Micro-Adventures: How a Farm Trip (and a Plush Shark) Saved My Sanity

Yesterday was one of those days. Zero energy. Not even for my sudoku project, and that says a lot. I’m currently refactoring sudoku logic (yes, I’m that kind of person), but I was stuck in the programming void, also known as “the curse of the blank mind.” After lunch, no meetings, no motivation, no clue how to continue.

So I did what any burnt-out engineer with a sweet tooth would do. I packed up my stress and went on a micro-adventure.

Destination: Vraňany, aka My Happy Place

Are you from Prague? Then you need to know Vraňany. It’s a charming farm just outside the city, and hands down, they have the best gluten-free cakes I’ve ever tasted. And I’ve tasted a lot. (For science.)

But it’s not just about the desserts – although I’d fight you over their ice cream. It’s also:

A cute farm shop full of local produce
Gorgeous garden accessories
The perfect flower pots (yes, I found the one for this season’s pepper experiment)
Ridiculously delicious strawberries (I ate two kilos in one night last year – no regrets)
And mugs. Mugs shaped like lemons. Mugs with strawberries. Mugs I don’t need but definitely want. (Note to self: manifest a bigger kitchen.)

Why I’m Obsessed with Micro-Adventures (and Why You Should Be Too)

Let’s be honest – life can feel like one long sprint from task to task. Especially if you’re in tech, dealing with code, bugs, deadlines, and the occasional “why does this even work?” moment. That’s where micro-adventures come in.

Here’s why they’re amazing:

🧠 Brain reset: You leave your desk foggy-headed, return with fresh ideas.
💡 Creative boost: Turns out, solving bugs works better after cake.
⏱️ No need for a full day off: 1–2 hours is all it takes to feel human again.
🧳 No packing, no stress: Just grab your keys, maybe a friend (or husband), and go.
❤️ Mood-lifting magic: Even if the only thing you achieve is buying a new mug.

My days off are usually reserved for family trips to Slovakia, so these mini-escapes are my way of adding joy to the everyday. You don’t need a plane ticket to hit refresh – sometimes all it takes is a drive to a strawberry farm and a cake (or two).

And the Grand Finale: IKEA

Still riding the post-cake high, I made one more stop — IKEA. Why? Because I’ve been eyeing that plush shark for months, and yesterday felt like the perfect day to finally adopt him. He’s huge. He’s blue. He lives on my sofa now and brings me unreasonable joy.