My new Australian International Volunteer Program assignment, albeit still by distance, is consulting with Ilam Municipality on sustainable and cultural tourism development. Ilam is a hill station in eastern Nepal about 600 km from Kathmandu. It is well known for its spectacular views, nature walks and tea plantations with many lush tea gardens. The region is rich in cultural diversity. There are many different castes and ethnic groups living here, each with their own customs and traditions and religious rites and rituals. The region also appeals to researchers who travel from far and wide to study its rare birds and the Red Panda, a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and south-western China. Should be fun.