ACHIEVED	GOAL	NOTES
Countries & Regions to Explore
	Alaska
	Caribbean
	Egypt
	Fiji
✔ Aug 2004	France	[4 times now!] (1) Took the epic gondola from Chamonix to Aiguille du Midi in 2004 [with my parents]; (2) volunteered in an international "work camp" in Peisey-Nancroix in the French Alps during a summer break in high school in July 2008 [with Oli]; (3) visited Cannes and Nice while driving along the French Riviera as part of a Switzerland-France-Italy road trip in June 2011 [with Tomik]; (4) spent a week in Paris (see below) as part of a student exchange program at ParisTech in March 2015 [with Raman].
	French Polynesia
	Iceland	Friðland að Fjallabaki; Thórsmörk park
✔ Jul 1998	Italy	[3 times now!] (1) Summer vacation in Ravenna as a kid [with my family]; (2) summer vacation in the beautiful Aosta Valley in 2004 [with my parents]; (3) visited Pisa, Florence, Rome, the Vatican City, Venice and Lago di Garda as part of a Switzerland-France-Italy road trip in July 2011 [with Tomik].
✔ Oct 2019	Japan	Stayed in Tokyo for a week (see below) and took a trip to Kawaguchiko with fantastic views of Mount Fuji, especially from the Chureito Pagoda. Kawaguchiko Music Forest was a fun place, and I was fortunate to be there in time to see the fall colors at the Momiji Corridor. Much more of Japan left to explore in the future though!
✔ May 2024	Kaua'i	Third time is the charm! Kaua'i was the third island of Hawai'i that I visited, and what a paradise it was! Started off the trip with a breathtaking helicopter tour around the island (literally breath-taking, as it was a doors-off photography tour), getting an incredible preview of the unreal landscape of this island from a bird's eye perspective. Did a fun sunrise photoshoot at Tunnels Beach. Unfortunately, it was pouring all day when we were in the Waimea Canyon area, plus Pu'u O Kila Lookout was closed – well, a couple of beautiful places left to explore next time! Finally, backpacked the epic Kalalau Trail along the ragged Nāpali Coast (3 days), picked a bag full of fresh guavas, mangoes and passion fruit while exploring the lush Kalalau Valley, took a sunset swim at the spectacular Kalalau Beach, and... sprained my ankle just as I was leaving the camp for the 12-mile hike back, argh. [with Nehal]
	Maldives
✔ Nov 2022	Maui	Spent our honeymoon on this Hawaiian island! Watched a sunrise from the Haleakalā summit, attended a lū'au at sunset, and drove the spectacular Road to Hana, visiting several beautiful waterfalls, beaches and, of course, Wai'ānapanapa SP. Unfortunately, 'Īao Valley was closed – something new to look forward to next time! [with Nehal]
	Nepal
	New Zealand
✔ Jul 2013	Norway	Spent 11 months in Norway (July 2013 – June 2014), studying and traveling around the central and northern parts of the country. And just before moving to Norway for the year, I did an epic bikepacking trip around Sognefjord with Tomik and two friends. There are still many places I didn't get a chance to visit though, especially in the southern part of Norway. Highlights: Lofoten, Geiranger Fjord, Ålesund, the Atlantic Road, Nærøyfjord and Nigardsbreen.
	Patagonia	Fitz Roy Trek, Perito Moreno Glacier (Los Glaciares NP); W Trek (Torres del Paine NP); Reserva Natural Pingüino Rey, Isla Magdalena, Isla Martillo (Tierra del Fuego NP); Punta Tombo
	Peru	Huayhuash Trek; Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain)
	Scotland	Visited Edinburgh in 2010, but I have yet to do a proper exploration of Scotland.
Natural Wonders to Behold
	Angel Falls, Venezuela
✔ Mar 2022	Arches NP, USA	Definitely a place worth a visit, but I personally found Arches a bit overrated, perhaps because it wasn't the first time I saw remarkable arch formations. The park becomes super crowded beyond early morning, making it very difficult to find parking spots as you keep driving from one arch to another all day long. That being said, Delicate Arch is absolutely beautiful, and seeing it at sunset with snowy La Sal Mountains in the background is an experience of a lifetime. Highlights: Delicate Arch, Double Arch, and the hike to Double-O Arch. [with Nehal]
	Banff NP, Canada
	Bay of Fires, Tasmania
✔ Sep 2020	Bryce Canyon NP, USA	[twice now!] This was the first national park I visited in Utah and it left a very pleasant impression on me. Hiking among the hoodoos and enjoying the views from the canyon's rim at sunrise or sunset are equally fascinating. My second visit was at the end of the winter, arguably the best time to visit Bryce Canyon – the snow-capped hoodoos were absolutely enchanting! Nevertheless, we got snowed in the last night, waking up under a 30-cm blanket of fresh snow, with our tent's roof dark and heavily sagging under the weight, having to wait in our tent for half a day for the snow plough to make its way to the campground. Doesn't get more memorable than that! [with Nehal in 2020 and Mar 2024]
	Cappadocia, Turkey
	Coyote Buttes North, USA	Hopefully, someday I will luck out in the permit lottery and get to go and see The Wave!
✔ Mar 2022	Coyote Buttes South, USA	This place is totally out of this world! You can spend a whole day walking around the area and your head will still be turning in complete amazement at the sandstone features you encounter left and right. The beautifully colored layers and cross-beddings, and the bizarre formations in the shape of a giant witch's hat or all sorts of grotesque monsters, make you feel like one moment you're in Candyland and the next in some weird daylight haunted house. [with Nehal]
✔ Sep 2009	Crater Lake NP, USA	[twice now!] Crater Lake is probably the bluest lake I've ever seen. And it's massive! But it's the fact that the lake sits in the huge caldera of a dormant volcano that makes the place so incredible. And there's plenty to explore around the lake for a day or two. Highlights: sunrise from the Rim Trail near Watchman Peak, Discovery Point Trail, Sinnott Memorial Viewpoint, Garfield Peak, and Mount Scott. [with Michal in 2009; with Nehal in Jul 2023]
✔ Sep 2009	Death Valley NP, USA	[3 times now!] My first visit was very memorable: I spent a day below sea level sweating in 44 degrees Celsius and subsequently stayed in a campground where there was no cold water. The colorful and otherworldly landscape was fascinating though. The next two times I visited Death Valley were in winter (smart!), revisiting the best parts and exploring additional corners of the park. Highlights: sunrise at Zabriskie Point, Golden Canyon, Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Artist's Drive, Badwater, and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. [with Michal in 2009; with Nehal in Feb 2020 and Feb 2023]
	Everest Base Camp, Nepal
	Glacier NP, USA
✔ Mar 2022	Goblin Valley SP, USA
✔ Oct 2019	Grand Teton NP, USA	The Teton Range is a majestic place, whether you behold it as a whole from a distance or you put on your boots and venture among the jagged peaks. Sadly, I only got to spend one day in the park, and have been hoping to go and explore the Tetons for at least one whole week ever since! [with Nehal]
✔ Sep 2009	Grand Canyon NP, USA	[3 times now!] During my first visit, I hiked the South Kaibab Trail down to the bottom of the canyon, cooled down my feet in the Colorado river, and hiked back up – it was a memorable hike. Doing the same hike 12 years later was even more memorable though, with the rim being snow-covered, mysterious clouds forming in the afternoon, and having proposed to Nehal half-way back up from the canyon! The third visit was merely a stop at the Desert View Watchtower at sunset on the way from Navajo Nation to Havasupai during a road trip in 2023. [with Michal in 2009; with Nehal in Mar 2021 and May 2023]
✔ May 2023	Havasupai, USA	Havasupai is a hidden gem right next to the Grand Canyon. Seeing the pictures of the spectacular Havasu and Mooney Falls with bright turquoise pools at the bottom and surrounded by red travertine cliffs for the first time, I thought to myself that those are for sure somewhere in South America or Southeast Asia. Nope! Right here in the neighboring state of Arizona! The 4-day backpacking trip to the falls and back will definitely stay in my memory forever as one of the best backpacking trips! [with Nehal]
	Iguazú Falls, Argentina/Brazil
	Jasper NP, Canada
✔ Jun 2011	Jungfrau Region, Switzerland	Stayed in the lovely town of Grindelwald for a couple of days, hiking in the area. Hiked under the formidable north face of Eiger, took a cog railway to the highest railway station in Europe, at Jungfraujoch (3,454 m), and saw the gigantic Aletchgletscher (the largest glacier in the Alps). [with Tomik]
✔ Oct 2021	Maroon Bells, USA
✔ Jun 2011	Matterhorn Region, Switzerland	[twice now!] Spent two (+ one) days with the view of the fabulous Matterhorn and took a gondola from Trockener Steg to Klein Matterhorn (3,883 m). [with Tomik in 2011; with my family in Aug 2012]
✔ Dec 2023	Mauna Kea, USA
	Milford Sound, New Zealand
✔ May 2023	Monument Valley, USA
	Mountains of the Moon, Uganda/Congo
	Pamukkale, Turkey
	Quebrada de Humahuaca, Argentina	Serranía de Hornocal; Cerro de los Siete Colores; Quebrada de las Señoritas
	South Tyrol, Italy	Dolomites; Santa Maddalena; Campanile di Curon (Lago di Resia); castles
	Upper Antelope Canyon, USA	The canyon tours have become way too crowded and rushed, killing any hope of doing proper photography in the canyon, but I guess it is still worth seeing despite the commercialized experience. Visited other nearby slot canyons which were nothing short of amazing (Cardiac Canyon, Canyon X, and Secret Canyon) in May 2023.
✔ Oct 2019	Yellowstone NP, USA	Yellowstone must be the most overrated national park I've visited – being kind of in the middle of nowhere, yet among the top 5 most visited US national parks, I would have expected some more impressive features. I suppose geysers, colorful pools shrouded in steam, and bubbling mudpots aren't quite my thing, though I imagine this park being pretty family-friendly (unless you have an unexpected encounter with a hungry grizzly bear) – so perhaps I'll give it another try in the future! The highlights for me were the usual suspects: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Grand Prismatic Spring (from the Fairy Falls Trail overlook), Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, bison roaming the meadows near Fountain Flat Drive. [with Nehal]
✔ Sep 2009	Yosemite NP, USA	[10+ times now!] First visited during my epic west coast road trip in 2009. Visited this magnificent place many times since then with Nehal, the first being our crazy hitch-hiking trip in September 2017 when we started dating! Climbed Half Dome (twice), Glacier Point, Clouds Rest, hiked to Cathedral Lakes and to the top of Yosemite Falls, enjoyed both sunrises and sunsets at the Tunnel View, witnessed the firefall during its short window in February, walked under the giant sequoias in the Mariposa Grove, and spent countless nights in the beautiful campgrounds of Yosemite. [with Michal in 2009; with Nehal all the other times (and two out of those times with my parents too)]
✔ Sep 2020	Zion NP, USA	I have an unfinished business with Zion. My one and only visit to this park was half a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, at which point the trail to Angels Landing was closed because social distancing was impossible on that trail, and other trails were closed due to rockfall, etc. The canyon is absolutely stunning though, somewhat formidable even – you just can't escape the massive red and white walls of the canyon surrounding you wherever you go. And the views become even more impressive as you gain elevation, such as on the way up to Scout Lookout and further along the West Rim Trail. I'll see you again, Zion! [with Nehal]
Mountains to Climb
	Angels Landing	Visited Zion NP in September 2020, but the Angels Landing trail was closed due to COVID.
	Gerlachovský štít	Highest mountain in my homeland!
✔ Sep 2009	Half Dome	[twice now!] Half Dome is a truly iconic mountain, especially when viewed from Glacier Point or Clouds Rest, and it somehow starts looking even more monumental once you've successfully summited it. The cables from the subdome up the slick and exposed 45-degree granite slope to the summit are definitely the most memorable part of the whole hike, but the 360-degree panorama is nothing to sneeze at! Sure, you don't get Half Dome to be the centerpiece in the panorama from up there – since you're standing on it! – but you can behold Yosemite Valley and everything around it from pretty much a bird's eye perspective. [with Michal in 2009; with Nehal in Sep 2021]
	Longs Peak
	Mount Rainier	Hiked up to the base camp, Camp Muir, with Michal in August 2009, and then again with Michal and my parents too in June 2015.
	Mount Shasta
	Mount Whitney	We were lucky to get the permit for September 2023, but sadly had to cancel the whole hiking trip planned around it at the last minute.
Cities & Landmarks to Visit
	Barcelona
	Chichén Itzá
	Cinque Terre
✔ Sep 2010	Edinburgh	The capital of Scotland is one of my favorite cities in Europe. It's small enough that you can walk between the most interesting places, and the mixture of classical and medieval architecture is intriguing. The castle is arguably the most captivating structure and the whole area around it has a lot to explore, while Calton Hill offers a more distant view of the castle and an unexpectedly beautiful view of Holyrood Park's dramatic hills. Highlights: Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Scott Monument, and Calton Hill. [with Tomik]
✔ Jul 2011	Florence	A couple of hours after visiting Pisa, the Piazza del Duomo in Florence failed to impress me. I presume that having played Assassin's Creed might have raised my expectations of the city. :) Perhaps spending more than a late afternoon there would have revealed something more attractive though. [with Tomik]
	Istanbul
✔ Sep 2009	Las Vegas	All the colorful lights, gigantic hotels, entertaining shows and crowded casinos on the Strip were mesmerizing at night, and I felt like in a different world there for a moment. One or two nights are quite enough to move on from there though. [with Michal]
✔ Sep 2010	London	I suppose not a lot of people can say they stayed in a campground in London. Not surprised by the gloomy weather throughout the two-day stay, the city still looked best at night, especially the illuminated riverside. During the daytime, one can appreciate the architecture of the historic landmarks in the City of Westminster and that of St. Paul's Cathedral. Highlights: Tower Bridge, Palace of Westminster, St. Paul's Cathedral's dome, and Buckingham Palace. [with Tomik]
	Machu Picchu	Consider taking the scenic Salkantay Trail (a 5-day backpacking trip) past Humantay Lake, instead of the more popular Inca Trail.
✔ Jul 2011	Monaco	Monaco was a treat! I was more impressed by Monaco than by any other popular city, but that was partly due to having been there at the right time – at the time of the prince's wedding. On that occasion, Jean Michel Jarre gave a free concert at the port, which was a totally mesmerizing show. Other than that, the alleys of Monaco-Ville looked very pretty at night and the park next to the casino in Monte Carlo was a pleasant place to walk through. [with Tomik]
	Mont-Saint-Michel
	Moscow
✔ Jul 2007	Neuschwanstein Castle	This must be one of the most picturesque castles ever built! It's like it came straight out of a fairy tale. I took a tour of the castle, but still the most memorable was the view of Neuschwanstein Castle from Marienbrücke, a bridge over the Pöllat Gorge, just south of the castle. [with Werner]
	New York City
✔ Mar 2015	Paris	Spent a week here attending a course at ParisTech and sightseeing in the free time. Highlights: walking below the Eiffel Tower at night, sightseeing in the Montmartre district, and the Louvre Museum. [with Raman]
	Petra
✔ Jul 2011	Pisa	There isn't much to do in Pisa after an hour, but the Piazza del Duomo with its three landmarks, including the Leaning Tower and a Romanesque cathedral, is definitely worth seeing if it's on your way. [with Tomik]
✔ Jun 2007	Prague	[lived here!] It feels a bit strange to include a city where I lived for five years in my bucket list, but it's one of the most beautiful cities in the world, so I figured it deserves a spot on the list. :) I did my undergrad, followed by a master's program, here and explored the city and its surroundings extensively during that time. Highlights: Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Petřín Gardens, Wenceslas Square, and the Dancing House.
	Rio de Janeiro
✔ Jul 2011	Rome	Many will disagree with my perspective, but I found Rome to be mostly a collection of pitiful ruins not really worth seeing, much less paying for to enter. The repulsive riverside only added to the poor impression, yet crowds of tourists kept pouring down the streets nonetheless. Perhaps I visited the city in the wrong season? At any rate, there definitely were some interesting landmarks, however, the Colosseum, the Forum Romanum, as well as Castel Sant'Angelo were all a major letdown. Highlights: Fontana di Trevi, the Pantheon, and the Vittoriano. [with Tomik]
✔ Sep 2009	San Francisco	[10+ times now!] Honestly, there isn't much to see downtown except for the famous cable car, the crooked Lombard Street and the piers (Pier 39 in particular). Ah well, I suppose I shouldn't be comparing US cities with European ones... Anyway, the huge Golden Gate Park is a lovely place to go when you want to escape the buzz of the city, the walk around the Palace of Fine Arts was a pleasant surprise, and the view of the Golden Gate Bridge - especially from the Battery Spencer overlook and with its towers shrouded in fog - is priceless. [with Michal in 2009; with Tomik & Karalie in Sep 2016; with Nehal in Jul 2018 and many times after that]
	Santorini
	Stonehenge
✔ Oct 2019	Tokyo	Spent a week here attending a conference. Roaming the city was definitely a new experience compared to European and US cities. I have to go back to explore this busy city more though! Highlights: Sensō-ji temple and night cruise along the Sumida River.
✔ Aug 2004	Venice	[twice now!] Although you might feel as though the shabby walls could collapse any time in the narrow alleys, the canals with gondolas and motorboats, on the other hand, created a pleasant atmosphere. Campanile di San Marco offered a decent view of the red rooftops, the nearby isles and the town square below. Ponte di Rialto was the most beautiful of the bridges spanning the Canal Grande. [with my parents in 2004; with Tomik in Jul 2011]
✔ Apr 2022	Washington D.C.
	Whistler
✔ Jun 2011	Zermatt	[twice now!] I would go back to this picturesque town any time, really. It is the starting point of a number of epic hiking and MTB trails in a stunning scenery. Next time, I might even be able to afford staying in one of those fancy-looking wood-and-glass villas with a view of Matterhorn from the bedroom! [with Tomik in 2011; with my family in Aug 2012]
Trips to Take
✔ Aug 2016	Go on a hike with a cumulative elevation gain of more than 2,500 meters	A 37-km hike in the High Tatras, starting in Starý Smokovec, visiting the three cabins Téryho chata, Zbojnícka chata and Sliezsky dom, continuing over Ostrva to Popradské pleso, and ending up at Štrbské pleso. The total elevation gain of the hike was over 2,750 meters.
✔ Aug 2011	Go on a multi-day backpacking trip, camping in the wilderness	[5+ times now!] My first backpacking experience was a hike along the ridge of the Lower Tatras with Igy, initially planned as a 4- or 5-day trip, which, however, we had to cut short because of my knee pain. The most memorable ones were: (1) a 10-day trip on Lofoten [with Tomik in May 2014]; (2) a 4-day trip to Havasupai and back [with Nehal in May 2023]; (3) a 3-day trip in the Three Sisters Wilderness [with Nehal in Jul 2023]; (4) a 3-day Kalalau Trail trip [in May 2024].
✔ Aug 2012	Do a bike trip with a cumulative elevation gain of more than 2,000 meters	An 85-km trip in the High Tatras, visiting Popradské pleso, Sliezsky dom and Hrebienok, with an elevation gain of ca. 2,000 meters.
	Do a 150-km bike trip in a single day	The longest one so far was about 125 km.
✔ Jul 2013	Go on a multi-day bike tour	An 11-day bikepacking trip around Sognefjord in Norway, biking past glaciers, along fjords and through snow-clad mountain passes. [with Tomik]
	Go on a multi-day freeski trip
✔ May 2014	Travel north of the Arctic Circle & see the midnight sun	Saw the midnight sun several times during the Lofoten backpacking trip; even swam in the ice-cold ocean. [with Tomik]
Experiences
✔ Feb 2014	See the Northern Lights	Exceptional green-and-purple northern lights seen in Trondheim.
✔ May 2024	Fly in a helicopter over beautiful nature
	Go paragliding in the mountains
✔ Dec 2007	Travel on a cruise ship	Traveled from Stockholm to Helsinki on Silja Serenade (13 decks, almost 3,000 passengers).
	Go snorkeling or scuba diving among fish and see a coral reef
	Go on a safari in Africa and see wildlife
✔ Sep 2009	Stand below a sequoia tree	[3 times now!] Twice in Sequoia NP and once in Yosemite NP. The sequoia trees seemed to me like some enormous animals – their bark looked and felt more like fur - not to mention I felt like an ant when I looked up. [with Michal in 2009; with Nehal in Jun 2022; with Nehal & my parents in Jan 2023]
	Ski in deep pow
	Ride a snowmobile in deep snow
✔ Sep 2017	Ride a mountain bike down a thrilling single-track trail	The Flow Trail (6 km long, 380 m elevation drop) in Soquel Demonstration State Forest near Santa Cruz. [with Tomik]
	Ride a mountain bike through mud and puddles without caring about getting dirty from head to toe
	Drive a muscle car
✔ Nov 2014	The Piano Guys concert	[twice now!] They were captivating on the stage both in Mannheim and in San Jose. Watching them play with such verve was amazing and their dialogs between songs often made the entire concert hall burst out in laugh. [with Andy in 2014; with Nehal in Jan 2020]
✔ Dec 2012	Havasi Symphonic Concert Show	[3 times now!] The symphonic show in Budapest was an absolutely epic and breathtaking experience, and the music repeatedly brought tears to my eyes. [with Tomik in 2012; with Zuzka in Dec 2014 and Dec 2015]
	Two Steps From Hell concert	I can't believe TSFH disbanded before I got a chance to go to one of their concerts! Too bad they started doing concert tours in Europe only after I'd moved out of Europe, and never did one in the US after 2016... I think I'll keep this item in my bucket list for a few more years, hoping that I get to attend at least an unofficial TSFH concert.
	Attend a medieval/neofolk festival	(e.g. Castlefest, Faerieworlds,...)
✔ Oct 2019	Attend a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre	[twice now!] My first experience at Red Rocks was attending a Wardruna concert with Nehal, an unforgettable experience during our first road trip together (Colorado + Wyoming). As we arrived at this spectacular venue out in the nature, the sun was setting, making the red rocks around look as if on fire, and shortly after the concert started, the almost-full moon rose right from behind the stage. A concert venue doesn't get better than that! The second time we went to Red Rocks was for a Heilung concert in October 2021. Yet another incredible experience, though the loaded fries weren't as good as in 2019...
✔ Dec 2019	See a Cirque du Soleil show	[twice now!] Nehal and I were lucky to see one of the last Amaluna shows in San Francisco before it was retired in 2020. It was an absolutely fantastic show, and we would definitely go again given the opportunity. We then attended Corteo in San Jose in August 2023, which was fun but didn't live up to the expectations we'd had after seeing the amazing Amaluna. Hope to see many more Cirque du Soleil shows in the future!
	See the New Year fireworks in Sydney
Skills, Abilities & Knowledge to Acquire
✔ Aug 2014	Learn to identify all countries in the world map and know their capitals	Unfortunately, without at least occasionally reviewing my knowledge, I'm sure I have forgotten a good number of capitals by now.
	Learn to juggle with 4 balls	Already able to juggle with 3 balls.
	Learn to do a hand-stand
	Learn to do a back flip	Already able to perform a front flip in snow.
	Be able to do a full ab roll-out
	Become proficient in archery
	Become comfortable playing the piano for an audience
	Learn to play the drums casually
Aspirations
	Own a log cabin in the woods, near mountains
✔ Oct 2013	Write my own piece for the piano	I composed my first piece "Gone Beyond the Horizon" during my student exchange in Trondheim and dedicated it to my parents.
	Compose a whole album of piano music (30+ minutes)	There are currently 3 pieces I have composed: "Gone Beyond the Horizon", "New Beginnings" and "When the Stars Awaken". I'm getting there!
	Own a grand piano