We were woken up at 5.30am with Coca tea in bed - hows that for 5* service! The coca tea woke us up, not surprisingly as we later found out the leaves are used to make cocaine! But the Peruvians drink it to help with altitude sickness - so when in Rome, or Peru, and all that! After yet another huge meal at breakfast of pancakes, porridge and fruit salad we set off on our second day. This was supposedly the hardest day of the trek but Bobby assured us that it was 'a piece of cookie' and we must just go at our own pace, 'the slower you go the faster you get there!'.

The first section was pretty steep but was through the shaded forest so it stayed pretty cool, which helped. After a break we then headed to the first pass, Dead Woman's pass, which meant we had to climb 1200m up to 4200m above sea level. We found this section really difficult and had to stop every few metres, as it was so hot and the altitude made us really breathless. But we managed, altough a lot slower than the others! We had a good rest at the top then it was 700m down to the campsite at Pacamayo (3600m).

When we arrived at the campsite we had lunch then all went to sleep before high tea, after which we all went asleep again, before dinner! It certainly wasn't a 'piece of cookie' we were all shattered!