Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Nature (page 1 of 20)

Antarctica – A Taste of the Frozen Continent

February 25, 2025 / / 35 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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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.

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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Wind and Wildlife in Patagonia – Heading South along the Argentinian Coast

January 3, 2025 / / 39 Comments

Happy New Year, everyone! Mark, Maya, and I wish you all a healthy, productive, inquisitive, comfortable, and adventurous 2025. Thank you for following Roaming About and appreciating that crazy lifestyle of ours.

I finally finished my Patagonia wildlife post, which contains lots of photos and videos. This footage hopefully gives you a better representation of our incredible encounters. Enjoy!

Route South to Ushuaia
Northern Part Route
Southern Part Route

After “killing” a month of time in and around Uruguay in anticipation of less cold weather in the south, Mark and I deemed November 1st a good time to cross the border into Argentina again and head to Patagonia along the Atlantic Coast. It was still spring in the Southern Hemisphere, but the goal was to reach Ushuaia, the bottom of the continent, by December 21st, the start of the austral summer.

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

Group of youngsters partying behind our camper, playing loud music and driving their motorcycles on the sidewalk.
Almost at our next destination to finally go to sleep!

We had a rough start of this 2,500-mile (3,750km) southbound journey in Gualeguaychú with lack of sleep due to a motorcycle event with revving engines until 2am and youth partying behind our camper at 4am. We packed up and moved in the dark to settle at a fuel station by 5:15am.

This park was quiet!

This was followed by hours of driving and eventually settling in a nice and free municipal campground for a few days to work. After that commitment, the three of us started to cover miles along a boring Ruta 3, stopping at a few points of interest and stocking up on groceries before reaching a more remote and expensive Patagonia.

Eerie camp spot

One of the interesting sites we picked for a visit was Laguna de Epecuén, which draws tourists because of its eerie appearance. On November 6th, 1985 (exactly 39 years prior to our visit), an unusual weather pattern destroyed the dam and dike protecting the village of Villa Epecuén, flooding the area. This resort destination was never rebuilt and became a ghost town. Skeletal trees stand guard day and night, enhancing the barren scenario.

Signs in Spanish and English offer information and sketches of what was before.
A glimpse into the past
Remaining bars
Stairs to nowhere
Old playground
Rumble and ruins

Most overlanders drive to Ushuaia via the Andes Mountains that straddle the Argentinian-Chilean border, which is a more scenic route than our choice near and along the Atlantic Coast. There are three reasons we picked this “faster” and “boring” side of the continent: we were already located in the east when starting the last stretch of our journey south, we hoped to spend most of the summer in the Andes on our drive back north, and this route offered wildlife encounters.

Flamingos on Epecuén Lake

Besides the random flamingoes, no interesting animals had crossed our path yet. That was about to change in Balneario El Condor, located at the northern edge of Patagonia. This, we learned after going through multiple agriculture checkpoints. We arrived in the province of Rio Negro on El Dia de la Tradicion (November 10th) and were greeted by cute children offering goodies and cheaper fuel!

Local treats for Dia de la Tradicion

El Condor might be located off the beaten track, but we really recommend a stop here if you have your own vehicle. This is where the biggest colony of burrowing parrots in the world is situated.

Homecoming
Flying parrots
The beach in El Condor

Miles of cliffs are inhabited by these pretty, squawking birds that are a delight to witness. Yes, they are loud! Luckily, they go to sleep at night, but the nights at this time of the year are short. They made sure we went to bed with them and woke up with the first sunrays!

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Exploring Uruguay – A Surprising Country in South America

November 18, 2024 / / 25 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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A Week of Vacation in the Black Forest of Germany

October 11, 2024 / / 27 Comments

Followers of this blog might have come across the names Griet and Wim in the past. My cousin and her husband are more than just family; they are friends and fellow travelers who have visited us on many occasions. Every year or two, they joined us on our sailing catamaran Irie in the tropics (once with their then teenage children), they stayed at a house sit in California, and, last fall, they traveled with us in Peru for three weeks. Whenever we are in Belgium, we spend a lot of time with them (two weekends this summer, involving beer brewing) and – when time permits – we go on trips together.

Since Mark, Maya, and I dedicated two full months in Belgium, we decided on a ten-day vacation in Germany and Liechtenstein with them. If you know us, traveling the world is our lifestyle; we combine chores, work, driving, visiting, and leisure. Vacation time – strangely enough – is rare. To be honest, this trip with Griet and Wim was my first real holiday in 21 years and Mark’s first week off, since he started his current job two years ago. So, it was a special occasion!

Hexenlochmühle in the Black Forest

Being from Belgium, it is hard to believe that I’d never set foot in the Black Forest! And, even my cousin and her husband had never vacationed in Germany before. Mainly because none of us speaks the language, although we did just fine and knew enough German to get by. Other than Mark. 😊

We broke up the 7-hour drive to the Black Forest with a walk and sandwich lunch stop at the popular and crowded Geierlay suspension bridge. It is the second-longest one in Germany.

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

The Geierlay Suspension Bridge
Mark walks Maya across the gorge on this narrow bridge.
Gorge that holds the suspension bridge
Wim and Griet on the suspension bridge

Our group spent four nights in the northern part of the region, in an apartment in Enzklösterle, which was surrounded by woods. Ideal for walks with Maya.

Morning walk with Mark and Maya in the forest
Soaking up the early sunrays
Forest walk near our first Airbnb

The Airbnb was well equipped and we especially liked the outdoor space. The weather was good enough to have happy hours on the balcony. We cooked some meals at home, often packed sandwich lunches. and ate out every other day or so. This routine kept the trip affordable.

View from our balcony in Enzklosterle
Relaxing on our porch in Enzklosterle (Photo courtesy of Griet Collaert)
Mark cooks dinner in our first Airbnb
One of our dinners at home in Enzklosterle
On chilly nights, we ate dinner inside

From Enzklösterle, we made daytrips to the surrounding villages and natural sites. Our rough schedule during those ten days was to leave around 9:30am and return by 5pm; quite busy for Mark and me.

Day one:

  • A viewpoint over the region

First view over the Black Forest

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Mendoza Province, Argentina, Part Two – Atuel Canyon & San Rafael

June 14, 2024 / / 27 Comments

Mark, Maya, and I would meet our Vermonster friends Heather and Jon in Tupungato, where we’d spent a few chilly nights previously, and travel together through Atuel Canyon and San Rafael for a week or two. If I complained about the cold in a previous blog post, well, winter seemed to have arrived early. That’s when living in a poorly insulated, solar-powered camper becomes less enjoyable.

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

Winter arrived in Central Argentina
Snow!
It is freezing outside

Tupungato

After hugging our friends from Meat Around The World goodbye in Mendoza, our trio drove back south to Tupungato. We would have loved to meet Heather and Jon at Bodega Giaquinta to buy more wine, but the new, restricted opening times didn’t fit our schedule, so we returned to the municipal campground. Our friends would buy extra wine and meet us there.

It might be cold, but it is pretty!
Fall walk in the campground with Heather and Jon
Maya making a new friend
This cute girl loved Maya!

We parked in the same spot, were accompanied by the same, wagging dogs, and enjoyed more walks among the fall colors. But, by now, it was way too cold and cloudy to sit outside or walk to the shower block. We used our own amenities, filled up with drinking water afterwards, and managed to plug into the electric system of our friends. This allowed our Lithium battery to finally charge to 100% – a huge help – which hadn’t happened in six months or so!

And, another campground dog enjoying Maya’s company
Our battery is 100% full; an anomaly in our camper this season!

It was wonderful to see our friends again and spend more time together. On this first evening, Mark made ossobuco and squash risotto for the group. Delicious!

Ossobuco dinner in Bella with friends
Mark cooked ossobuco with a tomato-parsley sauce and squash risotto

Manzano Historico

It was grey and it was cold, so we weren’t in a rush to explore the canyon yet. On the drive to Manzano Historico, we made a brief stop at Bodega Azul. We managed a little wine tasting and bought a couple of bottles of wine (Mark and I really like their Chardonnay), but the place was expensive and fully booked for lunch, so the atmosphere wasn’t ideal. We moved on early afternoon.

Brief wine tasting session at acclaimed Bodega La Azul
Wine selection at La Azul

Little did we realize our next destination was even higher up… That dawned on us when I saw all the roofs in town were white and wondered why. Snow! To our horror, the picnic tables were covered with the white stuff when we pulled into the municipal campground. We needed the heater here during the day as well.

The roofs have snow on them
Driving through the vineyards of Central Argentina – The background shows snowy Andes mountains on a clear day
Camped in Manzano Historico and plugged into our friends electricity set-up
Heather and Liesbet dressed up for winter!
It has been ages since I made a snowman!
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Mendoza Province, Argentina, Part One – Mendoza City & Surroundings

May 28, 2024 / / 39 Comments

After spending two weeks in Santiago, the capital of Chile, Mark, Maya, and I headed towards Argentina again.

Mendoza Province in Argentina
Visited places in the north of Mendoza Province

Since we wanted an early start for the border procedure, we slept our last night at an extremely loud and busy fuel station, still in Chile, forgetting that we could have returned to a better spot in Argentina, before crossing the actual border.

Parked by a loud fuel station

You see, official formalities take place in one building for each country and these buildings are 16 miles (25 km) apart! When you leave Chile, you don’t have to stop at the Chilean border facilities and vice versa. So, you can drive into Argentina and camp, before checking into the country. As a matter of fact, the actual border is located in the Christ The Redeemer Tunnel, which cuts through the Andes.

The actual border between Chile and Argentina is in this tunnel

And, a provincial park that contains the tallest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemisphere, Aconcagua, is also located in Argentina before crossing the border. Confusing?

Aconcagua Provincial Park

Our “early start” actually didn’t help, because we still needed to drive an hour to the border, navigating the tight and plentiful switchbacks called Los Caracoles to reach the Los Libertadores pass.

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

The switchbacks of Los Caracoles
Ready to climb Los Caracoles
Following truck uphill on a nice day

This area, including the border, frequently closes in the winter months due to heavy snowfall and rock slides. As the busiest and most popular commercial border crossing between Chile and Argentina, you can imagine the delays this might cause. Luckily, all was fine when we passed through in late April, but a week later, the pass closed for the first time this winter season.

Looking down over the switchbacks, where road construction often causes big delays
Leaving Chile

On our drive, we also realized Aconcagua had to be seen and stopped at before the border formalities. I had hoped to do a hike here, but dogs weren’t allowed, you had to book ahead of time, it was freezing and super windy outside, and we had no idea how long the crossing would take. So, we briefly stopped for a free viewpoint and overlook of this majestic mountain.

The scenery in this part of Argentina is stunning!
Sign for the tallest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemisphere
A glimpse of Aconcagua

Los Libertadores crossing into Argentina

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Monthly Expenses of a Nomad in South America – April 2024 (Argentina & Chile)

May 7, 2024 / / 17 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 and possible.

In April, Mark, Maya, and I divided our time between Argentina and Chile in our truck camper Thirsty Bella. We made some headway south, to Mendoza, and decided to hop over to Santiago de Chile for car maintenance. After two weeks in Chile, we slowly drove back to the Mendoza area in Argentina.

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

Rock formation along the highway
Roads in the valley
Police checkpoint
Descending a crazy mountain when arriving in Chile
Approaching the Chilean border which is located past a tunnel and the actual border line
Driving back towards Argentina
And then, we had to drive back up the zigzag road towards Argentina
Following a semi truck up, up, up
The trees are changing color in Central Argentina!

Our car category was huge; over $1,100 in total! A lot of that went to fuel, as always, but the biggies last month were two new tires ($326) with a $26 installation and balancing fee, a new battery for the engine ($137), and an oil change at a garage, which we did ourselves ($92). We also bought seven quarts of oil extra for our next time ($80). Mark found a spot to store those in one of our utility boxes.

Oil change in Santiago
Installing our new car battery in Santiago
The balancing of our new tires in Santiago
Attaching Bella back onto Thirsty
One of the two brand-new “Chilean” tires
Thirsty’s engine takes around 7 quarts of oil & we bought an extra 7 for next time

We paid a total of $11 in tolls and spent some pesos on parking in Santiago when leaving the camper behind and for our rental car in Valparaiso.

Cost for a full tank of gas in Argentina: $105
Topping up with fuel in Argentina before crossing the border
Gasoline is still much more expensive in Chile than in Argentina, so we filled a 5-gallon jerrycan as well, before the border crossing.

Groceries were quite expensive in April as well. We joined a couple of potlucks, prepared a special dinner for seven, made daily walks to the fancy grocery store Jumbo in Santiago, and splurged on some goodies at the El Milagro vineyard early on.

Goodies bought at the shop of El Milagro
Buying groceries at Lider
Fantastic produce stand in Santiago
Potluck with a group of international friends (Photo courtesy of Richie Gubler)
Mark and Maya wait for me to get some shopping done in the mall
The massive Jumbo grocery store
Mark prepares a fabulous pasta dinner for our group in Santiago
The meal easily filled us all up and we had leftovers!

We bought wine in both countries, since, you know, we are in wine heaven here. The Santiago area is well-known for the red grape, Carmenere, and Central Argentina produces fabulous Torrontes (white) and Malbec (red or tinto in Spanish) wines. Mark and I enjoy them all. We used half of a $25 “drinking out” donation for three bottles of wine at the store.

Free wine tasting at El Milagro
Tasty wine from Bodega El Milagro
A great little stop along our drive south
Happy hour with new friends Kilian and Marcia
A great bottle of Carmemere for $3, recommended to us by Abigail
Happy hour with more friends

While in Chile, we decided to buy one more bag of dogfood for Maya, since that’s the place where we can find her Taste of the Wild – Pacific Stream for a “decent” price ($66 for 12kg/26lbs) and we were one bag down. Also, our remaining bags are bigger than the new one and we don’t want to leave open bags of food in the camper during our summer escapade to the US and Belgium. Maya’s new toy lasted all of ten minutes!

Waiting to order our preferred bag of dogfood online to obtain a discount
Maya’s dogfood
Mark and Maya play with her new toy
It didn’t take long before Maya destroyed the rope toy.

We didn’t go out for dinner much in April; twice, one of which was a take-out pizza in Santiago the day of our arrival ($13) and the other a lunch in Valparaiso ($12). Both times took place in Chile, which, believe it or not, is now cheaper than Argentina for most things. The devaluation of the Argentinian peso is still worsening, leading to continued price increases. We didn’t eat out here at all, last month, and cooked almost all our meals at home. The other $25 in the report was a delayed credit card charge for a dinner out in March.

Take-out pizza in Santiago ($13)
Gnocchi – pesto meal at home
Mark grilled a few meals in April
Many snacks and drinks were consumed at home in April.

Some of our followers have been generous with one $25 dining out donation (which we will use this month) and two “$25 for drinks” donations, most of which we will enjoy in May as well. For the first time ever, someone walked by our camper (in Santiago de Chile), noticed our Massachusetts license plates, checked out this blog, and treated us online to drinks, because he is also from our state! Thank you to all our supporters, followers, readers. and contributors!

Our propane tank is a tight fit in the cubby hole
Walking to the store in San Juan to get our propane tank filled
The friendly family that helped us out with propane gas

As usual, $35 went to our Starlink subscription, while the other half is paid by our business. And, we topped up the propane tank for $10 in San Juan, Argentina. That usually lasts three months. We managed to fill our water tank multiple times for free in April as well.

Our water thief didn’t work so well here, as I got soaking wet from the back push and spray
Adding more water into our tank in Santiago
Free water fill along the road

Transportation costs consisted of splitting a rental car for the day with our friends from Meat Around The World, to explore Valparaiso (see next blog post) and the expensive fuel to get there – they paid for the tolls and we covered parking – and a useless taxi drive in Santiago. We were dropped off in the wrong place and had to walk back!

Mark ordered household items and camper parts on Amazon in the US, to fix a few things upon our return next September and we bought a new frying pan and spray bottles in Chile. Did I mention yet that anything imported on this continent is cheaper there than in Argentina?

The mall near us in Santiago, that contains every shop we could have wanted
New non-stick frying pan for the galley

We also paid $12 for two baskets of dirty laundry in Uspallata, Argentina, after waiting through the weekend because the laundromat wasn’t open and hearing from our friends that this cost $2 six months ago! Not willing to spend even more, Mark and I washed a basket-size worth of linen and clothes by hand in river water.

A massive bag of dirty laundry!
This is where we dropped off our dirty laundry in Uspallata
Hanging our hand laundry to dry in the strong sun and dry air of Uspallata

The other categories were low. Entertainment ($7) was had on two different transportation methods in Chile, namely a cable car in Santiago and two old-style elevators (ascensores) in Valparaiso. Mark ordered an app for his tablet and I needed throat medicines after being sick for over a week. A bad bug/cough had me in its grip for two weeks. Once, we had to leave our quiet camping spot in nature to find a pharmacy in town.

A cable car ride to the top of the hill
Mark, Maya, and I shared a car along this line
Our friends traveled in the cable car behind us.
One of the old elevators we took in Valparaiso
The two elevators work in unison – one comes down, while the other one goes up along a steel cable
View from our elevator going up

The only money Mark and I spent on drinking out was $3 at a pricey café in Valparaiso, where we split a juice. We also gave a small donation to the firemen (bomberos) and had our car sprayed for $1 at an agriculture spot.

Sticker from the firemen in return for our donation
Fumigation station in Argentina
We paid $1 to get the underside of our car fumigated

We boondocked the entire month and therefore camping was free for us in April.

Our attractive camping spot in El Mollar over Easter
One-night stop at the park of Catamarca
Overnight spot on our drive south in Argentina
Free night at El Milagro winery
Free parking and camping in San Martin Park in Mendoza
Camped in front of colorful mountains before crossing into Central Chile
Parked among a row of other campers for two weeks in Santiago
Last (free) night in Chile, at a super busy and loud fuel station
Quiet, but chilly spot along a river, back in Argentina
A nice, grassy camping spot in Uspallata, Argentina
Our last night of April was spent along a river towards Mendoza

Our total was high again, but most of the $1,844 went to car maintenance and fuel, which were needed and made us feel productive. Without that vehicle attention, we’d have been back at our monthly average. After reaching the high numbers in that category, we really refrained from splurges and eating out. We will see what May brings!

Our group on the last night together in Santiago: Mark, Liesbet, Richie, Abigail, Zoe, Heather, Jon, and Maya

April 2024 Overview:

Car (maint.: $655; fuel: $432; tolls: $11; parking: $8):

Groceries:

Alcohol:

Dog (food: $66; toy: $4):

Dining out:

Utilities (Starlink internet: $35; propane: $10):

Transportation (rental car: $29; taxi: $4):

Camper (tape, drain USA):

Household (blade, pan, spray bottles):

Laundry:

Entertainment (elevator, cable car):

Computer (tablet app M):

Medical (meds L):

Drinking out:

Miscellaneous:

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

$1,106

$384

$74

$70

$50

$45

$33

$27

$24

$12

$7

$4

$3

$3

$2

$0

———

$ 1,844

(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 each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Next up: A colorful day trip from Santiago to Valparaiso, Chile.

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

A Month in Northern Argentina – Dusty Towns, Pretty Vineyards, Wonderful Wine & Scenic Drives

April 21, 2024 / / 45 Comments

“The scenery is amazing!” “The people are so friendly here!” “Everything just works!” “Argentina is dirt cheap!” – These were the sentiments shared by fellow overlanding friends when they arrived in Argentina, many months before we did. People loved the change of scenery, culture, attitude, and quality of life, once they crossed that “last” border.

View of a windy mountain road in Northern Argentina
A dusty neighborhood near our camping spot in Maimara
Many old cars litter Cafayate’s streets

Mark and I couldn’t wait to visit. But, sometimes, slow travel bites you in the butt. In March 2024, when the three of us finally arrived in Northern Argentina, prices for everything had doubled, if not tripled or quadrupled, and the excitement of other travelers was lost on us. Because we are on a tight budget? Because we travel with a dog? Because we came from “westernized” Chile with immaculate paved roads, leashed dogs, friendly drivers, clean cities, and modern feel?

Argentinian money comes in many colors and denominations – the biggest one being 2,000 pesos ($2) and the smallest one being 10 pesos (1 cent). The 1,000-peso bill is used the most. There are no coins!
The longest line at an ATM (cash machine) we have ever seen ocured in Tilcara
Line for an ATM in Cafayate

In a nutshell: We had expectations when we crossed the border (and that was our mistake, really; we know better than to have expectations). Yet, what we – initially – found were dusty towns, lots of trash, dangerously grooved roads, ear-piercingly loud motorcycles, the smell of burnt garbage, and loose dogs. There were also a lot of indigenous people, unlike in Chile. Northern Argentina felt like an extension of Peru and Bolivia, and it was NOT cheap.

Maya is sick of the barking, loose dogs and doesn’t want to budge anymore.
Loose dogs on every road in every town of Northern Argentina
Some loose dogs in the park next to our camper in Cafayate

Apart from those experiences as vehicle drivers, long-term travelers, and dog owners, of course there was beauty, joy, and excitement to be found as well. Why else would we still be on the road?

Our destinations in Northern Argentina

Susques

After a beautiful drive, a smooth and efficient border crossing in Pasa Jama, and a disappointing money exchange (our crisp U$100 bills weren’t as crisp as we thought, and the blue dollar “tourist” rate had dropped a lot), we spent our first night near the town of Susques, which has a cute adobe church.

Welcome to Argentina!
The one administrative building that houses all the stops and officials for a border crossing into Argentina
Ready with all the paperwork

Here, we had to choose between the famously pretty but bumpy Ruta 40 South or the paved comfort of Ruta 68. We picked the easy solution and are happy we did as it delivered beauty in the form of scenery and new friends.

Cute adobe church of Susques
The unique interior of the adobe church.
The famous Ruta 40 starts in Susques, next to the restaurant we spent our first night at.

Salinas Grandes

Before reaching our first real tourist town, we stopped at the salt flats of Salinas Grandes. We’d hoped to visit the Ojos, clear pools in the middle of the Salar, on a short van tour, but because of recent rains, this part was too wet to drive on. So, the three of us just walked around the salty terrain with its clear-blue canals – and Maya was a mess!

I believe these channels are formed from mining the salt.
One of the clear canals of the salt flats
Taking Maya for a salty walk on Salinas Grandes
One of the mountains is reflected on the wet salt flats

Purmamarca

In Purmamarca, we only anticipated a hike among the colored mountains. It was a hot afternoon, but the fee for the trail was low and the surroundings bright and attractive. When returning via the center of town, we liked it so much that we decided to spend the night on the sloped parking lot we had pulled into earlier. The pleasant atmosphere of downtown – and the prospect of dinner at a pizza restaurant that didn’t open until 8 pm – had us change plans.

Purmamarca is famous for its colored mountains
Colorful hills surround the trail in Purmamarca
Hiking under a hot sun in Purmamarca
Colorful and hot walk with Maya
Splurging on an excellent pizza and tasty bottle of wine at a local restaurant
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