Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Author: Liesbet (page 1 of 65)

Life of a Prehistoric Nomad – Guest Post by Author Jacqui Murray

April 16, 2025 / / 39 Comments

Note from Liesbet: Ever since I discovered Jacqui’s blog, WordDreams, I’ve been fascinated by her prehistorical fiction writing and characters and I’ve been impressed by the amount of research, passion, and skill that goes into creating her three trilogies that make up her Man Vs. Nature saga. Here is my review for Born in a Treacherous Time, the first book in her first trilogy, Dawn of Humanity.

Previously, I gave her a shout-out on Roaming About in 2021, when Laws of Nature, book 2 in Dawn of Humanity came out and she provided a guest article in 2022 about the wanderlust of prehistoric nomads, to promote Natural Selection, the third book in that series.

Badlands

Jacqui launched her third trilogy in the Man Vs. Nature saga this year. It’s called Savage Land and the second book in this set, Badlands, was just released. Jacqui has been as interested in our lifestyle as I’ve been in that of her characters. As “modern-day nomads”, Mark, Maya, and I don’t have a lot in common with our roaming ancestors, but we are almost as curious about what’s behind the horizon! 🙂

Over to you, Jacqui. If anyone has questions for my author and blogger friend, please ask them in the comment section. She will check in to elaborate and interact.

Thank you for inviting me to your blog today, Liesbet, to talk about the lifestyle of the Neanderthal characters in my newest book, Badlands. Neanderthals lived in a vast swath of Eurasia, from the Atlantic shore to the Altai Mountains in Siberia. They migrated often in response to the movement of herds, the fruiting of trees, and the weather. Evidence left behind in their home-of-choice, caves, shows they stayed there for only a few weeks to a month before moving on.

Why were Neanderthals nomadic?

The reasons for the Neanderthal nomadic lifestyle is similar to those of today’s nomads:

  • They were hunter-gatherers. Herds moved so the Neanderthals moved. Edible plants expired or grew–tribes followed them. Their lifestyle was to use different resources in different places.
  • They lived in small groups. They moved around to find more of their kind, to mate with and pairmate–to continue the species.
  • Each group shared their skills with other Neanderthal tribes.
  • They didn’t own materials–clothing, weapons, tools, pottery, jewelry, artwork. They believed materials were shared by all. They took with them what they could carry in their hands (spears and club-like cudgels) and (I speculate) in a shoulder sack (stone tools, extra pelts, travel food, an ember to start a fire). Since they owned nothing and what they had could be reproduced, there were no reasons to establish a home to keep their belongings as we-all do.

Today’s nomads

The modern-day Hadza (also known as the Hadzabe) are historically nomadic, moving with the seasons. They have been doing this for the last 50,000 years. Neanderthals disappeared 45,000 years ago, though they didn’t make it as far south as Africa. They never would have known the Hadza, but their lifestyles overlap with a lot of similarities despite the massive difference in time.

If you’re interested in the lifestyle of modern hunter-gatherers who are as old as the Neanderthals in my story, check out this 43-minute documentary, viewed by over 2.4 million:

Here is some more information about Jacqui Murray and her new trilogy, Savage Land:

Summary

Savage Land is the third prehistoric man trilogy in the series, Man Vs. Nature. Written in the spirit of Jean Auel, Savage Land explores how two bands of humans survived one of the worst natural disasters in Earth’s history, when volcanic eruptions darkened the sky, massive tsunamis crossed the ocean in crushing waves, and raging fires burned the land. Each tribe starring in the story considered themselves apex predators. Neither was. That crown belonged to Nature and she was intent on washing the blight of man from her face.

In Endangered Species, Book One of the trilogy, Yu’ung’s Neanderthal tribe must join with Fierce’s Tall Ones—a Homo sapiens tribe–on a cross-continent journey that starts in the Siberian Mountains. The goal: a new homeland far from the devastation caused by the worst volcanic eruption ever experienced by Man. How they collaborate despite their instinctive distrust could end the journey before it starts or forge new relationships that will serve both well in the future.

Cover Badlands

In Badlands, Book Two, the tribes must split up, each independently crossing what Nature has turned into a wasteland. They struggle against starvation, thirst, and desperate enemies more feral than human. If they quit or worse, lose, they will never reunite with their groups or escape the most deadly natural disaster ever faced by our kind.

Join me in this three-book fictional exploration of Neanderthals. Be ready for a world nothing like what you thought it would be, filled with clever minds, brilliant acts, and innovative solutions to potentially life-ending problems, all based on real events. At the end of this trilogy, you’ll be proud to call Neanderthals family.

Book information Badlands:

Print, digital, audio available: http://a-fwd.com/asin=B0DFCV5YFT

Genre: Prehistoric fiction

Editor: Anneli Purchase

Author bio:

Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman , the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes 100+ books on tech into education, reviews as an Amazon Vine Voice and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics.

Excerpt of Badlands

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Monthly Expenses of a Nomad in South America – March 2025 (Argentina & Chile)

April 7, 2025 / / 24 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the US East Coast. Other health issues are resolved locally and out of pocket where needed.

In March, Mark, Maya, Thirsty Bella, and I left the Carretera Austral in Chile and explored the Lake Districts in that country and in Argentina.

Our free camping spot at the north side of Caburgua Lake after a day’s worth of driving on awful roads
Camped for free at a red volcanic beach for a week in Conaripe
Camped at the south side of Caburgua Lake

We hopped back and forth between Argentina and Chile a couple of times.

Leaving Chile
Potholed road in Argentina
Welcome (back) to Argentina
Waiting for the gate into Argentina to open
Border formalities to leave Argentina
Approaching the Chilean border
Welcome to Chile
Entering Argentina one last time?

Before I get into our expenditure details of last month, I want to say something about our income. Throughout my blog posts, I mention that we both work on the road. Yet, some of you are still surprised about us trying to make a living, not being retired (will we ever?), or the extra challenges that come with the need to earn money.

Mark and I have been nomads for 20+ years and we have had several jobs during that time. (I elaborate on those in my sailing memoir Plunge.) Otherwise, we couldn’t have traveled this long and this far. And, no, we don’t have rental income or a property anywhere. Our camper – and whatever it holds – is all we own, apart from a few boxes of memorabilia, stored with family in Belgium and the US.

At the moment, since my translation and proofreading jobs have dried up, Mark and I both work as freelancers, completing different tasks that aim to improve AI. While Mark’s work is straightforward, steady, and poorly paid, my projects are sporadic, specific, complicated, and with a higher hourly rate. Rarely, our monthly income covers our expenses. We still have to dig into savings to support ourselves. That’s the reason we need to spend less money. We always try…

Which brings me to our expenses of March, during which we did not succeed to live frugally. As a matter of fact, it was an expensive month. But if you look at the details, it is easy to understand why our total reached $2,000; many hundreds of dollars above our average.

Potholed road in Argentina
Paved roads again!
We are not done with crappy roads yet!
Driving among monkey puzzle trees as we leave Chile

As you’ve come to expect, the car category is the highest again. We actually left Chile to cover a substantial distance in Argentina, where the gasoline is cheaper, before returning to Chile. Still, we spent $419 on fuel. Since motor oil (as well as any imported products) are cheaper in Chile than in its neighbor, we bought enough for our next oil change (7 liters), at a price of $49. The rest of the “car money” went to tolls ($4) and a parking lot for a hike ($3).

Filling up with gasoline in Argentina

The extra category that made our total “jump” was an occurrence that we usually attend to in April or May: Mark’s annual summer visit to Massachusetts for health care and family reasons. He and I were loosely chatting about where in South America he should leave from in July, while Maya and I stay behind. I’m confident we will be in Brazil by then, so he looked into plane rides from São Paulo (more affordable than Rio de Janeiro), and, before I knew it, he had booked flights, because the price was right. Indeed, $435 for a return journey between São Paulo and Boston is a good deal!

Our grocery bill went up again, because we bought a few things in Chile that are not available, or twice the price, in Argentina. We do feel $400 a month for food shopping in third world countries is on the high side. To be honest, we can’t wait to reach cheaper countries again after more than a year of expensive shopping.

European-style bakery in Villa La Angostura
Amazing sourdough bread from a bakery in Villa La Angostura
An empty fridge, because importing fresh food into Chile is prohibited.
Happy to reach a Lider grocery store again in Chile
Stocking up our stores!
Look at that full food cupboard!
Affordable and good-looking produce in Chile
Let’s go shopping!
Returning to our favorite produce store
Look at the size of these vegetables!
Unfortunately, this $1.50 head of lettuce would not fit in our fridge.

And, since we would leave Chile indefinitely in March, we stocked up on Maya’s dog food ($200) as well, for reasons mentioned above – it’s either not available or more expensive elsewhere in South America. Unless Brazil surprises us! Now, she can keep eating her high-end, salmon-based, chicken-less kibble for another six months or so. We needed a new international health permit for her to cross into Chile as well.

The vet in Futaleufú creates Maya’s paperwork
In Futaleufú, the vet works out of town hall
More dogfood for Maya

Mark and I went rafting in Chile, which you might have read about in my previous post. Yes, for the privilege of almost drowning, we paid $188. Other than that unfortunate glitch, it was a lot of fun. I’ll mention here that the US dollar kept devaluating against the Chilean peso. So, while a year ago 1,000 pesos amounted to one USD, this was not the case anymore in 2025. Another reason the scales are shifting towards Argentina again, where the US dollar is becoming stronger.

Our rafting company
Starting our rafting trip
Fun on the Futaleufú River

Mark celebrated his birthday on March 1st, so we could potentially have added all our activities for that event under the gift category, but we didn’t. The rafting trip is mentioned above and other related expenses below. Because we changed plans, we arrived in Futaleufú that day, allowing us to enjoy a fabulous, fancy dinner at an excellent restaurant. The cost was $80. The other $11 for “dining out” went to empanadas and a portion of French fries bought at street stands.

Our amazing restaurant in Futaleufú
The homey and comfortable interior of the restaurant
Lamb tomahawk
Appetizers on the house
Gnocchi entrée for Liesbet
Ossobuco entrée for Mark
Birthday dessert on the house

We only ate at a restaurant once in March and that was for a special occasion. All the other dinners were cooked and consumed at home.

A big salad for dinner
Veggie burger, carrots, and frittata for dinner
Fresh mushroom burgers
Homemade pizza in our tiny 12V oven
Another delicious dinner at home: grilled burger on ciabatta bread with potato salad
Blackberry pancakes, with fruit from our surroundings
My usual cereal bowl enhanced with red berries

A bottle of Bacardi rum and a myriad of Malbec, Carménère, and Chardonnay wines constituted our $56 bill for alcohol. Thanks to a donation from MD, this number wasn’t higher. 😊

Dinner al fresco

While we were heading north on the Carretera Austral in Chile (where no facility fills propane bottles), we were running low on propane gas, causing us to be super careful using the heater. We often felt cold inside the camper. This precaution allowed us to reach Argentina, where American tanks can be filled, either at depots or by the gravity-fill method. Unfortunately, the facility we planned to get our tank full again didn’t have crew on Saturday morning to help us out, despite the depot being open…

This meant we had to make it to a bigger town before noon (when businesses close for the weekend), namely Bariloche. Three attempts later, we found a man willing to sell us propane… at the crazy price of $5 per kilo (or $45 for a full tank). Since we were in a bind – our tank was utterly empty by then, because we had confidently run the heater in the morning, thinking we’d get propane an hour later – we had him fill half our tank. Only to repeat this cautious and stressful procedure a month later. Our next camper will NOT have a propane system.

Getting propane gas
Blackberry-banana pancakes – we need propane to cook

And we paid the usual monthly subscription to Starlink for our satellite internet ($36). Our business takes care of the other half. A better exchange rate in Argentina saw a slight drop in this fee.

Mark never wants anything for his birthday, so we went rafting and I bought him some goodies – Belgian-style beer and homemade jelly – in a small grocery store. This year, I didn’t even have access to a Western-style supermarket to spoil him.

On his birthday, we also went out for a drink at a brewery in Futaleufú, something we rarely do. It was nice to just listen to music and relax on a patio with Maya. Until it got too chilly.

Brewery in Futaleufú
Cheers!

Anyone who follows us on Facebook might have seen multiple series of photos of us doing laundry in the icy Patagonian rivers. We continued that tradition in March, since laundromats are, really, very expensive.

Doing laundry every day in the warmish lake water
Not the best day for laundry, but it had to be done.
Sun and wind are a great combo for handwashing clothes.
Another load of laundry to stay on top of things

One shop charged $1 per piece of clothing; sheets, sweaters, towels, and jeans didn’t count. Well, those are the exact items that are difficult to hand wash! Luckily, lake water is warmer than river water! We eventually found a shop where we dropped off our sheets and bigger items for a total of $10.

Expensive laundromat in Esquel
Hidden and affordable laundromat

The last two categories were peanuts. We bought more painkillers, since the container of Tylenol we brought back from the US is going fast, due to my frequent headaches and migraines. And, we needed a new spray bottle for a bleach solution to attack the mold created by condensation and frigid weather.

Every night in March, we camped for free. We enjoyed most of these quiet places in nature.

Decent free camping in Futaleufú, Chile
Free camping in a municipal park in Esquel, Argentina
Camped along the Rio Azul, Argentina
Camped in Villa La Angostura, Argentina
Argentinians like to park on top of other campers.
Incredible camping spot in Argentina on the last day of the month
First camping spot back in Chile
Camped by Volcan Villarrica, Chile
We had to move campsites at the northern end of Lake Caburgua, because of heavy winds.

In April 2025, we will still be driving a lot – this continent is big – but we will do our best to stay within our budget.

March 2025 Overview:

Car  (fuel: $419; oil: $49; tolls: $4; parking: $3):

Travel (flights Mark):

Groceries:

Dog (food: $197; permit: $28):

Entertainment (rafting):

Dining out:

Alcohol:

Utilities (Internet: $36; propane: $17):

Gifts (B-day Mark):

Drinking out:

Laundry:

Medical:

Household:

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

$475

$435

$395

$225

$188

$91

$56

$53

$19

$11

$10

$4

$2

$0

———

$ 1,964

(It might be easier to read the table when turning your device in the horizontal position.)

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend, check out the blogs of our nomad friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Next up: The Life of a Prehistoric Nomad – a guest post by author and blogger Jacqui Murray

If you are enjoying these posts, please consider donating to Roaming About in support of our website and lifestyle. A big thank you to all our readers who have helped out in the past!

Rafting the Rambunctious Futaleufú River in Chile – From Exhilarating to Life-threatening

March 30, 2025 / / 35 Comments

My previous blog post about the Carretera Austral in Chile was getting too long, so I’m reporting on our rafting trip in Futaleufú separately. This cute town is located near the border with Argentina, two hours from the Carretera via a really bad dirt road. Mark and I booked a tour with Rio Futaleufú Rafting for March 3rd, which would have the least amount of rain in the forecast. We left Maya at home for six hours, a record for her, and looked forward to this exciting adventure.

(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)

Office of our rafting company
Mark and I booked our 2.5-hour rafting trip with this company.

I love, love, love rafting. In my book, it is the most fun and thrilling excursion one can experience; the more rambunctious and frequent the rapids, the better. The action of rushing through the water, frantically paddling to the instructions of the guide, and being one with the elements is invigorating. And that’s how this ride started out.

Our group consisted of two rafting guides, two rafts, eleven rafters, and three support crew in individual watercraft. Everyone was equipped with a wetsuit, undershirts, booties, a rain jacket, a life vest, a helmet, and a paddle.

In full rafting gear
Ready for a cold day on the water
The two groups of rafters and guides

After some instructions ashore, we practiced commands on the water and got to know each other better. Each of our six-person team had rafted before. Mark and I did so in Costa Rica 19 years ago and my first rafting trip was in New Zealand, when I backpacked in Southeast Asia and Down Under at age 25. It had been a while, since rafting isn’t cheap.

Listening to instructions
Pampa preferred to practice the moves on the water
Here we go…

Every river is different and the Futa is famous for its high density and frequency of Class IV and Class V rapids. Mark and I had never rafted a Class V stretch of water, so we’d paid for the longer session ($92 per person, including photos) to experience them. Within the first five minutes of floating down the foamy river (the water level was quite high), we were soaking wet and loving it. We rushed through the sequences of Class IV rapids, smiling wide, and most of our group jumped down a 20-foot-high cliff just for the fun of it.

The first rapids were benign
Once we reached the foamy parts of the river, we got soaking wet.
Down the rapid
Both groups rafting downriver
Navigating the river
So much fun!
Quick sequence of rapids
Down another Class IV rapid
Hold!
Forward!
Photo moment
Rafting down more Class IV rapids in different positions
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The Carretera Austral – Chile’s Famous & Scenic Road through Patagonia

March 25, 2025 / / 31 Comments

Paso Roballos Border

After a quick clearing out process at the remote Paso Roballos border in Argentina – and receiving a rare exit stamp – entering Chile was supposed to be easy. Fast. Straightforward. Uneventful. Well…

First, about twenty people were waiting to clear out of Chile, filling out forms and not having applied for the right paperwork online. Mark and I were the only ones entering, but we couldn’t cut the line in front of the one window. So, we waited for over an hour.

(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)

Driving to Chile in the rain
The remote border crossing at Paso Raballos, Chile, is manned by police officers.

When we finally approached the booth, the officials seemed to be surprised we were actually arriving in Chile. I guess they hadn’t seen our giant cow-like camper through the window, on the Argentinian side?

Since this is a police-manned post instead of the usual offices of immigration, customs, and agriculture, reports of 5-minute crossings abound. What we found, however, was a team of unhelpful and inefficient cops. Our paperwork was in order, yet, we were told to wait in our car until “Interpol confirmed our identities.” How long would that take? What about them keeping our passports and original car title? Oh, and it was raining as well.

After another hour of sitting in the cab of our truck, one of the uniformed men opened the gate and motioned us to drive forward. He handed us back our important, now water-stained documents. Because it was after 5pm already and too late to make it to our next destination of Cochrane, we spent the night by a historic building in Patagonia National Park.

At 1am, when the relentless wind shook the camper violently, preventing us from sleeping, we moved behind the protection of trees. Our neighbors did the same.

The heavy winds at night created blue skies in the morning.
Entering Patagonia NP

Patagonia National Park

Usually, dogs are not allowed in national parks and there are steep entrance fees, but because pretty Patagonia NP envelops the bouncy dirt road to the border, anyone can drive through. So, that’s what we did. We kept Maya in the car and skipped the trails. Instead, we observed this special and somewhat spiritual park through our car windows.

Driving through Patagonia NP
Scenery along the route
Immense mountains along our route through the park
The scenery was super enjoyable.
Snowy mountains not too far away

We stopped by the visitor center to pay our respects at the grave of Douglas Tompkins, an American philanthropist and conservationist, who was responsible for founding this park and preserving millions of acres of land in Chile and Argentina.

Wild guanacos in close proximity
Douglas Tompkins’s gravel in his favorite part of the world
The most docile guanacos we ever encountered
Grazing guanacos with a spectacular background
Unfortunately, we didn’t’ spot any pumas

Cochrane

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The Real Patagonia – Welcome to the Mountains of Southern Chile and Argentina

March 19, 2025 / / 34 Comments

Ushuaia, the southern-most city of the South American continent, was a pleasant surprise with its excellent free camping, well-developed trails, and beautiful mountain scenery. But, by the time we left in our camper, Mark and Maya had been there for five weeks and I for over three, due to my 10-day trip to Antarctica.

Topping up our propane tank once more at Sartini Propane in Ushuaia – the best place ever!
Leaving Argentina on my first day back to shore
Back to Chile!

Needless to say, Mark was more than ready to head north again, especially since the weather had turned rainy. So, from the moment I disembarked the MV Ushuaia, we topped up our propane tank, received copies of our dog paperwork from the friendly attendant after asking for this favor, and left. Mark had taken care of groceries, fuel, and drinking water during my absence.

(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)

Still driving at the end of the world.
Monument of the wind

We made decent progress that first day I was home, but I felt like I was thrown right back into our challenging lifestyle. Extremely strong headwinds made the drive dangerous and ruined our fuel economy. We lost an hour at a fuel station near the border with Chile, because they were out of gas. We waited for the tanker to supply the station and filled up our truck and a jerrycan. This container travelled at my feet and was leaking profusely, spilling liquid and fumes. At the border in Chile, officials took all our beans and lentils, which had never been a problem before. And, the next morning, we woke up to a flat tire!

Quiet night along a dirt road in Tierra del Fuego
We woke up to this. Ooops.
Before the relentless wind started, Mark put our spare tire on.

Day two started with a tire repair kit that didn’t work, us installing the spare tire before the relentless wind picked up, and Mark discovering that the flat was caused by the car reversing onto a screw that had fallen off our own camper due to all the bumpy, gravel roads! Irony is ever a big part of our lives. We left Tierra del Fuego on a ferry and continued our journey north to the real Patagonia, covering a chunk of miles every day.

A guanaco jumping over a fence: we hated watching this as some of them get caught this way and die a horrible death.
Taking the same ferry off Tierra del Fuego from two months prior
It was a tight fit!

That day ended unexpectedly as well. We had parked at the only level spot, in front of a small, seemingly abandoned boat that rested on the grass, not on a trailer. At 10:30pm, commotion outside had us up and about. You guessed it. Exactly on this particular Sunday evening, someone needed to pick up this particular boat! So, we moved. This one had us laugh out loud…

Camped in front of what appeared to be an unused boat…
Right! At 10:30pm, someone decided to pick up this boat, so we moved.

A detour to Punta Arenas was necessary to get our tire fixed with the last local cash we had and to stock up on groceries, Chilean pesos, alcohol, and Maya’s dogfood. You have no idea how much Mark and I had been looking forward to visiting these decent, affordable stores. We could finally splurge on a few items that are unavailable or unaffordable in Argentina!

Getting our punctured tire fixed in Punta Arenas, Chile
One more time, Mark installs a tire on our truck. It was cheaper this way, especially since we only had so much Chilean pesos in cash left.
Splurging on some favorite booze
Mushrooms are affordable in Chile. Yay!
And another massive bag of dogfood for Maya, which we have only been able to buy in Colombia and Chile thus far.

The next town in Chile, Puerto Natales, also required a stop for more errands. We dropped off our dirty sheets, towels, and jeans, made dentist appointments for teeth cleanings, topped up with potable water, took Maya for a walk, and did work and research while waiting for our laundry to be done. I started to feel sicker and realized I must have picked up a bug on the expedition ship.

Welcome to Puerto Natales!
Old train engine in Puerto Natales, Chile
Church in Puerto Natales
Another historic building in town
Taking Maya for a walk in this clean and attractive town
Decent camping spot, despite being in a city
The harbor is full of fishing boats
Now this is a much cooler monument to commemorate the wind!
And we found another “Hand” sculpture by artist Mario Irarrázabal. We spotted two before, in Chile and Uruguay.

One of the main attractions in this part of Patagonia is Torres del Paine National Park. We had found an amazing free camping spot in iOverlander, one that friends had recommended, and looked forward to resting up and working in this pretty location, across from a river and the incredible park.

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Monthly Expenses of a Nomad in South America – February 2025 (Argentina & Chile)

March 9, 2025 / / 24 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the US East Coast. Other health issues are resolved locally and out of pocket where needed.

In February, Mark, Maya, Thirsty Bella, and I explored an attractive part of Patagonia. The first week, we drove north in Argentina and the rest of the month, we bounced on the gravel, potholed Carretera Austral (Ruta 7) in Chile.

Driving through pretty Patagonia National Park
A sunny day is reason for a smile
A decent gravel road
Border crossing in the middle of nowhere
Arriving in Chile again on another rainy day
Maya is getting used to the roads again
Following the Carretera Austral southwards in Chile

While it is still summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the rainy weather has made our time here less pleasant. But more about that in future posts.

A windy and particularly bumpy part of Ruta 7, aka the Carretera Austral
Crossing a wooden bridge
Road construction worker reading a book!
Driving inland to check out a couple of lakes
Driving north on the Carretera Austral in Chile
These bridges look narrower than they are.
Beware of falling rocks!
Crossing a pretty river in Chile
Can you pick out the dog? He’s there to keep pumas at bay.
Tunnel along the way
Yes! They are grading the road…

This expense report could well be the most straightforward one ever. Nothing complicated, unexpected, or weird happened. And, despite fuel being at an all-time high (I say this every month) at $670 (!), we stayed on budget. This record amount accounted for more than half of our expenditures in February! Blame all the driving, the awful roads, and the high fuel prices in Chile ($6/gallon).

This town’s gas station ran out of gasoline, so we needed to buy it elsewhere…
The only place in town to buy gasoline!
These five gallons held us over until the next town with a gas station.
Another visit to another Copec fuel station along the Carretera Austral
Prices at the Copec gas station in southern Chile: $1.60 per liter.

Our grocery bill is back on track at around $300. We didn’t come across “real” supermarkets, so have been buying our bread at bakeries, our produce at vegetable shops, and other necessary goods at convenient-store like establishments. We buy what we need, rarely what we want.

Finally! A decent-sized produce store in a decent-size city, Coyhaique
Our healthy bounty for $15

Once we reached Chile, we ate out again! Empanadas in Cochrane that consist of ground beef, boiled egg, an olive, and a raisin (beware of the pit in the olive; yes, many dishes containing olives down here, like pizza, still have pits); a tasty fish lunch in Tortel; an incredible pizza in Puerto Rio Tranquilo; and a set lunch menu in La Junta. None of this was cheap, but the total remained under $100.

Salmon lunch out!
Our restaurant of choice in Tortel didn’t open for lunch until 1pm.
Dinner out in Puerto Rio Tranquilo: : Mark’s (vegetarian) pizza
Dinner out in Puerto Rio Tranquilo: my pizza
The set day dish in La Junta consisted of a stew topped with egg and a side salad
The restaurant we ate lunch at in La Junta
Maya rests under the table of the La Junta restaurant.

As usual, most of our meals were cooked and eaten at home. I’ll never tire of Mark’s cuisine, but when he’s busy, working, or tired, I take over.

Pizza in our little oven! This is only possible when we have excess power.
Couscous, falafel, and eggplant with a bun
Eggplant dish with egg noodles
Pasta with corn and pepper, anyone?
An appetizer of crackers and artichoke dip
Maya’s dinner is augmented with vegetable compost whenever possible
Vegetarian lentil dish
Fried eggplant with quinoa, fish, and cucumber salad.
And when I cook, our meals are simple: quinoa, coleslaw, fried potatoes and a veggie burger (for me) / chicken thigh for Mark
Back to Mark: spaghetti with a cherry tomato sauce
Hamburgers on the grill, French fries in our oven, and coleslaw

We also paid for excursions in February. An intended highlight was a boat tour on stunning General Carrera Lake to the famed Marble Caves ($54). The trip didn’t really go according to plan, but we still enjoyed the experience. And, the three of us walked up to Las Manos in Cerro Castillo, to observe rock art in the form of hand paintings ($6). I’ll report on these Chilean attractions later.

Boat ride to the Marble Caves
Part of the Marble Caves
Las Manos in Cerro Castillo

Our engine still contains two generic injector coils that we purchased new in Bolivia over a year ago and that we ideally replace with OEM ones. Mark ordered one on Amazon (he always waits for the best available price – one more to go) and, when discovering that an unopened tube of caulk had gone off after we separated our camper from the truck for a repair, we had to hunt for caulk locally. Again, we only found a temporary solution. These two items brought the camper repair category to $58.

General store in Cochrane, where we bought our new caulk
Re-caulking some seams

Life is more enjoyable with a glass of wine, so we spent $54 on alcohol: some local beers for Mark and a few bottles of wine for both of us. The $39 for utilities went to our monthly Starlink subscription. The exact amount depends on the exchange rate for Argentinian pesos. Our company pays the other half. Filling up with potable water was free.

Because the line was so long for gas, we filled with water first.
More potable water is needed.
Topping up with potable water at a gas station

For once, we needed to stay at a campground, because we had to wash the car, take our camper off, and fix parts of the box. We managed to keep it to one night.

The owner begrudgingly let us wash our car.
We took the camper off to fix something underneath.
This is why we don’t like official campgrounds – they are often busy and loud.

In general, we wild camp and avoid official campgrounds for several reasons (just like marinas when we sailed). Boondocking/wild camping is free, offers privacy, flexibility, and natural surroundings; you don’t have to reserve or register; and there is no check-out time. So that’s what we did the other 27 nights in February. Although we were rarely alone then, too!

The very popular free camping spot in El Chalten, with Mount Fitzroy in the background
We camped here by ourselves to be protected from the insane winds. By evening, we had a lot of company!
Camped across the border, in Chile, since the check-in procedure took much longer than expected.
Camped by one of the many rivers in Chile
We loved our river camping spot in Tortel.
A rare moment of being able to sit outside for happy hour
Camped by the Rio Baker, one of our favorite rivers in the world!
Cerro Castillo on a sunny morning
The afternoon we arrived, it was sunny at Lago Paloma. But this was followed by two days of solid rain.
Another rainy day and burs in the grass, so we only stayed one night here.
Meeting Swiss overlanders at Puente Piedra
Another nice river campsite
We hoped for beautiful weather in Puerto Raul Marin Balmaceda for Mark’s birthday, but it was not meant to be.

The last item of this month’s expense report is laundry ($10). Mark and I have been washing, rinsing, and drying our clothes and linen in nature most of the time. The river water in Patagonia is extremely cold, but the sense of accomplishment – within our own time and space – after finishing a load, or three, is immense. That being said, we do wish laundromats get cheaper as we head north, especially since it has been raining non-stop, lately. This means lots of dirty clothes and no option of drying anything out.

Hand laundry by the river
Mark rinsed the clothes in the river, after I washed them in a bucket.
Without trees around us, we connected our washing line to a parked truck on a Sunday.
Of course, the truck had to leave for a few hours…

The grand total for February was $1,307, so right on track. But we do need to start spending less on fuel!

February 2025 Overview:

Car  (fuel):

Groceries:

Dining out:

Entertainment (Marble Caves & Las Manos):

Camper repair:

Alcohol:

Utilities (Internet):

Camping:

Laundry:

 

TOTAL:

 

$671

$306

$94

$60

$58

$54

$39

$15

$10

———

$ 1,307

(It might be easier to read the table when turning your device in the horizontal position.)

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend, check out the blogs of our nomad friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Next up: The real Patagonia!

If you are enjoying these posts, please consider donating to Roaming About in support of our website and lifestyle. A big thank you to all our readers who have helped out in the past!

Antarctica – A Taste of the Frozen Continent

February 25, 2025 / / 43 Comments

Some facts:

  • Antarctica is called the Frozen Continent or the White Continent, because it’s covered by a thick layer of ice that measures about 2,000m (6,500ft) and all the snow gives it a white appearance.
  • It is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on earth.
  • Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent on earth at almost twice the size of Australia.
  • It’s the only continent without year-round inhabitants – While there are research stations on Antarctica, no permanent human population lives there due to the harsh climate and remote location.
  • The Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1959 by twelve nations, is a unique and unprecedented agreement to keep peace in Antarctica and act towards its best interests. It applies to the area south of latitude 60°S.
  • The Antarctic Peninsula makes up a small fraction of the continent, but is the area where tourism is concentrated, due to its unique landscape, abundant marine life, milder climate, and decent accessibility.

The continent of Antarctica with the Antarctic Peninsula

My fascination

I don’t like being cold, so I can’t say going to Antarctica has been a life-long dream, but my interest about it started when travel became my life (which it has been for 20+ years) and I discovered “the world was my oyster.” My curiosity about new experiences and places is insatiable. The few people who visited this continent a decade ago, raved about it and their photos were stunning.

Gentoo and Adelie penguins in front of the MV Ushuaia

In 2015, I discovered the UK had a post office on the continent that needed staff. After some research, I applied for a job as a Port Lockroy assistant to work in Antarctica for five months during the 2016-2017 season. I don’t know what I was thinking. The logistics would be quite difficult for us and only four candidates would make the cut. Needless to say, I didn’t even reach the second round, but my fascination to visit grew.

At some point (December 2019), my blogging friends Steven and Annie Berger posted about their journey to Antarctica (here, here, here, here, and here) and my heart jumped. They inspired me to keep the desire alive. I recently discovered they were actually on the same ship (Ushuaia) than me!

Returning to our ship, MV Ushuaia, through ice floes

And then, in November 2022, the three of us arrived in South America with the goal of driving all the way to “the end of the world,” namely Ushuaia, which is the gateway to Antarctica. I’d never come this close to the seventh continent and I would never be able to visit for less money than from there. Overlanding friends had enjoyed a cruise to Antarctica in the 2023-2024 season for the last-minute price of $5,000 or less, depending on the comfort level of the ship. I could swallow that; I had savings. The plan was hatched for austral summer 2024-2025. We only had to find a solution for Maya. Or so we thought.

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Monthly Expenses of a Nomad in South America – January 2025 (Argentina & Chile)

February 17, 2025 / / 24 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the US East Coast. Other health issues are resolved locally and out of pocket where needed.

My apologies for posting two expense reports in a row, but we have been very busy driving, sightseeing, and dealing with the demands of life on the road. I returned from Antarctica a month ago and I still haven’t had time to organize my 1,000 photos and videos. That highlight post will take days to create and it’s already the second half of February, so first: our expenses for January 2025!

Protected from the wind in Puerto Almanza, Argentina
Camped by our familiar river spot with Jeff and Sheri in Ushuaia
Camped at Beaver Pond near Ushuaia

Mark, Maya, and I spent January in Thirsty Bella, split between Argentina and Chile. The first part of the month, we explored the bottom of the world. Then, I “cruised” to Antarctica for ten days. From the moment I disembarked again, we left Ushuaia and traveled north, crossing Tierra del Fuego and entering Chile. We finished back in Argentina. During these exploits, we paid $500 for fuel.

The YPF gas station in El Calafate, Argentina
A full tank (97 liters) in Argentina cost $90 – Our tank holds 120 liters
Gasoline is more expensive in Chile than in Argentina.
Following the “End of the World” road back north

The car category was the highest, as always. In addition to fuel, we handed over $10 for a self-serve carwash in Ushuaia after driving on wet gravel roads for weeks and 7,000 CLP ($7) went to a tire repair center when entering Chile. It was the exact amount of cash we had left from a previous visit. Lucky!

A needed and deserved car wash for Thirsty in Ushuaia
Getting our tire fixed for $7 in Chile. I wonder how much this would have cost in Argentina.
Mark installs the patched front tire.

What was not lucky was how we happened upon this tire puncture… I swear, you can’t make this up. On that first night after leaving Ushuaia, we camped along a remote dirt road in Tierra del Fuego. All the rattling had loosened a screw from our camper, which had fallen on the ground and landed in our track. You guessed it… We backed up onto the screw and discovered a flat front tire in the morning!

Back on the road – camped along a dirt track on Tierra del Fuego where we caused a flat tire!
Flat tire on my first night back!
The tire repair kit didn’t work…
Installing the spare tire

The tire repair kit we purchased in the US didn’t work. We had to solve the issue before the strong Patagonia winds started, which would make it unsafe to jack up the car. Mark succeeded in putting the spare tire on in an efficient manner and after an hour (30 minutes wasted on trying to insert a plug first), we were back on the road. Good thing we didn’t have a ferry reservation!

Mushrooms cost half the price of Argentina. Yay!
Look at all these bananas – and much cheaper than in Argentina.

Groceries cost the same as last month ($366) – we finally discovered decent produce in Punta Arenas, Chile, and its cost was half than in Argentina – and we cooked pretty much all our meals as per the usual.

Mark’s amazing mushroom burgers from scratch; my favorite homecooked meal.
Mark made a yummy frittata one evening
Freshly made English muffins…
… for an eggs Benedict breakfast
A hearty soup with pan-cooked bread

We managed to find another bag of Maya’s special dog food (salmon-based without chicken) in the same city. That stuff is pricy at $100, but it’s a big bag (18kg/40lbs), which should last two to three months, depending on us adding brown rice to her diet. We embraced this particular bag, since it was the last available one in the city!

Dog food store in Punta Arenas
The last “Pacific Stream – Taste of the Wild” bag in the city!

Our utilities category was higher than usually. The monthly Starlink subscription ($40; the other half is paid by our business) and propane gas ($13) were similar to other months and all our potable water was free, but I spent an extra $35 for internet access on the MV Ushuaia to communicate with Mark. This was a high fee, since I only planned to send one WhatsApp message per day, but it was the lowest amount of data I could buy. This service was through Starlink as well, which meant Mark and I were chatting solely via satellites.

Topping up with free potable water at a gas station in El Calafate
Parked briefly to obtain more propane gas
Ushuaia has the best propane gas company we have ever encountered: fast, professional, and affordable!

We had medical expenses of $79, since we were both due for teeth cleanings. It was easier spending this money than planning around dentist schedules, as we were both sick and camped at a lovely spot across from the spires of Torres del Paine in Chile. We had to postpone the appointment once.

Our dentist in Puerto Natales, Chile
Camped for almost a week along the river across from Torres del Paine National Park, Argentina
Evening light over Torres del Paine

I believe our alcohol cost ($64) was similar to last month, except, this time we focused on liquor instead of wine. Punta Arenas in Chile – a shopping paradise after dealing with little food availability and high prices for months in Argentina – has a duty-free area, so we stocked up on special booze like coconut rum, Amarula, Tito’s vodka, and 7-year-old Flor de Caña rum. Each of these bottles cost less than $14 apiece. If you know anything about rum – and our favorite brand – you’ll agree this is awesome. Ironically, Mark and I stuck to a mostly “dry January,” which means we still have all of this alcohol! It’ll last a while. 😊

Enjoying one of Jeff’s amazing gin & berry cocktails for our postponed New Year celebration. Can you tell who’s on his shirt? 🙂
Camped by Laguna Margarita with friends
Our alcohol bounty in Punta Arenas, Chile

There was a “drinking out” category for January as well. All me. I treated my roommate to a shot of old-fashioned, Argentinian “Old Smuggler” whisky, enjoyed one traditional, Chilean pisco sour, and shared a bottle of red Malbec with table mates on the ship. This added up to $25. You only live once!

Old Smuggler whisky
The bar tender pours shots of Old Smuggler
A very tasty pisco sour – Dare I say the Chilean version is better than the Peruvian one?
And it was a tasty Malbec!
Our last meal aboard deserved a bottle of red wine

Mark, Maya, and I took a $20, 30-minute ferry with Thirsty Bella, leaving Tierra del Fuego to return to mainland South America. We managed to just drive on without waiting. Thanks to that time spent on our flat tire, probably.

Taking the ferry back to mainland South America
It’s a tight squeeze!

As is becoming habit, we washed most of our laundry by hand in January. And, while it is summer here, I can assure you that the glacial river water is freezing cold. Sheets, towels, and jeans were dropped off and picked up clean and fresh in El Chalten, Argentina, for $15.

Doing laundry at a river in Puerto Almanza
The wind and sun (if present) in Patagonia dry clothes quickly
More laundry in river water
Ready to drop off laundry (which failed in Ushuaia)

Mark and I paid entrance fees ($13) for Glacier National Park in Argentina, to witness the incredible Perito Moreno glacier. That will be for a future blog post. Other hikes and excursions were free.

A spectacular backdrop!
Perito Moreno glacier
The Lasifashaj falls near Ushuaia were a free attraction

The last category is “gifts.” I bought myself a magnet with our route through Antarctic waters when I was on the expedition ship. I couldn’t resist.

My Antarctica magnet; the only souvenir I bought on this trip.

Actually, the three of us enjoyed two take-out dinners as well, both from the same place, a “bakery” in Puerto Natales, Chile. Their burgers and seafood empanadas were delicious! We used the last of our donation money (except for a special occasion one we are still saving) for these splurges.

Our favorite restaurant – bakery in Puerto Natales, Chile
Amazing burgers and fries from a place in Puerto Natales
Another take-out meal from our favorite restaurant/bakery in the city

Oh, and we camped for free everywhere in January. It was a mixed bag of quiet and not-so-peaceful nights.

Camped near Punta Arenas, Chile – There is a story regarding this small boat…
Camped by a river along our route – it was much louder with traffic than expected.
Our preferred campsite in Puerto Natales, Chile – It was relatively quiet for a city.
Moving spots due to heavy winds in the Torres del Paine region – protection was needed!
Camped by a lake for the night
Camped for one night near El Calafate, for an early visit to the nearby glacier
Camped in El Chalten, Argentina

And that wraps up a decent month, financially. We stayed under our average of $1,300, probably because I left for ten days and Mark stayed put in Ushuaia during that time.

Early drive through Torres del Paine National park – a freebie

January 2025 Overview:

Car  (fuel: $481; maintenance: $17):

Groceries:

Dog (dog food):

Utilities (Internet: $75; propane: $13):

Medical (dentist):

Alcohol:

Drinking out:

Transportation (ferry Chile):

Laundry:

Entertainment (Perito Moreno glacier):

Gift:

Dining out:

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

$498

$366

$100

$88

$79

$64

$25

$20

$15

$13

$5

$0

$0

———

$ 1,273

(It might be easier to read the table when turning your device in the horizontal position.)

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend, check out the blogs of our nomad friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Next up: Antarctica! (Hopefully.)

If you are enjoying these posts, please consider donating to Roaming About in support of our website and lifestyle. A big thank you to all our readers who have helped out in the past!

Annual Expense Report of a Nomad – 2024 (Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, USA, Belgium, Uruguay)

February 3, 2025 / / 32 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. “The less money you spend, the less you need to make” is our motto. 🙂 At the beginning of each year, I produce an expense report for the previous 12 months. This is the most recent one, for 2024.

Our first yearly expense report (2016) can be found here, the report of 2017 is here, the one for 2018 here, our 2019 expenses are located here, our total costs for 2020 are documented here, those for 2021 are detailed here, 2022’s financial summary hides here, and you can find our full expense report for 2023 here.

These reports include ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and a 60-pound dog. We adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019. Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the US East Coast. The internet cost is for our Starlink’s monthly subscription fees. We bought our satellite dish in Lima, Peru, in September 2023.

In 2024, Mark, Maya, and I drove from Bolivia to South America’s tip, passing through Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina in our truck camper Thirsty Bella. We also took a three-month break from the road in Massachusetts, USA and Belgium.

A break from the road for Maya
Happy hour with friends in Belgium
Enjoying the Belgian delicacies
On vacation with my cousin and her husband in Germany
Mussels and fries in Belgium
The use of a decent-sized oven in Belgium!
Going shopping by bicycle

On this multiple-year South American overland journey, which started in November 2022, so far we visited Colombia for six months, Ecuador for three, Peru for five, and Bolivia for a month and a half.  We continued with a couple of months in Chile, a month in Uruguay, and about eight months in Argentina. That’s a lot of driving.

The incredible Los Caracoles road
Driving in Northern Argentina
Welcome to Argentina
Welcome to Uruguay
Crisscrossing Uruguay
Awful fuel mileage in the mountains
Chilly drive in the countryside

So, it is no surprise that the biggest expense category for last year was, once again, our vehicle ($6,248!), with $3,587 going to fuel.

Filling our fuel tank with jerrycans
The most affordable fuel station in Argentina
Fuel prices in Argentina
Buying fuel in Argentina
In Chile, the fuel is 1/3 more expensive than in Argentina
Buying more fuel in Argentina
Getting very expensive fuel in Uruguay
Another fuel top-up in pricey Uruguay

Maintaining the F350 truck cost over $2,000, since we had a $600 spark plug issue in Buenos Aires, we bought four brand-new tires in Chile, and we keep on buying new ignition coils, generic ones in Bolivia and better ones in the US.

Replacing worn-out ignition coils in Bolivia
Two new tires in Northern Chile
Our spare tire had a leaking valve
Doing our own oil change at a shop in Chile
Buying extra oil for a future oil change in Argentina
Getting our tires balanced and rotated in Chile
More new tires in Santiago, Chile
Needing professional help for a seized spark plug issue
Hiring someone to separate a seized brake caliper pin

Furthermore, liability insurance for the MERCOSUR countries, obtained in Argentina, tripled within four months ($412) and we paid $123 in parking fees and $68 for tolls. Yup, Thirsty drank a lot of money in 2024!

Toll booth in Bolivia
Toll booth in Northern Argentina
Another toll booth in Argentina
Toll booth in Uruguay
Expensive tolls in Uruguay

More than $3,000 went to groceries, which was a couple of hundred dollars more than last year. I guess we can blame the insane inflation in Argentina for that. Although, because of it, we only buy necessities. We hope that wherever we spend the bulk of our time this year, life will be cheaper.

One hundred dollars worth of Argentinean pesos
Counting Argentinian pesos
Vegetable market
A decent grocery chain in Argentina
Another decent grocery store in Argentina
Typical bakery in Argentina
Massive “Jumbo” grocery store in Chile
Vegetable stand in Santiago de Chile
We really like this Chilean grocery store

The travel category was a big one ($2,357), because the three of us flew to both our home countries, an extremely rare occasion. We enjoyed this break from the road, since we’ve been roaming about fulltime for 21 years now. This amount bought us return flights from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Boston, MA, and from Boston to Brussels, Belgium, plus one checked bag for the last leg.

International flights
A real, comfy bed for Maya
Gathering with friends in Massachusetts

Maya had her most expensive year as well at over $1,200. Not because she got sick, however. All those international health certificates and export permits added up, especially when two of them had to be obtained in the US. Our little family flying “home” is not only logistically challenging…

Vet visit after Maya got bitten and needed stitches
Maya’s vaccination sheet
Vet visit before entering Uruguay
Agriculture department at the airport of BA to get Maya’s paperwork
Stuffing Maya’s pathetic dog bed
More paperwork needed for Maya’s border crossings

In 2024, Mark and I also purchased high-quality dogfood for $300 and pet supplies for $134, and gave vet clinics $130.

Waiting for Maya’s online dogfood offer to kick in
Pricey dogfood for Maya
More dogfood for Maya in Chile

Our alcohol expenses remained similar to 2023 at around $600. We mostly bought decent, local wines at $4 a bottle.

Chilean wine
Stocking up on affordable and amazing wine from a small vineyard
Affordable and tasty Dada wine in Argentina – our trusted brand
How about some chocolate wine?
Celebrating New Year’s Eve with a homecooked meal and a reserve wine

Money spent on gifts ($554) went up a bunch, because there was a wedding present involved, on top of the usual birthday and Christmas gifts. And, Mark and I offered my parents thank-you tickets for a musical as well, because they were super generous over the summer.

Belgian beer as a gift for Mark’s birthday
Dinner out with Jo and Tom as their wedding gift
Day trip to spot wildlife for my birthday
The cute and breeding Rockhopper penguin

Computer costs ($548) include keyboards and hard drives, a new tablet for the car, another router for Bella, hosting fees, and software. Leave it to Mark to find the best deals for all of this.

Dinner out with our friends, Heather and Jon
Yummy pizza out in Bolivia
Amazing and affordable empanadas in Northern Argentina
Parilla (BBQ) in Cafayate, Argentina
Pizza out
High tea in Gaiman, Argentina

We spent only 1/3 of last year’s amount on dining out ($478). You can definitely blame the insane increase of prices in Argentina for that. Plus, we received donations for this splurge as well, some of which I am saving for 2025. I have to admit that because of our frugal attitude towards restaurants, our quality of life feels like it has gone down. Way more cooking and dishes and fatigue!

Argentinian pizza with fries and eggs
Take-out pizza
Take-out sushi for Mark’s delayed birthday dinner in Buenos Aires
Our last pizza out in 2024
Expensive empanadas in Argentina six months later

Utilities, camper repairs, clothing, and household supplies were on par with 2023.

A new spoon/ladle was needed.
New faucet for our bathroom
Every year, we need a new non-stick pan.
Shopping in a hardware store
Fixing the water heater

Internet, propane gas, and water are necessities in life. For our interior, we could use a new DC-DC charger and a bathroom faucet, as well as household batteries, poop bags, sheets, and wine glasses. We also bought a jerry can to carry extra fuel.

Gravity filling our propane tank, something we are familiar with from the boat life
Filling our tank with potable water
Time to get more propane gas
Bringing the empty propane tank to a filling station
Friendly service in Argentina
Filling with water from jugs, via our pump
Getting fresh water the old-fashioned way
Our propane tank was accidentally filled with butane, which caused issues in the freezing weather!
Topping up with propane
Getting free water at the fire station of Ushuaia, Argentina
Filling with potable water, a bi-weekly chore

The entertainment category wasn’t high, at $234, since we’ve been avoiding the steep national park entrance fees in Argentina and Chile and focused on free activities, like hiking, and more affordable visits. The most expensive excursion we booked in 2024 was an amazing day trip on the Salar (salt flats) of Uyuni, Bolivia.

Day trip to the Salar in Bolivia
Visiting another salt flat in Northern Argentina
Visit to a fort in Uruguay
Historic site of Villa Epecuen, Argentina
The oldest Welsh house in Gaiman, Argentina, built in 1874

As far as yearly clothing for two people, we didn’t go overboard. New hiking shoes, shorts, and jeans for Mark and two pairs of pants for me cost $134 in total.  The only reason the “Health & Fitness” category went up was our increased awareness and actions towards improved dental hygiene. We bought a water flosser, an electric toothbrush, and better toothpaste.

Carrying extra, smelly fuel with us
New jeans for Mark!

Transportation covers the use of Uber, cable cars, and taxis when we were camped on the outskirts of cities and our annual bank charge was a bit higher than before, because of a mistake with a (usually free) ATM fee.

Cable car ride throughout La Paz, Bolivia
A colectivo or minibus in La Paz, Bolivia
Cable car ride in Santiago, Chile

I’m not sure if $100 a year for laundry is expensive, but, since drop-off prices in Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay are super high, we have been washing more and more clothes by hand, saving a lot of money. Self-serve machines in South America are very rare.

Hand laundry in Uspallata
Checking out laundromats in Central Argentina
Laundry by hand at the beach
Ice cold, but free water to do a bunch of laundry
This is the most clothes I’ve ever washed by hand, I think.
Cheap laundry in Rio Gallegos, Argentina

Mark and I only paid for camping once in 2024, which is hard to believe. Ten nights of fees went to Zapparancho ($83) near Buenos Aires, Argentina, because we needed a base to get ready for life on the road again after our summer break. And, we needed to fix a few things in a convenient location. This was also a good place to donate a lot of clothes and gear we didn’t use anymore.

Fixing the engine at Zapparancho
One of our favorite campsites this past year, in Bolivia
Camped by “The hand in the desert,” Chile
Wild camping in Northern Argentina
Great boondocking spot along the coast in Argentina
Beautiful camping spot on Tierra del Fuego, Chile
Pretty camping spot in Ushuaia

Mark and I had bloodwork done in Bolivia, which makes up the $74 for medical costs. The miscellaneous category includes things like a voluntary contribution for being towed out of the sand in Northern Chile and an assortment of copies.

Getting towed out of the sand after a frightful twelve hours in Northern Chile

Another amount that has decreased a lot in 2024 is “drinking out.” Again, with current prices in bars and restaurants soaring, we are just as happy to have a drink at home. Especially since, surprise, decent bottles of wine in Argentina have remained very affordable.

Wine tasting in Central Argentina
Wine tasting at our favorite vineyard
Wine tasting with friends in Argentina

I want to mention two more things in this expense report. First, thank you to everyone who has contributed a donation. We really appreciate this. Not only does it lower our annual costs, but it makes us smile and realize that you appreciate these blog posts and following along with our adventures.

Our only dinner out (with a friend) during our five weeks in Ushuaia

And, to be completely transparent, there was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and cost for me, Liesbet, at the end of 2024. I paid for a ten-day trip to Antarctica in January, which I will report on soon. It was super expensive, but as cheap as possible. I spent $5,752 on the “cruise” ticket with money I had saved up in Belgium, which is why it’s not reflected in our annual budget. This includes a $15 bank fee and $37 for mandatory insurance.

Visiting with the chinstrap penguins in Antarctica
One of my favorite photos of the Antarctica trip
In Antarctica with penguins and our ship, Ushuaia, in the background

In conclusion, our 2024 total of $16,661 is a little bit higher than our $16K average of the last two decades. This boils down to just under $1,400 a month. Let’s see what 2025 brings!

2024 Overview:

Car (fuel: $3,587; maintenance: $2,057;

insurance: $412; parking: $123; tolls: 68):

Groceries:

Travel (plane tickets):

Dog (permits: $658; food: $299; supplies: $134; vet: $130):

Alcohol:

Gifts (B-days, Christmas, wedding):

Computer (hardware: $355; hosting: $127; software: $66):

Dining out:

Utilities (internet: $336; prop.: $73; water: $13; Skype: $5):

Camper:

Entertainment:

Health & Fitness (haircuts, vitamins, teeth hygiene):

Household:

Clothing:

Transportation (Uber, taxis):

Bank fees (Chase visa card):

Laundry:

Camping:

Medical:

Drinking out:

Miscellaneous (towing, copies):

 

TOTAL:

Donations:

 

GRAND TOTAL:

 

 

$6,248

$3,087

$2,357

$1,221

$595

$554

$548

$478

$427

$417

$234

$153

$144

$134

$131

$102

$97

$83

$74

$67

$27

———

$ 16,944

– $ 283

———

$ 16,661

(It might be easier to read the table when turning your device in the horizontal position.)

And that’s a wrap! If you are enjoying these posts and would like to help out with our expenses maintaining this blog, please click on the donate button underneath, in the side bar, or in the menu bar on top. I promise Roaming About will remain an ad-free website. Thank you!

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Next up: Antarctica! (Or the January 2025 expense report.)

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Unparalleled Ushuaia – The End of the World

January 27, 2025 / / 55 Comments

Mark and I were not looking forward to arriving in Ushuaia, Argentina, after entering the island of Tierra del Fuego and enjoying its stark beauty, but less so, its strong winds. It was an irrational fear. Not because reaching the “end of the world” was daunting; it’s never the end of the road for us.

Ushuaia – More attractive than we expected

We stalled, because Ushuaia is a city and we don’t like staying or running errands in cities. They are loud, busy, congested, and annoying. Ushuaia did not offer a different experience – we hated driving around and not finding parking – but… its surroundings were extraordinary, unexpected, and jaw-droppingly beautiful.

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)

“End of the world” highway
Almost there!
More than 3,000 km from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina

We were soon drawn to the views and the hikes and ended up staying for five weeks. Mark anyway. I went on a little side adventure, while he and Maya patiently braved the strong winds and heavy downpours for those ten extra days. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Before reaching Ushuaia proper and the so-called end of the road, we attempted a loop hike in the mountains. That circuit didn’t work out (no signs or paths were detected), but the trail to Twin Lakes still offered a bit of exercise, peace, and mud for all three of us.

First hike near Ushuaia
One of the Twin Lakes
Second of the Twin Lakes
The views were okay
Our first beaver dam in Tierra del Fuego

Ushuaia

Upon arrival, mid-December, we had to pose by the Ushuaia sign, of course, like thousands of other overlanders have done. For many, this is a serious milestone as they will have driven the entire Pan-American highway from Alaska to Ushuaia. It means their epic road trip and journey has come to an end. Most of them rush to a port from here to ship their vehicle back home, or they sell it in Argentina or Chile after 6-12 months on the continent. It took Mark, Maya, Thirsty Bella, and me exactly two years to get here from Cartagena, Colombia!

We made it to Ushuaia, the end of the road
High ten, Maya!
Arrival in Ushuaia on December 15th, 2024, exactly two years after starting this drive in Cartagena, Colombia!

Our arrival dread changed into excitement upon witnessing this sign and the mountainous surroundings. The innumerous white caps on the famous Beagle Channel, coloring the water more white than blue, was a telltale of how windy this area gets. We better got used to it from the start!

It was VERY windy from day one.
It’s always windy at the bottom of the world.
Southside of the city

The first plan of action, even before running errands, was to find a decent spot to replace our rear brakes. On day one in Ushuaia, we took the camper off our truck and Mark started this day-long project, while I stood by for assistance. The wind and dust weren’t helping and – of course – something had to go wrong.

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