The German Invasion - Berlin Marathon 2008

I knew that the years running around the housing estate slums of West London from the Rozzers would one day come in handy. The next challenge ahead in my ever complicated life, is shifting my 14 stone frame around the streets of Berlin in the forthcoming Marathon on the 28th September.

It's all John Honney's fault by the way. As you may have read about our chief organiser in my latest blog post "If it wasn't for John Honney...", he has assembled a team of a dozen QPR supporters to participate iin the Berlin Marathon for The Cambodia Trust - a charatable organisation he is currently working with in Pehnom Pehn.

Having being enlisted as a member of the said assembled QPR crew some 15 months ago, the fact that only five weeks to go has left me feeling panic with plenty of bowel movements.

I've set myself the modest target of raising £500.00 for The Cambodia Trust. To help me achieve this total I once again turn the the good people I call friends who have already this year dug deep that has seen my efforts in the Rickshaw Run and Mongol Rally raise over £6,000.
If you would like to chuck a small amount of coins into the hat, you can do so at my JustGiving webpage - The German Invasion

To help raise my set target I've also got a fully signed QPR shirt from the 2007/08 season, complete with signatures of the entire squad including Gigi De Canio, our manager at the time. This shirt is being auction on a supporters website, please get in touch if you would like more details.

Thanks again for your support!

Mark
Cambodia Trust Website
JustGiving - Mark Coughlan, The German Invasion

If it wasn't for John Honney.....

He's a pretty inspirational fella is my mate John. He's someone who should take a pretty hefty share for the inspration over the years and for the desire to travel that even to this day is what drives me.

I first met john back in 2003 over an cheeky ale in the Bush Ranger pub (RIP), what was then a pwopa boozer but now some pouncy Starbucks yuppy type called the "Dog pissing on stinging nettles" or something.
At the time John had just returned from his latest round the world trip, this time to South America and I was a fresh faced, disenchated youngster seeking more out of life, adventure and culture (as if Shepherds Bush didn't offer that).

John has (finally) got himself a website/blog which is a truely facinating read.

Without spoiling what I hope you will all read on his blog, John is currently working for The Cambodia Trust in the Cambodian capital, Phenom Pehn - Living life as it should be, getting the most out of it whatever is thrown at you.

I just hope that when I get *cough* as old as John, that I'm still fulfilling life to the max as he clearly is.

Have a good read - John Honney: Planet Honneywood

Life on the Edge: No Country for Young Girls?

Click here to view a trailer of the documentary: No Country For Young Girls?

Showing on BBC World News on Augsut 19th at 1930 GMT. Repeating at 1530 GMT on Thursday 21st August and at 0130 GMT on Friday 22nd.

As Vaijanti goes on a journey across India, she must decide if it's booming economy can offer her and her daughters a fair and prosperous future. Or will she decide that India is no country for young girls, and go back to her husband?
In the shadow of the Taj Mahal, Vaijanti must decide if she can leave her husband and make a life of her own.

Vaijanti, who's 27, fled her husband's home in the city of Agra, after a bitter row - she already had one daughter, and his family wanted her to abort another.

But Vaijanti decided she'd had enough - and went ahead with the pregnancy. Now she's living with her parents, and two young daughters. But with no income of her own, she's undecided whether to go back to her husband or not.

Vaijanti wants to know if things are as bad for girls in the rest of India - why are so many families determined not to have girl children?

If India is one of the world's booming economies - thanks to its embrace of globalization- aren't these old-fashioned prejudices dying out?

As 'Life' takes Vaijanti on a journey across India, she must decide if its booming economy can offer her and her daughters a fair and prosperous future.

Or will she decide that India is no country for young girls, and go back to her husband?

Before the Rains

Before the Rains - a beautifully shot film against the stunning Kerela, South Indian backdrop. No longer in the cinema but a copy of the film should be easy enough to pick up from Southall.

Directed by Santosh Sivan, Before the Rains is set in 1930s colonial India and stars Linus Roache as Henry Moores, a spice grower who's desperate to finish building an important road before Monsoon season begins. Henry is also having a passionate affair with his young housekeeper, Sanjani (Nandita Das), which he has to hide from the local villagers because of her arranged marriage to the vicious Rajat (Lal Paul).

However, Henry's bliss is short-lived, first because his wife Laura (Jennifer Ehle, lovely as ever) arrives from England with their young son in tow, and secondly because Rajat's discovery of Sanjani's affair puts everyone's lives in danger. Seeking refuge, Sanjani turns to Henry for help, but he's desperate to hide the affair from Laura, so he asks his right-hand man, T.K. (Rahul Bose) to help Sanjani get to safety, with disastrous results.

Before the Rains website

Mark Coughlan Photography - New business cards

As the website got a facelift, it was as good a time as ever to have some new business cards printed to promote my work as a photographer and the website itself.
As you will see from the sample above, I chose the striking image of the women who had fainted after praying to exocise evil spirits, demons, torments and seek redress at the temple of Sufi Saint, Bahadur Shaheed in Varanasi, India.

Image the Earth website - re-designed!

Just prior to departing on the Mongol Rally, my website went through a bit of a re-design.
For those that haven't yet seen the new layout, if you could reward my hours of work and have a look at the new look website it would be very much appreciated!

You will see an "Add this" link, which enables you to share and bookmark my website as one of your favourites and through social networking sites such as Facebook, Digg, Myspace and many more.

Any views, comments, suggestions are as always very welcomed!

Image the Earth - Mark Coughlan Photography!