Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Category: International Travel (page 1 of 10)

The Last Six Weeks in Our Truck Camper, “Thirsty Bella”, in Central Chile

December 22, 2025 / / 15 Comments

In October, Mark, Maya, and I swapped Paraguay for Chile for two reasons: to pursue a Vario van for our next adventure and to be able to sell our own Thirsty Bella easier, since Central Chile is the starting point for many overlanders. Flights to Santiago are more affordable than elsewhere in South America, gear is easily available in a plethora of well-equipped stores, and there are companies selling cars to foreigners. Since our car was registered in the US, the transfer to a new owner would be easy, regardless.

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

Back in Chile for the seventh or so time
Los Caracoles is a famously winding mountain road
Looking down Los Caracoles with little traffic

After long days of driving across Argentina, we arrived in Santiago, Chile’s capital, for the second time. We had fond memories of urban camping by Parque Metropolitano, which we’d hoped would become our base soon. We only stayed one night, to confirm if this was still an attractive overnight spot (it was), to fix our back window before the next rain, and to visit Suzie Santiago CTW’s office within walking distance. We would hire them to do the paperwork if we were to buy a Chilean Vario. It was all part of our months of research, gathering data, and interacting with potential service providers.

Camped for one night by the biggest park of Santiago on a cloudy day
Resealing the small back window of our camper
Hello Maya!
Climbing the hill for better views
Exploring the park with Maya
Cable cars go up and down the mountain
Can you spot Thirsty Bella?
A viewpoint in the park
The Costanera building – the tallest one of the city – is visible from many places.
This is the Jumbo grocery store on the ground level of the Costanera building. It is the best supermarket in all of South America!

We also checked out Suzie Santiago’s workshop on the outskirts of the city and spent one night at a noisy truck stop before heading south towards Pichilemu, where we would set eyes on a Vario van that had a horrible conversion done to it.

Visiting Noam’s workshop
Chatting about the work Suzie Santiago CTW does
One short night at a truck stop

The idea was to confirm everything we were told by the owner—the vehicle was supposed to be in “perfect condition”—and make an offer. Then, we’d start the registration process in our name, bring the van to Paraguay to have it built out by a factory we’d visited and agreed on a quote with, and eventually ship it to Europe for the next chapter in our lives.

Since we couldn’t visit this Vario until Monday, we spent the weekend at a nice wild camping spot on a bluff in Navidad, with a pretty view over the ocean and good walks for Maya. Despite this being our favorite spot in a while, we didn’t return because of the strong onshore breezes, covering our camper with salt water. Since Mark had recently repainted our ladder and jacks, he didn’t want corrosion to return before the sale of our camper.

View over the river basin
Back at the Chilean coast!
Sunset by the sea
View of the Pacific Ocean
Walking along the bluff
Maya enjoys this calmer pool in the sea
A cool hike with views
Our camping spot on the bluff in Navidad
It’s always chillier on the coast than inland.
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Monthly Expenses of a Nomad in South America – November 2025 (Chile)

December 10, 2025 / / 21 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 November, Mark, Maya, and I drove short distances to check out a couple of Vario vans in Central Chile and to run errands, but we mostly waited around in our home on wheels, Thirsty Bella, until her new owners showed up. And I made a “little side trip”!

Our expenses were all but usual, with some big hitters, namely my five-day birthday escape to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), buying two one-way flights from Santiago, Chile, to Boston, USA, and a pricey Airbnb for our last three weeks on the continent. I will share that final expense in the December 2025 report.

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

The flight was on time
Waiting to board my plane to Rapa Nui
Entering Rapa Nui – Isla de Pascua – Easter Island – Paaseiland

Therefore, the highest category in November was travel ($1,050), which accounted for those plane tickets to and from Rapa Nui ($566) for me and the one-way flights to the US for Mark and me ($484 – we used points for the other half of the cost).

Posing by a group of moai at the quarry site

A few weeks after booking our US plane tickets, the price dropped by $250, so we dealt with the headache, frustration, stress, and time sink of eventually receiving credit back and rebooking the same flights. Since these are airline points, they didn’t make this expense cheaper, but we now have extra credit for future flights. That’s how we stay busy!

The grocery category was average at $354. We started to finish off staples, knowing that we’d move out of Bella at the beginning of December. Meals were mostly planned around “getting rid” of stuff.

Local grocery store in the small town of Rapel
Vegetable store in Rapel
Look at those strawberries, for under $2!
Amazing lettuce heads in Rapel: three for one dollar!
Birthday breakfast from a French bakery in Santiago
Maya always gets to lick out the empty peanut butter containers. She loves them!

Finally, our car was not the priciest item of the month. Our drive to Pichilemu from the capital was the furthest we ventured and, of course, we had to return, run errands, and leave enough gasoline for the next owners.

We also spent $22 on Chilean tolls and $18 on a 24V Mercedes Vario OBD adapter that we never used. We have our own 12V scanner, but this didn’t fit into the console of the grey Vario, so we managed to order a 24V adapter for our scanner with the help of friendly locals to check the red Vario we planned to pursue but eventually never did. Unfortunately, it’s impossible for foreigners to order parts online on most websites due to not having a RUT (local identity number), a local credit card, and a local phone number.

Borrowing the address of a local – and the credit card of another one – to order this Mercedes part
A 24V adapter for our 12V OBD scanner

The $240 entertainment price tag was mostly mine, apart from a cable car ride for our trio in Parque Metropolitano in Santiago on my birthday ($7). I also bought a discounted eBook written by an author friend ($1).

Teleferico in Santiago
Taking the cable car up the tallest hill in the park
The skyline of Santiago with the Costanera building being the tallest one

The national park pass on Easter Island went up from $75 to $102 right before I arrived, and I booked three tours with the rest of the money in this category. While initially appalled at the high entrance fee required to access most of the island, I thought it was all worth it in the end. I will post a separate blog about this magical experience.

One of the many moai on the island
Side view of Tongariki site
Sunrise at Tongariki

Likewise, the close to $200 “we” paid for accommodation went to my four hostel nights in Hanga Roa, the capital of the island and its only town. It was expensive for what it was. I slept in a private room with a shared bathroom.

My hostel on Easter Island
My private room on Easter Island

Trying to save money on my “little side trip,” I only ate out once for about $15. The rest of our dining out category went to glorious French food on my actual birthday and a few other restaurant meals, like a local lunch and take-out Chinese.

Amazing appetizers of salmon carpaccio and octopus at the French restaurant
Main birthday dinner course: fettuccini with two kinds of salmon for me and duck for Mark
Chinese take-out in Bella
Lunch at a Chilean restaurant in Rapel
Ceviche in an open empanada in Hanga Roa

Almost all of our meals were prepared at home.

Sandwich lunch by the river
Stir fry noodles
A healthy salad with Buffalo cauliflower
Easy pizza at home with a store-bought crust
One of my favorite homecooked meals by Mark: mushroom burgers from scratch served on a bed of lettuce with aioli and white rice (sprinkled with seaweed)
Homemade spring roll meal – tasty, healthy, and a lot of work

I was early this year with my Christmas gifts! As always, I created personalized photo calendars for my closest family members and managed to get these to them a month early, because I had time and our best group shots of 2025 had been collected already. Plus, I had no idea what December would bring…

At $64, our monthly Starlink subscription went up again with the Argentinian peso. Half of this amount is paid by us and the other half by our freelancing business. Because we failed to top up our propane tank in Argentina before crossing into Chile and we wanted to leave a full bottle for the new owners, we made the effort to get it filled at a professional outfit in Santiago. It was the most expensive, but the most efficient propane fill on the entire continent! Potable water top-ups were free as usual.

Getting our propane tank filled in Santiago
The filling was quick and easy and we could even park on the grounds of the building.
Filling with potable water at a gas station

Since we had to empty our camper cabinets, including our alcohol stash, we only spent $40 on this category in November. No complaints here!

Our favorite rum in the world! We had to drink it all!
Happy hour by the river
Homemade pizza with a fantastic bottle of cheap red wine

I had forgotten to incorporate transportation to and from the airports in my Easter Island trip budget, so I had to skimp in other areas (like dining out). I used an InDrive taxi ($14) to reach the international airport of Santiago when I left and a shared van ($10) upon my return.

Waiting for an hour at the airport to take a shared van back home

On the island itself, I walked the 30 minutes from the airport to my hostel (I only brought a small backpack as a free personal item) and lucked out with a free ride back from the owner because he needed to pick up paying guests at the small airport building before I left.

I wanted to buy a few small souvenirs ($16) on Rapa Nui, because it is such a special place, and Mark needed more allergy medicine and a fresh asthma inhaler ($6) while in Santiago. These made up the miscellaneous category.

The drinking out category shows zero, because the only time we enjoyed a few cocktails at a restaurant was on my birthday and they were covered by my best friend Rosie. Thank you!

First drink: mojito
Second drink: pisco sour from Chile
Third drink: a glass of Carmenere wine

We boondocked (wild camped for free) the entire month and didn’t spend money on laundry, because I did a few loads by hand in the beginning of November and we saved the dirty clothes and linen from the second half of the month to wash at our Airbnb, which came with a machine.

Hand laundry by the river
Hanging our laundry to dry

And that almost concludes 2025. It was a very expensive month, but if you consider that $1,068 of our total of $2,487 went to my five-day vacation on Easter Island and another $484 was spent on plane tickets, November was actually quite cheap at just $935 of normal living expenses. We shall see what the future brings…

We camped here for a few nights after the Pichilemu fiasco.
One night at a loud truck stop near Santiago
A few nights of free camping near San Antonio on the Chilean coast
We returned to our river spot in Rapel for another week, before heading into the capital of Chile.
Our favorite urban camping spot in South America: Parque Metropolitano in Santiago

November 2025 Overview:

Travel (plane tickets to Easter Island and Boston, MA):

Groceries:

Car  (fuel: $237; tolls: $22; Vario part: $18):

Entertainment:

Accommodation:

Dining out:

Gifts:

Utilities (Internet: $32; propane: $30):

Alcohol:

Transportation (airport taxis Liesbet):

Miscellaneous (souvenirs):

Medical:

Drinking out:

Laundry:

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

$1,050

$354

$278

$240

$198

$150

$69

$62

$40

$24

$16

$6

$0

$0

$0

———

$ 2,487

(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: Our last month of Chilean and South American travels in Thirsty Bella!

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Homeless at Fifty – Our Truck Camper, Thirsty Bella, Has Sold!

December 7, 2025 / / 48 Comments

It is official, our home on wheels for three-and-a-half years (three of which in South America) has been sold to a Dutch couple, ready for their own adventures on this continent.

Old and new owners of the Cow Camper

About five weeks ago, they contacted us after seeing the paid ad for our camper on an international website for overlanding rigs. It turned out to be the best $40 we spent this year!

Max and Marjolein had been looking for the perfect camper in which to travel the world after quitting their successful careers. When they spotted Bella on the Expedition Meister platform, they knew it was meant to be. They love cows!

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

Pichilemu, a fun and easy coastal town in Chile
The spot in Pichilemu where we had our enthusiastic video call with M&M

A two-hour video call in Pichilemu followed and – to our surprise – by the end of that virtual tour they made us an offer and we accepted. After waiting for a buyer for three months, things turned positive and imminent all of a sudden. They paid a deposit to hold the camper for them (we did have another interested party soon after) and excitedly updated us of their prep and plans to come to South America for the foreseeable future.

Time to remove our website – Before photo
Time to remove our website – Intermediate photo (letters gone, stubborn glue present)
Time to remove our website – After photo
Fixing one of the pesky blinds
Spending hours in the shade on super hot days in Santiago

For us, those last five weeks were a waiting, researching, preparing, planning, pursuing local Vario vans, fixing, packing, cleaning, and stressing game.

Our campground spot in the hills surrounding Santiago
Cleaning the grill
Cleaning cupboards and closets
Maya doesn’t care about cleaning.
Separating the truck and camper for better and easier cleaning
Sparkling Thirsty Bella, ready to change owners
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Our Crazy Mercedes Vario Idea in Chile – A Waste of Time?

November 27, 2025 / / 29 Comments

Warning: This is a summarized yet long story about what we have really been doing the last four months.

I’m trying to remember when this crazy idea first emerged. At least six months ago, Mark was researching campers in Europe, since we thought/think this will be our new overlanding location. He must have stumbled upon a Mercedes Vario campervan, thought it looked cool and roomy, remembered our German friends Sabine and Michael having one, and focused his research on the 4×4 kind, only to discover that in Europe you need a special driver’s license for this “more truck than van” vehicle, prices wavered around a steep US$100,000, and there are many rules regarding registration, yearly inspections, insurance, and so on.

Driver’s side view of a Vario

It seemed like the Vario idea dead-ended right there. But on June 3rd (I checked my diary), an available 4×4 Vario appeared on the South America Overlanding Facebook page. There were only two problems: it was for sale in Peru with Peruvian plates and it was not converted yet. We inquired at a shop in Uruguay — the only place in South America we knew about — about how much it would cost to build out a van. More research followed and from the moment we realized that a vehicle can only leave Peru if it is owned by a Peruvian resident and that a new build would cost close to US$90,000, the idea was discarded again.

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

The 4WD Vario in Peru
The owner had bought insulation, but never installed it.
The empty van in Peru
The Peru van came with some gear
He also bought fans to build out this van.

Fast forward to sometime in August when Mark discovered that Chile had imported hundreds of 4WD Vario vans from Europe to use in the mines as passenger transportation vehicles. Another problem arose: these vans had been well used and came with a bus door instead of a passenger door. Replacing that with an RV door would prove almost impossible, let alone dealing with the paperwork, the language, and other crazy logistics.

Bus door
Closed bus door
The bus door from inside

Soon after, Mark had a revelation. For months, he’d known about a Vario van that had been built out by a Chilean and had been for sale for a couple of years. It was located along the Chilean coast, four hours south of Santiago, but he hadn’t been interested because the camper section was poorly built and unattractive.

His revelation was this: it had a normal door and two seats in the cab, it was already registered as a camper (as opposed to a company vehicle), and becoming the owner of a new vehicle in Chile was straightforward and popular. It’s why many new overlanders buy a car or camper in Santiago to start their South American overland travels. Why not buy this crappy camper, gut it, and rebuild the living space from scratch?

Passenger side view of the Pichilemu Vario camper – with a normal door

By then, we had found out that there was a company in Santiago — Suzie Santiago CTW — that built out vans for a much better rate — but inferior quality — than the expensive shop in Uruguay. More research and communications followed with companies regarding the build and the paperwork. So many months of work and focus went into this pursuit! It’s pretty much all we did during our five weeks in Paraguay. We even drew up the perfect layout. Fun!

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A Whirlwind Drive through Argentina 

November 15, 2025 / / 23 Comments

In the middle of September, Mark, Maya, and I returned to Paraguay without a deadline. We would use this landlocked country as a base during the spring until it turned unbearably hot or until we found a buyer for our camper. Neither had happened when we decided to leave.

Yes, two days each week were miserably hot, but it was still manageable. No buyer had appeared, but we felt Chile would be a better location for any prospective buyer to start their journey on this continent. The other reason we changed countries has to do with a concept that’s been emerging over the last few months. I can’t elaborate on that (yet) since all our attempts to reach this goal have been failing so far. But, if you’ve read our previous expense report “between the lines,” you might have gotten a hint about this idea.

Leaving Paraguay at night

Once we decided to head back to Chile — on the opposite side of the continent — we felt an urge to do this as quickly as possible. Like I mentioned in a previous blog: first, we wanted to eat sushi one more time. Over dinner, skipping an alcoholic drink, we decided to cross the border into Argentina that very same evening. We knew of a good camp spot in Posadas on the other side and hoped for a quick and easy crossing that late in the day. It was the middle of October.

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

Driving in the “wrong lane” and having to back up all the way – The height limit (about 3m?) had not been stated.
Entering Argentina in the good lane
Bella is ready to be scanned. Maya probably not…

Border officials were friendly, passports were checked, our Paraguayan TIP (temporary import permit) for the truck was returned and an Argentinian one obtained, and we had to back out of a narrow lane, because no height limit was indicated for a low arch up ahead…

Then, just when we thought all was fine and nobody had asked about Maya, we were told to exit the car and our camper was scanned by a massive machine! It was loud and intimidating.

Afterwards, the official stepped out of the giant scanner with our paperwork with only one question: “Do you have a dog?” Our “yes” was answered with only a nod. There’s no hiding from this futuristic machine! Luckily, people had told us earlier that nobody checks dog paperwork at this particular post.

A new country, a new truck wreck…
Maya was a bit more at ease on these long rides.
Narrow and bumpy lanes in towns
Lots of road obstacles in South America
Like umpteen potholes
Or poorly filled potholes
Or never-ending patched roads
Or police checkpoints

After one short night in Posadas, we hit the road in an attempt to spend as little time as possible in Argentina. There are a few reasons why we don’t like this country, but I won’t get into that now. Our first day was productive, despite the rain and the mix of road conditions with smooth pavement in the morning and uneven patches, dips, grooves, and bumps in the afternoon. We ended up at a familiar camp spot but had to navigate slippery mud to get there.

Leaving a trail upon arrival at the free campground
Messy arrival and exit in Sauce de Luna
A great overnight spot for a road trip!
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Returning to Paraguay – The Interlude

October 31, 2025 / / 20 Comments

This is more of a status update than an exciting blog post…

When we discovered that I couldn’t get a 90-day extension to stay the full six months in Brazil as a Belgian—hoping we’d sell our camper by then—we needed a new plan. The closest border was Paraguay. Having great memories from our previous visit, we decided to make it our South American base for a while, at least until the heat chased us off or a buyer popped up for Bella.

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

Back in Paraguay to deal with the entry requirements
Getting our hand-written TIP (Temporary Import Permit) for the car at the border in Paraguay.

Tacuru Pucu, Hernandarias

After crossing the border in hectic Ciudad del Este on September 11, Mark, Maya, and I returned to the free Tacuru Pucu campground, managed by the Itaipu Dam organization. Just like five months earlier, we stayed the allowed 14 days, but the grounds and facilities had deteriorated further.

Bella at the free campground of Tacuru Pucu
Our palapa is the best place to find shade and a little breeze.

Some of the electricity and water hookups were broken, the WiFi worked intermittently, and none of the hot showers functioned anymore. Most days, it was hot enough to shower with cold water anyway—or we could use our own shower and refill the tank with potable water. Maya was only allowed in a restricted area, so long walks were out of the question.

Doing tricks with Maya
One of the many giant termite hills

Despite the bugs and the heat, we enjoyed a much-needed break. Our favorite amenity remained the covered palapa, where we could do hand laundry, eat at the picnic table, chat with new and familiar faces (including Larry, who stopped by briefly), and swing in our hammock. I even started reading a book again!

Reading a book again
Sharing the hammock with Maya
Laundry day!

Those two weeks filled up fast with cleaning nearly everything in and on the camper, cooking delicious meals, writing, catching up on Brazil blog posts, and setting up a new computer after more files got corrupted on my ancient laptop. Now, I’m getting used to two new-to-me devices.

The hammock is everyone’s favorite spot!
Eggplant parmesan dinner with friends
Homemade eggplant parmesan dinner with friends (Photo courtesy of Larry Tofler)

I also gave my published book some long-overdue attention and started experimenting with a virtual audiobook. After a few chapters, I abandoned the idea—Amazon’s beta version wasn’t ready for prime time. Meanwhile, Mark repaired our water pump after an entertaining ride to the free zone with a Colombian, a Cuban, and a Paraguayan.

Fixing our water pump
Maya’s favorite spot in the palapa to stay cool
Ice cubes to cool everyone off
Unbearably hot in the camper
An anticipated and happily expected storm arrives!

Nights were restless. Each blistering, humid day seemed to culminate in a violent storm, leaving us with a couple of chilly mornings before the heat built again. Maya was terrified of the thunder and lightning, and fireworks or gunfire from a nearby military base didn’t help either.

Panting Maya in the heat
Antsy Maya on the bed

Mark was sick for a few days as well; a bummer. When it was too hot to do anything but sit in the shade of our palapa, we fantasized and talked about the next chapter in our lives, after our camper sells.

Ñacunday Falls

On our way to Hohenau to revisit Manantial Campground, we stopped for a night at Ñacunday Falls. Reaching the campsite deep in the jungle required trimming branches, brushing past foliage, and careful maneuvering to get level, but the peace was worth it.

They allowed Maya to enter this national park.
The best view of Ñacunday Falls
Powerful Ñacunday Falls
Ñacunday Falls from above
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Four Final Destinations & Highlights in Brazil – Buzios, Arraial do Cabo, Ouro Preto, and Tiradentes

October 1, 2025 / / 23 Comments

When we left Rio de Janeiro, the idea was to meander up the coast and eventually make it to the state of Bahia to reconsider our route and plans.

Since our camper is for sale, we had to be flexible. The issue with Brazil is that it is huge! And because, as Americans in an American vehicle, Venezuela is off limits for safety reasons, we couldn’t drive the northern loop back to Colombia. This meant that wherever we drove in Brazil, we would have to backtrack that distance south in order to leave. There are no (decent) roads in the Amazon.

Brazil in South America

Since Niteroi didn’t work out for us, we needed a plan B, namely driving north to Cabo Frio and camping there. We had a horrible day on the road with tons of (unmarked and camouflaged) speed bumps, narrow and busy lanes, hot weather, and three potential camp spots that didn’t work out, because of new rules against campers or the wind being too strong, whipping up seawater.

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

Can you see the speedbump we missed?
Big trucks on narrow lanes

São Pedro da Aldeia

Eventually, we settled in a quiet waterfront suburb of São Pedro da Aldeia, on the south side of the giant saltwater lagoon. The wind was less strong, the people were friendly, and our backyard was grassy with palm trees and nice views.

Our free camp spot in São Pedro da Aldeia
Still windy, but less windy than elsewhere in the area
Cute lighthouse along our walk
Rest spot for the fishermen
Curious cows. Maya wasn’t a fan.
Hot and still day on the lagoon
Resident burrowing owl
Happy hour on our grassy beach
A tropical scene along the salt lagoon

Despite being parked close to the dirt road with through traffic, we enjoyed our stay and walks with Maya and even returned from Cabo Frio once the wind picked up again.

Prominent statue in São Pedro da Aldeia
Interesting name for this pet store in São Pedro da Aldeia

Cabo Frio

Close-up Cabo Frio

We had hoped for a pleasant week of beach camping in Cabo Frio, but it was not meant to be. This area is notorious for its strong winds. The three of us did manage to snatch a few nights and our new Australian friend Larry joined us. We’d seen him in Rio as well, but due to my work assignment we hadn’t had time to hang out with him.

Drone shot of our camping spot in Cabo Frio (Photo courtesy of Larry Tofler)
The beach in Cabo Frio
Beautiful sand and water in Cabo Frio
Bird’s eye view of our camping area in Cabo Frio (Photo courtesy of Larry Tofler)
Sunset in Cabo Frio (Photo courtesy of Larry Tofler)
Sunset over the freshwater pond in Cabo Frio
Maya rinsing off in the freshwater pond

In Cabo Frio, we went for beach walks and a stroll into the dunes. Across from our parking spot was a small freshwater lagoon, which was perfect for doggie rinse-offs after sandy and salty outings. The weather was heating up a lot.

Walking in the dunes with Mark, Maya, and Larry
Good exercise for Maya!
Pretty, soft sand in the dunes
Mark and Larry scaling another dune. It was too hot for Maya and me.
Rest in the shade with my companions
Looking back towards the dunes
One last dune shot

Arraial do Cabo

The four of us (including Maya) organized an Uber from Cabo Frio to the most popular and stunning beach of Arraial do Cabo. Except, the driver could only drop us off 4km away from the praia – only authorized cabs and vehicles were allowed past this point – so we faced a steep, hot, and sweaty walk to cross the hills towards the beach.

Sweaty walk to the beach of Arraial do Cabo (Photo courtesy of Larry Tofler)
Walking towards the main beach of Arraial do Cabo

Once there, a refreshing dip in the icy waters followed for me and Maya, who seemed to be tolerated on leash, despite the information we had read beforehand about dogs not being allowed on the sand and in the water.

As the day progressed, it got really crowded on and off the water.
Maya and Mark check out the cold water
Cooling off in the pretty but icy water of the bay
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Rio de Janeiro – The Vibrant Heart of Brazil

September 16, 2025 / / 23 Comments

In our lifestyle, flexibility is key. I’ve often mentioned that Mark and I both work while traveling the world as nomads—a routine we’ve maintained for over 20 years. Usually, as freelancers, we have a fluid schedule and can adjust our work around the demands and challenges of daily life. But every couple of years, a massive translation project lands in my inbox, forcing us to make solid changes to our plans in exchange for a welcome chunk of income. That’s exactly how we ended up in Rio de Janeiro earlier than planned.

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

Rio de Janeiro in South America
Rio de Janeiro in Brazil
Rio de Janeiro, the city

When Mark returned from his three-week annual visit to the US at the end of July (while Maya and I held down the fort at a campground), we were eager to meander along Brazil’s famously beautiful coastline, wild camping along the way. That plan lasted two weeks—until the translation assignment arrived. Soon enough, we were parked in the driveway of Fritz House, the property of a Brazilian man of German descent who welcomes overlanders for a fee. His setup included WiFi, water, electricity, toilets, and showers.

Entrance to Fritz House
Not the nicest of campgrounds
The toilet and shower blocks were located down the driveway
This level was the nicest one on the hillside property
View from the “main level” of the campground
The bathroom blocks on the nice and grassy level – only the women’s had a hot shower
Orchid-like flowers on the property

Since I had already started the two-week project en route, we ended up staying 11 nights at Fritz House. I worked full-time while Mark tackled camper projects like repainting our ladder and four electric jacks. We also did laundry that had to line-dry and cleaned the water tanks with bleach.

Mark removes all four jacks
Priming and painting the smaller parts of the ladder
Priming and painting the four electric jacks and the camper ladder
Back to work: spray painting the camper ladder
Freshly painted camper jacks with a new, black touch at the bottom

First Glimpse of Rio

During our stay, we hitched a ride with a tour guide friend for our first look at Rio’s famous beaches. To our pleasant surprise, dogs were welcome. We started at the “fancier” Ipanema Beach, framed by an impressive rock on one side (which technically overlooks Leblon Beach) and a scenic peninsula on the other, where we stumbled upon a professional photo shoot.

Ipanema Beach with the prominent Dois Irmaos rock in the distance
The vehicle of our tour guide friend
Islands off Ipanema Beach
Foot-volley on the beach
The boardwalk of Ipanema
Mark and Maya on Ipanema Beach
Bikini fashion photo shoot
Ipanema is popular with surfers and surf schools
Rocky outcrops on the edge of Ipanema
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The Brazilian Coast – Driving North from Bertioga to Rio de Janeiro

August 31, 2025 / / 26 Comments

Our coastal route from Bertioga to Rio

Bertioga

On July 7th, 2025, Mark took a cab to São Paulo’s airport for his annual visit to Massachusetts, our official state of residence in the US. For almost three weeks, he visited doctors, family, and friends, while Maya and I stayed at the Jorai Campground in Bertioga.

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

Mark is ready for his ride to the airport.
The employees of the campground installed these lights just for us.
Home for three weeks

My illusion of a three-week beach vacation—just my dog and me—quickly evaporated. The weather was chilly and rainy, the environment basic, I had to be extremely careful with our fresh water since Bertioga’s city water isn’t potable, ultralights took off multiple times a day creating frequent noise, and paid work arrived almost daily.

One of the ultralights
Laundry facilities at the campground
Basic shower block for women
One of the ultralights on the beach
Weed whacking around Thirsty Bella – Maya hates it!
Doing laundry at the campground

Still, I made the best of it and settled into a routine: morning exercises, laundry, shopping, cleaning, working, long beach walks with Maya, chatting with my fellow UK camper, hot showers, cooking and cleaning, nightly phone calls with Mark, and catching up on writing, Portuguese practice, and online interactions. I also prepped the camper and took photos for our upcoming “camper for sale” ad.

The gate from Jorai campground to the beach
You can walk on Bertioga Beach for miles!
Big, flat, and wide Bertioga Beach
My daily beach walk with Maya
One of the rivers entering the sea in Bertioga
My beach for three weeks
Comfy Maya
On the one sunny, warm day, Maya ran in the waves.
Lots of time spent on the computer
My dog and me
Trying to calm down our anxious dog
Lots of organizing and cleaning going on
Morning exercises with Maya
Swinging by British Mark and his dog, Fran, and van
Going out for one drink on the beach with British Mark and Fran

Mark eventually returned with a clean bill of health (yay!), and the three of us looked forward to driving north along the coast while checking out Brazil’s sights and beaches. A slower pace awaited—or so we thought.

City sign
Whale statue along the seaside
Nice walking path along the beaches
Long beach walk with Maya to the southern end of the beach
Our destination was this fort.
Mark returned with goodies for people, dog, and camper

Jureia Beach

Before leaving Bertioga, we washed the car. Near Jureia, we filled the tanks with fresh water and settled in at our favorite beach spot. We repaired a few things with parts Mark had brought back from the US and enjoyed slower days.

Filling our water tank with potable water
Installing a new kitchen faucet
Enjoying happy hour at a grassy “beach”
Our camping spot in Jureia
Pretty Jureia Beach
Not a bad view of our backyard
Sunrise at Jureia Beach
One one side the ocean and on the other side the mountains
Our little family at Jureia Beach

A storm soon swept through, toppling trees and wires across the pretty neighborhood, cutting off electricity and internet. Sometimes it’s good to be self-contained!

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For Sale in South America: A Fully Contained and Well-Maintained Truck Camper

August 22, 2025 / / 34 Comments

Start your self-catered South American adventure now! All you need to embark on this trip of a lifetime is a plane ticket and your personal belongings. 🙂

Bella in Chile

Mark, Maya, and I are wrapping up our three-year journey on the South American continent and are looking for a couple or small family that will enjoy our truck camper Bella as much as we have. If you know of anyone interested in an overland adventure with the perfect set-up for this part of the world, please let them know about our vehicle or share this post with them. We are very happy to answer any questions.

Thirsty Bella in Peru

Here are the details of our rig and a bunch of photos.

FOR SALE:

Fully Equipped Truck Camper – Ford F350 + Lance 830

This camper is set up for fulltime off-grid living and the vehicle is the perfect transportation to explore South America and beyond.

Price: $47,500 USD

Location: Argentina/Chile/Paraguay

Available: Now.

We speak English, Dutch, and some French and Spanish.

Registered/titled in the United States, easy transfer to any nationality via visitor.us.

You can also use a poder to travel while waiting for official US registration/title.

Camper and truck are meticulously maintained to provide care-free travel. Clean title/no accidents.

Likely one of the best equipped vehicles in South America with the lowest miles.

The cow décor brings smiles and laughs to the locals and allowed us to meet some great people along the way by giving them something to ask us about. We loved it and enjoyed making people smile during our travels. That said, the cow spots are stickers and can be removed if they are not your thing.

The camper can be removed from the truck to allow for exploration with just the truck.

Truck camper, passenger side with an awning and side entrance door
Truck camper, driver side with newly-painted ladder and jacks
Separating our camper and truck for cleaning purposes

Truck details:

  • Currently ~72000 miles.
  • 2016 F350 with 6.2L gas engine (385hp) and 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine/transmission combination is extremely reliable.
  • Front seating for 3, or 2 with a center console.
  • Extended cab with a back seat suitable for children and/or pets. Adults will be cramped. Seating for 3.
  • 35-gallon (132 liter) fuel tank.
  • Short truck bed (6’ ¾”) so it has a shorter wheelbase, which makes it easy to turn and maneuver.
  • 4WD with in-cab switch on demand.
  • Front hubs auto and manual lock.
  • 4WD High and Low.
  • Rear differential lock.
  • Flex-fuel compatible so no issues with high ethanol fuel in Brazil.
  • Power windows/locks. Windows in back doors are manual. Rear window in back is glass and electric.
  • Running boards along the entire cab.
  • Tablet mount on dash with wired USB-C cable.
  • Dash cam.
  • Moo horn (crucial safety equipment).
  • 3M security film on truck windows to prevent them from breaking (easily).
  • We are the 2nd owner.
  • Oil change every 5k miles with full synthetic.
  • Air filter changed every 20k miles.
  • Coolant changed at 40k.
  • Transmission oil changed at 70k.
  • Transfer case oil changed at 40k.
  • Spark plugs replaced at 60k.
  • Front brake pads replaced at 48k.
  • Rear brake pads replaced at 64k.
  • All oil and filters are Motorcraft/Ford.
  • Front tires replaced at 55k and rear tires replaced at 58k. AT tires with plenty of tread left.
  • Vair portable air compressor.
  • New truck battery 4/2024.
  • Heavy duty tow strap.
  • Titled in Massachusetts (US) and can be fully transferred to anyone (not just US residents) via visitor.us.
  • Spare parts: Oil filters, belt, ignition coils, front and rear brake pads, caliper pins.
  • Full set of tools with imperial and metric sockets, 3 torque wrenches, oil filter wrench.
  • Tools for electrical repairs.
  • OBD-II reader for Forscan Ford specific computer diagnostic software.
  • Full Ford workshop manual in PDF.
  • Truck is stock beyond the addition of Timbrens to help the rear suspension and Bilstein shocks all around.
  • Torklift camper tiedowns mounted to the frame of the truck for camper attachment.
  • Driven up to 15,500ft with no engine issues.
  • Total vehicle height with camper is 10.6ft (~3.2m).
  • 5-gallon jerrycan for extra fuel
Front seats F350
Back seats F350
F350 Info Sticker
F350 Payload Sticker
F350 VIN Sticker

Camper:

  • 2008 Lance 830. Very rare side-door entry truck camper. Roomiest floor plan for a truck camper this size.
  • Aluminum frame structure.
  • We are the second owners.
  • Outfitted specifically for off-grid travel in South America.
  • Standing height inside is about 6’ 3” (1.9m). I am 6’ 1” and fit comfortably.
  • Queen-size bed with 2” memory foam on top of spring mattress.
  • Dinette area for 4 people that converts to a smaller bed.
  • Wet bath with Separett Tiny composting toilet, wet shower and sink.
  • Kitchen with 2-burner stove, large and deep sink, 12V oven, and 12V Isotherm compressor refrigerator.
  • Water filtration system with .5-micron filter to allow for drinking tank water.
  • 4 large awning-style windows with shades and screens.
  • All windows and hatches have mosquito/bug screens.
  • 2 ceiling fans. MaxxFan above the bed (in/out) and Fantastic fan in bathroom (out).
  • LED lights throughout.
  • Permanently mounted Starlink wired to 12V with on/off switch. Mounted inside the camper in a ceiling skylight.
  • Permanently mounted router for use with Starlink. Gl-MT3000.
  • Large manual full-length awning on side of camper.
  • Outside LED lights on 3 sides of the camper.
  • USB charging ports.
  • Single 20lb US propane tank.
  • 2 heaters (propane). 1 forced air heater for when it’s really cold; also keeps tanks and plumbing from freezing. 1 catalytic heater that uses no electricity and is great for above freezing situations.
  • Gas grill with quick disconnect to use main tank for gas. No camping bottles needed.
  • 1 large outside storage compartment.
  • 48 gallons of fresh water. We added an additional 18-gallon tank to the standard 30 gallons. Plumbed together.
  • 17-gallon grey water tank.
  • 6-gallon hot water tank.
  • No black tank. Storage space now as that tank was removed when we installed the Separett.
  • Outside shower with hot/cold water.
  • 4 electrical jacks with remote control to take camper off the truck.
  • 400 Watts of solar panels mounted on the roof.
  • Victron 100/30 MPPT solar controller.
  • Victron Smart Shunt battery monitor.
  • Victron Orion XS 50A DC-DC charger. Charges from truck alternator.
  • Camper is wired for 120V. Can charge battery from a 120V power source (35A). A local transformer would allow you to plug into 220V outlets. We rarely had the need to plug-in for power because of solar and truck charging systems.
  • 500W pure sine wave inverter.
  • Single 272Ah lithium battery with Bluetooth management/monitoring.
  • Keyless entry on the door with a keypad (or key).
  • Fastgun turnbuckles to secure camper to the truck.
  • Camper connects to trailer plug of truck for all camper driving lights.
  • Camper connects via separate large Anderson style plug for DC-DC charging.
  • Tablet mounted on wall as permanent battery monitor connected to all Victron equipment.
  • Electric chainsaw to cut branches and small trees.
  • Spare parts for lots of things like electrical work, plumbing, caulk, repair tape, etc. Spare water pump. Spare water filters.
  • Lots of normal camping and household gear. Plates, pots, pans, glasses, outdoor chairs, bedding, snorkel gear, 12V vacuum, 2 camping tables, etc…..
Floorplan Lance 830
Tank monitor
Dinette
Compressor fridge
Queen-size bed
Camper interior view towards the front
Camper interior view towards the back
Bathroom with a shower, toilet, sink, and medicine cabinet

Once you get used to maneuvering, the camper can be taken off the truck in about 10-15 minutes. It takes about 20-30 minutes to put it back on.

This flexibility offers the best of both worlds: you can leave the camper safe in a campground and take the truck anywhere you could imagine. For us, this combination of truck and camper is ideal for South America and we would not have done it any differently.

Kitchen
Kitchen with open cabinets
Compressor fridge, 12V oven, grill, cabinets, sliding pantry to the right
Two-burner stove, deep sink, and big cabinets
Electronics under dinette bench
Camper roof with solar panels and vents

Original brochure: lancecamper.com/docs/2008-brochure.pdf

Video walkthrough: https://youtu.be/M-IlN4qigWk?si=YWeQ0TZigW7BUOXL

We have posted regularly on this blog if you’re interested in the full history of our overland travels thus far.

It is time for new adventures – for the new owners, for the camper, and for us.

Curious about a previous ten-year chapter in our nomadic lives, which includes eight years aboard a 35-foot sailboat in the tropics with dogs, check out my compelling, inspiring, and refreshingly honest travel memoir:

Plunge – One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary

Available on Amazon and elsewhere

eBook: US$ 5.99

Paperback: US$ 13.99

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