Preparations

With only 12 days to go until I travel to Freetown I have a lot to do!

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I went to Nomad travel clinic in Southampton last week to get Lariam anti-malarial medication for my trip, but there was bad news.......there is a shortage of Lariam in the UK and they could only supply me with 6. I had one left over from the last time I took it, but that still left me three short of the total I need. Luckily my friend Rach has a few spare she's going to let me have! All my vaccinations are up to date so fortunately I didn't have to have any jabs.

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Last week I posted off my passport and visa application, so that should come through in plently of time. Fortunately by CRB check is still in date so I don't need to apply for another this time.

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When I left Freetown in June I gave away most of the clothes I had with me, so I need to have a shopping trip to buy some suitable clothes. At least this time I have more idea about the kind of things I need.

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I bought a mozzie net at the weekend to take with me, as we'll be staying at the 5:10 and they don't have nets on the beds there. Bob bought me a larger panel for my solar charger so if we have times with no electricity at least I'll be able to charge my phone and my ipod.

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Today I've spoken to our cook in Sierra Leone Maria and arranged to meet up with her when I get there to arrange the menus for the teams. I also called Adama, our breakfast cook, I wasn't really expecting to get through to her as she's due to go to Isreal and I thought that maybe she'd already gone....so it was a lovely suprise when she answered the phone. She's not going away until January so has agreed to do breakfast for us while we are there. I'm really looking forward to seeing them both again.

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Before I go I still have to get first aid supplies, contact out driver, check the hotel bookings, get a dentist appointment, get my car serviced, get some t-shirts printed........oh! there is so much to do - I should log off and get on and do it!

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While I'm in Sierra Leone we'll be hosting 2 teams of volunteers. The first team from 7th to 18th Novemer has 13 volunteers, the second team from 21st November to 1st December has 5 volunteers. I arrive 4 days before the first team and travel home with the second team.

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What am I looking forward to most about going back? Meeting the teams of volunteers - I loved getting to know and spending time with all the volunteers, it is fantastic to see how Sierra Leone affects people - especially people visiting for the first time. I'm also looking forward to seeing all the kids that I spent so much time with earlier this year and seeing how they are all getting on. I'm looking forward to visiting all the MD projects and seeing all the people we work with again.

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As far as I know the main projects we'll be working on are the City of Rest for people with mental health or alcohol/drug addicationh problems, and the Hosetta Abdulai school for special needs children.

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Also posted at minklemar.com

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