Last Monday morning (22 September), Riccardo and I visited my old primary school, Kilbowie, to organise a collection for the project.

The meeting went well, and the teachers were more than happy to help out even further, by arranging a charity sports afternoon for next week. We'll be going along to watch (or maybe even participate), and to cheer the pupils on!

Afterwards, it was off to the Your Radio FM studios in Dumbarton to record an interview.

After last week's Clydebank Post article, we wanted to further publicise our fundraising appeal.

Check out our video blog at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=havsEo_Twzk for more.

We also had some great news.

At our last meeting with West Dunbartonshire CVS, we found out that we had secured enough funds, around �26,000, to finally book our flights from Edinburgh to South Africa for Friday, 3 October.

However, an early check-in time of 4am and having to catch a connecting flight at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, will surely have some of us grumbling.

Bright and early last Tuesday, Riccardo and I went along to our old high school, Clydebank.

Again, this meeting went well.

Catching up with our old teachers was great. It was weird being back in that old building, though!

We're all really looking forward to the trip, and things are beginning to seem more real now.

However, amongst the excitement and anticipation, the prospect of some hard work ahead is sobering.

I need to start packing now. Meanwhile, if you're interested in keeping in touch with us throughout our trip, please become a member of our group at http://mandelaandbeyond.bebo.com.