20 Flights, 7 Countries & No Vacation in 2023

A great and turbulent year 2023 is coming to an end, and in my year-end review 2023, I want to talk about my own highlights and what has moved me this year.

As you can tell from the title, I mostly traveled by plane this year, so much for staying active 😉. In total, I visited seven countries. Traveling is just wonderful, especially as a family. The shining eyes of children when they discover new animals, make new friends, or even try new food, are indescribably beautiful. This makes every single trip particularly valuable.

Why do I rarely take vacations?

I always talk about traveling and not about vacations, as I have also worked exemplary in every country. This is what my travel setup looks like, by the way.

Just when I tell people where I'm traveling, most associate it with „taking a vacation.“ Years ago, I read that a vacation, by definition, is an escape from everyday life, to which one then returns and works towards the next vacation. When traveling, however, you take everyday life with you. It's part of life, not an escape. Your horizons are broadened. Travels don't necessarily have to be longer than vacations, but they are less often spent in resorts and large hotels.

Travel is more about the journey than the destination. While vacationers often arrive at their supposedly „well-deserved“ holiday already stressed from the journey, travelers enjoy airport lounges, flights, and look forward to their rental car. Many of our friends and customers also travel directly with a motorhome. In Europe, the USA, Australia, all over the world, your accommodation travels with you. That's great too, but somehow not for me. I prefer to take a plane and then explore the new area in a rental car.

A little tip: Do what you love; do what you would do for free, and you won't need vacation anymore.

Traveled around the world 1.3 times with a total of 20 flights.

According to Google, I traveled a total of 51,600 km in 2023. That's equivalent to 1.3 times around the world. For that, I took 20 flights and 67 train journeys.fffcards with three F and six rental cars. In total, I traveled to seven countries, in Europe and Asia. In four of these countries, I could not understand the locals or understood them only barely. This was the case in Serbia, Malta, Thailand, and of course, Switzerland 😜.

We attended a fantastic wedding celebration in Germany, walked in the snow in Sicily, and even got to hand-feed crocodiles in Thailand. This year couldn't have been more varied or contrasting. Thanks to the excellent connections from the Maltese airport, we reached our destinations easily and quickly. This not only made travel smoother but also simplified planning. Therefore, I based myself in Malta this year. Everyone speaks English here, the people are extremely nice, and I love island life. Plus, you can be outdoors year-round. I love it!

7 Countries in 12 Months – 2023 Year in Review

This year, I took things a bit more relaxed. We took some short trips in the first half of the year. The second half of the year, we headed towards Asia. Even though seven countries sounds like a lot at first, we spent most of our time at home in Gozo, working a lot and planning our trips.

Malta / Gozo

A paradise in the Mediterranean. After a year on the island of Gozo, I've seen almost everything. But I've also grown to love the area and the people here. Although everything is very religious here, which is an advantage during the main holidays like Christmas and Easter, there are God Thank you also for the countless non-religious things to do here. As a family, we learned a lot about the history of Malta and Gozo in 2023. The kids participated in many great attractions and events with children from all over the world.

On average, we took the ferry from Gozo to Malta twice a month. In Malta, there are numerous indoor playgrounds, which we mainly visited during winter and summer. We also celebrated some occasions at hotels in Malta and Gozo, and last but not least, we did a lot of shopping. Shopping malls are spread all over the island. I think that's great because I love shopping.

Gozo Island - Have you ever heard of it?
Discover Gozo – All 18 Locations and Top Attractions in Gozo
1 year vacation in Malta

Sicily – Mount Etna

This spring, we spontaneously went to Sicily. It was a surprise for our kids. They have experienced a volcanic eruption up close before, but they had never walked on a volcano. And so we made our way to Catania, which is about a 40-minute flight from Malta. We packed our paper-thin winter jackets, which protect us from everything except the cold. But we were flying to Sicily, not Alaska.

After our flight was delayed for over four hours and we ate the premium lounge in Malta bare, we arrived in Catania at two in the morning. Of course, we couldn't get a rental car anymore, so I quickly found us a hotel for the night. Unfortunately, there was only a Grand Hotel that still had rooms available, so we enjoyed the spontaneous overnight stay on our spontaneous short trip to Catania.

The next day, we headed up Mount Etna. At -1 degree Celsius, we were able to take a cool winter hike in the snow with our thinnest winter jackets. Who would have thought. Everyone was super happy up here and it was nice to see the kids playing in the snow with sparkling eyes; but it was also bitterly cold... brrr.

Sicily with Kids – 5 Days Full of Magical Moments

Germany

Except for 2021, I have been to Germany at least once every year so far. A visit to Wadern is always a must. This pretty small town in Saarland is always worth a visit. The center is a small shopping mall where I always meet old acquaintances and friends. This always makes a visit to Wadern exciting. To hear what's new and how everything has changed.

In August, we then spent a few days in Frankfurt, where we were invited to a wedding in picturesque Bruchsal. But the financial capital of Germany also has a lot to offer. We did extensive shopping here and visited the Mainuferfest. A great trip, and Frankfurt is just a stone's throw from Malta.

Frankfurt Travel Report 2023
Webcam Wadern - The best webcam in town

Serbia

In July, we flew to Belgrade for a few days. We were very surprised by how beautiful this city is, of which I knew absolutely nothing before. Above all, the friendliness of the people. No matter where we went, we were warmly welcomed and felt the warm hospitality of the Serbs everywhere.

Belgrade is a beautiful city that offers numerous exciting sights. First and foremost are the fortress in the middle of the city and the VRT zoo. This is one of the oldest in Europe. We were also happy with the many indoor playgrounds for the kids, as it was quite hot in Serbia at 35 degrees Celsius. Hotter than in Malta. 😀

City Break Belgrade Travel Report 2023

Thailand

Our trip to Thailand has by far been one of the most beautiful trips of the last 10 years. With KLM, we flew from Malta via Amsterdam and Dubai to Bangkok. From there, the next plane took us to Koh Samui. We explored Koh Samui for four weeks, visited many farms with snakes, crocodiles, elephants, and much more, and took a detour to Krabi as well as to Koh Phangan, the neighboring island.

All in all, we liked the animals and the food here the best. At the night markets, we stuffed ourselves with the colorful variety of food, especially century eggs, Thai roti (pancakes), and delicious curry dishes. However, we skipped the insects. They don't even look tasty.

We visited countless small islands, each more beautiful than the last, and got to feed crocodiles and pet centipedes. The latter probably didn't enjoy that as much as it sounds. 😁 We will surely not be in Thailand for the last time.

11 Exciting Family Activities on Koh Samui
Koh Phangan - An island paradise you can't miss!
Krabi with Kids – Thailand's Unforgettable Family Dream!

Switzerland

I've been to Switzerland twice this year. Once in the fall and then again in the winter. Chur is my favorite city and Switzerland is my favorite country. No beach in the world can beat the imposing mountains of Graubünden. That's why it's all the more wonderful that we get to return here every few months. Meeting friends, visiting family, seeing what's new.

Furthermore, there are many great shops in Chur for shopping, especially for sports equipment and clothing. We always stock up there regularly. So we always go to Switzerland with empty suitcases and come back with full ones. Almost anti-cyclical, like others do. 🤣

Liechtenstein

A trip to Liechtenstein is a MUST. While others go there to withdraw cash, I enjoy the nature and walk along the Fürstenweg. It’s one of my favorite Nordic walking routes. #favoritenordicwalkingroute2023 😀

In the fatherland, the world still seems to be in order. Just like in Gozo, things are always cozy here. However, the streets here are spotless, and the sea is a few steps away.

My recommendation, if you're ever in FL: walk the Fürstenweg from the Schaan tennis courts to the Fürstenhaus. It's a magnificent panoramic path.

Happy New Year 2024 🍀

This year is my Year in Review 2023 finished just in time for the New Year. Wandernotizen, my blog, had well over half a million visitors in 2023. I want to thank you all sincerely for that. It's wonderful when so many people read my posts and are inspired by them. I very often receive messages from you when someone has incorporated a tip or sight into their trip and was thrilled. That makes me happy and inspires me to publish more posts here. 🙏

Now I wish you and your loved ones a successful 2024, good health, and lots of energy so that 2024 will be as magnificent as 2023. 🐖

My 2023 highlights in pictures

At the end of my 2023 year in review, here are a few snapshots from the past year, as always. Of course, this is just an excerpt from the approximately 20,000 pictures I took in 2023. Let yourself be inspired for your next travels or simply enjoy the great landscapes, sights, and impressions.