Hanwen's Blog

2026: Hormuz's Shadow, AI Euphoria, and the Approaching 'Double Stagflation'

Sat, 02 May 2026 00:00:00 +0800

**TL;DR:** In May 2026, the world exists in a parallel reality of energy blockades and AI booms. This article argues that rising physical costs from geopolitics are clashing with AI's high infrastructure CapEx. As technology pricing escapes the reach of consumers and the energy base remains locked by conflict, we may be heading toward a macro storm of tech-bubble burst and vicious stagflation.

Introduction: Observations on the Fault Line

In early May 2026, the world is in a bizarre parallel reality: the Strait of Hormuz remains under a de facto blockade, and Ukrainian drones continue to strike Russian refineries; yet, thousands of miles away on Wall Street, tech stocks are dancing under the banner of AI.

As an observer working on the front line of the semiconductor industry, I feel a strong, physical sense of unease. This unease stems from the massive disconnect between efficiency feedback at the execution level and the grand narratives of the capital markets.

I. The “Liquidity Deadlock” of Hormuz

The current situation is far more than simple energy price volatility. The Strait of Hormuz is in a “reciprocal blockade” between US and Iranian forces. Despite the deployment of carrier strike groups, this “power rebalancing” has not restored navigation; instead, it has made the risks more structural and long-term.

The core contradictions are:

Physical Disruption: 20% of the world’s crude oil supply is trapped in the Persian Gulf. Global JIT (Just-In-Time) supply chains are facing a mechanical failure as their “lubricant” runs dry.
Invisible Cost Transmission: While crude reserves within the Gulf are sufficient, the “War Premium” caused by the inability to enter or exit has locked oil prices at high levels.

II. The “Impossible Triangle” Behind AI Euphoria

Capital markets are betting heavily that AI can hedge against the recessionary risks brought by geopolitics. I believe this logic is extremely fragile. From an execution perspective, the AI boom is facing an intersection of “physical costs and shrinking demand”:

Pressure on Raw Materials: Due to the energy crisis and geopolitical conflicts, PCB (printed circuit board) costs have surged. Upstream supply chain pressures are being passed down, leading to shortages across GPUs, CPUs, and memory (DRAM/NAND).
The Diminishing Returns of Efficiency: While AI shows incredible performance in basic development and standardized content generation (allowing many beginners to rapidly productize), it often falls into a “mediocrity trap” when solving complex systemic problems. For large enterprises, the invisible costs of maintaining and auditing AI-generated code are eroding the efficiency dividends promised by the technology.
The Power and Resource Sink: Big Tech’s investment in data centers has reached astronomical levels. Not only must they endure hardware price hikes, but they also face additional “resource taxes” from state governments for their massive power consumption.

III. Cost Transmission: LLMs Enter a Price Hike Cycle

Large AI vendors are beginning to raise prices as they struggle with skyrocketing costs. Pricing strategies in the LLM space are undergoing structural adjustments through tiered pricing, high-end subscription levels, and restructured API billing logic.

Here is a summary of the latest LLM pricing trends in the first half of 2026:

1. Microsoft: Full-Scale Commercial Price Hikes

Microsoft announced its largest price increase in years in early 2026.

Effective Date: July 1, 2026.
Changes:
- Microsoft 365 Commercial: Office 365 E3 (without Teams) rose by 14%, Microsoft 365 E3 by 11%.
- Copilot Strategy: While independent SKU prices didn’t rise directly, Microsoft began bundling Copilot with higher-priced packages and introduced a more expensive Copilot Pro Max tier for users needing higher concurrency and priority access to the latest models (like GPT-5.4).

2. Anthropic (Claude): Introducing “Ultra-Premium” Modes

Anthropic achieved indirect price hikes through functional unbundling:

Max Tier: Introduced Claude Max plans at $100/mo and $200/mo, targeting developers using Claude Code and large-scale context processing.
API “Fast Mode”: In the latest Claude 4.6, low-latency responses require “Fast Mode,” priced at 6x the standard rate (e.g., input jumping from $5/MTok to $30/MTok).

3. Google (Gemini): Tiered Granularity and API “Corrections”

Google’s strategy is the most complex, showing a trend of “cheap low-end, expensive high-end.”

Consumer Edition: Launched Google AI Ultra at $249.99/mo, including 30TB of storage, Veo 3.1 video permissions, and the autonomous assistant Project Mariner.
API Billing Controversy: In March 2026, developers found Gemini API bills surging. Officials explained this was a “fix” for previously under-billed “Thinking Tokens” and “Grounding,” viewed by developers as a retroactive price hike.

4. OpenAI: Shifting Toward Enterprise

Preparing for an IPO in late 2026, OpenAI is under immense revenue pressure:

Enterprise Focus: Tightening resource quotas for the individual Plus version to push users toward ChatGPT Team or Enterprise.
GPT-5 Series Pricing: With the release of GPT-5.4, OpenAI has adopted a “discount old models, premium new models” strategy. Inference costs for top-tier models (especially Agent-capable versions) are 30%-50% more expensive than the previous generation.

Summary and Observations

The current industry pricing logic revolves around three points:

From “Flat Rate” to “Consumption-Based”: $20 no longer covers everything; “fast” or “strong” now requires $100+ tiers.
Explicitizing Hidden Costs: Separate charges for web search, AI drawing, and long-term memory storage.
B-Side Shouldering the Burden: Indirectly forcing enterprises to pay for AI costs through bundled “full stack” upgrades.

IV. The Convergence of Pain: The Road to “Double Stagflation”

This pressure eventually reaches the average consumer. A dangerous feedback loop is forming:

Structural Rise in Unemployment: Major companies are pushing large-scale layoffs in the name of AI to pursue “efficiency.”
Supply-Side Inflation: Rising energy costs push up living expenses, while AI premiums inflate the cost of electronics and software.
Defensive Household Contraction: As unemployment expectations meet high prices, households are forced to cut spending, further killing the ROI for businesses.

This is “Double Stagflation”: technology-driven productivity dividends fail to cover their high underlying costs, while simultaneously destroying the consumption capacity of the market.

V. Echoes of History: 1978 Meets 2000

Looking at 2026 through the lens of history, this may be a fatal encounter between “Stagflation” and a “Tech Bubble”:

The 1978 Backdrop: Hyperinflation caused by an energy crisis, combined with shrinking purchasing power. When gas prices and gadget prices double simultaneously, the only rational choice for consumers is to cut all non-essential spending.
The 2000 Script: Frantic infrastructure building (routers then, GPUs now), only to find that terminal ROI couldn’t close the loop. When the first giant admits that “trillions in investment cannot be recovered,” the stampede begins.

VI. Future Paths

Path A: The Depression Theory (70% Probability): A freeze in demand leads to an overnight shift from “supply shortage” to “overcapacity” in AI infrastructure. The world enters a long correction period similar to post-2000, but with severe inflation due to geopolitical conflicts.
Path B: The Miracle Theory (30% Probability): AI achieves an exponential breakthrough in power grid efficiency or material production by late 2026. The incremental value generated successfully offsets the cost losses caused by the blockade.

Conclusion

I personally lean toward the former. When the pricing of technology escapes the reach of the consumer, and the energy base is locked by war, the euphoria is often the final light before the curtain falls.

This article was recorded in May 2026. I hope that when looking back at a future moment, these “subjective observations” will provide a authentic footnote for the reality of that time.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is for personal study and research records only. All analysis was completed with the assistance of AI tools and does not constitute any investment advice. Investing is risky; please be cautious.

Information Loss in the AI Era

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0800

Based on my observations and preliminary research (supported by data at the end of this post), the algorithm and AI-driven era is presenting a profound paradox: while the total volume of articles, videos, and images on the internet is exploding, the effective information density is visibly declining. This is a highly thought-provoking, yet exceptionally “dangerous” signal.

Before the widespread adoption of LLMs (Large Language Models), my typical workflow for tackling complex bugs or edge cases was to consult official documentation or use search engines to hunt for solutions across various Stack Overflow threads or personal technical blogs.

However, ever since I embraced Vibe Coding, this workflow has been completely reshaped. I’ve grown accustomed to asking AI directly for answers. As a result, official manuals and technical blogs are gradually being marginalized from my browser bookmarks.

This shift has made me suddenly realize a disturbing trend: in the future, there may be fewer and fewer people willing to write technical blogs.

Looking back at high-quality technical content, the original intention of most creators was simply “to keep a record for themselves”—documenting the practical steps of developing or configuring a service, and highlighting the pitfalls and core takeaways. This “byproduct of struggle” inadvertently became a guiding beacon for those who came after. However, as AI tools are increasingly used to solve specific engineering problems, this kind of experience sharing and work logging based on real-world combat will drastically shrink, thereby accelerating the collapse of the internet’s “effective information density.”

A deeper crisis lies in the fact that the formidable capabilities demonstrated by AI today are fundamentally built upon the “computing power dividends” generated by the explosion of computer applications over the past few decades, as well as the massive trove of high-quality content accumulated during the internet era. If publicly available “useful information” on the internet gradually dries up, the evolutionary speed at which LLMs can solve new problems will inevitably hit a wall.

Perhaps a few years down the line, new knowledge on the internet will have become utterly lackluster, while the public remains deeply reliant on LLMs as their sole gateway to information. By then, we might discover that human civilization and technological exploration have unwittingly walked into a catch-22, a dead end with no optimal way out.

Data Reference: Stack Overflow Question Trends

As shown in the chart below, following the popularization of AI tools (especially ChatGPT), the activity levels in traditional developer Q&A communities have experienced a significant drop. This is perhaps a perfect reflection of the “decline in internet effective information density”:

Source: Stack Overflow Data Explorer (SEDE)
Query Date: 2026-04-19
Note: The data reflects the total number of new questions created each month.

Rome: Rediscovering the Ancients in the 'Eternal City' (of Crowds)

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:30:00 +0800

The Colosseum: Grandeur is Real, and So is the Rain

The first stop in Rome is, inevitably, the Colosseum. This architectural titan has been milked by textbooks and Hollywood blockbusters for decades, yet seeing it in person still hits you with that raw sense of “monumental brutality” that lingers in its remains.

However, Mother Nature clearly wasn’t in the mood to welcome tourists. Periodic rain throughout the day turned this “heavy” historical pilgrimage into a somewhat pathetic reality—feeling less like a grand tour and more like taking a cold shower in a pile of ancient rubble.

The Colosseum exterior: weathered limestone arches looking particularly somber in the drizzle.

The remains of the interior. Instead of awe, I mostly felt for the sneakers queueing in the mud.

The stonework at a long focal length. Every crack seems to be protesting the cruelty of time and the coldness of the rain.

Basilica of Maxentius: The Ancient “Uber-Shelter”

While exploring the Roman Forum, the rain suddenly intensified. I found myself scrambling for cover and ended up huddled inside a massive set of ruins—the Basilica of Maxentius.

Initially, I just wanted a dry place to hide, but standing beneath those surviving, colossal concrete vaults, I was completely floored by the sense of power echoing across a thousand years. Even with only three side-aisle arches remaining today, their sheer scale makes modern humans look like tiny ants. It’s mind-blowing to think that in an era without cranes or steel, the Romans reached the absolute peak of the “megastructure” skill tree just to show off their authority and wisdom. Building something of this magnitude thousands of years ago is truly humbling.

The massive surviving vaults of the Basilica of Maxentius. Seeking shelter here made me feel utterly insignificant before this absolute display of power.

Trevi Fountain: A 2-Euro “Viewing Fee”

If you’re wondering why this post doesn’t feature one of those perfect, empty shots of the Trevi Fountain? Simple: there wasn’t a single square inch of empty space to stand on.

To make matters worse, as of 2026, if you want to get anywhere near the water, they now charge a 2 Euro 💶 “viewing fee.” Honestly, I don’t understand the collective obsession with this fountain, and I understand throwing coins even less—do people really think throwing pocket change into a pool is going to make God grant them a fortune? After snapping a hurried shot from afar, I headed straight for the next landmark: the Pantheon.

The Trevi Fountain in the morning (if you can call it that). It's probably best viewed from a distance, across a sea of heads.

Engineering Miracles: The Pantheon

The other architectural titan is, of course, the Pantheon. I have to admit, creating such a perfect, massive dome without reinforced concrete in ancient times is indeed a miracle of engineering.

I originally wanted to go inside and experience that “holy beam of light,” but there seemed to be an event taking place, and it wasn’t open to tourists at the time. I’ve decided to save that bit of “spiritual enlightenment” for my next trip. Even so, looking up at those massive columns from the entrance is enough to make you appreciate the wisdom and grandeur of the ancient Romans.

The imposing columns of the Pantheon. The only thing longer than history is the line of people waiting for a miracle.

The Flavors of Rome: Finding Soul in the Alleys

Beyond the monumental architecture, the soul of Rome is hidden in the pizzerias and trattorias tucked away in its alleys. Even a casual pit stop can lead to an unexpected encounter with authentic flavors. Compared to the grand ruins, these “lo-fi” snapshots of daily life often feel the most real.

A Roman Classic: Deep-fried Artichoke (Carciofi alla Giudía)

Authentic thin-crust pizza, simple and perfect 🍕

Pizza Florida: One of the most popular pizza-by-the-slice spots in Rome

An Aperol Spritz under the Roman sun — the ultimate vacation vibe 🍹

Tiramisu served in a coffee cup — a heavenly treat ☕

Climbing the stone stairs in a hidden Roman alley

The vibrant street life at Piazza Navona

Largo di Torre Argentina: Where ancient ruins meet a cat sanctuary

Moody skies and ancient bridges over the Tiber River

Wrapping Up

They say Rome is a living, open-air museum without walls. Here, ancient civilization and modern chaos coexist in a bizarrely fascinating way. Despite my constant complaining, there is something truly unique about walking along cobblestones and finding 2,000-year-old ruins right around the corner from where you’re grabbing a slice of pizza 🍕.

Beyond the visuals, the scent of Rome left a lasting impression on me. Brushing past locals in the narrow alleys, I was often enveloped in a subtle, refined fragrance. Curiously, these scents were remarkably consistent—as if the entire city shared a single “signature” perfume, weaving an air of modern Roman elegance into the ancient cobblestone streets.

Stay tuned—next stop is Florence, where I hope the weather will be slightly more merciful.

My Subjective Views and Experience with AI

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0800

**TL;DR:** AI is a generative tool with "strong interaction + encyclopedia + search engine" characteristics. Its ceiling is heavily dependent on the user's domain experience. In the "Vibe Coding" era, AI can significantly reduce the cost of trial and error, but human creativity and cross-domain thinking remain the core keys to solving complex, unknown problems.

My AI Tool Stack and Scenarios

In my daily work and study, I have established a relatively fixed AI tool chain:

Common Tools: Gemini > Cursor > Comet > Claude (ranked by frequency).
Core Scenarios: Writing code, knowledge query/consultation, translating financial news, and summarizing long videos or books.

The Capability Boundaries of Generative AI

AI is essentially a generative tool based on existing data. Its capabilities are limited to content already available online or offline; it cannot directly solve problems it has never encountered.

A crucial reminder: AI is extremely poorly suited for numerical calculations. It might tell you “1+1=3” with a very deceptive string. Therefore, whenever mathematical calculations are involved, be sure to use a programming language (like Python) to have the AI write a script to calculate, rather than letting the LLM give a direct conclusion.

Hallucinations and the “AI Colleague”

I tend to see AI as a personified tool, or a colleague working together. But this “colleague” has strong “hallucinations,” sometimes even claiming a task is done while I watch the progress remain stationary.

In collaborative work, increasing the number of people does not necessarily bring a 1+1>2 effect. Due to communication friction, more people often lead to lower efficiency. Using AI is the same; if you cannot guide it clearly and accurately, simply introducing AI will not bring a revolutionary change to work efficiency.

Transitioning from Traditional Development to Vibe Coding

As early as 2025, I had the idea of making a personal website. At that time, following the traditional method: searching for tutorials, buying domains, renting servers, learning frameworks (Tailwind, React, Vue.js)… the huge time cost and aesthetic challenges eventually made me give up.

By 2026, with the rise of Vibe Coding, I tried developing websites and game automation scripts again. This time, with the assistance of AI, the speed was qualitatively improved, whether it was configuring parameters or front-end/back-end development.

The Ceiling of AI Tools: Dependent on the User’s Experience

I believe the ceiling of AI tools is heavily dependent on the user:

Experts using AI: Can lead the AI to solve problems quickly and accurately, and can correct hallucinations in time.
Novices using AI: Are very likely to be led astray by hallucinations without realizing it. Even if the task is completed, the whole process is a “black box” to the user, who has no idea what happened.

Therefore, the emergence of AI will not easily impact the moats of software companies. Senior developers can use AI tools to eliminate repetitive labor and focus their energy on innovation and architecture that AI cannot touch.

Summary: Creativity is the Core of the Future

Ultimately, AI is a tool without original creative ability. It is good at smoothing out information gaps and solving problems in mature fields, but in the face of some emerging fields or complex requirements, it still requires human understanding, cross-domain thinking, and the ability to switch mindsets quickly.

Just as when I was developing game scripts—when the PC side hit a bottleneck, I quickly shifted my focus to the mobile side. This ability to guide AI is the core competitiveness of the future.

Usage Tip: When encountering an LLM that cannot solve a problem after multiple attempts, don’t keep trying; decisively switch to another LLM.

How I Planned My 14-Day, 4-Country European Trip

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0800

Travel planning doesn’t have to be complicated. I’ve always followed a fixed, top-down, macro-to-micro process: First, define the timing and destination → Plan transportation → Select accommodation → Triple-check the itinerary → Prepare documents. The entire process ensures no backtracking, no rushing, and a controlled budget.

Itinerary Overview

City	Country	Duration	Accommodation Area
Rome + Vatican	Italy	3 Days, 2 Nights	Near Vatican
Florence	Italy	2 Days, 3 Nights	Near Central Station
Milan	Italy	0.5 Day	—
Prague	Czechia	4 Days, 4 Nights	Praha 5
Vienna	Austria	1.5 Days, 1 Night	Neubau
Budapest	Hungary	2 Days, 3 Nights	Erzsébetváros
Total	—	14 Days, 13 Nights	—

1. Confirm Feasibility

Timing: Early to mid-February 2026 (Lunar New Year + leave).
Seasonal Advantage: Off-season in Europe — fewer crowds, cheaper flights, and hotels.
Visa Friendly: A consistent history of travel makes Schengen visa approval easier.

Pro-Tip: Always check the opening hours of attractions before departure to avoid closures and special events.

2. Plan Transportation (No Backtracking)

Entry: Direct flight to Rome.
Route: Rome → Florence → Milan → Prague → Vienna → Budapest → Direct flight home.
Internal Transit: Italian trains; ÖBB rail for Prague–Vienna–Budapest.

Core Principle: Move in a straight line, avoid backtracking, and minimize transfer costs.

3. Select Accommodation (Safety + Convenience + Value)

Rome: A guesthouse near the Vatican for early, crowd-free access.
Florence: Next to the central station for efficient train transfers.
Prague: A hotel in Praha 5 — budget-friendly with direct public transit to attractions.
Vienna: The trendy Neubau district (7th District) for its great atmosphere and variety.
Budapest: A guesthouse in the historic Jewish Quarter, walking distance to hotspots.

4. Final Itinerary Check (Avoiding Pitfalls)

Mentally walk through the entire trip before leaving, focusing on:

Is the daily pace reasonable?
Is public transit available upon arrival/departure?
Pre-book rides for late-night arrivals.
Is there enough buffer time for train/flight transfers?

5. Document Preparation

Visa: Italian Schengen visa requiring an itinerary, flight/hotel bookings, proof of employment, and financial statements.
Currency: Euro (Italy/Austria), Czech Koruna (CZK), Hungarian Forint (HUF).
Payment: Credit cards are widely accepted; keep a small amount of cash as a backup.

Methodology Summary

This Five-Step Planning Method is infinitely repeatable: Set Dates → Plan Transit → Pick Stay → Audit Itinerary → Prep Docs It’s perfect for long-haul, multi-country European trips — efficient, stress-free, and immersive.

The Ramble

📖 Click to Expand: Read my full, unvarnished planning notes (Detailed Version)

This is the first post in the travel series. I usually finish the trip planning before applying for a visa. This way, I can accurately estimate costs and time, and judge the feasibility of the entire journey.

My travel planning is macro-to-micro, general-to-specific: First, select the destination and approximate travel dates, then determine the inbound and outbound transportation. From there, finalize the accommodation locations and durations, and ultimately decide the sightseeing order based on where I’m staying.

Note: Everyone’s travel goals are different, as are their health and energy levels. Adjust the itinerary to your own reality. For instance, if you have high stamina and don’t mind long walks, you can pick a hotel slightly further from the core sites to avoid the price hikes of tourist hotspots.

Itinerary Overview

City Country Duration Accommodation Area

Rome + Vatican Italy 3 Days, 2 Nights Guesthouse near Vatican

Florence Italy 2 Days, 3 Nights Near Florence Central Station

Milan Italy 0.5 Day N/A

Prague Czechia 4 Days, 3 Nights Near Praha 5

Vienna Austria 1.5 Days, 1 Night Near Neubau (7th District)

Budapest Hungary 2 Days, 3 Nights Near Erzsébetváros (7th District)

Total 14 Days, 13 Nights

(Specific city breakdowns and accommodation details will be in the upcoming posts for each city.)

Step 1: Confirm Feasibility

When starting a plan, the first thing is to define a general timeframe and decide if it’s a good time to visit. Avoiding the “wrong” season is crucial, otherwise, the experience suffers. Additionally, some landmarks aren’t open year-round. Confirming the status of “must-see” spots ahead of time prevents the frustration of showing up to closed gates.

My Approach: The 2026 Lunar New Year holiday was long, and by taking some extra leave, I could cobble together a decent trip. I settled on early to mid-February. February is the off-season in Europe, meaning cheaper flights/hotels and fewer crowds. Note: when I made this plan, I didn’t realize the Winter Olympics were about to happen in Milan, otherwise I might have adjusted slightly. Also, since I visited Greece during the 2025 holiday, travelling during the same window helped create a consistent record for the visa application.

Step 2: Transportation

Once the dates are set, nail down the inbound and outbound transit. For domestic trips, that’s trains or flights; for international, it’s the long-haul flights. Especially when involving multiple cities or countries, this step is critical. Unless you’re on a road trip, your actual arrival and departure dates are dictated by these logistics.

My Approach: The “must-visit” destinations for this trip were Rome and Florence. I found affordable direct flights to Rome with great timing, so I locked that in as the entry point. Since I had a long holiday, I decided to add a few more Schengen countries. To keep the budget in check, I focused on Eastern Europe where the cost of living is lower. The “Austria-Hungary-Czechia” trio is a classic combo with a distinctly different vibe from Western Europe.

After consulting the map and return flight options, I finalized the route: “Enter from Rome, head north to Florence, fly to Milan for a connection to Prague, head south to Vienna and Budapest, and fly direct from Budapest home.” No backtracking, no loops—the time and cost were reasonable. Within Italy, trains are the way to go (the earlier you buy, the cheaper). For the Prague-Vienna-Budapest leg, ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) is incredibly convenient, scenic, and efficient.

Step 3: Accommodation

Once the flights are booked, it’s time to think about where to sleep.

When picking a place, I balance safety, transit accessibility, distance to sights, noise levels, and price. I usually plot my “must-sees” on a map and pick a spot in the middle. This helps build a mental geography of the city during the booking process.

My Approach: Accommodation in Europe is quite different from China. We’re used to affordable chains, but in Europe, cheap chains are rare—instead, the guesthouse (B&B/Apartment) scene is incredibly rich.

Rome: The Vatican is a circus. To see it before the crowds arrive, I picked a guesthouse nearby. It was affordable and allowed me to be at the gates first thing in the morning.

Florence: The city is compact. I chose a hotel near the central station for easy train arrivals and departures.

Prague: Loads of options here, much cheaper than Italy or Vienna. I decided to stay an extra night (4 nights total). I picked a hotel in Praha 5. It was a steal, and even though it was a bit further out, the public transit was so efficient it didn’t matter.

Vienna: Hotels near the station were overpriced. I ended up in Neubau (the 7th District). This is Vienna’s “hipster” quarter—lots of designer shops, cafés, and a great cultural vibe.

Budapest: I chose a guesthouse in Erzsébetváros (the 7th District). The location is prime—it’s the most vibrant historic quarter, with ruin bars like Szimpla Kert and the Dohány Street Synagogue within walking distance.

Step 4: Audit the Itinerary

With transit, stays, and sights settled, I do a mental “simulation” of the trip to check for:

Is the pace too tight? Is the daily walking load realistic?

Is there public transit when I arrive? If I’m landing at night, are there night buses? If not, a taxi will spike the cost.

Do I need to pre-book anything for transit transfers?

My Approach:

Arriving in Rome at 7 AM. Customs and luggage take about two hours. By the time I take the airport express and check in, it’s noon. Quick bite, then sightseeing. Day 1 timing? Perfect.

Landing in Prague at 8 PM. Public transit is still running normally. No stress.

Flying home from Budapest at 11 AM. Landing in Beijing at 3 AM. Subways and buses are dead. I need to pre-book a Didi/ride-hail, or I’ll be stuck at the airport until dawn.

Step 5: Prepare Documents

International travel means visas. Follow the embassy requirements to the letter. Also, research the local currency: what do they use? Do you need cash? Are credit cards common?

My Approach:

Applied for a Schengen visa (Italy as the port of entry). Docs submitted: proof of employment, credit card statements, passport, household register, copies of previous visas, itinerary, transit/hotel bookings.

Currency: Italy/Austria use the Euro. Czechia uses the Koruna (CZK). Hungary uses the Forint (HUF). Cards and mobile payments are widespread in all these countries, so I only carried a tiny amount of cash just in case.

City	Country	Duration	Accommodation Area
Rome + Vatican	Italy	3 Days, 2 Nights	Guesthouse near Vatican
Florence	Italy	2 Days, 3 Nights	Near Florence Central Station
Milan	Italy	0.5 Day	N/A
Prague	Czechia	4 Days, 3 Nights	Near Praha 5
Vienna	Austria	1.5 Days, 1 Night	Near Neubau (7th District)
Budapest	Hungary	2 Days, 3 Nights	Near Erzsébetváros (7th District)
Total		14 Days, 13 Nights

Final Itinerary Visualization

To make this 14-day cross-border journey more intuitive, I’ve transformed the plan above into an interactive narrative map. Here, you can watch the transit icons move between cities in real-time while reading the travel notes for each stop. This is the ultimate visual result of my “Five-Step Planning Method”:

Interaction Tips:

Use the button in the top-right corner of the map to toggle between 3D Globe 🌍 and 2D Flat views.

The progress bar at the top provides real-time feedback on your current coordinate progress across the globe.