Hello everyone, i hope you are all well, where ever you are in the world.? Yet again, i apologise now for my typing, i know its appalling and so is my spelling, but just deal with it!!!

Anyway, we have arrived in peru and had such a good time so far, apart from puno.? Fromn lake titicaca, we visited the sun and moon islands, which were very nice and it was the last days we were with my family.? We then parted, Alexandra and i making our way to peru and puno, which i literally on the bolivian, peruvian boarder.? After crossing the boarder with no problems at all, we arrived in Puno to a mini sand storm, hail storm and it resembling much of oruro.? We wanted to get out of there as soon as pos.? Sadly we had to stay a night there, as we had booked a bus for the next day.?

The next day, we made our way to cusco on a tourist bus, which was actually quite interesting, apart from getting a really good lunch included, we saw inca ruins-?a major inca temple that had one of the outer walls still standing. We also saw this amazing colonial church, that was completely covered in gold, murials and frescos, explaining the catholic religion for the incas.? What was very sad about here tho, was that there was a funeral.? It was obviously for a child, as at least 40 school children stood around, many in floods of tears , as well as the parents.? We found out that it was for a boy and the kids didnt l? muchn older than 13.? What our tour guide also said, as we questioned why they brought the coffin in front of the church for about 10 mins and then took it away again.? She said that the father has to pay for the funeral, and so the poorer families couldn?t have a funeral and i have no idea what thewn happens to the body or coffin.

Anyway, we then arrived in cusco and met up with 3 of the volunteers from Cochabamba, 2 of them we are going to go travelling with, Germander and Monica.? We spent from thursday eve, till sunday there, just realxing after the manic 2 weeks we had just had.? It was really nice just to go out and have fun and not worry about getting any form of transport, or where we would be staying for the next couple of days.? Also, the highlight was finding an english breakfast and roast dinners- amazing!!!? Not quite so good for the bank balance tho as thewy all seemed to be nearly english prices! Arrrh.

On the monday, we then set off to do the 4 day inca trail.? This was amazing and i can actually say, that i have been to tha picture up there.? Its not just a nice looking picture, typical to peru.? On monday, we had to leave at for, to drive 3 hours away to where we started walking from, stopping for breakfast on the way.? We then walked 6 hours, stopping for 1hr and 1/2 for lunch.? This apparently was supposed to be an easy day.? Yeah bloody right- we had to climb a massive hill, having been passed by 10 porteres, all running and dointg it 10 times faster than us, with about 10 times the weight on?their backs!!? My god i donty know how they did it.?

The food we had all the timne up there was amazing.? Even on our last night we had cake, i have no idea how the cook managed on a little camping stove.?

The next day tho was the real killer- 9 hours- , 5 and 1/2 up, 3 and 1/2 down.? We did 2 passes, one of them being called dead womans pass.? We quite literally nealr died, 4 hours to start with to go up- it was such a killer.? However, i found it 10 times worse going down hill, as it had been raining a bit, it was all stepos practically?and i found it quitye slippery, i didnt want to fall, and i kept scaring myself by slipping.? The second pass was so much easier- going up was really quick, however, yet againg going down, i found it difficult.? I must admit, my parents dont actually nop this yet, i had a near death experience, being quite close to the edge, the stairs were narrow in width, with a rock jutting out.? I was going down sideways, and my knee got caught ion the side of the riock, psuhing me backwards.? Luckily i lent forward very quickly, but it was very close!!!!? Scary!

The third day was so easy in comparison to the other 2 days.? All we had to do was go down hill, with very narrow step in some places, tohers, it was literally just rounded steps down, not really steps at all, carved out of rock!? Today however, both Alexandra and Moni sprained their ankles and are still suffering now.? We only walked 3 and 1/2 hours and we arrived in the campsite, to practically no body there and we could have the hot showers all to ourselves- amazing!!!? We then had half a day to relax and sleep.

The last day was unpleasant in the fact that we had to get up at 4, to be ready to get to the checkpoint fopr?5.30 and start walking. About na hour later we arrived at the sun gate, the sun having been up fopr 30 mins?and we looked down on machupicchu.? It was amazing.? We however, were so tired, that we only did an hour tour and went down to aguas calientes, the town below.? I know such a waste?you say, but we were literally dead!

I have now got?to now and have supper, but will continue tomorrow.

Lots of love xxxxxxx?