http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Dicki/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Dicki en-us Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:20:38 +0000 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:20:38 +0000 I know it's been absolutely ages since we completed the Three Marathon Challenge so long in fact that Summer has been and gone or so it would seem.This is just a very quick blog to thank each and every one of you that sponsored us. The response was overwhelming.The Just giving website closed last week and everybody was good to their word and paid up just as well really....I was a bit worried http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Crystal-Palace/blog-420060.html www.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeEvery time I bent down slightly I could feel a twinge in the rear of my legs. Not a great sign but one that I put down to fatigue. Running 52 miles in the space of 7 days is bound to have some sort of impact. As we arrived into Paris on the Saturday morning a pain in the legs wasn't exactly the ideal scenario.On arrival into Paris Ben Mark and I register http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-388810.html www.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeIt was pretty early when we crept out of the hotel keen to avoid another long winded conversation about partying with the hotel owners.We parked up Massimo the Skoda in Treviso's hideously overpriced airport carpark and hopped on the bus. One hour later and we were heading across a dual carriageway that connects Venice to mainland Italy. I was hoping for a sl http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-388776.html www.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeSlovenia was to be country number 5 in 11 days. We made a beeline for it's pretty and historical capital of Ljubljana. Having previously been here on holiday about 4 years ago it was my turn to lead the tour. Ahem that is just as soon as we got our bearings parked up continued on foot and found a hostel.The hostel was in a prime location overlooking the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Slovenia/Upper-Carniola/Ljubljana/blog-388556.html www.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeIt's often said that 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day'. Perhaps that explains why we were a tad hungry and disgruntled on arrival in Bratislava. Our hostel in Vienna had served up what appeared to be some form of prison food. As we scooped up our trays and sat down we spent the next 10 minutes working out what the gooey substance on our plat http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Slovakia/Bratislava-Region/Bratislava/blog-386180.html www.justgiving.com3marathonchallenge The break with Mark and his family had been just what we needed. Covering so much distance in such a short space of time was beginning to take its toll. Literally. To get to Munich we had to take a shortcut through Austria. We had a wee mix up at a service station that ended up costing us 2.50 euros we had to buy a vignette which is basically a pass to us http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Munich/blog-384743.html www.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeIt was ciao to Rome. Time was a valuable commodity and later that Sunday afternoon we set off towards the Adriatic Coast of Italy. Unsure of how far we would make it particularly as we were all a bit jaded we decided to play it by ear as to our destination for the night.We headed east along the motorway in a bid to reach the coast before dark pulling over http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/blog-384738.html www.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeAs Rich and I boarded our Ryan Air flight in Stansted I couldn't help but feel a little bit anxious about the challenge we were about to undertake. Not for the first time I felt a bit uneasy and pondered if I'd bitten off more than I could chew as we made our way up the steps and onto the plane it all seemed a bit too real. Where had the time goneWe made http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Rome/blog-384132.html Hi allWell it's crunch time people. Hopefully all these months of hard training and not drinking have paid off This weekend in Rome sees us attempt the first of our three marathons. Then the following weekend it's Bratislava and seven days later Paris.Before we fly off I just wanted to take this opportunity on behalf of Ben Rich and I to thank you all.When I came up with this idea I wasn't re http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/West-Norwood/blog-383195.html httpwww.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeAnother Sunday another early start. For the weekend warriors amongst you I'm actually starting to forget what a lie in is. At this present moment in time I seem to get out of bed earlier on Sunday mornings than I do in the weekI've not had the best of nights preparation. It was my mate Glenn's 30th birthday bash yesterday in Bath Happy Birthday bi http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Buckinghamshire/Milton-Keynes/blog-379982.html httpwww.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeThree weeks to go until the first Marathon and it was time to undertake our next big training challenge.Today would see us run 20 miles along the Kent coast. After the celebration of last weekends half marathon personal best I thought yeah why not lets just stick another 7 miles on top could be fun rightSo now Irsquom a proper athlete it was time http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Kent/Ramsgate/blog-379188.html httpwww.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeBrighton....it's always sunny in Brighton and today is no exception. As I sit on the train surrounded by dozens of other like minded runners making my way to the south coast I have to admit for the first time since I started this challenge I'm a little excited. I consider this to be a sort of homecoming run and another factor is that I know I'm gonna http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/East-Sussex/Brighton/blog-377507.html httpwww.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeHeyIt's been a few weeks since my last blog and i'm sure after the revelations of our Watford half marathon you are literally on the edge of your seats waiting for another exciting instalment.............are you sitting comfortably Good then I'll begin.Watford physically took quite alot out of both Ben and Myself. As I mentioned in the last blog we http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Crystal-Palace/blog-373087.html httpwww.justgiving.com3marathonchallengeIt's 8am as I jump out of my bed.....by stark contrast to last weeks run im feeling pretty good about this mornings run. Maybe it's because im not travelling as far this week maybe it's because its a couple of miles less on fairly flat terrain and as Ben is giving me a lift maybe its because I don't have to sit on a train listening to clubbers scream http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Hertfordshire/Watford/blog-369740.html 0730am Sunday 25th March 2009You got any rizzlas geez says the sunglass wearing fella in a hoarse voice that suggests he's made the most of his Saturday night. Sorry mate don't smoke comes my reply. It gets me thinking that my hoodiebeanie hat and tracksuit bottom combo might be giving off the wrong impression of me. Good thing I decided against the Burberry cap at the last minute befo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Essex/blog-367115.html Hey Up....I know what all you lucky subscribers are thinking and i'm guessing it falls into one of the following categories.....A Has that jammy bd gone away travelling again alreadyB What's he on about I haven't subscribed to anything well if I have your email address...toughC Man I really thought that we'd seen the last of these bloody annoying blogsWell unfortunately I haven't go http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/West-Norwood/blog-367072.html Well here we are gang.....the final travel blog. It's been a funny 9 months all in all. So many high points and yet one or two sobering moments.It's difficult at the moment to think that in just a few short weeks this will all be but a distant memory as I resettle into the working way of life.Indeed at times the travelling itself has seemed somehow like a job. The routine of staying in hostel http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/blog-310658.html After leaving La Paz it was time for another day in Lima whilst waiting for my penultimate bus ride. I managed to get well and truly reaquainted with black gold as enroute I remembered they had Starbucks in Lima. Normally i'd rather lick my own arsehole than put money in the pocket of the man ie global chains but when you've been drinking instant coffee and some dubious black syrup crap th http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Ancash/Huaraz/blog-308634.html After the cold and high altitude of Lap Paz and Huayna Potosi I was looking forward to getting back down to some warmth and having the ability to breathe at a normal rate again So after just two days rest in which I was still experiencing headaches etc the fallout from climbing Potosi was taking its toll I made my way to the airport in El Alto the highest part of the city of La Paz and jumpe http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Beni-Department/Rurrenabaque/blog-306098.html So after just 3 full days of acclimatisation in La Paz it was time to take up the challenge of Huayna Potosi. Those have have been reading the blogs will remember that Chris and I summited the Volcano Cotopaxi during our time in Ecuador which was a height of 5897 metres well HP offered an even stronger challenge with a summit that tops 6088 metres. At 19'973 feet its a shade under 20'000 f http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/Huayna-Potosi/blog-304063.html