We had all prepared ourselves for a challenge but today has been far harder than any of us had anticipated.

The trek began with a walk through rice fields and several small rope bridges that looked hardly able to support us!

We were then faced with our first hill. The incline at least 8 on the treadmill but we all made it to the top and enjoyed a welcome rest.

The next part of our six hour trek tested our stamina and put us all to the test. In several areas we walked alongside steep drops but the guides were there to lend a helping hand and produced sticks for many of us to use as extra support.

At points our boots became totally submerged in the river but the cool water was surprisingly on our hot feet was surprisingly refreshing. As we negotiated our way along one particularly challenging ridge sarah had a wardrobe malfunction as her trousers ripped! A classic moment.

Lunch consisted of rice wrapped in a banana leaf filled with meat and beans followed by a swim in the river. The water cooled us down and allowed some essential down-time before the next leg of our journey. It also served as a brilliant opportunity to use our sarongs for the first time, with louis showing us how to use it as a changing room.its not as easy as it looks.

Warned that the rains may come we covered our backpacks and carried on but thankfully the clouds swept across the valley in the opposite direction as to where we were travelling.

Once arriving at our village destination where we will be sleeping tonight we all wandered down to the river again and us girls even did a bit of washing in the rapids whilst the men-folk tidied our sleeping accommodation.

Good to see them chipping in with the chores! It’s been a brilliant day and a real wake up call as to how tough this trip will really be. But we are ready to face it together and know that if we are going to slip over on muddy rocks or struggle to reach the top of a hill there will be a friend nearby to help.