Hi

We have been out of contact for a few days as we were doing a phenomenal walk in the Andes. Due to a small hiccup by the travel agency we did not get to do the Inka Trail but they offered us some alternatives and some freebies in return. Was devastating at the time and we probably won´t get over the disappointment all together but in the end we had a truly magic experience.

We went on a trek called the Lares where we walked from a toen of that name to Ollantaytambo thro´the mountains, and then trained into Machu Picchu. The trek was 3 days, climbing at the highest point to 4,600 metres, that day was fairly hard but was it ever worth it. We walked thro´the valleys visiting the native villages along the way, this is the poorest area of Peru as you will see from some of the photos. It is heartbreaking at times to see such happy little kids living in such conditions simply due to birthplace. They run up and down these mountains like wee goats with loads of water or their llamas and Alpacas. It is very cold, down to minus 25 in winter but they are only ever in sandals, we did take them presents as seggested by the guides.

The scenery too was amazing, every day you think things can´t get any more beautiful but they do. We were surrounded by high mountains draped in glaciers and snow, but on the mountainsides there were plots everywhere, where they grow their crops of potatos on near vertical slopes. All hand dug of couse mainly by the women and children as the men go of to seek work elsewhere. In 3 days we only saw 2 other non native people and that was in the first five minutes, the isolation was unbelievable.

Because of the stuff up we had porters so we only had to carry day packs and here they cook for you as well, and boy do I mean cook. What they turned out of that little tent in those conditions was phenomenal, three course meals for breakfast, lunch and tea. To think I was hoping to lose weight!!! Each morning at some ungodly hour they knocked on the tent door with hot tea and that started the day. On the last morning the chef got up at 4am to bake and ice a cake for our breakfast, remember no oven here.

We had fantastic weather, even a brief haistorm that was great as it turned all the mountains white and left white on all the thatched rooves without wettting us.

And then there was Machu Picchu, got there for sunrise, this place is everything you have ever read and more!!!!!!!!! We got to walk out to the sungate as the mist lifted, so we did actually get to do an hour of the Inka trail and what is considered the best part. What a site from there as the mist slowly disappeared and those magnificent structures came into view. Then our guide showed us around the ruins before we climbed that hill in the picture ¨Wynapicchu¨, now that was a hard yakka climb, straight up a myriad of steps and even crawling thro a tunnel!!!!!!!!

Indescribable experience!!!!!

Love the Clarks