I've heard a bit about the Inca Trail from my mum - after her first trip there in 2008, she returned to the UK and headed straight off to the oncology unit where my sister, Alice, was receiving treatment. Alice and I loved to listen to the stories mum told us and we hoped that one day, we'd return together.

Nine-months after she left us, in October 2013, I set off on the first of my promises to Alice - to climb the world's highest freestanding mountain, Kilimanjaro, and scatter some of her ashes at the summit. It was incredibly hard, but I did it and I'm now on with her next request. 

The Sun Gate, which overlooks Machu Picchu, is second on Alice's list, but it will be the fourth place she actually rests. The first was in the beautiful Maldives in the summer of 2013, the second was the summit of Kilimanjaro in October 2013, and the third was in Pompeii, a place Alice loved, just this summer gone.

I'm going to be spending my October half-term trekking for Alice. Starting at km88, I'll be trekking 40km over rough terrain and camping rough at night, to reach the Sun Gate on the morning of Thursday 29th October - 4,200 metres is the highest point, which is 'Dead Woman's Pass' - let's hope I'm not!  This is for you, Alice #OneLifeLiveIt :)

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