Be The Jam

I have just discovered that Thuraya make satellite phones that can be used to send emails. Technically then I could get one of those and then email my posts straight to this website where they would automatically get posted. This would save me having to lug around a lap top, a trickle feed battery and a massive solar panel and a satellite phone. I could get away with a satellite phone and a small charger. I do like the idea of not having to carry to much weight. Hopefully as the trafic to the site increases so will the amount of money the site will earn through click through advertising, selling merchandise etc and if that can generate enough money to pay the satellite phone bills then this whole thing begins to look feasible. Just need sun to charge the phone and sufficient skills to be able to live in the jungle.

What would remain

1) Get to South America.

2) Pay for vaccinations etc.

3) First aid course.

4) Jungle survival course.

5) Insurance

5) the 1001 other things that slip my mind right now

1 - getting to South America. Three options here -

1. Work passage as a chef on a yacht to Caribbean, this would mean waiting until the autumn when the yachts head that way, getting work is hard but it can pay reasonably well and I should have sufficient experience. Would still need to fly from Caribbean to South America. Possible and could end up getting there with more money than when I started
2. Talk one of the airlines into donating flights in return for positive advertising - unlikely
3. Buy tickets. 12 month return is likely to cost around £1000

2 - Paying for vaccinations etc. Cost as yet unknown, likely to be significant as I will need 12 months worth of anti-malarials.

3 - First aid course, needs to be expedition first aid. Wayn at Forest Knights has offered to teach me at cost price.

4 - Jungle survival course - Will then be able to feed and look after myself, then all I need is the sun to charge the sat phone and we're away.     £1000 

5 - Insurance, about £1000.

6 - The 1001 things I can't think of right now. Jungle boots, emergency money, deet, buying the satellite phone etc etc. Got to allow at least another £2000

In conclusion then, it is possible but I need about £6,000. Only £5,900 to go. I'm actually in very buoyant mood, for the first time I can actually see this thing happening.

false alarm

Having looked into things a little more closely it appears that emails sent from the phone can only be 120 characters long, not sufficient. Back to needing a trickle feed battery and a big solar pannel then. Drat, those things are heavy. This is how it goes, a few steps forward followed by a few back.