The Road Within
I believe that if your future excites you more than your past, that’s when you’re still alive. Running events still excite me — not just the running, but the shared energy that surrounds them.
On Sunday, I stood at the start line among hundreds of runners of every age and ability — a true snapshot of humanity.
For me, it’s never about the speed down the road, but the road itself — the community, the quiet nods between runners, the cheers from the crowd, and the shared effort that binds us.
Comfort isn’t meant to be a permanent address. I don’t want it easy — I just want to experience running in its fullest sense.
When I look deeper, it gets more complex. I like taking part in races, but I don’t like racing — especially not against friends. My favourite running moment isn’t from a personal best or a finish-line photo, but from the day one Olympic Champion Brownlee brother carried the other across the line. That, for me, says more about the spirit of running than any medal or clock time ever could.
I’ve broken a few PBs this year, but never felt the need to ring the bell. The satisfaction fades almost as quickly as it arrives. So why do I run? Surely it must be a want, because it’s too difficult otherwise. Fitness doesn’t make it easier — it just means you go further or push harder, and somehow the balance of effort and reward stays the same.
I run to belong — to be part of the running community — and I’m prepared to endure the struggle for as long as the good Lord gives me the strength. Not everyone gets to make these choices, and I never take that for granted. Running, for me, remains a noble pastime — stretching, humbling, and filled with the most interesting of people.
Eating local
The produce here has been first class — from the well-stocked supermarkets to the colourful Saturday market in the centre of town. We’ve been cooking more than usual, enjoying the freshness of local ingredients, though there’s still time ahead to try a few of Catral’s restaurants.
Every Saturday morning, the heart of Catral comes alive with the sound of conversation, the scent of oranges, and the colour of stacked produce. It’s a classic Spanish street market — part shopping, part social ritual. Locals and visitors drift between stalls piled high with fruit, vegetables, olives, and warm bread, while nearby cafés fill with the clink of coffee cups and the easy laughter of friends catching up. It’s one of those places that reminds you how simple, unhurried moments often reveal the real character of a town.
Sunrises and Sunsets
This week has brought a few beautiful sunsets and interesting skies. In the past, I’d have been carrying a full camera and tripod setup to do them justice, but I’ve since traded the heavy gear for the superb, lightweight Leica Q3, which I now use handheld. It’s so light you hardly know you’re carrying it — yet it’s incredibly capable, as I hope the images from our resort pitch will show.
This doesn’t mean I’ve become any less interested with photography in any way , it’s just dawned on me that in the main you don’t take photographs for others, in a scrolling addicted world few have the inclination or time to study my work , so I take images that I want to look back on , either for memories or developing a skill.
The hill in the distance in the shot is called La Sierra de Callosa. There is Church at it’s base and it’s been on a favourite bike ride of ours for many years. At 1,870 feet feet we affectionately call it our mountain , interesting when you consider we have visited the Swiss and German Alps and the Dolomites which we love , but there’s something of us in this mountain it’s always felt soulful. We always visit it on each time we pass.
Our mountain rises steeply from the plain like a watchful guardian of the Vega Baja. Its sheer limestone face catches the morning light, turning gold and rose as the sun climbs. Locals speak softly of the mountain’s legends — of hidden Moorish treasure buried deep within its caves, and of strange lights that sometimes flicker on its slopes, guarding secrets from centuries past. Others say the shape of the ridge is that of a giant turned to stone, lying eternally above the town. Whatever the truth, there’s a presence here that feels ancient and alive — part myth, part memory, and entirely Spain.
This week we had visitors from above , I have always admired Hot Air Balloons as a photographic subject , check out this link if you share this passion for images - https://www.behance.net/gallery/150305847/Old-Buckenham-Balloon-Festival . They dropped in for breakfast, back from an early flight and landed with precision onto the resort car park. I think it was preplanned any way , but it sure came in fast.
It interested me how quick they deflated the balloon, so it wasn’t pulling the basket across the car park like a sail.
Five interesting facts about hot air balloons 🎈
The first passengers weren’t human!
In 1783, the Montgolfier brothers launched the very first hot air balloon flight in France — carrying a sheep, a duck, and a rooster .
Hot air balloons fly with the wind.
Pilots can’t steer balloons like airplanes — instead, they change altitude to find wind currents going in different directions. It’s all about reading the air and drifting with nature.The air inside is around 100°C (212°F)!
That’s roughly the temperature of boiling water. The hot air makes the balloon less dense than the cooler air outside, creating lift.The world’s highest hot air balloon flight reached 68,986 feet (21,027 meters).
That’s higher than most commercial jets fly! Achieved by Vijaypat Singhania in 2005 over India.Cappadocia, Turkey, is the world’s hot air balloon capital.
More than 100 balloons lift off on most calm mornings, creating one of the most photographed scenes on Earth.
Click on the thumbnails below to view the images as intended.
And that’s it from us for now. Life here has settled into a gentle rhythm — morning walks beneath clear skies, the chatter of the market on Saturdays, and evenings spent watching the light fade over the fields. It’s a slower pace, and one we’re happy to lean into for a while. Until next week, thanks for following along on our travels — wherever you’re reading from, may your days be calm, your coffee strong, and your sunsets memorable.
