How did a trip planned through 4 countries end up becoming 7?
Our only goal was to reach Lake Balaton in Hungary — and then simply follow wherever our hearts took us. In the end, it turned into a truly beautiful journey with no plan, no highways or express roads, and most importantly: no pressure. I invite you to a short introduction to the context of this motorcycle expedition — and to the film that says it all.
To Balaton — and then we’ll see
As befits someone with ADHD, my best stories are born out of spontaneity. That’s exactly how this motorcycle trip happened — we set off with no real plan and very little preparation. Since neither of us had ever been to Lake Balaton, we had one very reachable goal in front of us: get to Hungary.
So the idea was to ride through 4 countries, reach our destination, and then open ourselves up to a complete lack of script — twist the throttles and ride wherever the road took us. Our creativity on this trip was limited only by the calendar, because we had just 8 days for the entire journey.
No plan is the best plan
Traveling without a plan brings a huge sense of comfort. Nothing is chasing you, there’s no need to be somewhere on a specific day at a specific hour. You can simply surrender to the journey — and when you feel tired, quickly find a pin for a place to sleep and treat it as your micro-goal for the day. The only thing you have to keep an eye on is the daily distance in relation to the shrinking time you have left to get back home.
That kind of freedom isn’t for everyone, though. If not having a plan makes you feel lost or stressed, it’s worth setting one farthest point you want to reach. With that kind of finish line, each day becomes part of the road toward it.
How the perfect trip was born
The rules were simple: no highways, no expressways. We ride only local roads and only during daylight. We don’t push, we don’t lower comfort or safety (for example, riding through heavy rain), we don’t redline it and we don’t ride just to tick off more European flags. We ride at our own comfortable pace — as much as the bikes, the conditions and our well-being allow.
I think it was precisely because we clearly agreed on these conditions that we managed to create the perfect trip. Unhurried, yet full of emotion. Without expectations, yet full of surprises.
Seven countries instead of four
How did we end up at the Adriatic instead of stopping at Balaton?
As soon as we reached Hungary, the incredible turquoise of the lake sparked our appetite for more. During lunch, when we were supposed to decide what’s next, we shouted in unison: “to the sea!”
We checked how much time we had left, set a route (still using only local roads), and Slovenia won. Not only was the destination a perfect hit — the ride through that country was pure poetry. You can see it in the film, or rather hear it. What comes through is pure joy mixed with awe and being fully immersed in the here and now.
So we rode to Hungary through Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. To reach the sea, we went through Slovenia and stayed there for two days, because we dreamed of a small pizza trip to Italy. On the way back, we decided to also stop in Austria — and just like that, a trip through 4 countries turned into an expedition through 7..
A film that says it all
Do you want to feel the spirit of this trip? Or maybe get inspired by our route and create your own version of such a journey? We’ve already broken the trail for you, and hand on heart, we can recommend following in our tracks. Sit back and start the film — where, besides the views, we share something more: pure emotions and a good dose of humor.
EXPEDITION DETAILS
Termin: June 2023
Duration: 8 days
Distance: approx. 3000 kilometers
Coutries crossed: Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungrary, Slovenia, Italy (just a bit), Austria