Himal Mandalia
@himal.bsky.social
Founder @ADHDPathfinding.org.uk | ADHD UK Ambassador | UK Parliament ADHD Champion | Former GOV.UK Head of Technology
himalmandalia.medium.com
himalmandalia.medium.com
This mission has been a great excuse to dress up. The tweed helped with the cold too!
November 27, 2025 at 5:36 PM
This mission has been a great excuse to dress up. The tweed helped with the cold too!
It’s all people. The work is only interesting when it’s about people.
November 27, 2025 at 2:58 PM
It’s all people. The work is only interesting when it’s about people.
UNDP Kazakhstan in full festive mode.
November 26, 2025 at 1:39 PM
UNDP Kazakhstan in full festive mode.
Not sure if it’s fully armed and operational yet.
November 25, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Not sure if it’s fully armed and operational yet.
Have a speaker for tomorrow
November 23, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Have a speaker for tomorrow
Got in 0600. 50% rate for early check in. Big breakfast. Sleep. Run. Now mission prep time.
November 23, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Got in 0600. 50% rate for early check in. Big breakfast. Sleep. Run. Now mission prep time.
If you stare at it long enough at an airport it makes you hungry.
November 22, 2025 at 5:54 PM
If you stare at it long enough at an airport it makes you hungry.
Here we go again. Again.
November 20, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Here we go again. Again.
Yes unfortunately. The Stansted bit.
November 19, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Yes unfortunately. The Stansted bit.
Techo International Airport
November 15, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Techo International Airport
Large distributed, bureaucratic organisations can hide a lot of bad behaviour and people limping on in survival mode. It’s systemic. And normalised. I’ve been pushed hard this week and it didn’t have to be like this. It won’t be for the next mission. I’m taking operational control.
Made a friend.
Made a friend.
November 14, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Large distributed, bureaucratic organisations can hide a lot of bad behaviour and people limping on in survival mode. It’s systemic. And normalised. I’ve been pushed hard this week and it didn’t have to be like this. It won’t be for the next mission. I’m taking operational control.
Made a friend.
Made a friend.
I am the guy in a spy thriller that finds out something he’s not meant to and then gets taken out with a silencer. Except it’s a ruse and it wasn’t really me. I got away.
Anyway. Mission complete.
Anyway. Mission complete.
November 14, 2025 at 1:56 PM
I am the guy in a spy thriller that finds out something he’s not meant to and then gets taken out with a silencer. Except it’s a ruse and it wasn’t really me. I got away.
Anyway. Mission complete.
Anyway. Mission complete.
Out for run this morning before another full day. This was originally planned as 10 days but got squeezed down to 5 before I was onboarded. The scope wasn’t reduced. 16 hour days. Last one tomorrow. Fly back Saturday.
November 13, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Out for run this morning before another full day. This was originally planned as 10 days but got squeezed down to 5 before I was onboarded. The scope wasn’t reduced. 16 hour days. Last one tomorrow. Fly back Saturday.
Maybe the real digital public infrastructure was the friends we made along the way?
November 11, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Maybe the real digital public infrastructure was the friends we made along the way?
Independence Day was Sunday. Or it’s something else.
November 11, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Independence Day was Sunday. Or it’s something else.
And got out for a bit.
November 10, 2025 at 4:26 PM
And got out for a bit.
Day 1 done. All day training for ~35 civil servants on digital this and that. What, why, how, good practice and examples. Some exercises too and guest speakers. Breakfast with a Secretary of State. Mentioned running… so going for a run with His Excellency tomorrow at 0700. Then more training.
November 10, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Day 1 done. All day training for ~35 civil servants on digital this and that. What, why, how, good practice and examples. Some exercises too and guest speakers. Breakfast with a Secretary of State. Mentioned running… so going for a run with His Excellency tomorrow at 0700. Then more training.
Decent hotel. I get a daily subsistence allowance and terminal expenses (to/from airport). Allowance is worked out per country. UN simplifies this for staff and contractors. More than comfortably covered for this trip.
Had nap. Prep for tomorrow, check venue, dinner, early night.
Had nap. Prep for tomorrow, check venue, dinner, early night.
November 9, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Decent hotel. I get a daily subsistence allowance and terminal expenses (to/from airport). Allowance is worked out per country. UN simplifies this for staff and contractors. More than comfortably covered for this trip.
Had nap. Prep for tomorrow, check venue, dinner, early night.
Had nap. Prep for tomorrow, check venue, dinner, early night.
Not even mine. Protected.
November 8, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Not even mine. Protected.
Change of plan. Leaving backpack. This isn’t like my travels. One week. In and out. They’re paying taxis etc.
November 8, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Change of plan. Leaving backpack. This isn’t like my travels. One week. In and out. They’re paying taxis etc.
Packing… it’s going to be 30° and humid but I’ll be in air conditioned spaces. Shirts, linen jacket or two, chinos and probably loaders.
November 6, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Packing… it’s going to be 30° and humid but I’ll be in air conditioned spaces. Shirts, linen jacket or two, chinos and probably loaders.
Thought I’d retired these. Saturday morning Heathrow. Sunday morning land in Phnom Penh. Surreal, didn’t think I’d be returning to that part of the world anytime soon. There for a week. Monday to Friday full schedule. Too full. Fly back Saturday after.
November 5, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Thought I’d retired these. Saturday morning Heathrow. Sunday morning land in Phnom Penh. Surreal, didn’t think I’d be returning to that part of the world anytime soon. There for a week. Monday to Friday full schedule. Too full. Fly back Saturday after.