Since Lima I have to change my travel plans all the time. Because of my problems with the Peruvian customs, I lost more than two weeks there, and so I had to cancel all the northern part of Chile, including the Atacama Desert.

Later, in Bolivia, I cancelled the Salinas de Uyuni because the road to get there was flooded. The only access was by train, and, anyway, watching the Salinas below half a meter of water is definitely not worth going there.

Two days ago, I drove some 40 km over a dirt road, just to find out whether I was able to drive on rough roads with my injured hands; verdict: No way!  If something unexpected would happen, I would  not be able to perform a difficult correcting maneuver. Not only because I cannot hold my handlebars firm enough, but on top of that my right leg would be totally useless if I ever I had to use it to avoid a crash. My initial plan for Argentina was to drive south on Route 40 starting in Buenos Aires: some four thousand km of dirt road and tracks. That is totally excluded now, especially as I would be on my own in a rather deserted area.

And finally today, when I was at the port of Montevideo to buy a ticket for a ship transfer Montevideo-Buenos Aires, I got the bad surprise to hear that all ferries were fully booked for the next seven days. Once again, I had to study my maps to find an alternative, meaning a detour of 600 km over land.

In Buenos Aires I need to find new tires once again, it will be the fifth set since Alaska.

The day before yesterday I actually completed the 40,000th km, equivalent to a complete world tour!

Uruguay has a strange official name: The Oriental Republic of Uruguay. My entry from Brazil led me for some 400 km through Pampa. A very soft, slightly undulating landscape; to my right endless pastures with large herds of cattle, but also many herds of horses; to my left, vast lagoons. The people here speak Portuñol, a funny mix between Portuguese and Spanish.

Yesterday I also finished crossing the South American continent from west to east, reaching the Atlantic in Montevideo.

Montevideo is one of the cities that I liked most on the 41.000km I drove so far. The many km long Rambla on the oceanside is very beautiful; the white sand beaches are crowded with sunbathing or exercising people. And when it gets a bit cooler in the late afternoon, they are hundreds to cycle, jog or walk along the Atlantic. I feel really good and perfectly safe in this city. The standard of living is high, everything is nice and clean; there are plenty of green spaces and beautiful buildings. People are beautiful too; the cult of the body seems to be quite important here.