It was still quite dark and a chilly breeze along with light rain greeted me as soon as I stepped my hotel. Though not - particularly a morning person and definitely not someone very fond of the rain, I was humming along cheerfully.
No, it was not a song from a popular Hindi movie, instead it was the background score of the epic film, Chariots of Fire. Almost from the moment that I had woken up that day, this tune had gotten glued to my mind and for a very good reason. After all, I was about to witness the first Marathon in my life and for me, a marathon race is Chariots of Fire and vice versa.
The film that had depicted the hard training, the struggles and the challenges that any athlete faces, was one of the most inspiring movies that I had ever seen and what made that day so special was that I was about to witness and even participate in a similar climax in real life.
We were in Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, in South-Eastern Australia at the invitation of SriLankan Airlines, the flag carrier of Sri Lanka, which offers convenient connections from various Indian cities to Melbourne, via Colombo.
The SriLankan Airlines was the Title Sponsor for the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival, which features several races of varying distances, from 10-km to 5-km run to the full Marathon and a 3 km walk as well, to round off the races offered as part of the festival.
SriLankan has been associated with the Melbourne Marathon since 2017. The airline says that as an iconic event in Australia and since the country is all about outdoors, the Melbourne Marathon Festival is its key marketing and branding promotion.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November - December 2023-Ausgabe von India Outbound.
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La Mamounia is an oasis for travellers
In order to cement its foothold in the Indian market, Moroccan luxury resort La Mamounia, located in the picturesque town of Marrakech, recently organised a visit to Mumbai and Delhi, engaging with top-tier travel industry partners from India. General Manager Pierre Jochem tells India Outbound that the resort, which recently completed 100 years, is targetting the Indian visitors seeking to explore Morrocan art, culture and heritage, besides its captivating beauty.
Africa has come a long way as travel destination for Indians
The perception of Africa as a tourism destination has come a long way in India as travellers from India have gone beyond safaris to discover other elements that make travel to Africa attractive. The change is not just amongst Indian tourists, but destinations have also learnt more about their Indian clients and are taking steps to customise their offer to the Indian visitors, writes Alpa Jani, Founder, Ace Connect, a tourism marketing company.
ASCENIC RAIL TRIP ACROSS BALKANS
A rail journey through the Western Balkans, from Serbia's vibrant capital Belgrade to the culturally rich Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a more tranquil, scenic way to explore the region's breathtaking mountains, lakes and historical towns at a leisurely pace.
Shahnaz Husain's cool tips for skincare during travel
Celebrity beautician and hair care expert Shahnaz Husain tells India Outbound on her secrets for skin-care and hair-care while travelling.
Plovdiv: Timeless jewel in Bulgarian crown
With a history spanning over two millennia, Plovdiv is not only one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe, but also a vibrant conduit linking Bulgaria's past and its present.
Navigating Natural Wonders of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
For us city dwellers, even the sound of a cuckoo might seem exotic. So now imagine discovering a vastness filled with shifting dunes and interlaced emerald lagoons.
Explore the Jewel of Southern Spain, Seville
Home to one of the largest historic centres of Europe and three world heritage sites, the stunning city of Seville, located by the picturesque Guadalquivir River in southern Spain, offers tourists an experience rich in history, culture, art, gastronomy and much more.
UPI IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS A GAME CHANGER FOR INDIAN TRAVELLERS
Having revolutionised digital transactions in India, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is now expanding globally. After tepid beginnings in the immediate neighbourhood, UPI is gaining acceptance in many countries making a win-win for Indian tourists and businesses overseas that are increasingly eager to tap the burgeoning Indian outbound travel market.
Debuting at COP29, can tourism lead march towards curbing carbon emissions?
Tourism will make its debut in global climate change negotiations in the next round of discussions, COP29, that opens in Baku later this month. So far, the discussions have spectacularly failed to produce any notable outcome, besides platitudes and numerous missed commitments. The global tourism industry has a golden opportunity to lead the way and show the world the true path to curbing carbon emissions. But the sector's own record in this aspect is hardly blemishless.
Bintan Island: SEESE
A haven of nature, with thriving flora and fauna, the Indonesian island of Bintan, that is barely an hour away from Singapore by ferry and comes with easy visa regimes, is an ideal extension for any Indian visitor to Singapore, looking to add a touch of wilderness to the experience.
