Áfter a week in Patacancha, a village with about 80 families at 4000m high in the heart of the Sacred Valley, I´ve returned to Ollanta for a hot shower and to satisfy my need for fresh avocados. The family i´m staying with work so hard, but are always happy and content. They never get angry or worked up and they laugh so readily, even though their farming life in the mountains is grueling. The village plant and harvest their potatoes at different times, so that they can all help one family at a time. The women share out weaving commissions, to make sure they all get a fair share of the profits. People depend on eachother outside the family unit to survive. They look after each other as if they were their own flesh and blood. The women breast feed each other´s babies and wipe their noses on their skirts. They feed others if they are around, and the kitchen door is always open to passers by who need to rest. They cant offer much, but rice and potatoes for every meal still tastes delicious. The family has three kids. The two eldest girls are 10 and 6 and go out to the hills every day in the bitter cold to look after their flock of sheep. They make fires out of dung to keep warm and cook potatoes for snacks. They are already miles ahead of most of us. I can´t begin to describe my respect and admiration for these people.