I guess it is since I’ve got into photography (about three years ago) that I’ve started looking around a little more and it allows me to take in the scenery. Throughout those three years, I’ve always had one place in the back of my mind that I knew I had to visit. Finally, just a fortnight ago, I made it to Iceland…

It was an incredible risk going in January. The four hours of sunshine a day and the possibility of constant rain and poor visibility could have spelt disaster. Fortunately, luck was on our side (again!) and apart from the odd bit of snow and rain in the mountains, the weather was pretty good.

I loved every minute of the trip and the photo opportunities were absolutely everywhere. Some highlights included standing on the edge of a volcano, climbing a glacier, walking behind a huge waterfall and navigating through geysers! The best part (to my surprise) was going to the Blue Lagoon. I really expected it to be touristy and over-crowded, but we decided to go on a night visit and the whole place was practically empty. To go for a swim when the weather was minus three degrees was unbelievable! As the lagoon is heated naturally, different parts are hotter than others, so we swam around with mud on our faces, trying to avoid any areas which were above 45 degrees! To top it off, it was the clearest night of the holiday and the stars and moon were clearly visible.

With such clear skies, I was counting on seeing the Northern Lights. However, this is one thing that I guess I’ll have to keep waiting for (and another excuse to go back to a Scandinavian country!)

My other trip was a one-night stop in Hamburg. I’ve only ever been to Germany as a young child and I thought it would be a nice change for New Year’s Eve to spend it abroad. I can’t say I was overly impressed with the city, but nothing could top the German countdown to 2006: “Drei! Zwei! Eins..!” It felt like I was on the frontline going into battle!

Regarding a chosen charity for the London Marathon in April, I’ve decided to run for The Parkinson’s Disease Society; it means a lot to me because of the history of the disease in my family. The money is put towards finding the cause and a cure, as well as helping those through it. I’ve registered on the following website: www.justgiving.com/carlobezoari, which allows people to sponsor me directly through the internet. I’m grateful for any donations!