IN THE BEGINNING

Hmmmmm - where to start ?
Although I title this as a virgin traveller abroad - this is not strictly true.
I have actually been to foreign parts - mostly Wales -  but in recent years I have actually ventured to Brittany in France but this was really only to do work for my sister who bought a converted farm for holiday lets - and this was whilst being chaperoned through the airports by my Aunt Ev who was in her mid-80s at the time! So I don't count any of that - especially in view of my forthcoming solo adventure to India. I went up to Newcastle a year ago to collect a car that I'd bought and I boarded the wrong train at Leeds, heading towards Scarborough before an understanding Ticket Collector threw me off to remedy my error (I was 3 hours late in arriving!).

So - hopefully you can see my trepidation at trying to navigate the globe - changing planes at Dubai airport all on my own is surely more difficult than changing trains ????

Anyway - what has brought me to this perilous position you ask? Well I'll start at the beginning......

I was born at an early age - in the days when everything was in black and white - even before Coronation Street was first broadcast.
Times was hard - we had an outside toilet and no hot water - not even a bath unless you count the old tin one that hung in the outside coal house. That came into use once a year whether we needed a bath or not! I travelled on my little bike everywhere - miles and miles to go train spotting, fishing, watch football, school and even work when I was older - this is why I have such skinny legs!.
Times was hard.

Then I got married and times was still hard! It was worth it though, endowing me now with a wonderful wife (Ann) and two fabulous children (Helen and Jonathan)

. But money was still fairly scarce, as it was for many people, and we made do with old cars

and rainy holidays in North Wales (usually) - never feeling the need to consider going abroad.

Fast forward to present times and I'm retired, under my wife's feet with a load of work to do on the house, old cars (still) to fix, 5 grandchildren in London and 3 (plus 1 imminent) around the corner - I needed an escape plan and fast!

About 3 /4 years ago, I discovered, via Facebook, an organisation called 'Sarah's Covenant Homes, India' (http://www.schindia.com/) - I'd encourage - nay, implore you to take a look at the website. This is a fantastic, selfless work where somewhere in the region of 120 or so abandoned children with quite often major physical, mental, and emotional difficulties are cared for in such a loving way that I stand in awe of those involved in the organisation. There is no major charity that this is a branch of - they survive by faith and help from people who feel led to do so.
Sarah has humoured me since I first became her Facebook 'friend' and in a small way I feel that I have a link with them. I regularly share the updates and needs of the children on my  Facebook page and as I am now in a position to try to do something practical - have now bought the ticket, got the visa, had the injections and am in countdown to January 14th, 2014 when (provided I get on the right planes), I will be flying out of Birmingham Airport, arriving in Hyderabad the following morning (sounds easy when you just say it like that doesn't it?). All things then being equal - unless I am deported earlier, the plan is that they are relieved of me on March 15th, 2014.
Sarah knows that I know nothing about everything and will have an attempt at anything and already she has 'wonderful plans' brewing for me as I type. Their list asked questions of qualifications and skills - well I have GCE 'O' levels in French, English Language, Maths, and Technical Drawing - with regards to Medical, Teaching, Ministry &c &c skills I unfortunately had to put 'No - but I'll have a go', so I wait with bated breath.

This is the start of my big adventure - you may never see me again so I write this for posterity and in the hope that I will be remembered sympathetically and kindly.  The next entry will tell you of the difficulties and dilemmas of this early senility candidate actually arranging the journey.