‘Yes,’ I cry, hormones, emotion and joy getting the better of me as tears start streaming down my face. ‘Three squidgy babies. A set of twins, and a little bonus,’ I confirm, cradling my bump.

My friends start jumping up and down and the crowd around us starts cheering in celebration.

Love.

Pure love.

I’ve never felt so lucky.

Mike

‘Well, there’s no way I’m letting you walk up there now!’ I say, shaking my head at Zaza as we walk to an area away from the crowds so we can take a moment to absorb what we’ve been told. My mate is having three children in one go. Three!

‘I’ll be OK,’ she shrugs, still wiping the tears from her eyes.

‘Don’t be daft. Pia would come back and haunt me,’ I say, knowing she absolutely would.

‘So have you only just found out?’ asks Vicky.

‘No, we’ve always known … but with a bump this big I couldn’t say it was only one and we thought we’d have some fun,’ Zaza laughs.

‘You should’ve seen my mum’s face!’ says Liam, gazing at Zaza with a look of complete adoration.

‘Your house is going to be loud, for sure,’ notes Nick, his eyes widening.

‘Three tiny little bubbas,’ Vicky coos, her eyes tearing again.

‘Don’t you go getting any ideas,’ Nick tells her.

‘Oh no, no! We’re done,’ she says, slipping her arm under his and leaning on to his chest.

Five years on from our first trip and we’ve chosen Cornwall this year because Zaza would’ve otherwise been unable to join us. That wasn’t an option. These yearly trips have remained a boost for all of us, having visited Iceland, the Sahara and the Alps since Peru.

I go off with different groups throughout the year, on adventures with kids like Josh and Ben who’ve had to face grief at a time when they should be enjoying life. Josh has even started guiding groups with me now that he’s old enough, which feels like a testament to what our excursions have meant to him. He wants to pay it forwards. I couldn’t be prouder.

Yet these trips with Vicky and Zaza give me something different – time with two people who knew Pia like I did. This year it’s turned into a family affair, which adds a bit more chaos than normal, but chaos is never a bad thing. We knew this trip wouldn’t be exactly like the others, and have therefore embraced it. This wasn’t going to be the same as the long, enduring treks of the past; instead this was simply going to be about being together in Cornwall, a place known for its beauty that’s surrounded by the sea.

‘I think I want to do it near here, anyway,’ I say, looking around us.

‘You do?’ ask Zaza.