Post # 4

Just got back from three days in the village of Pumamarca. Over the last few days we have started building a large water tank to store water to be used for drinking. It will be a large plastic tank on four tall feet so supporting it three meters off the ground. The reasoning behind this being that atmospheric pressure will force the water through the taps ( meaning that an expensive pump doesn´t have to be used). Currently the water supply is nearly 100 times over the safety limit for water quality, so you can see why this is necessary. On top of this, global warming is causing there to be less snow in the mountains and so even less water anyway!! Our project should mean that water can be stored for times of drought AND be safe.

(Oh and the money we raised is actually enough for three of these massive structures, its just that we only have time to build one!!)

So far we have dug four one metre squared pits (removing approx 8tons of earth with picks and shovels!), dug the foundations for a twenty metre long protective wall (the water tank would be stolen otherwise!) AND refilled our holes with cement and steel reinforcements that we built by hand!. So yeah, done abit lately and consequently we are ALL completely wacked, achey (sp!) and muddy.





Although tired, something has really perked us up and made us ready for tomorrow! Arrived back from Pumamarca to the Hostel Amaru to find......... THE KAYAKS!!!!!!!..........Lots of boat hugging went on!!


We are off to the jungle tomorrow for our first day of kayaking. Up bright and early at 5:30 to paddle the Urumamba in the morning followed by a further five hour bus trip to our camp for the jungle section of the trip (Quosnipata Tono etc).

Hope all is well in sunny England!!! Hehe

x