spent researching – in other words, exploring, taking pictures and having fun! We visited many of my favourite places in Aarhus such as Moesgaard Museum and the adjacent woodlands and Riis Skov with its amazing views over the city. My brother also treated me to a delicious vegan dinner as a late birthday gift!
The last weekend of the month was spent in Thy. Minnie and I explored Hurup, the second-largest town in the district, and walked to Heltborg Museum to visit my colleagues there and check out their annual Iron Age market!
August: Summer travels in Germany, Czech Republic and Italy
With the arrival of August, it was finally time for my summer holiday. I had a week off in the beginning of the month and another week at the end. Minnie and I travelled home for the first portion of my first week off and spent a day walking and making friendship bracelets in the sun on my favourite island, Tunø, which is only a ferry ride away from my hometown.
Then it was time to board the family car and head south with my mum, grandmother and younger brother. We thought we were going to the Eras Tour in Vienna as I had secured tickets and gifted them for Christmas. But unfortunately, the concert was cancelled due to a planned terrorist attack… We were halfway to Vienna, somewhere near Berlin, when we found out, so we made a quick decision to cancel our hotel in Vienna and instead spend a few nights in Berlin and then head to Děčín in the Czech Republic for a few days. This plan meant less driving and still making the most of our trip.
Our day in Berlin was spent in the city centre, where my brother and I showed our mum and grandmother around crucial sites such as Brandenburger Tor, the Victory Column in the Tiergarten park, the Holocaust Memorial, the Berlin Wall at Potzdamer Platz and Alexanderplatz with the TV tower. We wanted to eat dinner at my favourite restaurant in the world (Phantasia 🤎), but it was sadly closed, so we settled for a different Asian restaurant in Kreuzberg.
On our way to Děčín, we spent a few hours exploring the small Czech city of Ústí nad Labem, which is located just across the border from Germany. Both Ústí nad Labem and Děčín are relatively unknown and rarely visited by foreigners, but I had actually been to Děčín before. I loved the city so much that I couldn’t wait to share it with my family. Our accommodation was a gorgeous newly-renovated flat complete with solid wooden furniture, located in the heart of the city! We spent our days in Děčín exploring the city centre and its majestic 13th-century castle and going on a roadtrip into the mountains of Bohemian Switzerland. We explored the gorgeous town of Hřensko and went for a little hike at Tiské Stěny, an area full of interesting sandstone cliff formations.
For my second summer holiday week, I took off to Italy without Minnie as I had a presentation at the annual European Association of Archaeologists conference. Minnie instead got a little holiday in Thisted with her dog sitter and friends.
Before the conference, I spent three days in Naples, a city I hadn’t been to before. I found the city incredibly chaotic but also rather beautiful in its own weird way. However, I didn’t spend a lot of time in the city as my main reason for going there was to visit Pompeii and Herculaneum, two sites that have always been dream destinations of mine. I spent a very long and very hot day exploring both of these incredible sites and even found time for a hike up Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that buried the two ancient villages in ash following an eruption in 79 AD. My second full day in the Naples area was dedicated to Procida, my island of choice in the Gulf of Naples. I love islands and especially small walkable ones. Procida was perfect for a day trip; I hiked around the entire island, ate delicious ice cream in the colourful village of Corricella, went swimming in the warm ocean and just enjoyed a slow-paced day in my own company.
Then it was time to head to Rome where the conference was being held. There, I met up with old and new colleagues as well as friends from Kiel whom I had worked with on several archaeological projects in Serbia and Slovakia. My presentation on the legacy of three abandoned settlements in the Faroe Islands (based on my dissertation research) went really well, despite my nerves. I spent the rest of my days in Rome listening to a bunch of interesting presentations, and also found time to explore new parts of Rome such as Trajan’s Market and the ancient road, Via Appia, and revisit old favourites such as the Vatican and of course the Colosseum Archaeological Park.
September: Back to exploring Thy
After an incredibly busy August, I was happy to hunker down and do nothing in September. Well not nothing – you know me, there’s always time and energy for adventure…
The weekends in September were spent exploring more of Thy besides a visit home for a family gathering and a concert in Aarhus with Flook, an Irish folk band, which was incredible (so good that I bought their CD and got all the band members to sign it!). Minnie and I spent a day with our landlady/dog sitter and her doggo on the island of Fur, which is located in the middle of the Limfjord. The island is beautiful and there are plenty of hiking routes along its cliffy shoreline as well as its rugged inland with wonderful views throughout.
When my parents and grandmother came to visit, we paid another visit to Klitmøller but also went to a new area; Agger Tange, a peninsula located between the Limfjord and the North Sea. The peninsula is basically one big beach meadow with large sand dunes, and the views are amazing everywhere you go!
But my favourite September adventure was when Minnie and I hiked to the little village of Lild Strand and then onwards to the Bulbjerg cliffs. Lild Strand quickly became my favourite village in all of Thy due to its quaint houses and church, isolated location and pretty views, and Bulbjerg is always worth a visit. We finally got to see the majestic cliffs from the beachside, which gave a fantastic new perspective of this natural wonder!
October: A spooky weekend trip, Lolland and more Thy
Spooky season was finally here and this year, Minnie and I truly made the most of it! We joined my mum and brothers on a spooky weekend trip where we stayed at Vitskøl Abbey, which dates back to the mid-12th century and is said to be very very haunted! During our weekend there, we roadtripped to the Medieval fortress, Østergård, and caught some great views along the way in Rønbjerg and Ertebølle. Østergård was the highlight of our visit as we were given a private tour of the fortress which is not usually open to the public. We were told lots of ghost stories and even tried to get in contact with some. We didn’t manage to, but maybe we will on our next visit, which will be in the dead of night….
The other big adventure of October was an extended weekend on Lolland. This time, I was taking care of my host family’s two dogs while they were on holiday. It was four beautiful days with long walks in the countryside, evenings on the porch and a day spent with two friends. I always love visiting Lolland as it’s so quiet and peaceful. It’s one of my absolute favourite places in Denmark!
October in Thy brought Minnie and I on a field trip with work where we saw several interesting archaeological sights. We had lunch at Lundehøj Jættestue, the only preserved passage grave in Thy. We went for a walk through Oldtidskirkegården at Ydby Hede, which holds the largest group of Bronze Age burial mounds in Denmark. And we visited Vestervig Kirke, the largest parish church in the Nordics, and saw the remnants of an Iron Age village at the church parking lot!
Minnie and I also went on a hike during a mild Saturday. We spent a few hours thrift shopping in Fjerritslev and then started our hike in the tiny village of Klim, where we passed by an old lime kiln and a limestone quarry. We continued along the beach to the fishing village of Thorup Strand where I had fries and Minnie a sausage while enjoying the mild evening.
At the end of the month, my two besties came to stay with us for a week. While most of it was spent excavating while they worked on their Ph.d. and Postdoc, we did find time for a trip into the national park. I naturally had to show them Thylejren, which I knew they would love. We then had lunch by the beach in Lild Strand and ended the day out at Bulbjerg, a classic!
November: A roadtrip of a lifetime to Scotland
In mid-November, it was finally time for an adventure that I had been looking forward to for months. Minnie and I were going back to Aberdeen for graduation!
This time, I rented a car as I had a lot of stuff to get back home from Aberdeen. It also made the journey much more pleasant than our usual train-ferry-train journey, and it meant that we had the freedom to stop whenever we wanted. I took advantage of that and planned for a few days of no plans before each ferry to and from the UK!
We started our journey in Thisted where I picked up the car in the morning, loaded it with Minnie and all our stuff. Our first stop was to the vet’s to get tapeworm treatment for Minnie, which is mandatory for entering the UK. And then we were off towards the Netherlands! We made two stops in Denmark on our way south, first at Tørning Mølle, a mill in a most scenic location which was perfect for a little walk, and then in Rødekro to do a little thrift shopping and get lunch. We then breezed through Germany, only stopping for a few pee breaks and to get the mandatory roadtrip-McDonald’s somewhere near Osnabrück. It was late when we finally reached the Dutch border and I was getting tired, so I found a spot in the little town of De Lutte where we settled for a night in the car.
The next day, we explored De Lutte in the morning and then headed southwest to Baarle-Hertog, a Belgian city that is entirely surrounded by the Netherlands but also has little blobs of the Netherlands inside it (confused? yeah, me too!). I love exclaves and Baarle-Hertog had been on my list for a long time, so I was thrilled to finally get to explore it! On our way to the strange city, we stopped for a little walk in the town of Boxtel, famous for its 13th-century castle, Kasteel Stapelen. We ended the day in Raamsdonksveer where I’d booked a cozy hotel room for us for the night!
The following day, it was time to head to Hook of Holland for the ferry to Harwich in England. We spent seven hours on the sea, in a gorgeous cabin with the most enormous window I’ve ever seen, and arrived in England in the evening. A couple of hours of driving (now on the left!) and we were in Watton, my mum’s hometown. There, we stayed for three nights with two friends that I have known my whole life. We spent the days catching up with family and exploring Watton and Thetford, a nearby town where we also have familial ties. I hadn’t been back to my British homeland since 2021, so a revisit was long overdue!
Then it was finally time to head up north towards Aberdeen. We had one overnight stop on the way, in perhaps the most beautiful place in all of England – the Lake District! We arrived in the beautiful town of Ambleside in the late evening and spent an icy cold night in the car. The next morning, we woke up before the break of dawn to go on a hike up two low mountains where we had the most stunning views for sunrise while listening to Taylor Swift’s gorgeous song, “the lakes” (‘take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die’♫…). Before leaving the area, we drove to the small village of Grasmere for one last walk in these wonderful, poetic surroundings.
It was then time to finish the drive up to Aberdeen where we arrived the same evening. We spent the next seven days in the city, hanging out with the wonderful people that once made Aberdeen a beautiful place for us to live. We revisited all my favourite places in the city; Footdee, Seaton Park, Brig o’Balgownie, the beach promenade and even the arcade. We visited the Christmas market several times, went searching for sea glass for my ever-growing collection, went on morning walks with our dog friends and even made a trip out to the north coast of Aberdeenshire to see the Bullers of Buchan cliff formations. Graduation was a day I’ll never forget. We made so many wonderful memories that week!
After a beautiful week in Aberdeen, it was time to head back to Denmark. On our way south to our ferry in Newcastle, we stopped by the Scottish/English border to visit the Ba Green, a small piece of Scotland that can only be reached from England! We also stopped for a walk in the small English village of Carham, which has Scotland to the north, south, east and west of it due to the course of the local stream. I love me some weird geography!
After 16 restful hours on the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam, it was time to explore more of the Netherlands for a day. I had long wanted to visit Frisia, the most rural part of the country, which differs greatly from the rest in both culture, language and traditions. We visited the two small towns of Franeker and Dokkum, both of which offer beautiful canalside views and well-preserved historic buildings – including two beautiful windmills in Dokkum! We ended the day in Moddergat by the Wadden Sea for sunset. A perfect way to end our little Dutch side adventure!
December: Hunkering down for Christmas
December started where November ended – on our big Scottish roadtrip. On the last night of our trip, we ended up in Rudbøl, a small Danish town on the Danish/German border, where we stayed the night in the car. The following morning, we set out to explore the town along with its very close German neighbour, Rosenkrans, which is actually partly Danish as the border runs for 130 metres right in the middle of the road! Another one for the geography nerd in me!
The last part of our journey went along the small country roads in the west – all the way from the border to Thisted where we arrived in the afternoon of December 1st. A triumphant way to start my favourite month of the year!
Christmas is my favourite season and a time I love to spend with my family, relaxing and reflecting on the year that went and the one that’s to come. So December was all about finding that Christmas spirit – and I’d say we found it on our annual German Christmas market trip, where the choice fell on Schleswig and Flensburg!
On December 21st, Minnie and I travelled home from Thisted to spend Christmas with my family. Besides a visit to Tunø on the most beautiful sunny day, we didn’t get up to much action. Just lots of family time, long walks and relaxing. New Years Eve was also spent with family, but it did include a little adventure – a walk in the small village of Todbjerg and dinner in Aarhus!
What’s next?
With 2025 comes another year of major change in my life – but hopefully this will be the last big change for a while. I’m longing for more stability in my life and to create a forever (or semi-forever) home for Minnie and I. I can’t reveal details of this big change yet as all is not set yet, but I will do so in due time.
But one thing I can tell you is how excited I am for March where I’ll finally be venturing to Central Asia again for the first time in nine years! I am going to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two stunningly beautiful countries that have long been high on my list of dream destinations! I can’t wait to see my friend in Kazakhstan and to experience what these two nations have to offer! I wanted to bring Minnie along, but doing so would be a bureaucratic hell, so instead, she will have a little holiday with people she loves here in Denmark.
I don’t have any concrete travel plans for the rest of the year, but I am hoping to make a trip to Vermont in June, where both Minnie and I have been invited to a wedding! Beyond that, I will just have to wait and see what the year brings!
Do you have any exciting travel plans for 2025?
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