October is one of my favourite months of the year, because all the leaves in the trees turn orange and red, the weather is “cosy cold” – as opposed to freezing cold – and it is also my birthday month. This year, it was very busy but at the same time amazing!
My favourite things about this month:
- Nature: despite my love for Summer and flowers in general, one of my favourite things about Autumn is the passing of this season in nature, and the golden shades that trees and plants take at this time of the year. It is usually at this time of the year that I want to explore nature a bit more, to see the changing colours of the trees and enjoy the sound of crunchy leaves under my feet. Autumn is very nice here in Belgium, but it is stunning in Canada, which I was lucky enough to go to this year too!
- Spending time with friends and family: Summer was busy for a lot of people, so this month, there was a lot of catching up to do with friends, over a nice restaurant, coffee or brunch, or just simple walks. I also spent half of the month with my sister and her boyfriend, and got to spend time with my mum too, which is quite a rare thing to do when you’re an expat, so I enjoyed these moments even more!
- Seasonal stuff and Autumn atmosphere: colder – and sometimes rainier – days call for all sorts of cosy things, from warm and soft blankets, fluffy socks, earthy pumpkin-based meals, delicious drinks and scented candles. I love the atmosphere and colours of Autumn, so this month I tried to make the most of it – and I’ll keep doing so thanks to my Autumn bucketlist!
My latest trips and adventures
- Autumn in Canada: Just like last year, I managed to go to Canada to see my sister in Montreal. With my boyfriend and my mum, we stayed at her and her boyfriend’s place in the city, and spent a long weekend in a nearby National Park to check out the foliage and beautiful nature. I loved discovering this new area of the Quebec region (last year, we went to the Eastern Townships) and rediscovering Montreal – which I have grown to love more and more! I can’t wait to share a bit more about this trip on here!
- Going to Los Angeles! After our week in Canada, me and my boyfriend went to Los Angeles with my sister and her boyfriend, and it was a fantastic week! It was my first time going to the US, and a city that I had always been very curious to discover. We did so many things that I couldn’t possibly sum up here, but I’ll definitely write up a post about this soon (I hope)!
Hobbies and distractions:
- Reading: After a Summer spent going from one hobby to another, this month was mostly focused on reading. Maybe it’s because of the cosy atmosphere of this month or the long flights and waiting times at the airport, or even just the books that I am reading, but I’ve been reaching for my books a lot more – and I hope I’ll keep this habit for the rest of the year and the following one!
- My travel journal: I write down each trip that I go on in my travel journal, and I usually do it every evening during the holiday. However, I had missed many days this summer and I had a lot to catch up on before my trip to Canada, so a huge portion of my weeks prior to the trip were spent writing down what I did in Greece and Portugal earlier this year. Then, when I was in Canada and Los Angeles, I managed to keep a pretty regular routine and I only have the last two days to write down!
General thoughts:
There were a lot of exciting and new things happening in October, in all areas of my life, and with the last two weeks of holidays I have mainly felt incredibly grateful to be able to afford and have everything that I do. These past few months have also been really busy and as this was my last big holiday of the year, I am also longing for calmer weeks and going back to a nice routine in my place.
Looking forward to:
- A quiet month: I have absolutely nothing planned for the month of November, so it will be a time for relaxing, slowing down and – hopefully – eating a lot of pumpkins, reading many books and watching great movies. I can’t wait!
How was October for you? What are you looking forward to?
Also published in October of previous years:
My favourite things about summer in the South of Italy
– Day & Night at the Alcazar of Seville
– The Dubrovnik City Walls
Sunny Days with Juliette 
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