It has been four months since we finished out last trip (The sixteenth step) and we are both keen to get back on the road again.  The current turmoil in which the world finds itself has meant that many destinations are out of bounds,  some I fear seemingly permanently so, but it wasn't too difficult  a decision to head back to South America. 

With age creeping up on us, slowly but inevitably, we felt we needed to head somewhere that might be closer to our limits in the hope that we can leave the "easier" destinations to the years when we will undoubtedly be even more physically feeble.

So we settled on the challenging atmosphere of the  Peruvian and Bolivian altiplano, a choice that gives us the chance to escape to lower altitudes if the going gets too tough.

We're now also past the point of riding EFI and we'll happily catch a bus or collectivo if that is the more sensible option to get through a tough or boring section.

The plan is almost nonexistent.   We fly to Cusco via Johannesburg,  Sao Paulo and Lima.  After that we have no idea.  We have a flight booked back to South Africa from Sao Paulo at the end of July.  Until then we will play it by ear.