Safe and Sound in Peru

Hello Just a note to say I´m safely back.

Superlatives aside, it was the most challenging thing that i have ever done in my entire life, mentally, but physically, i´m delighted to say that i´ve escaped pretty unscathed.

We´ve walked 26 miles over 4 days at over 4000m altitude. Mum had to leave on day 2 and go back to base camp which was really hard for both of us - her lung infection from the previous week just wouldn´t shift and she couldn´t catch a breath which at that altitude with that kind of work wasjust not an option. She walked up to meet us at macu piccu yesterday for an emotional reunion which was excellent.

Myself, the memory of the endurance is fading fast but it was truly daunting on a daily basis. We walked for twelve hours a day for three days straight. Mum´s walking friend, Rob, twisted his anke on the second day and was hopalong rob for the rest of the walk - not cool for 2,500 inca ´steps´ down in the persistent rain: basically climbing down a vertical riverbed on a crutch.

The next day, I fainted at the top of a mountain requiring oxygen and the four doctors who were present (even at altitude I have docs fighting over me!) to get me vertcial again.Took the rest of the day to shake off the queasy head and then twisted my ankle ten minutes before camp. By that point, Rob and I were crying with laughter and delirious panic at theridiculousness of it all.

I´ve made a couple great friends and met many more wonderful people in the mixed bag of allsorts that made up our pack of 47 walkers. Mum was amazing. She walked her hardest and I´m so sorry that her nasty lungs prevented her from completing what I know for a fact she could have done.Her legs were brilliant, we had two days climbing and one nights camping then she had to endure waqlking all the way back to where we´d started and stay in a youth hostel by herselfuntil she could meet up with us again.

I´m trying to avoid the inevitable dramatic undertones, but it doesn´t quite stand up to explanations or descriptions. I am emotionally drained but delirious with achievement at the enormity of what I was capable of doing. I will bore you all silly with photos and the minifilms i shot on the Boy´s digital camera on my return, but for now, sending oodles of love and thanks to my dear dear friends who have been so supportive.

Thank you.