After a January that dragged on, February seemingly flew by. Early and mid month were spent laying low in England, with a day trip to Evesham and staycation in Cheltenham. Things got busier later in the month though as I flew to the Baltics for a nine day adventure through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia – look for coverage on that trip this month. Overall February was a lot better than the start of my year; after starting to take daily vitamin C pills it seems my immune system has improved as I didn’t get sick at all.

Destinations visited:

London, Evesham, and Colesbourne, England

Vilnius, Lithuania

Riga, Latvia

Tallinn and Lahemaa National Park, Estonia

Favorite destinations:

Tallinn, Estonia – Tallin’s Old Town was so picturesque that it was hard to not like it. I greatly enjoyed wandering around the city in the snow and taking in its history.

Lahemaa National Park, Estonia – Wanting to venture outside Tallinn, I did a day tour to Lahemaa National Park. Here I was able to see Estonia’s largest waterfall, go for a walk through a bog, visit former fisherman villages along the Baltic Sea, and explore an abandoned Soviet Union submarine demagnetization base.

Highlights:

Exploring the Baltics – A totally new area of Europe for me, my journey through the Baltics was eye opening to what life in the former Soviet Union was like and how far these countries have come since then. I enjoyed walking around the Old Town of each of the Baltic capitals and getting some quality relaxing in.

Not getting sick – After being sick for almost half of January, I vowed to do what I could to try to improve my health and immune system. I started taking daily vitamin C pills, and have been trying my best to follow the guidelines I wrote in How To Avoid Getting Sick While Traveling.

Challenges:

Hostel issues – A hostel I stayed at this month in London had uncomfortable beds and not enough toilets/showers, which led to me not sleeping well and feeling stressed out. I ended up checking out of the hostel with one night left and moving to a hotel instead.

Posts:

O-Porto! A Photo Essay of Porto, Portugal – Porto is a beautiful city that I feel is criminally underrated. See why in this photo essay.

Evesham, a Worcestershire Market Town – A day trip to Evesham, a town in Worcestershire on the River Avon, and how I learned what an almonry is!

A Staycation at the Cotswold Grange Hotel in Cheltenham – Mark and I’s early Valentine’s staycation at the lovely Cotswold Grange Hotel was just the retreat we needed.

A Preview: Noelle Across The Pond in the Baltics – A preview to my late-February trip traveling through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

Top Nightlife Areas in Washington, D.C. – A nightlife guide to my hometown of Washington, D.C.

Riding with Lux Express: Traveling Through the Baltics – My experience on Lux Express buses in the Baltics.

Coming up in March 2017:

This weekend Mark and I are heading north to Glasgow, Scotland for the weekend to visit friends. Mid-month my friend Karen and I are hiring a car for a day trip in the Cotswolds; I’m excited to show her the area of England I’ve come to love. Later in the month will be quiet and spent at home as I get ready for a hectic month of travel in April!

Where is your March taking you?