Last of the Jabs...

Well that's me all done. I've picked up the Malaria tablets too so I'm ready to go. 

Thing is, I have no idea what I'm going to be seeing over there. Kenya airways give you a baggage allowance of two 23 kg cases, and I have filled mine with some gifts for Donatien, his brothers and sisters and some stationery and notebooks etc. All that i can carry for his school. 

I don't know whether I'm being patronising and my few items are just a drop in the ocean, and I don't know whether the school has ample supplies and are just going to humour my daft effort. The latter would be fine, I just don't want to offend anyone. I guess my intention of this visit is to understand what Action Aid are trying to achieve in Burundi and where me and my community in the UK can help a similar community in Burundi. 

I am also very nervous about offending Donatiens parents. They have to deal with this do gooder turning up with some gifts for their kids... what right do I have to impose myself on these people. Really. I have some spare income, yes but does that give me the right to prance over to Burundi dishing out gifts? No it doesn't in the slightest, but I can't turn up empty handed either. I've bought some things for the kids and some stuff for the school but I have no idea how I should handle this. I think I'm going to be relying on Josias quite heavily when I am over there.

I love to travel, always have done, and am so looking forward to seeing another country. No where near all of this visit is 'for charity', I'm looking forward to enjoying the culture and non-culture of a new part of the world. The language fascinates me, I'm rubbish at it and hug my 150 page phrase as a Christian would their bible... That's the next thing. I'm not a religious man at all but am heading into a very Christian community. I'm bound to get something wrong there too.

Maldon Mud Race 2013

6 of us from work did the Maldon mud race last weekend raising a bit of money for Epilepsy Research UK.

It's got to be said that was one of the best days I've had in a long time. We were so lucky with the weather, we had 21 degrees, sunny day to do the 400m run across the estuary at Maldon.

The team.. Craig, Ruhul, Helen, Richard and Speedy and myself were superb. We had dressed up as clown's as the event encourages fancy dress. A great effort from a great team and it's got to be said that these guys are some of the best I've ever worked with. A cracking bunch.

We managed to get photos in many of the online papers including; The Telegraph, The guardian, Metro, BBC, France24 and as far a field as the New York Daily News!

Metro - me giving Ruhul a hand up the beach.

We raised over £900 in the end for Epilepsy Research. A great choice of charity from Helen who was diagnosed with it herself 10 years ago. Helen did remarkably well as the only lady on the team she had no worries about getting stuck in and didn't act 'like a girl' once!

We had great support from other members of the team from work with Bindu, Lee, Richard and Lori cheering us on from the side line. It was great to see so many friends out.