The weather is not getting Mike’s spirits down. If anything, since he set a piece of Pia free there has been a newly acquired spring in his step which is uplifting to watch.

Vicky I’ve been keeping close. A protectiveness has switched on within me now she’s spoken. I knew she was finding things tough, but it hurts me to know this has been running far deeper than I cared to realize. How did I miss how far the situation at home has been pushing her? Does Nick know? Is that why she needed to get away and come here? To give her some reasoning that life is to be lived? To relieve her of her load and help her see clearly again?

‘You OK?’ I say for the millionth time as she stops for a drink and to grab a snack bar.

‘I think I’d feel better if it weren’t for this headache,’ she replies.

I nod and reach for her hand through our plastic layers. Now isn’t the time to talk.

‘You’ll see camp around this corner,’ offers Kevin with a smile.

‘Really?’ I ask, the joy his words bring audible in my voice.

He nods with a big smile.

‘And there are llamas!’ calls Mike as several appear in a clearing next to us, looking up to see what the commotion is. Even though I would love to take a photo of them to show Liam just how cute they are, I cannot be arsed to fight through my layers and pockets to find my phone to take one. I take a mental picture instead and work on getting around the bend to camp.

Kevin’s right. As we turn the corner we can see our tents in the distance. The only sticking point is that they’re absolutely tiny, letting us know that the hard work isn’t quite over yet.

An hour and a half later, though, we stroll into our camp, which is in the courtyard of a farm in the valley. Small and enclosed, as well as home to several llamas and alpacas, it’s also sitting three hundred metres lower than last night’s camp. So hopefully the Peruvian walls will act as windbreakers to keep out the chill and the difference in altitude will stop us feeling quite so groggy.

‘Tents are that way, dining tent is there, and the toilet is just over there,’ says Scott, pointing out the obvious. ‘Take some time to chill, dinner will be ready in about an hour.’

We all nod at him but the energy has been zapped from me and Vicky. Only Mike gives a more enthusiastic response with a big nod.

‘You’re not looking too great,’ I say to Vicky, who seems to be paler than normal.