India Day 8
Palaces of Jaipur
Today was all about seeing many sights in Jaipur over the space of the morning. It was of course, a very a hot day.
India Day 7
The Pink City
Most of the day would be taken by travelling from Ranthambhore to Jaipur, but I did venture out into the furnace to explore a little.
India Day 6
Tigers of Ranthambhore
To me, today was the most important day of the trip. It was my one chance to see tigers on this trip, and the main reason for my choice of India for this holiday. It would be a very hot and tiring day, but with a bit of luck, it'd be a successful day.
India Day 5
Taj Mahal
Today was the first of the two sights I'd travelled to India to see: the Taj Mahal. My experience of India so far had been busy, and crowded, but I still held out some hope that I'd be able to get people-free photographs of this historic monument.
India Day 4
The Red Fort of Agra
A new day, a new city - this would be the place I'd spend the least time, so I needed to make the best use of it.
India Day 3
Old and New Delhi
My first full day in India, and my last day in Delhi. It was clear this would be a fast moving trip, but just how much photography would I manage? I hoped I'd find ways of taking photographs without people in them, and find interesting shots all over.
India Day 2
Akshardham Temple
My arrival in India was off the back of very little sleep overnight, into a day of light tourism. There'd be no resting yet!
India
Trip Planning
Sixteen years after my first visit, I was going back to India as a tourist mainly in the hope of seeing tigers.
Prague
A Bohemian City
For the penultimate step of our Super Half journey, we were heading to Prague. This Bohemian city, rich in history and culture, felt like the perfect destination before tackling our first marathon of the year. Carmen had visited many years ago but remembered very little; perhaps returning would jog her memory. As for me, I had never been before, so I was especially excited to explore its cobbled streets. I particularly enjoyed watching YouTube videos about the city whilst researching, and was ready to see it for myself.
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Valencia
City of Joy and Valor
The fourth city in our Super Half journey would be our second of 2025, and a much needed break after a busy year. As the race day approached, Carmen started to feel her foot play up again, and Valencia experienced torrential downpours. We'd expected this trip to be a warm one, maybe too warm for running in; but in getting better running weather could this trip be a washout like Limassol had been? Would we experience race day conditions like Larnaca? It was hard to know for sure, but what we could be sure of is we'd have a good time. Our plans for each day, other than collecting our race numbers and race day, were pretty fluid, with only a list of sights for guidance. The only other exception was midweek when we'd have an organised tour to Peñíscola - the first time we'd have been on an organised tour together. I hoped it was something Carmen would enjoy so it's something we could consider for future trips as well so we wouldn't need to visit places under our own steam. The sun, paella, and churros were calling us...
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Lyon
EuroGames 2025
My third time visiting France, and only the second city I've visited there. This was an unexpected chance to explore a little more, whilst also being around to support Carmen as she competed in the EuroGames 2025. It was a last minute choice to go with her, but that didn't stop me from doing my usual research to make sure I'd be prepared for what there is to see… -- Albert Thibaudet, French essayist
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Rwanda
The Land of a Thousand Hills
My fourth Impact Marathons adventure was a trip to Rwanda where we would learn about the work Chance for Childhood do in communities there, the conservation work of the Rwandan Wildlife Conservation Association, and others. Together the projects we visited would build a picture of what problems Rwanda faces, and how people can help them. To round the week off, we'd run a warm marathon, starting around midday, in the land of a thousand hills. It'd be the sort of challenge that would be worth as we took on amazing views of the country along the way. It was certainly a trip that will be memorable… -- Lamin M. Manneh
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Berlin
Bach Again
In the year that would see the 275th anniversary of the death of Johann Sebastian Bach's, we would be heading to Berlin for the half marathon. Would J.S. Bach's quote about Berlin ring true for us also, in that it would be a productive trip for us? It had the potential to be our fastest Super Half race yet with an incredibly flat course. Familiarity of the city would also help me be tour guide for us over this long weekend.
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Cyprus
A Country Divided Part 3
I didn't expect to be going back to Cyprus for a third time; though the timing of the marathon there, and knowing the conditions for it there would be warmer than in the UK made it a good choice. Carmen would be pacing the half marathon there for the second year running, and I'd be doing my first Cypriot marathon. It'd be my second time seeing Cyprus in a November, and seemed like a good way to finish the year…
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Denmark
Hygge and Running
At the start of our Super Halfs journey, we set off for Copenhagen to do the first in this six race series that spans Europe. It was a chance for us both to explore a city neither of us had been to before, and to also visit the home of LEGO. Unexpectedly between booking this one, and traveling, we'd had a short holiday to Vienna first so already had a taste of what it'd be like to go on a sightseeing holiday together. This trip felt like it'd be a little more adventurous, and would have considerably more running and sightseeing as we'd be travelling between two cities for this trip, with the potential for a third.
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Vienna
City of Music
Vienna, the capital of Austria, and once the heart of the so-called Holy Roman Empire. Its history dates back to at least 500 BC, and was named Vindobona by the Romans in the first century CE. Fast-forward a thousand years, and more settlers later, this area of the Eastern March had become Austria. It was the home of the Babenburg dynasty, and then the Habsburg emperors. It has been the capital of the Austrian empire, then the Austro-Hungarian empire, and during the second world war lost that status as it was absorbed into Nazi Germany. It wasn't until after the war that Vienna regained its status, as the capital of the Republic of Austria. It was however, similar to Berlin, split into four and occupied by the UK, the US, France, and the Soviet Union. The difference with Vienna was that it wasn't divided by walls, and the central area (Innere Stadt) alternated control from month to month. Eventually it was agreed all four powers would leave Austria, and they would agree to remain neutral and not part of NATO. Today, Austria is part of the European Union, and the United Nations, but remains separate from NATO. It being part of the EU, and them having adopted the Euro would make it easier for visiting and reusing currency. It was to be my second city along the Danube in consecutive years, and the first time me and Carmen would visit an International city together that neither of us had been to previously.
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Hungary
The Beautiful Blue Danube
Budapest is a city my sister has wanted to visit for several years as she thought "the buildings look cool". Having changed my mind about returning to Greece just yet, I decided this would be a good opportunity to go with her, and see some of Hungary - beyond just Budapest. Neither of us expected a visit to Slovakia though.
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