October was a great month filled with lots of time with friends and family. Early in the month Markie and I celebrated his 10th birthday stateside, and I got to catch up with all my friends from home that I hadn’t seen in several months. Later in the month my sister and her friend came to visit London for a week, so I played tour guide to them and showed them the best of the city. I also was able to squeeze in a weekend to the Lake District mid-month, a stunningly scenic area in northwestern England.

Destinations visited:

London, England

Herndon, Reston, Sterling, Virginia, USA

Shepherdstown, West Virginia, USA

Lake District, Cheltenham, Windsor, Oxford, and Stonehenge, England

Favorite destinations:

Shepherdstown, West Virginia – I wasn’t expecting much when I planned a short getaway to stay in an RV in Shepherdstown, but what I found was a historic small town with quaint cafes, cute shops, and lively restaurants.

Lake District, England – If there’s anywhere in England I can recommend for mountainous and lake scenery, it’s the Lake District. I was spellbound at how beautiful the area was, and wish I had had more time there.

Highlights: 

A trip to the U.S. – After not stepping foot in the U.S. for five months, I went back to visit friends and family in early October. I had a great time catching up with everyone and also celebrating Markie’s 10th birthday stateside! An added bonus was my mom buying pumpkin everything for my stay.

The stunning beauty of the Lake District – A truly beautiful region of England, I highly recommend visiting if you like nature and hiking.

My sister visiting me in London – My sister and her friend flew in from Wisconsin for a nine day trip to visit me in London. I loved showing them around the city!

The Redskins game in London – Pretty much as soon as I knew I was moving to London in February I bought tickets for my hometown team, the Washington Redskins, game in London. Even though it ended in a tie, I had a great time at the game.

Challenges:

Jet lag and getting sick in the U.S. – Due to a mix of jet lag and feeling a bit sick early in my U.S. trip, I struggled to stay up past 10pm each night, and kept waking up super early each morning.

Posts:

A Visit Home – Pumpkins, Birthdays, Family & Friends – A recap on my nine day trip to the U.S. where we celebrated Markie’s 10th birthday and I enjoyed all things pumpkin.

My Top 10 Favorite London Restaurants – Not all London restaurants are created equal; find some of London’s best in this post.

Photo Essay of the Lake District, England – A photo essay of the Lake District, a beautiful area of northern England with stunning scenery.

Tips for Staying Safe Abroad – My tips on the steps I take to stay safe abroad as a female who often travels alone (or alone with Markie).

Coming up in November 2016:

Visiting Luxembourg with Mark – In early November Mark and I will head to Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a small country and perfect to tackle as a weekend getaway. We will be staying in the capital, Luxembourg City, to explore a bit and are doing a day trip out to the Moselle Valley, a wine region in Luxembourg.

A weekend jaunt to Prague – How Prague has eluded me for so long is beyond me, as I’ve heard nothing but great reviews of it from those who have been. I’ll be doing a weekend there towards the end of November.

Where’s your November taking you?