I initially titled this post MM Monthly Thoughts October. Oops. Shows you where I am with my thinking of this year. It’s gone way to fast for me, although it appears some people think it can’t be over soon enough!
Destination of the month:
Almería, Spain – 30 days
That’s right, this month I went to a grand total of ONE place! Well technically I was in Madrid on the 1st of November, travelling back to Almería, but I won’t really count that. How can I be a travel blogger if I don’t travel you might wonder? Well, after travelling basically every month this year I decided to have a little break. Sometimes it’s nice to stay in one place and remind ourselves why we actually love to travel, and not just travel for the sake of it.
I have always travelled more through living abroad. Although Spain may be my home for now, it’s still a relatively new place to me. Staying in one place for the month has meant living at a slower pace and being able to say yes more when friends want to do something on the weekend, a definite bonus when you’re trying to make friends abroad. As an English teacher abroad I also prepare students to take English exams, and most of my students have an exam coming up in December so I’ve had plenty of work on the side to keep me busy!
Lowlights of November
If you read my post about travelling to Madrid, or October’s Monthly Thoughts then you’ll know that I’m applying for a visa to move back to the United Kingdom. As a serial expat visas have been a part of my life for a long time, but this one is probably the most important, given that it’s going to allow me to get married in the UK and live there! Of course visas like this are not easy to get, and can take a long time to process. They do give an indication of how long it may take but of course there are exceptions, and it appears that I’m one of them! I’m hanging on tenterhooks waiting for it to be processed, and it has been driving me a bit crazy. Turns out I am not a very patient person, but I’m finding ways to deal with it. In the meantime, any advice is much appreciated!
Highlights of November
I may not have been anywhere else this month, but I’ve really enjoyed spending time in Amería. The weather has only just turned cold, and it’s nothing compared to the cold the rest of Europe seems to be feeling. It was actually 16 degrees when I was walking to work this morning. Don’t hate me though, it has been cold I swear!
I’m making the most of living in Almería while I can. There’s a beach, which makes for amazing sunsets like the one taken below from my yoga teachers studio. In Almería the tapas are free when you order a drink, and you get to choose from an extensive menu, plus I love having the time to sit in my favourite cafes. Eating cake of course!
Popular posts from November
I started the month off with a post about 12 Expat Jobs That Will Help You Travel The World and it’s been very popular! Would you want to do any of the jobs on this list? Or have you? I’d love to know about your experiences if you have.
It seems that I’m not the only one who loves brunch, as I asked travel bloggers to share their favourite brunch (or weekend lunch) and had a ton of great contributions to The Best Brunch Around The World. Have you tried any of these places? Or is there something you would add?
Other November posts
How to Save Money to Move Abroad (And How Much You Need) will be useful for anyone who wants to travel or move abroad and thinks they can’t afford it! I think we all know people like that.
Let’s Be Honest, Sometimes Solo Travel Sucks may be a more controversial post, but I wanted to share my honest opinion about how sometimes travelling solo isn’t the magical adventure that we are sold. BUT I also share some tips on what to do if you get lonely while you’re travelling solo.
The Ultimate Guide to the Top Free & Not So Free Things to Do in Edinburgh is exactly what it says it is, a HUGE guide on everything you should know about Edinburgh’s attractions, and one to bookmark for later if you ever want to visit (you should).
Staying on the Edinburgh track, An Unforgettable Experience: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is something I would highly recommend you check out for your bucket list! And no, I’m not telling you to go out and get a tattoo.
Visiting Madrid in Autumn & Falling in Love with Travel Again goes into a bit more depth about my experiences with solo travel, visas, and how sometimes we can get tired of travelling so much. But it also has awesome things to do in Madrid, and 3 Great Day Trips From Madrid gives you some more options of things to do. Have you been to any of those villages?
Top Instagram photo
A request of you…
I’m forever trying to find more great travel books to read! I’m terrible at reading novels because once I start I can’t do anything until I’m finished! When I travel I like to read books I can pick and and put down, but that share great stories about travel. For example, I love Bill Bryson books because he writes about his travels and different cultures and I can have a good laugh through a few chapters at a time. If you’ve read a great travel book lately, I’d love to know about it! Can you share your recommendations with me?
Sonja x
How was your month?
I really enjoyed Rachel Friedman’s “Good Girls Guide to Getting Lost” when I read it last year. A more chuckle-worthy book would be Helen Russell’s “The Year of Living Danishly” – expats everywhere can relate to a few of her points!
Thanks so much! I’ll add these to my list! I’m trying to read more books so need some inspiration :). I had heard of The Year of Living Danishly actually and been thinking about adding it!
Have you read any of Tony Hawks books – Round Ireland with a Fridge, Playing the Moldovans at Tennis? Or Tim Moore? Stuart Maconie’s stuff is good if you want to learn more about the UK before you move there permanently.
No I haven’t but that sounds perfect thanks!!! I’ll add them to the list 🙂