4 days to go !!! more costs !! More Hassle

Well today I saw the Doc and got the malaria prescription. I opted for the one-a-day short course tablet- Malarone so I don't have to take the tablets for weeks after I return . The Doc told me that the NHS don't like to prescribe it on prescription because they figure that if someone can afford to go on adventure holiday and want the more expensive tablet they can pay for themselves..

My Doc gave it to me anyway ( nice one !!). So I popped into the first pharmacist who apparently didn't have it in stock. So I went the Lloyd's Pharmacist across the road from it but they only had 1/2 the dose in stock. They gave me that and told me to collect the rest tomorrow. The whole course cost me £74 .... Yes !!!! Blimey...

And to top it all Jean-Luc sends me an email to say Exodus have run out of sleeping bags to hire in Tanzania.. so now I have to pay £30 and rent it here and carry it with in my luggage. That means I will have to shed some weight elsewhere.

Oh well.. just plough on.. I mean it's not the end of the World, but I could have done without the hassle.

The team are on for a meet tomorrow for beer and 2 for 1 Pizza and football in the mailbox at Bar-room-Bar tomorrow 7:30pm


From: Jean-Luc Priez [mailto:Jean-LucP@Lenchs-Trust.co.uk]
Sent: 14 June 2010 11:01
To: Parveen Mehta; 'qasim.majid@integrous.co.uk'; 'I Lotay'; 'Naraine Jimmy'
Subject: Sleeping Bags


Hi

Monday morning crisis – I have just learnt that Exodus is out of sleeping bags – so I have had to source out new rental ones for the 4 of you. They are £30 each and will be delivered to me tomorrow or Wednesday.

You need a lining for them. I will hand them out tomorrow if I receive them, or on Friday am at the airport.

I have paid with my card.

See you tomorrow

Jean-Luc



Jean-Luc & a team of supporters will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in June 2010 in aid of our capital appeal for William Lench Court. If you wish to help us raise money for this valuable cause please go directly to our JustGiving webpage www.justgiving.com/kiliman-jaro

6 days to go.......

Today I have been ticking off my checklist and packing my bag for the climb. 95% of the list checked off...

Charged all the camera batteries, switching sim from my Blackberry back to my Nokia

Just malaria tablets still to sort and perhaps some camera gear..

Decide on rations, top up meds..

I'm sure I've missed something but I have a few days to review the list..

Contact sheet to be circulated

I feel like going for a jog, but I'm feeling twinges in the knees so better ease off, can't afford an injury at this stage.. have a luke warm shower instead.. it's been a nice warm day... I can't wait to go.. Like Jean-Luc said yesterday when we met.. we just want to get on with it.... we all feel an edge I'm sure, an anticipation, beginning of a great adventure... just get through the next few days, clear our desks at work, focus, cope with the challenges of the day job.. and then escape.. bring it on!!!

7 Days to go.....

I dropped by the Lench's Trust offices today to collect my complementary travel bag from EXODUS as Jean-Luc said they are very good and robust and are exactly what our porters will find easy to transport.

And indeed they are very durable and very large. But I can't help but wonder, apart from our team's 7 luggage bags how many 100's of others from exodus will show up at the airport, thus leading to chaos and possible mixed luggage. We really can't afford to get our luggage mixed up...

Hmmm, shall I shan't I???

Only 7 days to go. I will have pop into town tomorrow to finish of last minute shopping - sleeping bag liner, film, batteries, Kendal mint cake, season 4 socks..

Jean-Luc - A great organiser

It's getting close to our departure date and everyone is crossing the Ts and dotting the I's - Jean-Luc in particular is a great organiser - see the email below keeping all on track

Also good news - My Diamox arrived in the post today - the AMS Tablets recommended by MASTA - I suppose I had better try one now in case I have an allergic reaction. And I have to book an appointment with the Doc on Monday 5pm to get my prescription for a course of malaria tablets which I have to start before I leave next week. While at the chemist pick up water chlorination tablets, and syringes for the med kit..

From: Jean-Luc Priez [mailto:Jean-LucP@Lenchs-Trust.co.uk]
Sent: 08 June 2010 11:30
To: Andreas Sticher; David Pugh; Inderpal Lotay (ilotay@twinbuild.com); Naraine Jimmy; Parveen Mehta; Qasim Majid; Stuart Cusworth
Subject: Flights


Dear all,

I confirm that the flight out is at 6am on 18th – so we can agree to meet at 4.30 at checking desk for KLM. I will have with me the Electronic Ticket Locators.

I have received from Worlds Apart the bags sent by Exodus – if you prefer they seem perfect as main luggage – ideal size and shape, flexible and secure (Mark tells me he uses his all the time now for trips abroad). Let me know how to get it to you or do come and collect at Head Office.

Bob, our Marketing guy for the capital Appeal, is asking our printers to give us 7 printed sweatshirts – great if he can pull this one out!

I have ordered the 3 sleeping bags.

See you all for the pizza next week... really looking forward to it now, yesterday’s meeting was good and encouraging.

Take care

Jean-Luc



Jean-Luc & a team of supporters will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in June 2010 in aid of our capital appeal for William Lench Court. If you wish to help us raise money for this valuable cause please go directly to our JustGiving webpage www.justgiving.com/kiliman-jaro

Follow our journey at http://to-the-summit-kilimanjaro.blogspot.com/

Thank you.



Lench's Trust

271 Hagley Road

Birmingham B16 9NB

0121 4558808
www.lenchs-trust.co.uk

Man Down!!

We had what will probably be our last team meeting before we go on our climb.Jimmy could not attend as he was at home in Poland apparently. So again no chance of nailing the final group photo.

Jean-Luc delivered some bad news. Stuart has had to pull out on the grounds of fitness. So we are a man down. All flights and fees have been paid for so the hunt is on to find another team member. If you know of anyone let us know.

I somehow had a instinct from may be our third meeting that we may loose a person before we embarked, but I did not think it would be Stuart. So "The Magnificent Seven" ride !!

We reviewed our preps for the climb, went down the equipment lists, talked about sponsorship, medical supplies, clothes, packing, food/snacks,visa, travel insurances etc....We discussed mobile phone reception, but came to the conclusion that even if we did get a signal we would not want to be in touch with what was going on back home, after all we are trying to get away from it all .. so we will have to keep partners guessing lol... We agreed the time we would meet at Birmingham Airport.I'm conscious I still have a few loose ends to tie up... After the news of Stuart had sunk in, eventually everyone was in a jovial mood, and without exception we couldn't wait to get out there... Half of us are already talking about what the adventure is going to be next year!!

After the meeting Qasim, Indy myself and Dave went across the road to TGI Fridays for a beer. We were nice and chilled by the time we left.

10 Days to go !!!

Ticked of with the Doc!!

Everything I have researched about altitude mountain sickness- AMS:

(http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/altitude.htm)

indicates that as a back up plan I should take some Acetazolamide (Diamox)to prevent the onsett of the symptoms of AMS.And unlike all the celebrities that have done this climb we will not have a GP with us. You can only get this on prescription yet my learned doctor said I don't need it and suggested I use " sea sickness tablets " instead. So you can imagine how P....ed off I was when on the Jazz evening I had learned that most of the others in our group had no problem getting it prescribed by their GP. What made it worse was I met a very interesting GP - Hillary who couldn't understand why I was not prescribed it..

Anyway not one to be put off easily... I did what all the secret Viagra buyers do and went online to a online pharmacist specialising in AMS tablets - linked into the AMS website and filled in an online consultation. 10 minutes later and £17 payment ( almost the cost of a prescription ) I had ordered 12 days supply of Diamox. I will just have to check with my doc I d0 not have any allergies to the meds as a precaution. So , another job done and tick of the checklist.

It really does cheese me off about the inconsistency of some GPs. You know if I was ever going to be a Doc ... I would be "Dr House"... in some ways Hugh Laurie's TV personality and mine are very similar..scary...

I love Live Jazz.....15 Days to go !!!

Last night was brilliant. Over 50 people showed up for the Jazz Evening. It was great to see some old friends - Clare/Lee/ Rumen and make new ones - Hillary/Steve.

Steve Yimga and his band - yes I know I have had three different versions of his name , but I finally got that cleared up in person, with the main man!! - were amazing. The sax player.. well what can I say, he just mesmerised everyone... and the drummer developed some stalkers and would be groupies .. I won't say who the women were - you know who you are... ( they were also lusting after Jimmy and I'm reliably informed have started stalking him on FB heheh )

One of Steve's friends came along and recited some poetry he had written. And Jean-Luc and Steve - the sly fellows got Chris, Steve's very small and cute nephew to go around with a bowl to collect additional funds for the Charity.

The food was delicious - Goat Curry with rice, jerk chicken, dumplings, fried plantain, salad and some other stuff... followed by fresh fruit salad dessert - a lot of the fresh produce was donated by MWW Ltd.(Thank you)

I was one of the last to leave, sticking around to speak to Steve with some other friends over a nice glass of white wine. Steve gets extra cool points for loving salsa and wanting to take up Kizomba.. we will no doubt meet again at one of the classes.

Steve gave me one of his business cards.. I thought it very interesting that where you would normally find the title it read " Artist " - that's so cool....lol

I got to bed for midnight, everyone I had spoken to had fun, and I was nice and mellow. Compliments poured in all day today and it was great to get the following email from Jean-Luc

From: Jean-Luc Priez [mailto:Jean-LucP@Lenchs-Trust.co.uk]
Sent: 04 June 2010 09:12
To: Andreas Sticher; David Pugh; Inderpal Lotay (ilotay@twinbuild.com); Naraine Jimmy; Parveen Mehta; Qasim Majid; Stuart Cusworth
Subject: Jazz Evening
Importance: High


Dear all,

Thank you very much for your support yesterday evening – I think we all agree it was a fantastic event which raised £340 net for the team + excellent PR for all (Kate, our Trustee, was impressed by the goodwill generated towards the Trust).

Thank you to Andreas’s company for the £1,000 sponsorship. I am waiting to have full details to send an official Thank You letter to their MD. Parveen may like to mention them in the blog – Lisega Ltd United Kingdom.

Parveen – your friends Raj & Debbie added a £50 donation if you wish to acknowledge.

All in all a very productive evening – and I hope we can pull another one sometime after our return!

Good luck with your sponsorship chasing...

Jean-Luc


Jean-Luc & a team of supporters will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in June 2010 in aid of our capital appeal for William Lench Court. If you wish to help us raise money for this valuable cause please go directly to our JustGiving webpage www.justgiving.com/kiliman-jaro

Follow our journey at http://to-the-summit-kilimanjaro.blogspot.com/