Tuesday 31st October 2006. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

This morning I am off to Niterói to give three lectures and to visit Rio's neighbouring city.

I begin my day with a ride on the catamarã from Praça XV (where the Royal Family landed in Brazil on their flight from Portugal) to Estação Charitas.

I am met at the boat landing by my hosts for the morning, Clarice and Marise and we head off to view one of the old Portuguese fortress'guarding the harbour entrance to Rio. We are to visit Santa Cruz Da Barra which dates from 1765 and which affords wonderful views out across the bay to Rio.

From here we head up to the City Park high in the hills above Niterói, a favoured site for activities such as handgliding.

My drive then takes me along the Caminho Niemeyer before we arrive at the spaceship like contemporary art museum. The exhibits are not of any great quality, but the building is an absolute joy.

Lunch is a posh affair at Família Paludo gourmet restaurant.

I then begin delivering my lectures. My first talk is at Icaraí branch 1 and then I head over to Icaraí branch 2 where I deliver another speech and address a conversational English class.

I have really enjoyed speaking here in Rio. My talks have been very well received, particularly by the students and teachers.

I have a wonderful evening with Ingrid, the branch manager here at Icaraí branch 2.

As you may be aware from my writings, I have found the last few days very stressful. In particular it has been a challenge to address the attack on myself, and indirectly on the project, in such public settings as lecture halls.

Ingrid really boosts my confidence. She is very grateful for my addressing her students and she tells me that I have very positive energy. That I will get through the current crisis in my life and be all the better for it and that I am doing great things by using my experiences to educate others.

I have been having a very hard time the last few days.

It may be because I am giving so many talks related to the project and my experiences in South America or it may just be that I am dwelling too much on the past. I don't know, but I am also having logistical problems with partners who signed up to the project months ago only to withdraw now, at the last minute. This has placed real pressures on me to re-schedule and keep everything on track.

It is such a strange feeling to realise that only a few months ago I had everything planned, all the i's dotted and all the t's crossed. It just shows that even with the best of planning the unexpected will come along and steer things off course.

Tonight I am lucky. I have a wonderful internet conversation with Mother Earth. Ann is the one lady, apart from my mum and my sister, who can bring me right back into focus in an instant. At times of trial I revel in her down to earth practical advice.

I am also very fortunate to spend time on the telephone tonight with Alice in New York. Alice is my sounding board and the one person in the world I know that I can count on to be there night or day to help me solve any crisis.

This project is proving to be a true character building experience.

I am still getting frequent e-mails advising me to return home. I got a lovely e-mail from a friend today saying how proud she was of the fact that I had come back and that I had proceeded with the project and telling me that now I had proved myself I should quit and come home.

This is not in my make-up. I know the next five weeks will be difficult, but they will also be rewarding.

This is one journey I must complete and do so on my own. This is not a brave statement, it is a reality; an understanding in myself that I have to see this project through. Audiences like tonight make me realise just how valuable this work is to the student participants and it gives me a renewed sense of purpose in my work.