iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 13h

Off for an autumnal beach trip! Lytham, Blackpool, Fleetwood and back on the bike 🚲🌊🏖️

Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Eurgh, it's still feeling really dark outside with the clouds. Oh well best get another coffee in me before heading out on a ride

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

And other days I can look like I've been dragged through a hedge backward

A smiling selfie with sweaty crazy hair in front of a field

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Well these are eye catching from Better Streets for Liverpool

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Watching ENG vs ENG. England are having a hell of an attacking second half

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Got a little turned around and ended up in Nevada somehow. Amazing how far you can go on a bike

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Managed to meet up for a portion of the return leg! But also managed to get !!! S O A K E D !!!

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Crap, woke up and awake from about half 2 last night, manged to get back to sleep at some point but now I've slept in and missed the cycling meet up 😢. Will try and meet them on the return leg

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Really struggling to adjust my body clock back to UK time. I know it's only 7pm but I'm definitely struggling to stay awake still.

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Thank you England for the wet welcome home! It was supposed to be monsooning when we were over there!

A weather forecast showing heavy rain for the next few hours

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Thank you India for your hospitality! I'm now officially exhausted and ready to stay still and not travel for a few days. Sat in the Hotel lobby waiting for my colleagues to get a 5am IST flight to arrive at 11am BST. Let's see if I can get some sleep on the flight.

A petal mandala with red rope and lantern in a hotel lobby

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Right, this is penultimate disorienting early morning wake up to get to an airport. Looking forward to getting a normal sleep cycle back. Mumbai here I come... again for the third time.

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Right it's my final day of onsite work today and I'm exhausted, early morning swim to give me a bit of a kick start. Another short night tonight with an early morning flight to Mumbai and guess I'll have to start writing up my notes.

A swimming pool surrounded by trees and grass

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The nightlife has picked up a bit more than last night! Trying to Google this to work out bird or reptiles

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Another exhausting day at work. My social battery is depleted! Third site visit and a whole group of new people to meet and talk with.

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Right the weekend of travel and culture is over, time to get ready and go back to work after a restless night of tossing and turning. Coffee time I think!

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Soldiering on through, try and do some none work things whilst it's still the weekend Trip up to the Ellora Caves for some beautiful carved temples (had to go by tuk tuk up the road as it was blocked to traffic.) Plus thankfully some behaving monkeys.

The carved exterior of cave 16, in Ellora

2 monkeys, one sat under a tree and the other walking

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Well that flight may as well have been a triangle! Feels alot less humid at 7am then it did by the coast in Daman and Mumbai. Absolutely shattered now, but the question is soldier on or have a cat nap!?!

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Well it's now 3am in the hotel lobby waiting for my colleague and the taxi to the airport. I shouldn't have tried to sleep as I'm feeling grumpy and groggy.

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Right time to finish my day off, with an expensive beer in the hotel lobby with some chill piano music, before I have to get up and out at 3am. This is all too classy, I think I'm bringing down the joint in my shorts and polo shirt.

A pint of lager, 2 bowl of nuts and crisps and a candle on a table.

A man in a green polo shirt holding a pint of beer

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Finally had a day of not travelling or working. Got a tour of Mumbai City for the day as it seemed a shame not to have a look around! Gateway to India, the Victoria Terminus station, the Dhobi Ghat open-air washing area, and the hanging gardens (built ontop of a water reservoir). Crazy city...

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Very much treating ourselves this evening, feel very much out of place..... Oryn at the Fairmont Mumbai

A man with a blue top smiling and feeling very out of place in a dimly lit restaurant

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Outskirts of Mumbai have been reached! The car horn chorus has begun! So next 50 minutes to go about 20km

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

And now a four hour drive to Mumbai,

Cream and terracotta Archway saying thank you visit again

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Well thank you Gold Beach Resort on Dekra Being for being our base camp for the last few days! 1/2 day on site and back to hotel No. 1 in Mumbai until our Flight to site 3 on Sunday.

A plate of fruit and Carbs and a cup of coffee with a sea view

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Always one of my favourite texts to receive

Thank you so much for donating on 11/08/2026. Your donation has now been issued to Leeds General Infirmary. Every donation counts.

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Today was a super long day of talking, mistranslations, understanding and then not understanding each other, diagram drawing and other stuff. So I figured, hey, I'll take a dip in the pool and have some liquid refreshment.

A photo of an outdoor pool under a cloudy sky

Half drank pint of beer on a bar with a pool in the background

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Second site visit in the area today, spoiled us with lunch again today. I think my sleep last night was measured in minutes so had an early dart to get the chance to do some cultural sightseeing. Some beautiful temples a short jolly up the coast.

Exterior of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Tithal a red stone temple with white marble flooring

Interior of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Tithal a red stone temple with white marble flooring

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

I think they must turn on the music at exactly the same time as we've got Yesterday playing again with the fake bird sounds whilst waiting for our taxi

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Yes it was a crazy long day yesterday and definitely could have slept better last night, they insist on playing music in the hallways and people slamming doors. But coffee (albeit nescafe) can try it's best to get me going! Plus saw this fella racing down the road, thankfully low driver's atm

Road cyclist travelling along seafront Road

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Well it's Tuesday and I have just about had enough sleep to function. Breakfast by the sea to start the day, then off to work. Should be an interesting day

A view of the sea there is a sea wall with arches and lampposts, a road and a balcony railing

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Right, now at my home for the next few days on the coast in Daman. The drive up was both terrifying and bone shaking, but did have some beautiful scenery and relaxed moments. Time for a quick power nap to settle my nerves. Try not to visit India in monsoon season if you can.

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

And it's definitely tomorrow now we've arrived st the hotel at 5am Just a taster of the driving here from the airport to hotel, but we've got a 5 hour drive tomorrow

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Right Mumbai, here I come!, 🛫 See you tomorrow

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Right time for some overpriced breakfast and caffeine

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Oh I hate this part... Waking up after a broken sleep far too early and trying to keep busy before the taxi hopefully arrives to take me to the airport.

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Right I'm pretty much packed, keep throwing the last few things in. Haven't packed for overseas in ages. Last thing get some downloads going. Anyone got some good series or films I should download? I've saved xmen 97 to binge on this trip so if there are any other suggestions?

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Currently thinking I've come up with a great idea, just go out and buy some new socks and underwear and pack those in my case for this work trip, they're contained so can easily be packed and I get a wardrobe refresh in one

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Well it's t-5days before I jet off on a work trip for 12 days to India that I don't really want to do. Its been 8 years since I last flew and probably another 6 before then and will have 11hrs to endure this time. Panicking about what to take and sure I'll overpack something

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Well here we go for donation number 21! (after my count got reset).

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Dragonfly just casually relaxing on top of a bamboo cane, keeps flying off and coming back.

A yellow dragonfly perched on a Bamboo cane

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Well might be banned from setting walking routes following OS maps for a little while. An a-maize-ing route

An overhead 360 photo of someone walking through a maize field

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Well this seems popular, a Brunch stop at Red Bank Farm in Newton-le-willows. After enjoying a chill ride up the Sankey Valley Canal

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Damn you garmin going for a software update as I attempt to go out for a ride. A chilled 46km bimble today I hope

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Does anyone have any experience with esims for travelling? I don't do much travelling and think I'll need to sort something out to avoid crazy roaming fees

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Mark On A Bike @mtonabike.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Bloody loads of cyclists being out and about one my drive home from work tonight.... Forcing me to practice and hone my patience and adjacent lane overtaking skills. Must have been held up by a total by 30 seconds. Bet the other drivers are annoyed that they had to see a proper overtake.

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