The year 2025 has just finished, Happy New Year! And guess what, this blog is still here! This blog is still going strong, so let me review what has happened during the past year by giving this overview post. This is the sixteenth time I am doing this: I have been doing this since 2010, and I think it's a good way to wrap up the year.
2025 was interesting, and at times challenging. Life has ups and downs, and 2025 seems to show both extremes. There's joy and there is sadness. There is the pursuit of happiness, and there is also death. Alas, such is life.
So what else happened in 2025, at least according to this blog?
In January, I developed nerves of steel in order to commute. And I saw what seemed like transgenerational retribution while I was staying in a hotel during a trip. And speaking of trips, I did a day trip to Magdeburg to see an opera.
In February, I mused about how food poisoning correlates with the French language. I also wrote about how to buy a bag, which is easy, but sometimes vacation planning can be hard. Nevertheless, vacations did happen: not only an overnight in Essen to see an opera, but also a three-week holiday in Vietnam and Cambodia.
In March, I ranted about how spoon feeding is not fun. And I also complained about bad UI/UX when it comes to train travel. During this month, I did a day trip to Leipzig to watch a contemporary string quartet perform, and I did an overnight trip to Bremen, given that I was watching an opera in Oldenburg.
In April, I got surprised that someone I know denies climate change. And we also reevaluated how we do grocery shopping. This month I did two day trips to Magdeburg, to watch a ballet as well as a contemporary opera. We also spent ten days in China, in Shanghai and Hangzhou, to be precise, for an extended Easter holiday. And we also spent two nights in Hamburg in the end of the month, as it was my husband's birthday.
In May, I wrote about the wow factor when it comes to travelling. And I also put into writing how I decide regarding my entertainment consumption. After all, I do enjoy theatre and music quite a bit, so there is of course a system of choosing what to see. This was also the month when I had a business trip to Dublin, and I also spent a week in Mainz for hiking.
In June, I wrote about how Berlin's public transportation company has deteriorated. And I also tried travelling without a camera. And somehow, it seems that all of the world's small problems decided to descend upon me at the same time. Regarding travel, this month we spent a long weekend in Poznan to meet up with a very good friend. Plus I did an overnight in Stuttgart to watch an oratorio, which I ended up not liking.
In July, I wasn't too talkative: I only wrote about cross-cultural differences when it comes to corporate culture. And I didn't go anywhere this month: instead, my family visited me, which coincided with my birthday.
In August, I wrote about my thoughts regarding interacting with humans vs. with machines. And somehow, I seem to have fallen in love with Mainz, which is a city I spent sometime earlier this year. Regarding travel, I spent a long weekend in Wroclaw, just because.
In September, I celebrated 13 years in Berlin. I also put down my thoughts on the things I value when it comes to accommodations. And I also had some things to say in case your uterus wants to push a baby out. This month I also spent an overnight in Dortmund, as there was a contemporary opera I wanted to watch, in Bochum. And we spent two and a half weeks in Australia, in Melbourne and Sydney, to be precise.
In October, I went to the Boros Collection again. It's perhaps my favourite art gallery in the city after all. I also wrote about my late adoption of AI. And I also wrote about the German fear of innovation, as exemplified by the recent coffee wars. Travel-wise, aside from Australia, I also spent a night in Erfurt, as well as a long weekend in London.
In November, I wrote about being alcohol-free for a year. And I also penned some words on how I use AI to pursue musical pleasures. I have to say this is rather exciting. This month, I also spent a night in Bremen, to see a concert in Bremerhaven.
In December, I ranted about how there is so much clutter in Amazon, which is why I don't always use that platform to shop. I also wrote about how noise cancelling earphones bring joy. And speaking of joy, there is the joy that is caused when one's work devices stay at home during vacation. Travel-wise, I spent a weekend in Budapest to attend a funeral. I also spent a night in Frankfurt to see a modern opera, and I flew to Budapest again for Christmas and spent a week there. And from Budapest, I headed to Los Angeles to spend a week, celebrating my sister's birthday.
This year, I wrote about 27 books, 9 theatre performances, 23 operas and 14 other musical events. Culturally, this year has been very productive, more productive than last year. I read numerous books, and my continued focus on opera and contemporary classical music has taken me far and wide, not just in Berlin but across Germany. I even had a few fanboy moments. I hope to keep on doing these activities, as it provides a major source of enjoyment for me.
Summarising my travel, 2025 was a fantastic year. I added three new countries to my country count, bringing it to 58. I flew long-haul several times, and I even added a new continent! And similar to previous years, I still revisited countries I have been to before, discovering new places within them. I went to Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Ireland, Poland (twice), Australia, the United Kingdom, Hungary (twice), and the USA this year. In addition to that, I had several little trips within Germany, either due to hiking (e.g. in Rheinland-Pfalz), or to see an opera, as mentioned several times above. I must say, continuing with last year's pattern, this year was well-balanced and was a great combination of the various reasons why I travel in the first place, e.g. going to somewhere new, going hiking, or visiting friends and family. I hope to continue this pattern for years to come.
What else? I still hiked, but perhaps because I went to all these trips just to see music, I only had 13 hiking days this year (counting the days when I was in Mainz). Nevertheless, I managed to finish the Paul-Gerhardt-Weg. I continued working on the E10 in Brandenburg. And I started the Rheinburgenweg. Let's see how long I take before I finish these routes.
Happy 2026 everyone! Stay healthy, and hopefully I still see you here this year!
