T minus 6 weeks

OK, so a quick summary of the facts:

• I'm off to Nepal on 6th April for 12 months
• I'll be helping set-up an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization - it's like a charity) for community development in a little village in the south of the country
• I'll be funding myself (there goes my house deposit...)
• I still can speak very limited Nepali - I am a tiger is the best phrase I have
• I've been given a sabbatical from work

Now the plan is, well, the plan is fairly flexible. Not quite non-existent, but slightly concerning.

Unfortunately the unbelievably beautiful country is being slowly strangled by political turmoil. There is currently a strike in the south of the country which is cutting off the fuel supply, petrol and cooking gas is in scarce supply all over. The elections are going to be on April 10th, so by the time I reach Nepal the country will be grinding to a halt with beefed up security and protests.

So, I am going to be playing it by ear a bit more. I have made contact with Engineers Without Borders, and it seems I might be able to help them a little. I'm trying to get contacts with the international NGOs that work in Nepal so I can understand them a little more before I leave. My teaching English course is still going on as a backup - I still have homework to do for it, which is quite disturbing. I don't remember being this slack in university or school.

My nepali sister is getting married on Friday. I feel rather bad as I promised to her I would be there when I got married, but I can't go over so soon before I go. However, I woke this morning with an idea. I have one and a half days leave left before Easter, so I thought I could fly to Nepal for the weekend and go to her wedding. Having got through all the stages of booking the ticket and about to enter my card details, I realised the folly in my plan. The cost of the flight was probably going to be my budget for 6 months out there. How could that be worth it. I still feel incredibly bad inside, but I must try and think rationally sometimes I suppose.

As for getting ready to go, I have nearly everything I wanted to get before I left. I have a bought myself a shiny new MacBook - I figured I wanted something I knew wouldn't crash unlike windows based systems and I love it now - a camera that doesn't eat batteries and my flight. Other things I need to get are:

• Anti-malarial tablets
• Travel Insurance
• A years supply of Immodium

So, everything is slowly getting together. I must sort out my life a bit better, get my Christmas thank you letters written, that have been sat here screaming to be written for the last 2 months, make sure I see everyone before I leave and figure out what to do with my car. Does anyone want a great little green VW Golf?

SAM