And so it begins...

Day 1- Heathrow to Madrid, Madrid to Lima, Lima to Cuzco

Before I even started the trek I had to face the tough task of trying to pack light, which for me was a challenge in itself! We were given a kit list, but I struggled to stick to it as I’m the type of person who will pack everything including the kitchen sink! But after packing and repacking about ten times I finally managed to squeeze everything into my 'small' kit bag (well I thought it was small, but it turned out that I had the biggest bag out of the whole group!) So, armed with little more than the bare essentials (which obviously included my makeup bag), my camera and a few dodgy Spanish phrases I was ready to start my Peruvian adventure.

When I arrived at the airport I was nervous about meeting the rest of the team (there were 36 of us taking part on the trek) but after three aeroplanes, a lost passport, over 20 hours of travelling and a lost bag we had bonded like old friends.

As we landed in Cusco I was glad to see that the sun was shining (I was desperate to escape the cold, wet English weather!) Stepping off plane I immediately started to feel the effects of altitude (Cusco sits at a lung-busting 3326m above sea level). I felt quite short of breath as though somebody was standing on my chest. I considered buying an ‘Oxishot’ at the airport (a little can which provides the newly-arrived with a much needed boost of pure oxygen) but I decided it best to huff and puff the old-fashioned way and acclimatise without a crutch.

When we arrived at our hotel late in the afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised at how luxurious it was. I was expecting a basic hostel, but the ‘Sonesta Hotel’ was clean and comfortable, unlike the cramped tents we would be spending the next four days in. After unpacking and getting settled in our rooms a few of us went for a wonder around Cusco. I found the city to be a colourful, vibrant and brimming with culture and stunning architecture. For the rest of the afternoon we strolled around the cobbled streets lapping up the amazing atmosphere. The local people were very friendly and everywhere I turned there were market stools overflowing with beautiful handmade crafts and exotic foods. Even though the city relies heavily on tourism, it still retains a certain amount of local charisma and rustic charm.

That evening we had an early dinner at the hotel and went straight bed. We were all knackered after the long flight and we had a big day ahead of us. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was unconscious with sleep.