Hi guys,

Thank you for visiting our fundraising site!

Now, we all know that we are the two unfittest people ever to attempt this Himalayan trek and we are not entirely sure how much we had drunk when we signed up for this. But we figure that if we are prepared to fall off a mountain for NAS, you should have the privilege of paying to see it happen. So come on all you guys out there: dig deep and help us make the target. (You will love the embarassing photos and have blackmail on us for life!)

At the moment we are training hard (ie Alpa is...), blisters are hardening our tender feet and fundraising keeps us in as much mischief as ever. And as it is only a few months to go now, panic is pretty heavy on the ground!

Anyway, for those of you who would like to know a bit more about Autism and Aspergers, please read on. Those of you who already know or would like to skip the jargon, please feel free to scroll down to the donation bit straight away.

Autism is still a relatively unknown disability. Yet autistic spectrum disorders are estimated to touch the lives of over 500,000 families throughout the UK. People with autism are not physically disabled in the same way that a person with cerebral palsy may be; they do not require wheelchairs and they 'look' just like anybody without the disability. Due to this invisible nature it can be much harder to create awareness and understanding of the condition.

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them. Children and adults with autism have difficulties with everyday social interaction. Their ability to develop friendships is generally limited as is their capacity to understand other people's emotional expression. All people with autism have difficulty in making sense of the world.

People with autism generally experience three main areas of difficulty:

* Social interaction (difficulty with social relationships, for example appearing aloof and indifferent to other people)

* Social communication (difficulty with verbal and non-verbal communication, for example not fully understanding the meaning of common gestures, facial expressions or tone of voice)

* Imagination (difficulty in the development of interpersonal play and imagination, for example having a limited range of imaginative activities, possibly copied and pursued rigidly and repetitively). In addition to this triad, repetitive behaviour patterns and resistance to change in routine are often characteristic. 

 The exact cause or causes of autism is/are still not known but research shows that genetic factors are important. It is also evident from research that autism may be associated with a variety of conditions affecting brain development which occur before, during, or very soon after birth. The earlier a diagnosis of autism is made, the better the chances are of a person receiving appropriate help and support. Specialist education and structured support can really make a difference to the life of a person with autism, helping to maximise skills and achieve full potential in adulthood.

The National Autistic Society provides many services and much needed support to all members and their carers, but needs all the help it can get in meeting the ever increasing demand. Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor us: National Autistic Society will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you. Alternatively, call Gita on 07985 111 963 for donations by cheque or for your offer of help in fundraising.

Many thanks for your support and for sticking it out until this bit. The only thing you need to do now is to go through the donation thingy at the end, and the photos are yours (honestly!)

Gita and Alpa