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A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Lifestyle (page 1 of 46)

Returning to Paraguay – The Interlude

October 31, 2025 / / 10 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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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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Paraguay – The Underdog of South America (Part 2: Friends, Cities, and Eastern Explorations)

July 3, 2025 / / 29 Comments

In Part 1, we shared our first impressions of Paraguay and explored its historic Jesuit missions. Now, our journey continues with reunions, big cities, muddy roads, and a deeper look at life in this underrated country.

Southern Paraguay contains most of the country’s attractions.
Paraguay in South America
Map Overview Paraguay

Back to Encarnación: Reunion Time

On May 19th, we reunited with our American friends Duwan and Greg from Make Like An Apeman, who’d just finished backpacking South America for a year. They had booked two Airbnbs — one in Encarnación, the other near Areguá, an hour from the capital — and invited us to stay.

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

Our first apartment and its small yard
Using the car as transportation device
Doing heaps of laundry
Yay! The Airbnb has a washing machine!

We quickly separated the camper from the truck, parked on a concrete pad, and shut down our fridge to enjoy house life for a change. The next few days were cozy and productive: we took turns cooking dinners, I did heaps of laundry in the available machine, Mark and I ran errands and caught up on work, and our group explored the city and waterfront with Maya.

Stack near the waterfront
Walking along the river with our friends
Happy hour at the beach bar

We also followed a boardwalk to the colorful city “letters” and strolled past Encarnación’s cathedral and central plaza.

Sunset over “the letters” of Encarnación
The cathedral of Encarnación

Sapucai: An Old Train Yard

As our friends stayed behind for another night, we hit the road towards Asunción, because we required two days of driving to reach the capital area. We stopped in Sapucai, known for its old train yard.

Potholed roads of Paraguay
Old train in Supacay
Camped for the night in Supacay
Sapucay along the old railroad tracks

Unfortunately, the train museum closed earlier than indicated (we managed to visit in the morning), our fresh water tank ran dry (so we struggled with the little bit of drinking water we had left), and loud traffic and fireworks made sleep impossible (we should be getting used to this.)

Visit to the railroad workshop
The old railyard is now a museum
Old train engine
Part of the museum: old office equipment
Railway museum
A walk on the grounds of the museum

Still, we walked Maya on a bike path and tried to stay flexible, adjusting our plans due to impending rain and muddy red dirt roads.

This cat stayed with us the entire time.
The railway bed is now a walking and biking trail
Persistent cat

Yaguarón: The Wooden Church

Before reaching the capital region, we visited Templo de San Buenaventura in Yaguarón, known for its ornate wooden interior. A local guide explained the church’s intricate design for a tip.

The interesting church of Yaguarón
Interior of the church
Intricate altar
View from the interior of the church towards the outside
The old bell tower with the antique bell in the foreground
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Paraguay – The Underdog of South America (Part 1: First Impressions and Jesuit Missions)

June 28, 2025 / / 31 Comments

Paraguay is a country often skipped by overlanders and tourists alike. With no world-famous attractions and sandwiched between popular Brazil and Argentina, it remains overlooked. But after traveling through increasingly expensive countries, Mark and I were more than ready for a change. Paraguay promised affordability, authenticity, and, according to our friends — sushi!

Southern Paraguay contains most of the country’s attractions.
Paraguay in South America
Map Overview Paraguay

Encarnación: Entering Paraguay

We crossed into Encarnación on May 11th without any issues — unless you count Mark knocking over the customs officer’s mate cup. That moment confirmed a fun fact: in Paraguay, mate is served cold, unlike in Argentina. Another surprise? The now soaked and hand-written vehicle permit had to be recreated.

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

Crossing the international bridge between Posadas, Argentina and Encarnacion, Paraguay
We have arrived in a new country!
Filling out the car permit for a second time
Paraguayan license plate

The city gave us a place to run long-delayed errands, save on gas prices, and visit a grocery store that had many items we couldn’t find or afford for a year. We loaded up, grabbed BBQ from a Sunday street stand, and sat by the river feeling like we’d finally entered another budget-travel paradise.

Our first meal in Paraguay is take-out asado
A friendly face and friendly prices at the gas station
Well-stocked grocery store Super Seis
Celebrating our arrival with a drink
Our first (free) boondocking spot in Paraguay
Sunset over the river

But reality hit that night: loud motorcycles, thumping music, and little chance of sleep reminded us that we were still very much in Latin America.

Waterfront boardwalk
The main beach in Encarnacion
Old warehouse
Old silo
Lifeguard station on the main beach
A pretty river beach in Encarnacion
Beach sign with the skyline of Posadas in Argentina in the background

Life on the Waterfront (and a Sushi Dream)

Knowing Paraguay would be cheaper than Argentina or Chile, we’d saved up chores and repairs. In Encarnación, we tackled a camper ladder repaint, installed a mirror, and found transmission parts — choosing to do the work ourselves to save $400 in labor. The waterfront became our “work station.”

A new mirror
Picking up and installing our freshly painted ladder

Despite the chaos, one night stood out: Mark and I finally went out for cocktails and indulged in a sushi boat at Hiroshima, a Japanese restaurant. We hadn’t felt that luxurious in years.

Cocktail time!
The Japanese restaurant in Encarnacion
Sushi for dinner!
A pretty and tasty sushi boat

Jesuit Mission #1: San Cosme and Damián

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The Lake Districts of Argentina and Chile

April 21, 2025 / / 25 Comments

Leaving Chile

It was a bit tricky, but Mark and I managed to get a vet check-up and international dog permit for Maya in Futaleufú over the span of three hours and for a total cost of $28. Unfortunately, unlike her other permits, this one was only valid for 30 instead of 60 days. It would keep us moving!

Location of the Lake Districts in both countries
Lake District in Argentina
Lake District in Chile

The same afternoon, we left the country and crossed into Argentina on washboard roads, aiming for six things in one week: sunnier weather on the other side of the Andes Mountains, better roads, cheaper fuel, no ferry schedules/costs that were mandatory on the Carretera Austral, an affordable laundromat, and a full propane tank. After accomplishing those goals, we’d return to Chile for about three weeks.

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

Back to Argentina
More potholed, gravel roads on the Argentinian side

In Esquel, our first town in Argentina, we failed dropping off our laundry and it took multiple attempts to find a decent camping spot. We did manage to fill our fuel and water tanks for almost half the price than in Chile!

This was a problem… We couldn’t enter our intended camping area in Esquel this way.
After a big and bumpy detour, we reached the camping spot a different way.
Another victim from the uneven roads – We are down to two cereal bowls now (from four).
Pretty and peaceful park for the night
A nice park to walk with Maya

The next stop was Rio Azul, where we planned to take a mini-break from the road for a few days and sit out bad weather. We did have to move once, because it rained so much that the river rose rapidly and we worried about being flooded.

Can you believe this track crosses the river?
We enjoyed this spot, before it started pouring!
Nice camping spot for a few nights
Cleaning our pee container in the river
And then the river rose! Mark put a stack of rocks on the edge to monitor the flood level.
Walk to the other side of the river with Maya
Our walking destination was this pretty waterfall.
Crossing the suspension bridge
We had to move to a higher spot when the river kept rising.

Bariloche, Argentina

The idea was to – urgently – fill our propane tank at a depot on the way north to Bariloche. We were now on paved roads, the sun had returned, and progress was smooth. We had confirmed this depot was open on a Saturday morning, but when we arrived, desperate for gas to cook, shower, and heat Bella, the people capable of filling international tanks didn’t work during the weekend. The facility was only open to swap Argentinian tanks… Right.

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The Carretera Austral – Chile’s Famous & Scenic Road through Patagonia

March 25, 2025 / / 32 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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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.)

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

Changing Web Hosting Services

December 7, 2024 / / 16 Comments

Hello everyone,

This is a quick note to let you know that we are switching hosting services for our Roaming About website, which can cause some issues, hiccups, and glitches. We are also changing servers for our email programs and domain names.

It has been a massive, stressful, and time-consuming project, but it had to happen since our three-year BlueHost rate went up more than 100%, from $250 to $700 ($530 after multiple phone calls and pleading for a better price, which is still too much for us). We found a good alternative in Easy WP. Our new service is faster, cheaper ($100/year), and has helpful and responsive customer support. More about that in my December expense report.

I’m grateful for Mark, who knows how to do technical stuff and has spent many days on making this process go as smoothly as possible, on top of everything else that is going on in our life: his job, heaps of driving, sightseeing, errands, taking care of Maya, car projects, and cooking tasty and healthy meals. 🙂

Mark hard at work, dealing with our technical challenges

If you notice anything different, annoying, or disturbing, please let us know via the contact form (which has been tested and works fine), email, a comment, or Facebook.

We will be back to our “normal reporting” soon!

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

Exploring Uruguay – A Surprising Country in South America

November 18, 2024 / / 26 Comments

Warning: This is a long post, heavy on photographs.

Mark, Maya, and I entered Uruguay from Argentina without expectations. We knew the coast drew lots of people, Montevideo was the capital, and Colonia del Sacramento was a highlight and UNESCO World Heritage Site. And that the country was super expensive, aptly called the Switzerland of South America.

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

Uruguay in South America
The country of Uruguay and our sights
Uruguayan flag
Uruguayan license plate

Dealing with the border formalities was a bit confusing (everyone from either side wanted to inspect our camper) but didn’t take too long. We were a tad nervous regarding the “prohibited items” we brought to sustain ourselves and our dog (check the blue sign and guess what we carried), but Maya’s paperwork was in order, which proved important – and distracting – enough.

Walking to the border offices to deal with all the paperwork
Ready for a new country in Thirsty Bella
How many of these items did we have in our camper?

Salto Grande Dam

Right across the border, on the outskirts of Salto, we stopped by the Salto Grande dam, operated by both countries. There, Mark and I partook in a free tour, conducted in Spanish.

The massive turbines
Viewpoint over the dam
Salto Grande Dam, seen from Argentina
One of the massive doors that regulate the water flow
Driving back from Argentina to Uruguay on the tour bus – we did this two hours earlier in our camper; the dam is the border crossing in Salto.

Afterwards, mid-afternoon, we decided to put some miles behind our wheels, since we hoped to cross the entire country and reach the coast within a few days. In Uruguay, we planned our route and stops more carefully, due to the costs. When gasoline has a price tag of $7 a gallon (about $2 per liter), you think twice about detours and their “worth.”

Our first camping spot for the night was a bit overgrown, but hidden from the road!
Our second night was spent in a free campground that was flooded.
Our third free camping spot necessitated driving under this low bridge; we just fit!
The end of this turnaround point was the only spot with open sky and sunshine, needed for Starlink, solar power, and an anxious dog.

We stopped at a small clearing in the bushes, out of view, for that first night. The next three days, we leisurely traversed the hinterland of Uruguay, gazing at the well-kept homes and fields and feeling happy for the livestock – mostly horses, cows, and sheep – with all that juicy, bright-green grass everywhere!

Happy cows in Uruguay
Lush and pretty fields

We also came across a dinosaur display, with preserved footprints and information signs.

Signs with info in Spanish
Dinosaur track on display
Old footprints!

The people we met along the way were friendly, we enjoyed this peek into lesser-known territory, and we happily noticed the lack of garbage everywhere, but we were surprised at the state of the throughways.

Filled potholes; one can wonder if it’s better or worse to hit these piles of fresh asphalt.
One of the gravel roads
Maya doesn’t like dirt roads and holds on for dear life.
Broken road surfaces
We would not fit on this bridge with our camper.
Old car from a local driver

Thinking that Uruguay was a relatively developed nation with a relatively western mentality, we had counted on beautifully paved main roads everywhere. Not in the back country. For at least 100 of the 400 miles across, we dealt with broken pavement, potholes, road work, or dirt tracks going east-west. The north-south equivalents seemed in better shape.

La Coronilla

The Atlantic coast brought pleasant surprises. First, we arrived at La Coronilla at the exact same time a familiar-looking kombi VW bus did. Mark recognized them as the Kombi Chronicles, a British couple with two cats, who had been exploring Latin America overland for a few years. We knew Willow and Lee through Facebook, WhatsApp groups, and mutual friends. It was great to finally meet! (They have a popular YouTube channel and Facebook page as well.)

Meeting Willow and Lee of the Kombi Chronicles for the first time
The VW bus of our Kombi Chronicles friends, parked on the bluff
Sunday afternoon with our new friends

After an introductory chat, they decided to stay another day, a Sunday, on which we hung out all afternoon and evening, chatting, exchanging stories, and sharing popcorn and wine. It’s always nice to meet like-minded folks and we hope to run into them again soon, on the way to – or in – Patagonia.

Our camping spot in La Coronilla; away from the parking area
Maya is much happier on the bed than in the car, these days.

Our boondocking spot offered an “exotic” setting under palm trees, long walks on the beach, a decent view, and the sound of waves when falling asleep. It was quiet at night, so all three of us could rest up.

First beach walk with Maya in a long time!
One of many dead penguins along the Atlantic beaches
Atlantic beach scene
Would you dare cross this narrow footbridge?
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