The Incaredible Wallabies

So, it's been a long while and I'm happy to inform you that news of our demise has been greatly exagerated. We're back baby, and we're back with a bang. However, we have found out that driving a mototaxi across Peru is very difficult and frankly exhausting.

I'd like to start by apologising for the lack of updates which for phone credit, no battery and internet absence and more importantly hours and hours of driving (regular 16 hour days with 5am starts), we have not been able to deliver the service we aimed to. I'd also like to thank all the concerned people who have been phoning, texting, emailing as a result of the above. I can assure you we are in fine fettle, and spirits are high.

So, what has happened over the last five days, I hear you ask. I cant possibly go through it all, as this blog post would be impossible to finish from the back of Betsy from which i type this.

I last mentioned that I had a feeling that things would be turning around for us, and meeting our now bestest chums The Wandering Wallabies, Adam Brown and Christian Fisher, was the turning point. Both mechanical engineers, expert motorcyclists, and ruddy good fellas, they have helped us tease an amazing 1000 km in the time since we last blogged, through places like Ayacucho, Huanta, Huancayo and Huanco.

We have though had some other issues along the way, two punctures (both successful roadside repairs), and one for the aussies (caused by lifting the mototaxi onto and off a small boat to cross a river), a missing axel nut (this really could have killed us, as we were travelling downhill at some speed and luckily the chain jammed before the wheel fell off which was a distinct possibility). What followed was a frustrating three hour wait as Adan went to get the part in the town we were heading for, as the repair job only took ten minutes.

I also rolled the mototaxi that day, result one bruised toe and a ripped canvad roof. The aussies repeated this trick with their beast christened Pixius, this time much closer to a cliff edge, and with Moira in it. The only collateral damage was bruised egos, and the fact that Moira can no longer hear the words "Lean Right" without wetting her pants. (Try it when she gets home).

Today was all about the militant Kiwi, Ross, who we encountered at a landslide on the road to La Union. Picture the image, a 5ft middle aged, moustachioed New Zealander running around a queue of parked vehicles, directing a bunch of bemused Peruvians whilst wealding a stolen pick-axe like a demented dwarf hi-hoing his way to work. He had no patience, he was digging a new road when it took more than 1 minute to find the lorry driver blocking the way, but to be fair he got us going again with under an hours delay.

Well tomorrow will bring another early start as we hopeto finally cross the brutal but beautiful Andes, and head for the coast. Only five days left to get up the coast across the jungle to Ayabaca. God I hope we can do it. I can tell you, if we do, it will be one hell of an achievement.

Make sure you follow us to the bitter end, where success and failure hinges sometimes on one turn of a spanner. Also see our real time map on our blogspot page to see us inch ckoser we hope to the finish line.

Bunos Noches me amigios. Until Manyana.. Avi Incaredible

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