Year in review · 20 chapters

All your years, gathered.

Pick a year. Open the album. Let the photos do most of the talking.

From 2007 to 2026 — 20 years of checking in, 69,378 times over, a habit I never quite meant to keep and never managed to break. They add up to 64 countries and 849 cities, and something like 603,053 km of getting there. Minsk is the name that keeps recurring — the place I kept coming back to between everywhere else. Joanna K. turns up across a lot of these years; the best of them usually did. The farthest I ever got was Santiago, about 13,510 km from home. Each card below is one year of it. Start wherever you like.

5,517 check-ins89 cities13 countries+2 new

A balance of familiar ground and a few new turnings, anchored, as ever, in Minsk, and it was midsummer July that burned brightest. 12 journeys in all, from Rental party 🚌 in January to Netherlands + Lithuania + 1 more 🚌 in July, 6 flights stitched the distances together, the furthest I got was Nurek, 3,583 km from home. Luxembourg was new ground for me, 40 cities I'd never seen before — Amsterdam and Dushanbe among them. I shared most of it with Darya. It began at Рождественская ярмарка / Калядны кiрмаш in January and ended at Bulevardul Grigore Vieru in Chișinău. One note I left behind: “like a local”

9,778 check-ins201 cities22 countries+6 new

I have never filled a year quite this full, with Minsk the place I kept returning to, and blooming May ran fastest of the twelve. I travelled 23 times over, opening with Bath session #1 🛁 in February and closing with Middle east ✈️ in December, I took to the air 26 times, at the farthest I stood 4,254 km out, in Muscat. I added 6 first-time countries, I met 124 new cities, Lisbon and Tehran among them. More often than not, Darya was there too. I opened the year at Metro Bemowo in Warsaw and signed it off in December at Зона Гостеприимства. A line I left on a check-in that year: “La mulți ani”

9,479 check-ins167 cities32 countries+14 new

This was the year I lived widest, further than any before it, always circling back to Minsk, peaking somewhere in year-closing December. The suitcase barely rested — 16 departures, from Rostock - another friend another visit ✈️ (March) to New World - new life ✈️ (November), 27 times the ground fell away from a window, reaching as far as Santiago, 13,510 km from home. 14 new countries entered the album, 92 first-time cities, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro included. With 塔妮雅 beside me through much of it. First stop 汉庭酒店（九宫店）/ Hanting Jiudian in Beijing in January; the last was Os. Górczewska 200 in Warsaw. Somewhere in it I wrote: “viva la viva”

8,966 check-ins146 cities21 countries+7 new

I kept turning the map over, month after month, orbiting Minsk between everything else, with year-closing December the fullest weeks of all. 18 journeys in all, from A weekend in Riga 🚌 in January to Great Asian tour ✈️ in November, 33 flights stitched the distances together, the furthest I got was Singapore, 9,008 km from home. 7 fresh flags went onto the map, 60 cities I'd never seen before — Beijing and Athens among them. I shared most of it with 塔妮雅. It began at Piazza Giovanni Bovio in Naples in January and ended at 兰州牛面 in Beijing. One note I left behind: “go go Bayern”

8,060 check-ins191 cities17 countries+9 new

The year the departures outnumbered the quiet weeks, with Minsk holding the centre of it, and it was year-closing December that burned brightest. I travelled 11 times over, opening with Gomel - owl trip 🚂 in April and closing with Malta ✈️ in December, I took to the air 20 times, at the farthest I stood 3,870 km out, in Almaty Region. 9 new countries opened up to me, I met 130 new cities, Paris and Madrid among them. More often than not, 塔妮雅 was there too. I opened the year at Berlin Hotel in Cairo and signed it off in December at Mavi Caffè in Naples. A line I left on a check-in that year: “все из я - в”

6,016 check-ins116 cities8 countries+3 new

The year found its rhythm and I kept to it, anchored, as ever, in Minsk, and late-summer August ran fastest of the twelve. The suitcase barely rested — 14 departures, from Starting spring with Veloby (April) to Egyptian pyramids ✈️ (December), 8 times the ground fell away from a window, reaching as far as Uzury, 4,997 km from home. I added 3 first-time countries, 85 first-time cities, Cairo and Yerevan included. With NIkita Boyko beside me through much of it. First stop Yakut Hotel in Istanbul in January; the last was Talaat Harb Statue (تمثال طلعت حرب) in Cairo. Somewhere in it I wrote: “wait but why”

4,259 check-ins35 cities7 countries+4 new

A steady year, and I walked it at my own pace, with Minsk the place I kept returning to, peaking somewhere in year-closing December. 6 journeys in all, from Copenhagen with CS ✈️ in January to Istanbul - covid no more ✈️ in December, 5 flights stitched the distances together, the furthest I got was Rome, 1,757 km from home. 4 new countries entered the album, 15 cities I'd never seen before — Istanbul and Rome among them. I shared most of it with NIkita Boyko. It began at Lot Chmiela in Poznań in January and ended at Xanadu Hotel in Istanbul. One note I left behind: “remote day 1”

5,977 check-ins147 cities13 countries+4 new

I moved through this year without hurry, always circling back to Minsk, with year-closing December the fullest weeks of all. I travelled 16 times over, opening with Spring ride with Veloby in April and closing with Poland New Year trip 🚂 in December, at the farthest I stood 1,305 km out, in Sarajevo, much of the distance pedalled. 4 fresh flags went onto the map, I met 79 new cities, Belgrade and Vienna among them. More often than not, Anna Matiuhina was there too. I opened the year at Ул. Лазаренко in Mogilev and signed it off in December at Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa (Stary Rynek) in Poznań. A line I left on a check-in that year: “46 km ahahah”

4,356 check-ins142 cities10 countries+4 new

A balance of familiar ground and a few new turnings, orbiting Minsk between everything else, and it was midsummer July that burned brightest. The suitcase barely rested — 28 departures, from Showing Vilnius to a friend 🚂 (January) to New Year not at home 🚂 (December), reaching as far as Cahul, 891 km from home, with the bicycle doing more of the work than usual. 4 new countries opened up to me, 92 first-time cities, Saint Petersburg and Stockholm included. With Tata M beside me through much of it. First stop Allied Testing in January; the last was Дубровенка in Mogilev. Somewhere in it I wrote: “Как же жарко.”

1,222 check-ins30 cities3 countries

The year found its rhythm and I kept to it, with Minsk holding the centre of it, and midsummer July ran fastest of the twelve. 4 journeys in all, from One day in Vitebsk 🚗 in March to Mogilev - the first visit 🚂 in September, the furthest I got was Odesa, 863 km from home. 10 cities I'd never seen before — Mogilev and Vitebsk among them. I shared most of it with Joanna K.. It began at Лермонтова 43 in January and ended at Полянка. One note I left behind: “Как в старые добрые.”

567 check-ins16 cities4 countries

A quieter year, and I didn't mind the stillness, anchored, as ever, in Minsk, peaking somewhere in midsummer July. One trip broke the pattern — Another summer in Moldova 🚂, setting out that June, at the farthest I stood 863 km out, in Odesa. I met 8 new cities, Orhei and Ungheni among them. More often than not, Joanna K. was there too, the culture pulled me in — galleries, stages, quiet rooms. I opened the year at Суперпрод and signed it off in December at Полянка. A line I left on a check-in that year: “Финита ла комедиа:)”

893 check-ins45 cities7 countries+1 new

A softer chapter — fewer stops, longer pauses between them, with Minsk the place I kept returning to, with midsummer July the fullest weeks of all. The suitcase barely rested — 4 departures, from Polish village with love 🚂 (March) to Summer vacations in a pair 🚂 (July), reaching as far as Derince, 1,471 km from home. Lithuania joined the map for the first time, 21 first-time cities, Vilnius and Lublin included. With Joanna K. beside me through much of it, I wandered a lot of museums and galleries. First stop Complexul Locativ „Valea Trandafirilor” in Chișinău in January; the last was Суперпрод. Somewhere in it I wrote: “Где чёртов туалет?!”

1,607 check-ins48 cities6 countries

A balance of familiar ground and a few new turnings, always circling back to Minsk, and it was spring-edged April that burned brightest. 6 journeys in all, from Moldova - Street of Arts 🚂 in January to Moldova - celebrating New Year 🚂 in December, the furthest I got was Schwerin, 1,059 km from home. 28 cities I'd never seen before — Kharkiv and Greifswald among them. I shared most of it with Joanna K., much of it spent in front of art. It began at Станция метро «Могилёвская» in January and ended at Oliva in Chișinău. One note I left behind: “В Москву бы;)”

1,753 check-ins52 cities9 countries+6 new

The year found its rhythm and I kept to it, orbiting Minsk between everything else, and spring-edged April ran fastest of the twelve. I travelled 4 times over, opening with Forth and back between two homes 🚂 in January and closing with Join Veloby in September, at the farthest I stood 1,185 km out, in Ilmenau, much of the distance pedalled. I added 6 first-time countries, I met 46 new cities, Warsaw and Ilmenau among them. I opened the year at Забытый Хутор in Pershai and signed it off in December at Суперпрод. A line I left on a check-in that year: “77+ км. умер.”

298 check-ins9 cities4 countries

A quieter year, and I didn't mind the stillness, with Minsk holding the centre of it, peaking somewhere in year-closing December. 2 trips marked the calendar — Russia + Moldova + 1 more in July, Ukraine & Moldova 🚂 in August, reaching as far as Vladimir, 1,287 km from home, with much of the moving done by rail. I wandered a lot of museums and galleries. First stop Vladimir (Владимир) in Vladimir in January; the last was Суперпрод. Somewhere in it I wrote: “еду в Москву”

165 check-ins11 cities4 countries+2 new

A softer chapter — fewer stops, longer pauses between them, anchored, as ever, in Chișinău, with late-summer August the fullest weeks of all. 4 journeys in all, from Odesa, Ukraine in April to Russia & Belarus 🚗 in December, the furthest I got was Moscow, 1,143 km from home, a good part of it spent watching countries pass from a train window. Belarus was new ground for me, 6 cities I'd never seen before — Minsk and Odesa among them. It began at Andy's Pizza in January and ended at Red Square (Красная площадь) in Moscow. One note I left behind: “вечер на Морвокзале”

112 check-ins9 cities2 countries

The year of second visits and slow streets, with Chișinău the place I kept returning to, and it was late-summer August that burned brightest. 3 journeys shaped the year — Moldova & Ukraine 🚗 in July, Tiraspol, Moldova 🚂 in August, Trebujeni, Moldova 🚌 in October, the long hauls mostly by train. I met 4 new cities, Tiraspol and Bender among them. I opened the year at Grădina Botanică and signed it off in December at National Library of the Republic of Moldova (Biblioteca Națională a Republicii Moldova). A line I left on a check-in that year: “едем на море”

165 check-ins6 cities1 countries

I moved less this year and lingered more, always circling back to Chișinău, and amber September ran fastest of the twelve. The single departure was Trebujeni, Moldova 🚌, back in October. 4 first-time cities, Trebujeni and Butuceni included. First stop Str. Alecu Russo, 61/4 in January; the last was Str. Alecu Russo, 55. Somewhere in it I wrote: “митинг в центре”

186 check-ins4 cities2 countries+1 new

A quieter year, and I didn't mind the stillness, orbiting Chișinău between everything else, peaking somewhere in late-summer August. I made one real escape: Black Sea, Ukraine 🚗, come August. Ukraine was new ground for me. It began at Пикник 8 марта in March and ended at Str. Alecu Russo, 55. One note I left behind: “Жизнь за свободу!”

2 check-ins1 cities1 countries+1 new

A softer chapter — fewer stops, longer pauses between them, with midsummer July the fullest weeks of all. I set foot in Moldova for the first time. I went looking for the green edges of things. I opened the year at Cathedral Garden (Grădina Catedralei) and signed it off in July at Stadionul Universității Tehnice din Moldova. A line I left on a check-in that year: “[coords_approx:pending_api] Фестиваль «Старый Мельник» (первый концерт)”