07/06/2012

Inca Trail Trekkers Raise £40,000

A Belfast girl who trekked the Inca Trail and sent her sponsorship money to charity said it was a "powerful experience".

Natasha Walsh was part of a group of 13 who raised more than £40,000 for the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children, a charity for children with cancer and their families.

On their trek, they went through 26 miles of cloud forest in the Andes before arriving at Machu Picchu, 2,430m above sea level, a ruined city of the Inca Empire.

Natasha suffered with the altitude but she said some of the sights stopped her conversation mid-flow.

She said: "As soon as I stepped off the plane I felt funny – an almost vertigo-like sensation. I was also struck by the striking differences in culture and sights. Amid the hustle and bustle there were dogs everywhere and brightly attired women holding baby lambs. The views were absolutely out of this world. Some of the sights were literally jaw dropping – I would be walking along and have to stop mid-conversation."

She said that on arrival at the ruins, the trekkers were "totally exhausted but incredibly happy".

They left their Peruvian porters with a rowdy impression , singing '500 Miles' by The Proclaimers as a farewell song.

Natasha encouraged anyone considering taking part in a charity trek to "take the bull by the horns".

She said: "You will be amazed at what your body can cope with and so proud of yourself for pushing yourself out of your comfort zone."

(NE)

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