Why wait?

I have had a detailed discussion with the "pension-pot people" and cast and recast a spreadsheet I created to do the maths and have come to the conclusion that there is no financial or practical advantage in delaying the start of my adventures! So the project launches on my birthday and I am now thinking to depart the last weekend in October.

It gives me just over 10 weeks to organize everything.  More than enough time.

One regret in all this is the cats -  they have been so good for me since January, they have kept me sane and provided so much affection in their own demanding ways! Before I talk to the cats protection league about returning them I am going to see if I can find them a home poor Mr. Moggs and Dame Kiti.

The basic plan is to do 9-10 months a year volunteering with two breaks each year, one to return to the UK and Europe to visit friends (you have been warned!) and a second break to do some travelling in Latin America.

I am sure a pattern will evolve but if I am going to get the maximum out of this project being open to possibilities and creating opportunities will be fundamental.

At the moment I have identified an organisation with whom I would like to volunteer. They run educational and cultural activities in some very poor villages around Antigua Guatemala and also run some business programs for encouraging young entrepreneurs and providing Micro-loans. Am awaiting a telephone interview with them (having already received an encouraging e-mail).

My first task will be to work on the Spanish and that will take most of my time up to Christmas with a plan to be fluent within 12 months.  So a very welcome return to my friends at the "Escuela Cima Del Mundo."

There is also the possibility for some training consultancy work via Al Invest/Eurochambres/my extensive network which has come up as an outcome from the AlInvest Academy in Peru last June.  This may well be a second string to my fiddle in generating a little income in order to make my income go even further!

So very excited.

Picture Post: Volcán de Agua  (Volcano of Water) now defunct but dominating the skyline:

And if I get bored of looking at that one there are always, Acatenango (last erupted 1972) and the still active Volcán de Fuego (Volcano of Fire) which "coughs" periodically and has a constant plume of smoke, last (proper?) eruption August 9, 2007!