We're in Cuzco! and alredy with our mototaxis!

Olá!! Hola! Hello!

Here we are now in Cuzco, Peru! So, a first introduction on the teams that will be travelling together:

THE TEAMS
- Ugatuga: Lena & Gonçalo (yep, that's us!)
- Yuppy: Sancho (spanish friend from the office) and Justyna (Polish friend that just joined the team after her team mate had to pull out of the challenge). Sancho was before with a mutual friend (Helena) that also had to pull out (but is with us virtually!!)
- Taxi Taxi: Pablo (a spanish participant that we've met. He will be joining forces with us and we will be travelling together on the same route). Last minute: we invited a Peruan guy with amazing mechanich skills, that will be joining the taxitxi team! (this will be our man when we - for sure - will break the mototaxi in pieces...)

THE ROUTE
We have looked to the maps yesterday (not very detailed ones, just the Lonely Planet maps) and it seems that we will be heading to Puno (Lago Titicaca), then La Paz (Bolivia), take the dangeroust road in the world near La Paz, then heading to Uyuni Salar and then full speed (meaning 50Km / hour...) to Paraguay. We are aiming to be in Asuncion (Paraguay) on the night of 12th August and then heading to Iguazu Falls in Brazil for a resting day and flight back home on the 15th. But distances are not what they seem to be on the maps and everybody that we speak to is saying that is almost imposible to be in Asuncion so earlier! oohhhhhhh It seams the average speed per hour in the Bolivian Andes is only 20 to 30Km/h and this means 10 hours to complete only 300 Km... and we have a total of 4.000Km! Let's see what we can do! ;)

FIRST CONTACT WITH THE MOTOTAXI
Yesterday was our first day in Cuzco and we had our first contact with our lovely Mototaxi! This is a piece of art! but with no power.... :D We tested the bikes and they of course had all the kind of issues (no batteries, went down of power, etc) but generally are in good shape! We've tested yesterday a small uphill (just from the parking of the hotel to reception) and... Helena had to pull out in order for the Mototaxi to move! ehehe It seems it can only handle one person going up! (and we hadn't even put our bags on the bike!). well, it would be FUN for sure!...
Lena and myself were testing the bike and now feel very confortable with its driving (Lena is a PRO!). We even tested an "emergency jump out" of the bike while in movement! just in case... The breakes seem much better than I've expected (at least that is a good new! eheh)

Tomorrow will be the departure official day and we will be making a lot of Kms per day! Today we are buying helmets and supplies for the bike and we will have a big party with all the other teams at night.

That's it for now. We will be putting some photos and videos on the following posts (ups, I've forgot the camera in the hostal).

We already had our small moments of stress before arriving to Peru, when Sancho's bag was lost on Madrid's airport. We've lost two times the nobiles (but have found them after!) we've already lost out tent in Lima's airport (we must buy a new one today...) and some other small details... :D

Enjoy!
Lena & Gonçalo