November

November
Oops.  Just found out that China visas start when you apply, not when you arrive in China.  In touch with a very helpful agency who are trying to get me sorted out as I shall now need a 6 month dual entry visa and will almost certainly have to go to Hong Kong at some stage to get another 60 days added on to my stay allowance.  There always seems to be just one more thing which is a problem BUT IT WILL ALL TURN OUT OK!

Getting Started

After quite a few months of searching the internet/tearing hair out/taking deep breaths, I now have a draft itinerary and am booking tours.  I am flying out to Delhi on 27th February and will start by looking around Rajasthan for 2 weeks.  Then train to Kerala, 5 days there - tea plantations, rice boat in the waterways - then to Beijing via Delhi (friends).  Then look around Beijing/Wall/Warriors.  Then work for 2 months in Butterfly Children's Hospice (http://www.butterflych.org/).  Then up a mountain with Midwifery with Altitude - http://www.mwacharity.com/ - back down, to Lhasa for trip Lhasa - Kathmandu via Everest Base Camp, a trip around a little bit of Nepal, Delhi (friends), then home on 4th July.  I'm getting through my jabs and am about to start applying for visas.  All hugely exciting.  But lots of organising this and that back here at home before I go - and Christmas is a month away.