From 4th-14th October 2008 I am taking part in a Trek of The Inca Trail in aid of The Parkinsons Disease Society. I'm aiming to raise at least £2500 for the Charity, having already covered the costs of participating in the Challenge.



http://www.acrossthedivide.com/Peru.asp?ID=405&myMonth=10#

Well we did it!

We have trekked over high mountain passes as high as Mont Blanc climbing 705m in one morning alone to reach Chanca Chuco Pass at 4,445m and again on Saturday we climbed and scaled Macchu Piccu Mountain, 500m in an afternoon to see stunning aerial views of the ruins below us.Incredibly tough going but the very early starts meant we were in camp by mid to late afternoon where our tents had been set up for us by the ever helpful and obliging Peruvian porters who brought us bowls of hot water to soak our feet in before serving yet more Coca tea to stave off the effects of the altitude.
Jean and I were so lucky as we didn't suffer any ill effects at all
although a few people had to ride on the ponies as they were feeling so rough with pounding headaches and nausea.
We had an amazing time - the  group of 31 trekkers of all ages and from all walks of life got on really well together and the fellowship of the group kept everyone buoyed up and the camararderie helped everyone to keep going with lots of jokes and limericks and even a bit of singing!
We were incredibly well looked after with excellent hotels at the start and finish, fantastic cooked meals with plenty of snacks each day and superb mountain guides who led us at a steady, copable pace up into the mountain pastures and snowy peaks and then down through rocky gorges and Elfin forest, through the Eucalyptus woods and into arid hot cactus country Such a lot of contrasts, not only in the ecological habitats but also between the all-mod-cons cities and the peasant Andean people trapped in a time warp andscratching a living off the land with a few pigs, hens and cows and we even saw the guinea pigs running around the dirt floor of one house - and yes, we did try a tiny bit of roasted guinea pig!! Bit gamey but apparently very high in protein and low in cholesterol!
 A huge Thank You to you all for helping to support the Parkinson's Disease Society either through donation or sponsorship or being the press-ganged audience at one of our concerts. So far over £108,000 has been raised by this challenge and Jean and I have raised £10,482-44 so special thanks to our fellow members of Just Quintessential for making this possible, the many friends who helped organise concert venues and all that that entails and for the huge injection of funds from the Dorset Coast and Country Festival in July. We've had an amazing and life changing experience - hard climbs out on the mountain for hours a day, laughter, freezing cold nights, raucous campfires, precipitous drops, delicious meals, insect bites and the inquisitive company
of little Peruvian children who would tag onto our trek when we thought we were miles from civilization.
 

Thanks for all your support!!
Sarah