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
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.
After we returned to Thirsty Bella in Argentina, Mark, Maya, and I needed about three weeks to find our travel groove, get readjusted to the lifestyle, prep for new adventures, and see friends before new horizons lured. The first week of October, we headed north in Argentina and on October 9th, we crossed into Uruguay, a new-to-us country. We stayed through Halloween.
(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
The equivalent of $100 in Argentinian pesos
Welcome to Uruguay
The equivalent of $100 in Uruguayan pesos
Despite Uruguay being a very expensive nation – even by western norms – our monthly budget stayed below average. Why? Mark and I were super careful spending money, stocked up in Argentina, drove slower than usual, deliberated detours, and focused on free camping and what we really wanted to see.
Waiting for the traffic to pass…
Nice pavement in the beginning
Dirt road back to the main road
Disappearing pavement
Over 100 miles of dirt roads, crossing the country
Driving on bad roads – Maya is stressed
More traffic in the hinterland of Uruguay
Building new roads
The car category was the highest, as usual. Over half of our total! With fuel costing $7 a gallon/$1.80 a liter in Uruguay (diesel is 40% cheaper), it is no surprise that we spent around $560 on gasoline, despite topping up in Argentina (at $4/gallon) and filling our 5-gallon jerrycan before crossing the border. I wonder if this has been an all-time monthly record. We complained about expensive fuel in Peru – where we drove around for five months – at $5 a gallon!
Filling up with gasoline in Argentina
Topping up the fuel tank – and our jerrycan – as well
Main fuel company in Uruguay
Buying expensive gasoline
Dollar rate at the gas station
More fuel is needed
The other car cost went to toll roads, which were pricy in Uruguay as well. We joked that we had to pay $4 an hour on the highways. There are five “automatic” toll stations; an ordeal for foreigners.
The toll rates are the same at each of the five booths. We hit them all!
Toll station near Montevideo
One of the toll stations
The gate finally opens; you don’t want to arrive behind us!
You’re supposed to register your license plate and car (which we did), put credit on your account (we had no idea how many tolls we’d need, so skipped this) or pay at an office (which we did each time), and a camera would read your registered plate, take the correct credit off your account, and open the gate.
That last step NEVER worked. Now that we know how many tolls there are along the highways in Uruguay and that the cost is the same at each one, we would put that amount on the account and only be annoyed once at each booth, when the gate remains closed and some manual action somewhere happens.
Time for dinner!
Camped by the river of Gualeguaychu
Many dinners in Bella (Photo courtesy of Brandon Lever)
Our grocery expense was on the high side, due to needing a lot still after coming home to an empty camper, cooking every meal at home, and preparing a handful of dinners for friends. Monthly rates for our satellite internet subscription have gone up. We now pay $80, half of which is fronted by our business.
Baking brownies
Stocking up at the grocery store of Concordia, Argentina, before crossing the border into Uruguay
Stir fry with egg noodles
Yummy chili!
Juicy, tasty, and affordable strawberries. They must grow these in Uruguay.
When the wind mellows out, we can grill.
Strawberry-banana milkshake (no ice cream), a wonderful treat!
We also opted to top up our propane tank before crossing the border – due to higher costs for everything in the neighboring country – but are not sure now this was the best plan of action. It seems that no matter where and when we add a few kilos of gas to our tank in Argentina, we end up paying for a full tank, just for the privilege, setting us back $15. Drinking water was free everywhere.
The hardware store that couldn’t fill our propane tank (after we waited an hour for it)
After a big detour and more waiting, we got our propane tank topped off here.
Filling with drinking water in Punta del Diablo
After the hassle and vet costs traveling back and forth to the US and Belgium with Maya, we weren’t done yet. Before entering Uruguay, she needed a new health certificate, export permit, and negative blood test for Leishmaniasis. We had all that done in the Argentinian town of Gualeguaychu, over one vet visit (when Maya got attacked again) and two SENASA (agriculture department) stops. We also got some of her shots updated at the vet, adding that bill up to $53. Being patient regarding the export permit meant that part only cost $2 (processing time of 72 hours) instead of the expedited, one-day fee of $30.
Vet visit for paperwork
Blood test for Maya
We are back in wine country! Despite everything else in Argentina steeply going up in price, wine seems to have been spared. We also bought two bottles of discounted rum to last in Uruguay. We never went out for drinks.
The laundromat (out of three) I picked
It costs $7 to have this small pile of laundry washed, dried, and folded.
Another one of our three website domains was due last month ($22) and we couldn’t avoid laundry in Uruguay. In Colonia del Sacramento, I inquired at three laundromats. The price was the same everywhere: $7.50 for a tiny load of 2-3kg. Yikes! We had a lot of dirty stuff. The solution: drop off the most difficult items to hand wash (sheets, towels, jeans, and shorts) and wash everything else (about three big loads) by hand. The price was high for the convenience, but the savings were even higher!
Hours of hand laundry
First batch of hand laundry at the coast
All our clothes are washed and pegged!
Here is the truth about our dining out experiences: Mark and I had not gone out to dinner, just the two of us, since April of this year. Before we left for the summer, restaurant prices kept going up in Argentina, so we stuck to a few take-out meals. In Belgium and Massachusetts, it just didn’t happen. Back in Argentina, we didn’t have time, plus, many restaurants don’t open until 8pm. And in Uruguay, it was too expensive. We do have a couple of donation amounts left, which we look forward to splurging with soon.
Cozy atmosphere, but too cold to eat outside
Burgers and fries
I ordered a fish burger and a cocktail and Mark chose a vegetable burger and a beer.
All that being said, I did treat Mark to one dinner in Punta del Diablo, Uruguay, because the photos on Google looked super appealing for a place called Cardamomo and I had some money set aside from Belgium still (the last funds). Maya was welcome and, while pricy, the food and drinks were tasty and the atmosphere delightful.
Fish & chips in Bella
Our new, plastic spoon
The $5 we did use from our account went to a portion of fries from a food stand to complement a homecooked fried fish dinner. And, we needed a new plastic ladle/spoon as the old one was shedding and were surprised by its affordability ($2) in a Uruguayan grocery store.
Salto Grande Dam
Free bus tour of the dam
Castillo de Piria
One saving grace in Uruguay were its inexpensive – or free – attractions. More about that in my upcoming post. I climbed two lighthouses for stunning views, which only cost me $1 each time. Mark was not interested. And, both of us visited the impressive and well-kept Santa Teresa Fort near Punta del Diablo. All this for the equivalent of $4! A dam tour and Piria Castle were free to enjoy.
Faro de San Ignacio
View from the top of the lighthouse
Lighthouse of Colonia
View from the top of the lighthouse
One of the five corners of the fort
Good parking job, Mark!
Santa Teresa Fort
Entrance fee to the fort: $1.25 a person
Last but not least, one of the most appealing things about that smallish country is its plethora of free, attractive camping spots, especially along the coast!
Our camping spot in Punta del Diablo
Quick stop for the night
Free, basic campground along the way
Arrival at the coast
We stayed here for one night.
Camped at La Paloma
Camped near the capital for one night
Our first camping spot in Colonia del Sacramento
Second, free camping spot in Colonia
An amazing free campground in the middle of Uruguay
Camping spot for the last nights at Ismael Cortinas
We also camped for free in Argentina; our friend Brandon paid for the three nights at Punta Viracho.
Visitors in Gualeguaychu
A couple of nights at windy and cloudy peninsula Soler
Free hot water in the park
Arriving at Punta Viracho (Photo courtesy of Brandon Lever)
Camped with our friends in Punta Viracho
Soaking in the hot pools of Punta Viracho (Photo courtesy of Brandon Lever)
Punta Viracho campground (Photo courtesy of Brandon Lever)
Prices of the campground at Punta Viracho – Brandon paid for our stay.
And that wraps up our relatively low ($1,135) and relatively enjoyable month of October.
Massive fields in Uruguay
Juicy fields
Happy cows!
With all that electricity from driving, we happily plug in our devices
(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 three-week discovery of Uruguay
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After a three-month “summer break” in Massachusetts and Belgium, Mark and I looked forward to returning to our RV life in South America, which promised new adventures and horizons. But first, we had a few hurdles to overcome.
Route North in Argentina
Camp spots along Salto Grande Reservoir
For the first time since finishing our sailing episode in Tahiti in 2015, we decided to check a bag (we usually only fly with three or four carry-on/personal items). We needed to bring back spare parts and gear to fix our camper and truck, plus a few liquid novelties like maple syrup and dog shampoo. It had taken multiple attempts to fill this bag and not exceed 50 pounds. It was tricky, as we also didn’t want things to shift in this enormous duffel. Padding added weight. I even tried to put all our “to check” luggage into our carry-on roller, super tight, too tight, with a ripped zipper as a result.
In the end, I succeeded with the duffel bag. Since we had plenty to carry with us on the plane, I stuffed our rain jackets inside it as well. The scale at the airport showed 52 pounds. Ouch. But the lady was super friendly and impressed relieved that we only had one checked bag, so she let the overweight go. Thanks!
Then, we flew from Boston, MA, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, via Miami. We arrived early and hadn’t slept for 24 hours. The day had only just started and it was September 21st, the arrival of spring in the Southern Hemisphere.
We dealt with immigration (long lines), nervously waited for our one bag to arrive as one of the last pieces on the belt (that’s why we hate checking bags), swung by the friendly guy at agriculture for Maya’s paperwork, and sent all our luggage through X-ray machines at customs. And all that time, Maya couldn’t relieve herself, which stressed us out.
Our sets of metal brake pads raised questions. We managed to talk ourselves out of the legal fact that no traveler is allowed to import car parts. Not even when your Ford F350 doesn’t exist in Argentina and neither do the parts!
The exchange rate from dollars to pesos was horrible at the airport, so we passed on that, planning to pay our storage fee in USD. Finding an Uber that accepted dogs proved to be difficult as well. We lined up three taxi drivers, only to have the last man not cancel after we sent a private message about our well-behaved Maya. He took a few wrong turns and forgot to switch the meter off when he delivered us, but we made it to our home on wheels by 10am!
Reunited with Thirsty Bella on Julian’s property
Julian’s property had been perfect and affordable to store Thirsty Bella, but we knew from dropping our camper off and needing to prep it to be left unattended that this is NOT a usable campground, without running water to fill our tank or hot water in the shower block and with barking dogs and their poop everywhere. The mosquitoes were less of a problem, but now the toilet bowl had a gaping hole in it; flushing it flooded the bathroom floor and not in a pretty way. Don’t ask me how I know…
Anyway, after our set-up was rudimentary ready, we needed to leave ASAP. Plus, we had no food or drinks at all, after emptying the cupboards and fridge before we left. The first task at hand was start the truck. With a totally drained battery, this took a while, with the help of Julian’s trickle charger. Next step: reinstate our Starlink satellite internet account, which we had paused for three months, saving $210. Mark relocated our sign-up address from Peru to Argentina to avoid issues in the future.
Around noon, we generously rewarded Julian and his wife, Sofia, for their hospitality and help, before hugging them goodbye and maneuvering our camper under low-hanging electrical cables (which needed lifting with a stick) and through the narrow gate.
(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)
Leaving the challenging property where we’d stored our camper
Julian and Sofia
We stopped by a small tienda in a city with tight streets (Mark wasn’t thrilled about this unexpected “big rig” driving test on day one) to stock up on some staples and made our way to Zapparancho, the campground ran by the well-known Zapp family, who traveled around the world in an old, classic car for over twenty years. Our trio had stayed here in the past, so we knew Herman offered the right facilities to get ready for the road.
Welcomed back by Herman at his Zapparancho
The travel car of the Zapp family
Zapparancho – where (Argentinian) dreams begin….
A map of their route
The resident horse that thinks it’s a dog
We immediately filled up with drinking water, discovered an issue with the water heater – after three plumbing attempts, this got fixed – and realized our bathroom tap, which acts as a sink faucet as well as a showerhead, was leaking profusely and needed to be replaced. Darn. How can things break while they’re not being used?
Filling the camper with potable water again
This wall painting was new since our last time here
Testing and comparing two old tablets to act as our battery monitor
Mark fixing the water heater
Installing a new rod for the door, so it finally stays open again
Maya keeps busy with a new bone from the US
Luckily, our American motorcycle friends, Brandon and Katherine, were returning to Buenos Aires in a week as well. They happily received the package and brought the small part to our next meeting point, about ten days later.
The faucet that broke
New faucet in the bathroom. Thank you, Brandon and Katherine!
Zapparancho is a popular and buzzing place, where travelers meet and share meals. Yet, the price added up each day, standing water attracted mosquitoes, and the nights were noisy. We wanted to keep focusing on the jobs at hand and looked forward to getting on the road again.
Music and social times at Zapparancho
Shared pizza dinner at 11pm…
The sun was bright, but the wind was strong as we prepped our camper, went grocery shopping, did laundry, and organized everything the way it was.
The attractive cathedral of Lujan
Shopping in Lujan – store one
Shopping in Lujan – store two
Doing laundry; the last errand before leaving Zapparancho
We postponed the “big engine project” until later in the week. For that, we moved closer to the building. It blocked the wind, so no dirt would enter the engine compartment and work would be easier.
Moved to the building at Zapparancho, to be protected from the wind
Our afternoon here turned into an extra day and night
Which work? Mark needed to replace the 16 sparkplugs and 8 ignition coils on the engine block, all in one go. I was his assistant and mental support person, as always. It didn’t take long before I heard him curse. One of the sparkplugs was stuck. It didn’t want to unscrew. As he predicted, this turned into a massive ordeal! When he finally got it loose, the threads were damaged, meaning the receiving end on the engine block was compromised as well and the new sparkplug couldn’t go in.
Mark has organized all his tools and the new parts
Keeping track of old and new parts
I will make a long story short. We finished replacing the other 15 sparkplugs and all the ignition coils without issues and then focused on the damaged sparkplug, which had been inserted incorrectly by the factory. Our car only has 60,000 miles on the odometer and this was the first time the sparkplugs were touched by a person. Yes, this miss-threaded part was Ford’s fault; a rare mistake.
Yet, here we were. In Argentina. Without the right equipment, confidence, or knowledge for an issue of this magnitude. And far away from a good mechanic in the capital. One piece of metal accidentally entering the motor block during any maneuver and our engine would be damaged and possibly needing replacement! Mark fabricated a rethreading/chasing tool out of an old sparkplug to “clean” the threads but, ultimately, we didn’t trust ourselves to do the job.
The damaged sparkplug
Making a “chaser” out of an old sparkplug
So, we researched and enabled the best mechanic we could find in Buenos Aires, convinced him to drive out an hour and half each way to help us, and hired him to do the work. His initial quote was $300-$400. But… the first time he and a helper arrived, they were baffled by the tricky nature of this job and preferred to return the next morning, Saturday, with proper tools.
First visit by the mechanics from Buenos Aires
Necessary hot water for mate, for the drive back to the capital
That morning became evening, but they eventually showed up at dusk with modified tools and an endoscopic camera and – after a couple of hours – they cautiously and professionally fixed the issue, inserted the new sparkplug, and listened to the engine purr nicely. The final price for the job was $600, which hurt, but was better than the feared-for, worst-case scenario! And, we could get back to our travels the following day.
Endoscopic camera to see what’s going on with the threads
Second visit of the mechanics – one of them has to lie on the engine of our big truck to reach things
Final assembly of the engine parts
Luckily, we were not in a hurry as early spring is still too soon to head south to Patagonia and Ushuaia. We had a month of “lingering around” planned, to wait for better weather. We left the capital area and headed north in Argentina. Our initial camping spot didn’t work out due to it being a Sunday, which means packed parking lots and parks. So, we ended up at a truck stop in Zarate. Nothing too glorious for our first night back on the road!
Our first night back on the road – a truck stop/fuel station
The coming and going of semi trucks made this place loud at night.
Our next destination was Gualeguachú, which takes a while to pronounce. We found a grassy spot along the river to park up for a few days, work, and explore town. We braved one super-hot and humid day on which we couldn’t do much.
Freshly painted sign!
Our grassy camp spot along the river of Gualeguaychu
Walk through the old harbor
Walk along the river
Nice building on our walk through town
Church in the center of town
Back to wads of cash – this is the equivalent of $100
Who would have guessed this heat in spring? Luckily, it was only one day.
We also needed a blood test and paperwork for Maya to enter Uruguay. On our walk to the vet, she got attacked again by a loose, owned dog. Not a stray. Stray dogs behave friendly or shy; not protective.
Vet visit to get Maya’s newest paperwork
Leishmaniasis blood test for Uruguay
Followed by loose dogs
We urgently had to come up with a rough, northern route. Initially, we wanted to make a loop through Southern Brazil, along the coast of Uruguay, and back into Argentina. After deliberation, and chats with my virtual travel friend and blog follower Gilda (who is from Southern Brazil), we changed plans and decided to skip that part of her country. This would save us a chunk of time and gas money.
It was in Gualeguachú that Brandon and Katherine joined us for a night with their motorcycles and tent. They brought their Argentinian friend, Federico, which produced deeper insights into the country and culture for us. We shared a nice dinner in Bella and enjoyed a fun evening and restful night.
The arrival of our friends and their friend
Hanging out and soaking up the sun with Katherine, Brandon, and Federico
We’d forgotten Maya’s precious bone at Zapparancho and Brandon found it when they camped there for the night! Happy us – and happy Maya!
Our setup along the river (Photo courtesy of Brandon Lever)
Happy hour with new and old friends (Photo courtesy of Brandon Lever)
Girl talk with Katherine (Photo courtesy of Brandon Lever)
Mark grills chicken on our BBQ (Photo courtesy of Brandon Lever)
Grilled dinner inside Bella with all of us. It was the first time we ate inside our camper with five adults!
The following day, after Mark and I ran more errands, our little group met up again, further north, at Punta Viracho. Federico had moved on towards Paraguay.
Passing through a herd of capybara on our way to the campground
Brandon and Katherine love hot springs and they’d discovered that staying at a campground in that area was affordable and included unlimited entrance into hot pools and a waterpark within walking distance. We took their invitation and camped close together for a few more nights. We could see Uruguay on the other side of the massive reservoir that is Salto Grande.
Settled next to the reservoir in an established campground.
Camped next to our friends at this campground
Our set-up at the campground for three days
Another dinner together
Our first highlight – and surprise – was the herd of capybaras that lives on this peninsula. It was amazing to just watch and photograph the adults and babies.
Posing with our new neighbors
Resting capybaras
Capybaras lined up near a puddle – they love water!
More capybaras
A walk among the capybaras
Family of capybaras
Nice coincidence!
Maya – on a leash – behaved really well among these wild creatures.
This group wasn’t very shy!
So cute!
Here is a video from when they walked by.
And, who knew they like to swim?
We weren’t the only ones happy to soak!
Swimming capybaras at dusk
We enjoyed quality time and homecooked meals with our friends and managed to soak and play in the hot pools several times as well. Since it was weekend, however, the pools got crowded.
Walk to the hot springs and past the capybaras on our first evening
Peacock at the pools
Big lizard at the pools
Soaking with friends
One of the peacocks in full glory
And, I really have to stop doing crazy things at my age. This was the fastest slide I’d ever been on!!
Hugging our dear friends goodbye was more emotional than usually, as we won’t see them again on this continent. We had the fortune of meeting up in five South American countries – Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina – in the last year and a half, but now they’re hopping over to Africa to continue their world travels.
Katherine and Brandon ready to go, in the rain
Bye, bye, friends!
The three of us only hopped to the next peninsula (Soler) along the reservoir for a couple more days of rest, wind, and rain – and stress for Maya, thanks to twigs and leaves falling onto the roof of the camper – in Argentina.
Rainy camping spot on Peninsula Soler
Nervous Maya chewed through her leash when we tried to prevent her from joining us in bed after a third night of her panting and us not being able to sleep!
View of the reservoir
Wet forest walk
On a walk with our dog, we heard these weird noises…
Unfortunately, because of our location by a turnaround point at the end of the road, it proved much busier and louder than expected. So, on October 9th, after filling our gas tank and pantry, we left Argentina and entered a new-to-us country: Uruguay.
Heading towards the border with Uruguay
Stocking up in Concordia, Argentina, before crossing the border into Uruguay
Filling up with fuel – including our jerrycan – in Concordia, Argentina, before crossing the border into Uruguay
Time for a new country!
Next up: Our monthly expense report for October 2024
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
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.
After spending three months in Europe and the US over the summer, Mark, Maya, and I returned to Argentina on September 21st, the first day of spring (primavera) down here. While the initial three weeks of the month had been cheap, thanks to the generosity of our parents regarding food expenses and car use, we immediately blew the budget once we moved back into our truck camper, Thirsty Bella . The flights had been paid for last March.
(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
Returning from grocery shopping in Belgium
A wonderful gift of beer and chocolate from our friends!
Leaving Europe
Belgian chocolate – for friends, family, and ourselves
So, September 2024 was an expensive month for us, especially since we spent it all in the final ten days! Some of the high costs were expected, like Maya’s export permit, storage for our camper, an official campground, and renewing our car insurance for South America; others were not only surprising but also scary…
One of the mechanics needs to lie on the engine to work on it.
Our low-mileage F350 truck engine developed a serious issue – factory induced – when we did some maintenance on it upon our arrival in Argentina. A miss-threaded sparkplug (one of the sixteen) was difficult to remove and appeared to have damaged threads. This made it impossible to replace with a new one and caused profound worries about how to fix the issue. Especially since the spark plug hole was hidden, so out of view and difficult to access. We were stranded!
We moved our car closer to the building to work without too much hinder from the strong wind.
Mark organizing his tools for this day-long project
Old ignition coils and sparkplugs lined up
The culprit of our engine issue: a damaged, previouly miss-threaded sparkplug.
Long story short: we needed to hire professional, cautious, and capable mechanics who wouldn’t only be willing to drive to our campground an hour and a half outside Buenos Aires, but who could also solve our predicament. The pair came out twice and managed to install the new spark plug without damaging the engine block or anything else. The price tag: US$600 (reduced to $570, since we paid some in the local currency). It would have been cheaper ($500) if we would have possessed the full amount in pesos.
First visit from the mechanics – the job was too complicated without the right equipment, which they didn’t bring.
Second visit of the mechanics – in the evening this time!
This time, they brought an endoscopic camera to see what was going on. Very important!
They worked on the car with special tools until 8:30pm.
We renewed our Mercasur countries liability insurance for another year for $358, which was three times as high as six months ago! Yes, prices keep rising in Argentina. The storage fee for our camper at Julian’s place was cheap. He charges only 25,000 pesos a month, so we tipped him another 30% to make the bill exactly $100. We also paid $3 for toll roads.
Reunited with Thirsty Bella at Julian’s place
Being waved off by Julian and his wife
Julian and I guide Mark and our fat camper through the narrow gate
Julian and his wife Sofia
To reach that whopping $1,079 for the car category, we also ordered tools to work on the sparkplug and ignition coils projects, bought fuel for my mother-in-law’s car in the US, and paid $2 for parking at Salisbury Beach, which is very close to our home base in Massachusetts, but I’d never been.
Using the car from Mark’s mom for visits to friends. Driving in Boston turned bad. Twice.
Visiting friends in Duxbury, on the other side of Boston
First visit to Salisbury Beach, close to Newburyport
Our camper pantry and fridge were totally empty when we returned to Buenos Aires, so a giant stock-up was needed. On our first day back, we stopped by a small shop for necessities, before reaching the Zapparancho campground, where we’d regroup and prepare for the rest of our South American journey.
One of the chain grocery stores we visited
The international food chain
After the weekend, we drove to the town of Lujan to visit two supermarkets for a first heavy-loaded run. We immediately missed the diversity and quality of goods we’d gotten used to in the US and Belgium. It will take a few more grocery stops to fill the camper up.
Maya needed a new international health certificate from the US to enter Argentina, so there went another $225. We are super happy that vet fees and shots are much more affordable down south!
Another thing I did back in Massachusetts was reclaim my Plunge books from the local bookstore, where the owner had “archived” them in the storage room, because none had sold in the last two years. Better to distribute them from our camper!
Reclaiming my Plunge books from a local bookstore. The owner had put them in the storage room!
On the first day of our return to the continent, we filled our camper with potable water, installed a new part on the water heater – which leaked and needed a few tightening attempts; we hate plumbing! – and discovered the bathroom faucet was leaking. We use this handle in the sink and as a shower head. Wasting water in a small camper is detrimental.
Topping up with water
Filling with water and checking all the systems
Fixing a plug for the water heater
Replacing the pressurized bar of our door
Who would be returning to Buenos Aires soon as well? Our US motorcycle friends Katherine and Brandon! And, yes, they could bring back the small and light replacement part. We paid more than normal to ship it to their address in time. A few random other parts rounded out the camper category.
The faucet part that leaked and had to be replaced, and its size
The new faucet part delivered by friends, installed, and leak-free!
In general, our health and fitness category is low, since we rarely go to hair dressers or buy health products. But, a visit to the US is the opportune time to stock up on specialized toothpaste (which I now rely on), a bottle of aloe vera, and nine months’ worth of vitamins.
Another pile of Amazon packages awaits us, mostly from Vine.
Even a checked-bag was available on Vine, with some patience.
Mark and I always fly with carry-on luggage only, unless we have a huge amount of gear, products, and/or parts to bring back. In this case, we checked one bag for $60 and donated it afterwards. Many packages waited for us in Massachusetts after our break in Belgium. Most were Vine Voice items, which we order for free in return for an honest review. We brought back a lot of useful products!
A moose antler for Maya – the first toy that holds her attention for more than a few seconds!
New flip flops for Mark
I ordered a soft, fleece blanket for Maya. I mean, Mark.
My new, stainless-steel water bottle
New cushion covers for the dinette, ordered through Vine
Laundry basket from Amazon Vine
And we brought Maya’s new, free bowl as well.
We counted on a week at an official campground to get ready for the road again – unpacking, organizing, shopping, cleaning, filling with water, fixing issues, engine maintenance, catching up on sleep, and researching a route and upcoming destinations. Our unexpected engine issue extended that stay, so we paid around $50 for eight nights at Zapparancho.
Being welcomed by Herman at Zapparancho
Zapparancho has a new mural since last time we visited in June
Two of our three website domain name registrations were due for renewal in September and the monthly subscription fee for our Starlink satellite internet service went up. Depending on the exchange rate, we now pay about $80 a month, half of which is taken care of by our business.
Within an hour of arriving in Bella, after getting Thirsty’s engine started with an extra boost (first things first), Mark unpaused our internet service and reregistered our Starlink account in Argentina instead of Peru, where we’d bought the unit. The fees in Peru had risen enormously and being registered here works better if the policy of only being allowed two months outside of the host country will be enforced.
A nice evening with friends at their lake house in New Hampshire
Money also went to alcohol/wine ($29) in the US as gifts for friends and in Argentina for ourselves, an Uber taxi from the airport in BA to our camper 45 minutes away ($22), shared meals at Zapparancho and a food stand choripan ($18), a new doormat and baskets from Dollar Tree ($4), and laundry ($3).
The asado cook grabs us a chorizo (chori) for the bread bun (pan)
Ordering our first choripan at a stand in Villars
Social evening with pizza, wine, and music
The old, small washing machine for campers at Zapparancho still works well.
The chocolate we brought back and our share of the Airbnb we rented with our German friends in Liege was paid for with my Belgian funds, which are not part yet of our bookkeeping records.
I paid for part of this Airbnb rental with my money in Belgium.
A perfect space for four adults and two dogs
Snacks in Liege for a 20-hour reunion with German friends
While our total amount for September is well above average, we did manage to stay under $2,000 despite the extra expenses. We boondocked after leaving Zapparancho and are cooking all our meals at home. Having been “sponsored” in Belgium, I did realize that Mark and I never went out for a meal just the two of us, there or anywhere else, in the last four months.
Our first night back on the road at a truck stop in Zarate
Our free camping spot in Gualeguaychu
Can you believe how hot it was in the beginning of spring? Luckily, only for one day.
On the plane back home to Bella, I promised myself I would become less frugal when it comes to spoiling ourselves, which includes eating out. It’s something we thoroughly enjoy and, you know, cooking and doing dishes every evening gets old. Then, we faced that extra $600 bill for the engine (the world’s most expensive sparkplug), and my intentions went out the window! Give me a few months without unexpected bills and I might reconsider again. 😊
(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 one-week vacation in the Black Forest of Germany.
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!
Mark, Maya, and I had plenty of time to reach Buenos Aires when we left San Rafael earlier than planned, as we bid farewell to our friends, who needed to prepare for their departure from South America as well. Our flights to the US wouldn’t leave from Argentina’s capital until June 11th and it was only May 22nd when we began our boring three-day ride east, across the continent and country.
Our route in Central Argentina
Buenos Aires and surroundings
Realico
Our first driving day consisted of five uninspiring hours in the car on this flat stretch of Central Argentina. Because of the decent, straight roads, we could let our “pothole guard” down, listened to Spotify music through our Starlink antenna, and clocked decent fuel mileage.
Play on words in the province La Pampa
In grey, rainy, and cold Realico, we found many mosquitoes, a free municipal campground where we spent two nights, and the cheapest gasoline in months. Especially since the exchange rate for the peso had finally gone up. Three weeks out from temporarily leaving our life on the road behind, we started to plan meals around getting rid of all our food – dry and fresh.
Free Municipal Campground in Realico
Junin
As I mentioned before, Mark and I never know what to expect when we pick a potential campsite in our iOverlander app. We usually have a back-up in mind, when things don’t turn out upon arrival. Well, after another boring drive east, Laguna de Gomez in Junin offered extensive areas of green grass, level spots, and a peaceful atmosphere. We loved it from the moment we arrived, took Maya for a walk, and settled in for a few days.
Colorful town sign of Junin
Except, this was the night I described in my expense report of May 2024; when the temperature dropped well below freezing, the butane in our propane tank failed to produce gas, and we couldn’t cook or heat our camper anymore. Mark poured warmish water over the tank after heating that up on the struggling pilot-size flame of our stove, which saved us from shivering more. We needed a better solution!
(As always, click on or hover over the photos in galleries to read their captions.)
The coldest night we’ve had so far!
Even the windshield was frozen!
Opening and airing out all our cabinets to fight condensation and mold
Our options: top up the now half-empty butane tank with propane, which would make everything function again in cold weather or move to a location where it wouldn’t freeze. Since it was a holiday Saturday, nobody would be able to sell us propane. So, after a nice walk with Maya and the discovery that our electric lock had a problem, we left our wonderful spot by the lagoon.
Cold but spacious Junin
Soaking up the sunrays by the reservoir in Junin
Funny bathroom symbols in Junin
Taking our electric lock apart
San Antonio de Areco
After another three hours of driving, we reached San Antonio de Areco, an attractive town not too far from Buenos Aires. Due to a parking ban, there is really only one decent place to wild camp, near the museum on the edge of town. The weather forecast promised above-freezing temperatures here and we would top up our propane tank first thing on Monday. Due to all the cold weather, condensation had become a problem and mold was growing in the seams of Bella’s walls. We attacked it with a bleach-water mixture and lifted the mattress with a fan blowing underneath.
A new friend for Maya
Airing out the mattress
The center of town was relatively attractive as far as Argentina goes (but still nowhere near as cute as its Colombians counterparts) and within walking distance of our camper. The nearby park was great for dog walks as well. A restaurant in the neighborhood threw awesome Sunday asados (grilled meat fests). While appealing, we passed due to the frigid weather. We hope to return for this meal in the future.
Cute historic bridge and river in Areco
Historic center of San Antonio de Areco
Church at the town square
San Antonio de Areco is a nice town to stroll around in.
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
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):
(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!
As overlanders, Mark and I are not city people. Being camped in nature without any human presence or noises is our happy place. Yet, the three of us spent a full two weeks in Santiago de Chile, a capital city of 7 million! This was our all-time “stationary” boondocking record after a year and a half in South America. Jardin, Colombia, is now the runner-up at nine nights. What happened?
Country of Chile with its capital, Santiago
Location of Santiago de Chile
Well, this lifestyle is full of surprises. Bad ones and good ones. It had been a while since fate smiled down upon us, but Santiago – which is expensive and not even an interesting tourist destination – ticked some of our required boxes. With ease. We were quite happy there. Read on to learn why…
Group shot in the park (Photo courtesy of Richie Gubler)
Why back to Chile?
If you’ve been following our blog, you might have noticed that some hardships were encountered in Northern Argentina. Nothing disastrous, really, but after getting tired of similar issues in Peru and Bolivia, mostly regarding loose, aggressive dogs, dusty and dirty surroundings, and third-world living conditions, we had hoped for a reprieve of those in Argentina, especially after finding cleanliness and modernity in Northern Chile. When not finding that quite yet, we opted to return to Chile for a bit.
Another consideration was Maya’s international health certificate we obtained in Chile, the end of February. It was valid for sixty days, allowing free entries and exits for our dog between Argentina and Chile until the end of April. We figured we’d take advantage of that permit again, three weeks before it expired.
But the most important reason for our little sojourn back into Chile was truck maintenance. Imported parts are much cheaper there than in Argentina, as we realized when buying our first set of two new tires in Iquique a couple of months ago. Unfortunately, we didn’t purchase four at the time.
That being said, we chose Santiago to replace the other two tires, install a new battery, and do another oil change. Yeah, our expense report for April won’t be pretty again…
Our Providencia neighborhood in Santiago by night (Photo courtesy of Richie Gubler)
Our fantastic camping spot
The biggest surprise that greeted us in Santiago was the place we opted to wild camp at, based on reviews in iOverlander. It was easy to see why every overlander seemed to flock here!
Our camping spot for two weeks!
Lots of company for Thirsty Bella!
Gathering more water in the park (Thank you, John, for the bags!)
Adding four more gallons at a time
(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
“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
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.
Apart from the first five days, when we were still in Chile, Mark, Maya, and I explored Northern Argentina in March with Thirsty Bella. This year, prices in Argentina have doubled if not tripled for gasoline, entrance fees, restaurants,… Mark and I had really looked forward to visiting this country to splurge a bit more, but inflation and the devaluation of the peso make that less affordable.
Driving on the high plains
High-altitude desert route towards the border with Argentina
Crossing into Argentina
Driving the beautiful road between Salta and Cachi in Argentina
Camped by the cactus canyon near San Pedro, Chile
Counting all our bills to write down expenses
March was a very expensive month, but for a good reason. We bit the bullet and bought return plane tickets from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, to Massachusetts and from there to Belgium. We will store our camper for 3.5 months in South America and look forward to seeing family and friends again. The three of us need a break from the road and developing countries. We hope that the high cost for the tickets ($2,300) allows us to save money in fuel and other expenses this summer. There will be another substantial price to pay for Maya’s multiple international health certificates and check-ups.
Pulling up to our last gas station in Chile – for now
Filling up at the first fuel station across the border in Argentina
Filling up with fuel again in Salta
Filling up with fuel on the drive south in Argentina
Fuel prices in March of 2024 – 1,000 pesos is currently a little more than $1.
The car category ended up in second place due to our extravagant spending on flights. We bought about $360 of fuel, with one super pricey fill-up in Chile to reach the border and a few top-ups in Argentina. It hurts to know that the current price of around $1 a liter used to be 50 cents last year. We can save by not eating out or buying expensive entrance tickets, but we can’t get around our need for fuel. The $127 for repairs went to a tire valve fix and necessary car parts Mark purchased on Amazon. They will wait for us in the US.
Getting the valve of our spare tire fixed – again – in Cafayate
Homemade mushroom burgers – my favorite meal by Mark!
American pancakes with different fruit
Pancake breakfast on Sundays – usually only bananas are added
Fresh baguettes from a French bakery in San Pedro de Atacama!
ChangoMas is the cheaper grocery store (as opposed to Libertad) in Northern Argentina
Visiting a tiny store with preserves, beer, and hot sauces in Maimara, Argentina
My favorite bakery in Cachi
Breakfast by a peaceful pond – pastries from Cachi!
Decent produce market in Tilcara
One of my favorite meals at home: spring rolls with omelet, vegetables, and fresh peanut sauce
Around $270 bought us groceries in March and were careful with other expenses, because so much of our budget went to the airlines. We cooked most of our meals at home, as always.
Meagre dinner out on our first night in a new country
Amazing pizza – and night – out in Purmamarca
Wine and lunch out with new friends, Shani and Todd
The menu of one of the restaurants in Cachi. As you can see, new stickers are added as prices keep rising. This place offers a discount for the locals (and for us).
Pizza with fried eggs and French fries, anyone?
Our first parilla – grilled meat – platter in Argentina!
A dozen tasty beef empanadas in Cafayate
The eating out category was $80. It would have been higher, but a nice reader of this blog sent us a donation of $25, which we used for dinner and drinks at the Puna Vinyard in Cachi. Despite very hot, it was a super enjoyable experience.
Puna vineyard
Early dinner and drinks at Bodega Puna, outside of Cachi
Lamb dish for Mark
Local locro (stew) dish for me
The current wine list – with recently changed prices
Alcohol – mostly Argentinian wine – added up to $61 last month and we devoured every drop of it! Eating and drinking out might have become expensive in this country, but we just as well enjoy a good bottle of wine with some tapas at home. And we can honestly say that each bottle in the $3-$4 range that we have opened has been good to excellent. Mark and I kept our drinking out to a minimum: $24; all at vineyards. 🙂
Cheese platter in Bella
Sample platter and a bottle of Torrontes white wine at Bodega Isasmendi
Sharing a bottle of red wine at Bodega Puna in Cachi town
A sampling of cheese with a glass of wine at a goat farm in Cafayate
Our monthly subscription for unlimited Starlink satellite internet fluctuates with a dollar or so, based on the exchange rate. We bought this system last fall in Peru and half of it is paid by our business, hence the reasonable $36 fee.
Belgian beer for Mark and white wine for me
A splurge of a cocktail in Chile: coconut rum and 100% orange juice. We couldn’t find pineapple juice.
A selection of Belgian beers in Northern Chile
I spent $30 on goodies for Mark’s March 1st birthday. This included an array of Belgian beers, which I located in a grocery store in Chile. We had a lovely tapas plate for dinner that day, after a relaxing afternoon in a pretty canyon. Before that, I made him crepes with fresh fruit for breakfast and a goat cheese sandwich for lunch.
Tapas on Mark’s birthday
The entrance fees to parks and hikes added up to $16 for the two of us. I had been interested in a particular museum in Salta, but eventually skipped it as the price had quadrupled from $2 to $8. Maybe another time.
The new rates at the MAAM in Salta
Devil’s Throat hike in Chile
Visit to Salinas Grandes in Northern Argentina
The San Isidro church is only accessible after paying an entrance fee to the canyon.
Walk among colored mountains in Purmamarca, Argentina
While Maya’s three-year rabies shot from the US is still valid, the countries in South America require dogs to receive those vaccines yearly. We had hoped to get her shot in Uyuni, Bolivia (where this costs $4), but the vet didn’t have it in stock, despite us arranging the appointment ahead of time.
We started looking for another vet in Tilcara, Northern Argentina, but only – and with much difficulty – found a shady office on a dead-end alley. This vet had missing teeth and said he didn’t have the vaccine. When I mentioned, “Rabies shots are important to have, no?” he rummaged through a drawer. Not a fridge. Enough red flags had piled up for us to leave.
This is the entrance to the vet office, which was hard to find.
Apparently, the vet is located down this alley somewhere.
The only vet office we could find in Tilcara
So, when we were in Salta, Mark and I stopped our camper along a busy street to get another one-year rabies vaccination for Maya and the accompanying certificate, which we would need at border crossings. The cost for both was $14. Done!
Our campsite for one night in Salta, Argentina
We bought AA and AAA batteries, which belong in the household category, had two loads of laundry done for $6 in Cafayate (super affordable) and paid for one night at a campground in Salta ($5), where I also took a cab to get into the town center and back.
Camped in the dusty town of San Pedro, Chile, for only one night
Camped in Maimara, Northern Argentina, for one night
Our free camping spot in loud and smelly Tilcara for a couple of nights
Looking for an elusive peaceful night, we found this quiet parking lot by hot springs. It was too hot to actually visit the termales.
Camped for the night between Salta and Cachi – still pretty hot
Our hot campsite in Cachi for three nights – we would have liked to stay longer.
The other 30 nights of camping were free, as well as all the potable water we filled our tanks with.
Camped in the desert outside of Cachi for one night
Our free campsite by a pond in Argentina for a few days
Camped near Los Estratos park heading south towards Cafayate
Boondocked by a park in Cafayate for three nights
Camped in an upscale neighborhood in Tafi del Valle for one night, before we were chased off
Topping up our fresh water tanks for free
Our expenses in March 2024 added up to a whopping $3,332 – it was a bad month! But, if you take out the plane tickets, we stayed around $1,000, which is our goal.
(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.
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!
We have been perpetual nomads since 2003 – sailing, camping, RVing, house and pet sitting – and are currently roaming about South America in a truck camper with our rescue dog, Maya. As lifetime adventurers, we are self-employed and maintain a tight budget. This blog is about all that – and more – to inspire a life less ordinary. Don’t dream but do! 🙂
