January started off with sickness slowing me down considerably early and again mid month, although I did manage to fit in a great hike at Leckhampton Hill, and day trips to Cirencester and Bath. It was also a emotionally frustrating month as I watched the U.S. political turmoil from afar. There’s always the good to focus on though, as my trip to Porto, Portugal was one of my favorite I’ve done thus far – look for posts on it in February.

Destinations visited:

London, Cirencester, and Bath, England

Porto, Portugal

Favorite destinations:

Bath, England – My friend Karen and I enjoyed a chilly day in Bath exploring the Roman Baths, taking in the Georgian architecture, and trying our first Sally Lunn bun.

Porto, Portugal – Between the port wine cellars, colorful architecture, and delicious food in Porto, it’s one of my new all time favorite destinations. Posts on my trip to Porto to come in February.

Highlights:

Falling in love with Porto – Although I only had just under four days to explore Porto, I quickly fell in love with the city’s vibrancy and port wine. I’d love go back again to explore the city more in depth and get out to the Douro Valley.

Challenges:

Getting sick – I got really sick twice this month which completely knocked me out some days and forced me to slow down my travels a bit. I’ve been doing better now to try to take care of myself and boost my immune system.

U.S. political turmoil – The small bit of optimism I had for Donald Trump’s presidency has quickly eroded. I’ve spent the latter half of the month feeling outraged, and it’s been hard to watch what’s going on in my hometown of Washington, D.C. from afar.

Posts:

How To Avoid Getting Sick While Traveling – Tips I’ve researched on how to avoid getting sick!

Hillside Brewery: Views and Brews in the Forest of Dean – I loved being a guest at Hillside Brewery’s beautiful property and enjoying their delicious brews.

A One Day Walking Tour of Prague, Czech Republic – If you’re short on time but want to see the best of Prague, this is how.

All Roads Lead to Cirencester, England – My visit to the former Roman town of Cirencester.

Is It Good to Be a Lazy Traveler? – How I’m taking a step back from over planning my trips this year.

Hiking in the Cotswolds: Leckhampton Hill – My hike on Cotswolds Way, taking in the the scenery from Leckhampton Hill and Devil’s Chimney.

Meet Houssaine: The Story of a Disabled Tourist Guide – My interview with Houssaine, the owner and head tour guide at Disabled Tourist Guide, a tour company in Morocco.

24 Hours in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love – A recap of some off the beaten path things I did with my family in Philadelphia.

Coming up in February 2017:

Early February will be fairly quiet with no major travel plans, but halfway through the month I’ll be picking up the pace and embarking on a ten day route through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Mark will begin the trip with me in Lithuania, while Latvia and Estonia I’ll be tackling solo.

Where is your February taking you?