I got up at 4.30am and was given my packed lunch by Marina who incredibly got up at that time just to make me fresh rolls..(aww..what a great mummy!) My real mum would never do that for me..(eh mum?) Today is Dia Del Madre in Bolivia funnily enough when children show gratitude for the suffering their mothers have experienced bringing them up. This isn't the tame Mothers Day we have in Europe. No, here they have a huge party with all the relatives..and the mothers are the centre of attention. It's also a public holiday for any mothers working in the civil service!! Anyway I jumped in a taxi with Chris (US), Peggy (US) and my guide Jesus. We drove through the suburbs of Cochabamba and reached the huge Cordillera mountains that loom over Cochabamba and the valley. Our taxi drove us up the bumpy, windy roads as the sun began to rise around 6ish in the morning. Everything was going well when the taxi hit a huge rock and the suspension was destroyed! The taxi driver told us we had to start here( 5km short of where we should have been dropped off) as he must return to the city to repair the taxi so he can pick us up later. We walked up the rocky twisty roads and chatted to Jesus (who also speaks Quechua) in Spanish. We walked past a small Quechuan house with a pen full of Llamas, we got our cameras out and started snapping away like Japanese tourists. Then a cheeky little scamp with the full Aymara garb appeared and asked us for money (for taking photos of his llamas). Jesus intervened and told him to politely to piss off in Quechuan. We walked further up the mountain and then off the road up the mountain face. We walked through lots of llama s***, it's incredible, piles of brown pellets. They really let go, the land is covered in brown bullets. We continued climbing the steep mountain and eventually reached a lake. There were a number of curious llamas all peering at us with their large, bulbous black eyes and then once startled running with their huge bums off up the mountainside. Every so often I would chew coca leaves that Marina gave me but unlike Peru with the alkaline base which reacts to give you the kick. My mouth went numb and I didn't feel hungry. Those were the only effects I seemed to get. We also stopped now and then to eat biscuits, bananas and drink tea (cinnemon). The landscape is a bit like the Scottish highlands; barren yet beautiful. We walked along some dangerous paths with sheer drops but after 5 hours of climbing reached the summit. Peggy didn't make the summit as she was suffering terribly from soroche (altitude sickness). Me and Chris congratulated each other on making the summit (17,000ft) probably the highest I'll ever climb. There was a cairn with gifts to Pachamama so I gave some coca leaves and left a rock on top of the cairn as a mark of respect to the mountain god. We could see the city of Cochabamba, nearby villages and believe it or not Illimani (the mountain which looms over La Paz hundreds of miles away). The sunshine and altitude takes its toll; I had a thumping headache and also burnt my face even though I had factor 30 suncream on. We walked back down to the bottom after eating our rolls and fruit. I also had my thermos so I drank my fave cinnemon tea. When we reached the taxi we had walked for an unbelievable 9 hours in total. I was so tired and we all fell asleep on the way home despite driving on the bumpiest road I've ever experienced. When I returned the Dia Del Madre party was in full swing. I had BBQ meat, salads and lots of beer with the family. However by 8ish (lightweight) I went to my bed, bad combo; beer + fatigue= sleep.