A woman from Essex has marked her milestone 50th birthday with an extraordinary global challenge, visiting 50 cities in just 12 months through a series of whirlwind 'extreme day trips'.
The Birthday Bucket List Challenge
Deborah Jackson, 50, from Dunmow, Essex, describes herself as an 'extreme day trip fanatic'. She began her ambitious quest on her 49th birthday, 5 December 2024, with a day trip to Pisa, Italy. Exactly one year later, she returned to the same Italian city to complete her challenge.
"I wanted to mark turning 50 in a memorable way," Deborah explained. "It's a milestone birthday and I wanted to set a goal to mark it. I like to make the most of every moment."
Out of the 50 cities visited, 39 were conquered via extreme day trips (EDTs), meaning she left and returned home to Essex on the same day. Prior to this year, she had only attempted two such trips annually.
A Whirlwind of Travel: Flights, Favourites and Family
Deborah's logistical feat involved an astonishing travel tally: 78 Ryanair flights, 6 Eurostar journeys, 2 ferries, and 1 Air Baltic trip. Nine trips were solo adventures, while the rest were shared with her husband Matthew, 54, an IT product manager, or her children Tom, 19, and Madeleine, 16.
Her itinerary spanned Europe, from Cardiff and Edinburgh to Budapest and Bucharest. Highlights included watching the sunset via funicular in Bergamo, Italy, experiencing floating saunas in Oslo, and taking the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn.
"I was blown away by the beauty of Riga," she said, noting a particular fondness for historic walled cities with cobbled streets. While she adored Italy, especially Florence, her favourite 'big' city was Berlin, and she developed a special affection for all three Baltic states.
The Secrets to Affordable Extreme Day Tripping
Deborah, who works two days a week as a display representative, credits her job's flexibility and strategic planning for making the challenge feasible. Most trips took place on weekends, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays.
Living next to Stansted Airport eliminated parking costs, and she is meticulous about flight prices. Her cheapest EDT was to Gdansk, Poland, where she and her husband spent just £30 each, including a meal, with return flights costing £27.
"I tend not to spend more than £35 on return flights," she revealed, using Skyscanner's 'Go Anywhere' tool to find deals. An exception was made for a £60 return to Lapland.
Reflecting on her transformative year, Deborah said: "Life is an adventure, life is for living... I've always been a glass half full person and I want to make the most of every day."
Her advice to others is emphatic: "Go for it – you’ll never regret it. It’s life-changing." With the challenge complete, her sights are now set on South Eastern Europe for 2026.
Deborah's 50-City Itinerary (Dec 2024 - Dec 2025):
- Dec ‘24: Pisa, Lucca (Italy); Brussels, Bruges (Belgium); Lille (France); Edinburgh.
- Jan ‘25: Cardiff; Lisbon (Portugal); Gdansk (Poland); Alicante (Spain); Milan, Bergamo (Italy).
- Feb: Billund (Denmark); Berlin (Germany).
- Mar: Madrid (Spain); Bratislava (Slovakia); Wroclaw (Poland); Dublin; Rovaniemi (Lapland); Helsinki (Finland); Tallinn (Estonia).
- Apr: Eindhoven (Netherlands); Barcelona (Spain); Gothenburg (Sweden); Luxembourg.
- May: Oslo (Norway); Nantes (France); Vienna (Austria); Baden-Baden, Prague, Cologne (Germany).
- Jun: Limerick; Katowice (Poland); Florence (Italy); Bucharest (Romania).
- Jul: San Marino (Italy); Cork.
- Sep: Cologne, Hamburg, Lubeck (Germany); Venice (Italy); Vilnius (Lithuania); Riga (Latvia).
- Oct: Boulogne (France); Budapest (Hungary); Rome, Vatican City (Italy); Sofia (Bulgaria).
- Nov: Copenhagen (Denmark); Malmo (Sweden).
- Dec ‘25: Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Prato (Italy).
