I managed to climb the mountain! It was very exciting and difficult but worth it. It took 2 days with an extra day at the beginning to practise ice skills such as using crampons and ice climbing which was great fun. We weren´t so keen on our guides, they were a bit impatient and expected everyone to know what to do evern though it was moist peoples first time using that type of equipment but everybody managed fine and I helped out when I could! The 2nd day we hiked up to high camp (5330m) which was difficult due to the altitude, terrain (uneven rocks and steep paths) and the fact we had all our gear on our backs. We cheweed coca leaves along the way which are apparently supposed to help with the altitude, and took altitude sickness pills, I don´t know if they helped or not but I didn´t get ill so they can´t have been bad. The next day we got up at 1am to head for the summit which took about 5 hours. The walking was slow and hard, the altitude makes breathing really difficult and I generally felt quite weak due to the lack or oxygen reaching my muscles, not ideal when you´re trying to climb a mountain! We had breaks along the way and I think it actually helped that it was dark as we couldn´t see the massives slopes above us! The last bit of the climb was the hardest, climbing up a very steep ice wall requiring the use of the ice axes and crampons for about 15 mins to reach a really narrow ledge with a big drop off each side to climb along to get to the summit! Unfortunately we got there a bit too early and instead of seeing sunrise we got to the top still in the dark and I got very cold so was coming up when the sun actually rose and missed it! It was still a good sight though, silhouettes of mountains and all the city lights of La Paz shining down below. Going down was almost as hard as going up as we were sooo knackered by then and had to do the whole way down in one day. By the time we finished we had been walking for about 11 hours straight. Definately a difficult but worthwhile and memorable experience!

After my mountain experience I headed for a totally different type of expereince which was volunteering at a rescued animals sanctuary. I got put in ´monkey quarantine´where the monkeys are kept in a controlled environment to prevent them from catching parasties and to encorage them to interact with other monkeys. Some were in cages which was sad as some of them were really friendly but would be attacked by thge others if they were free. others were more aggressive! I got bitten by the same monkey 4 times (hard but not serious!) so we established that we didn´t like each other and steered clear after that. But mostly the monkeys were so cute and really friendly and would cuddle, jump on you, groom you and hunt in your pockets for things to steal. One would be on a my shoulder and before I realised anything had happened my earring was missing! It was difficult and very dirty work, a lot of cleaning, being weed on a having food thrown at me but definately unforgettable and I will miss my monkeys! Other animals in the park include many tropical birds, big cats, coatis (very vicious and gave several people bites requiring multiple stitches!) and tutrtles among others. All have heir own different sad story but mostly it involves them being kept as pets, in circuses or even dropped at the park in a cardboard box with no story so although living conditions at the park were not great for all animals they were almost definately beter than the life they had had before which made me feel I weas helping a worthwhile cause.

I am now in Potosi to experience the silver mines (considered the most gruelling job in the world but some) and then to see the salt flats. All in time to catch my flight home on 15th May, not much time left! I can´t belive how quickly it has gone but am looking forward to being home again for some home comforts!