Ooo, scary, my first 'blog' posting. It's very difficult to think of something to write when faced with a blank screen, but I'm sure I'll get used to it! The main aim of this blog is to keep friends and family up to date with our preparations for our India Charity Trek, and to allow us to post diary entries and photos when we are actually in India - but I'm sure lots of other stuff will get posted too.

We've just had our second round of jabs for India. The first 2 were Hep A and typhoid and the second lot were tetanus and Hep B. As a chronic hypochondriac I was very disappointed that the only side effect was a sore arm - I'd been 'promised' 'flu-like symptoms and everything but I didn't even get a bruise from the needle! Very disappointing. Still I'm sure getting dysentry in India will make up for it!

We're paying for the Hep B jabs 'cos our friend George The Pharmacist suggested that, as we are going to be riding motorcycles in India, our chances of needing a blood transfusion would be slightly higher than for the normal tourist. Thanks for the vote of confidence! (Although his brother's nickname for me on the way back from Le Mans on the bikes was 'Blind Bend Bev', so perhaps he has a point!). It seemed like sensible advice anyway. There are 3 Hep B jabs and we'll only have chance to have 2 of them before we go, but that should give us 75% protection and, fingers crossed, we won't need it anyway.

The fund-raising is going well and we've got nearly £500 already. Our aim is to reach £2,000 so keep donating! Don't forget that we're paying our own travel costs so all the money we raise goes to the charity. The donations website is www.justgiving.com/bevandjon