Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

This is my last blog about my fundraising. It's all done. Finito.

I had to have the full amount donated six weeks before the expedition. I had to make up the last little bit myself, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. So the beginning that was the fundraising has ended, and in three sleeps it'll be the beginning of the next part of the journey, when I head out to Costa Rica. I arrive 12 January, I've a couple of days to acclimatise, and by acclimatise I of course mean 'sit by a pool and drink beer' before the work begins with expedition on 15 January.

So, to round up the fundraising, here's just a few final updates.

Nobody wanted to hurt me enough to donate anything towards epillating my chest. My chest hair is still intact.

Paul Carr correctly guessed that the name of the raptor was Bonehead. Here is Paul receiving his £50 prize money in a badly taken selfie.

My sister and mother had a ladies pampering evening at home in Castlebar, which raised €345.

I still haven't done much with the covers project, unfortunately. To those who have requested tracks, I have some of the guitars done for scratch tracks and not much more. Between my course and lurgy, I just couldn't get to it, but I promise it'll be top priority for when I get back, OK?

And that, dear friends, is pretty much it for this blog. All that's left is for me to thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. I've set up another blog here, should you feel like reading about my ongoing adventure, and Raleigh International's corporate blog that I'll be managing is here.

Thank you again.

Good bye.

Ronan xxx