May of 2024. That is the date of this blog's most recent post, so it is definitely time to get back on track! I'll use my summer's worth of photos and related thoughts to do this, starting in June and ending in August.

June

Another flight takes off in June, this time headed towards Manchester, a new city for me. Even though I'm only visiting for the weekend, the wonderful weather and delicious food make my stay much more enjoyable. Of all the sights to visit, the theatre of dreams—Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium—can't be definetely missed.

For the first time since I moved here two and a half years ago, my parents visited me in Cork in June. I was able to take four days off from everything and make the most of my time with them. We also experienced four days in a row of incredible blue skies, which must be some sort of miracle. How could you enjoy a few days off better?

July

July's turn indicates that I have another race coming up: a trip back home along the mountain trails where I grew up. I usually run on flat courses in the streets, so this event presents a challenge for me. I make it to the race morning, unscathed by the Italian bureaucracy's best efforts to keep me from running. The weather then tries to dash my hopes: intense rain and dense fog cause the race organisers to alter the course; we still ran the same distance, but the variation in elevation was far less than it had been originally. In any case, I do complete the task on my own two feet in a time that is more than satisfactory, marking one more thing off my to-do list. 

There's still time for another weekend getaway with my regular travelling companions, Valeria, Nathalie and Mar, before the end of the month, which would signify my 30th birthday. We decide to go to the Old head of Kinsale, a stunningly expansive location with an unobstructed view of the cliffs and the ocean.

August

I'm thirty years old, happy birthday to me! Is there a better way to commemorate them than boarding another plane to return home and spending the next few restless nights in a cabin surrounded by trees with your closest and most loved ones?

There's still time to squeeze in two more excursions around Cork's surroundings to round off August. The first one heads towards Ballyannan Woods, which is close to Midleton.

For the second one, the destinations are Ardmore. White Bay beach and Inch Beach. Three seaside spots to take in the final summer sceneries away from the lights of the city.

With plenty of travels, experiences shared with loved ones, and new locations explored, this journey marks the end of my summer of 2024.