Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Travel (page 14 of 28)

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – June 2021

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, we both return to the East Coast.

In June, Mark, Maya, and I lived in “our room above the garage” for three weeks. My companions stayed there the entire month and I flew to Belgium, where I visited friends and family from June 24th to July 15th. That first week, I was spoiled rotten by myself. Mark – without Maya – joined me on July 1st, so that is reflected in next month’s expense report.

The biggest category was a painful one. On our nationwide pick-up truck search, which I still have to elaborate on whenever there is conclusion, Mark flew to a small town in Arkansas on two different planes with a hotel stay in between.  From there he would drive back in our next vehicle. Again, it was not meant to be. Instead, he had to spend another night in a hotel and return by air at increased prices. The entire ordeal – other than loads of extra research, discussions, time, energy, and emotions – set us back almost $800!

When you subtract that amount from June’s total, it wasn’t too bad of a month, despite a few other high-ish categories, like “gifts”… I treated my mom (and dad) to a fancy meal for her 70th birthday at Pacht 26 in Gijzegem and we bought some goodies for our friends Duwan and Greg, who would pet sit Maya during our absence.

Before I left Massachusetts, we organized a small outdoor party with my brother-in-law and his wife. The occasion: my in-laws 64th wedding anniversary. The four “kids” cooked a fabulous meal and Mark and I found an original gift – a fancy Irish whisky that incorporates the family name.

Our dog needed new heartworm meds, so that was taken care of. And I “needed” a haircut before my trip across the Atlantic. Even though I only visit Supercuts once a year or so, I was surprised at how the prices have gone up.

Our grocery, borrowed car, alcohol, and take-out costs were manageable, but we needed a new battery for Mark’s phone (the old one literally grew out of proportions and almost exploded), his passport is due for renewal, and we bought Amazon credit. Mark couldn’t resist the deal “buy $40 of credit and receive $50 worth.” 🙂

Mark carefully replaces his phone battery – tricky!

I’m a tad late with this report; the last three weeks have been extremely hectic with unreliable internet and no me-time. Despite spending different currencies in July, we seem to be back on track this month! Or not?

June 2021 Overview:

Travel Mark (plane + hotels):

Gifts (festivities, treats D + G):

Groceries:

Car (fuel):

Dog (food: $34; meds: $22):

Household (Amazon credit, caulk):

Utilities (phone/internet):

Dining out (take-out pizza):

Health & Fitness (haircut Liesbet):

Customs & Immigration (photos):

Computer (phone battery):

Alcohol:

 

TOTAL:

 

$773

$266

$205

$87

$56

$51

$35

$26

$26

$16

$14

$13

———

$ 1,568

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.

Spectacular Sunsets on the Water – A Photo Blog

The following photos are my favorite sunset shots, taken on our eight-year sailing journey (2007-2015) in the Caribbean and South Pacific, aboard our 35ft catamaran Irie. These photos are shown in their “original” form. No editing has occurred, except for adding my watermark. The sun can really be this bright and colorful. 🙂

My travels and experiences (and then some) on Irie have been memorialized in my recently published travel memoir Plunge – One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary. You can find more information about this compelling, “refreshingly honest,” well-received book here.

Caribbean Sunsets

Sunset in Puerto Rico


Caribbean sunset at anchor

Sunset in the Grenadines

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Monthly Expenses – April 2021 (& Another Cross-Country Road Trip)

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, we both return to the East Coast.

Mark and I sold Zesty last month! If you missed that post, read it here.

Apologies for the late expense report, but I wanted to update everyone about the sale of our camper van first, as it impacts everything we do. We are homeless and carless since April 3rd and rented a vehicle to drive back to Massachusetts, a trip that cost us about $1,000.

Once we removed the bike bag, our ride was smoother.

On hindsight, we should have driven Zesty. It would have saved us a bunch of money and interest was strong enough for a potential buyer to pick the van up on the opposite coast. Also, knowing what we know now – that finding a suitable truck is close to impossible unless we are okay spending $10K more than pre-inflation rates two months ago – we might have held on to our home on wheels a bit longer. Oh well.

April was a decent month, taking the pricey road trip – car rental, four dog-friendly Motel 6 nights, and gasoline to drive over 3,000 miles –  into account. We mostly prepared our own meals, even though this was tricky with the early starts, windy conditions, and not having our own kitchen anymore. It made our days on the road even longer.

The grocery category is quite high, because we pretty much ate everything in the camper before we sold it and had to re-provision from scratch once we arrived in Newburyport, MA. We contributed some money to the water fund of our friends in Arizona and ordered dog food and vitamins ahead of our arrival.

The food prep and storage zone in our current room

The car expense was off-set because we received a refund for part of our cancelled camper insurance. Also, $288 for a one-way, one-week rental with unlimited miles is cheap. I commend Mark once more for his research abilities and always finding the best prices for anything we need. We purposefully left gear in Zesty for the new owners, so the camper was turnkey. This means we have to buy those items again, now (like a new router) and later (solar panels, outdoor mat, leveling blocks, …).

I mentioned last week that I would touch on our five-day cross-country drive in this expense report. There really is not much to share: it was a hellish 3,200-mile ride of 10-12 hours in the car, each day. Stops were made to let Maya pee, eat lunch, get fuel, adjust the flimsy bike rack, shop for food, fetch or prepare dinner, work, and sleep.

Me, catching up on work at night

Plus, we made a detour to Arkansas to check out two truck campers. I didn’t have enough space in the passenger seat to work on my computer, so I mostly vegged, listened to music, and consulted my iPad.

Here are a few notes I took:

  • We should have stuck with the full-size car. What were we thinking to downgrade and pay extra when booking our transport method for the week?
  • All our belongings fit! Barely… But, we didn’t have to leave anything behind, except four rolls of toilet paper. Did you know small, 4-packs are not readily available anymore after the Covid outbreak? We had to buy a 12-pack in Zesty. Where to store all that?
  • Our sturdy swing-out bike rack had to be disassembled. It didn’t fit in the trunk, but we managed to lay it behind the seats on the ground. Not much else fit in those foot wells.
  • Maya needed half of the back seat. All okay. We made it comfy with blankets, pillows, and her dog bed.
  • The new bike rack attached to the trunk is crappy — we bought one for three bikes and luckily our electric bikes fit after lots of trial and error. Alas, it needs to be adjusted every time we stop as the straps keep loosening up.
  • This Nissan has no power. (Another reason why a full-size car would have been a better option – a stronger engine.)
  • First day: over 3,000rpm constantly. Struggled to keep up the maximum highway speed. After removing the bike bag, things settled down and the ride was smoother. Then, we had to also store the big bag.
  • The fuel tank only holds 10 gallons, so we have to stop at a gas station two or three times a day! (Another reason why a full-size car would have been a better option – a bigger gas tank.)
  • We are so low by the ground. Every car that passes us is higher!

Most people need a U-Haul truck to transport their belongings!

  • Uncomfortable seats.
  • Where is the car parked on the lot of the supermarket? Hard to find! It’s a non-distinct white rental car…
  • We put the bike bag back at night, so nobody could see the bikes. Luckily, we managed to park in front of our motel doors.
  • We stay at Motel 6. Nothing fancy and often run down, but the cheapest place to stay with pets (no extra fee). Prices per night ranged from $45 (Tucumcari, NM) to $65 (Calvert City, KY).
  • No shampoo provided in motels? Ours is packed in the trunk, underneath the rack and bikes. No way of getting in there. We make due, washing our hair with soap (Mark) or dish soap (me). If you read Plunge, you know I have practice with that. 🙂 Just like we made due when needing our sheets hidden in there, staying at a friend’s casita for the night.
  • Windy in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma. Hard to make breakfast and lunch! We miss Zesty for that. And for human potty breaks.

A nice picnic area to eat lunch

  • The picnic areas in Oklahoma were filthy! No trash cans, so garbage everywhere. No toilets either. Broken glass. No spot for Maya to rest without getting hurt. We couldn’t stay for lunch.
  • The radio has issues.
  • The glove compartment door is open on the sides so things get pinched (like my sunglasses) or plainly fall out, each time I open the little door.
  • The fuel gauge didn’t work at the end, so we filled the tank instead of aiming for the amount we received the car with.
  • Because I couldn’t be added to our car rental agreement without paying a steep fee, Mark drove the entire 3,200 miles!

Arizona license plate in Massachusetts – not a common sight. Where is the desert?

But, we made it to Newburyport, Massachusetts, in one piece. The bikes did get scuffed up, however.

Stay tuned for the continuation of our truck search saga!

April 2021 Overview:

Groceries:

Travel (rental car):

Car (fuel: $377; tolls: $40; REFUND: $138):

Accommodation (motels):

Household (bike rack, battery parts):

Computer (new router):

Utilities (internet: $35; water: $25):

Health & Fitness (vitamins):

Dining out (road trip):

Dog (food):

Medical (co-pay meds):

Alcohol:

 

TOTAL:

 

$427

$288

$279

$217

$83

$61

$60

$49

$44

$38

$9

$6

———

$ 1,561

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.

I submitted this post to Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share #20 link-up.

Encounters of the Human Kind – Making Friends in Baja

Something magical happens once nomads venture across the border of the United States. It occurred to us in the past and then again, recently. As van dwellers and RVers for years in the US, we rarely connected with fellow travelers. Campers generally stay to themselves – especially during the pandemic – in familiar areas: RV parks and official campgrounds, which we don’t frequent, or out in the boonies, which we enjoy. Conversations are short and shallow. All this seems to change once we leave the country and are confronted with like-minded, universal travelers.

Bumping into friends – unexpectedly – at our Loreto campground

Kathi and Mary from Missouri, USA

It started with the Facebook group Talk Baja, where Kathi replied to one of my posts and we discovered that we both had entered Mexico on the same day, at the same border crossing. We even thought we’d seen each other’s vans along the eastern highway, Mex 5. Eventually, we shared a campground in San Ignacio and later in Mulegé.

The campground in San Ignacio, where we first met Kathi and Mary

Our acquaintance led to a few (masked) chats, the women buying and reading my travel memoir Plunge, and remaining in touch. They even invited us for a visit to their home in Missouri, which we considered on our journey back to the US East Coast. Due to our schedules, however, we never managed to spend quality time together. Yet.

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

You can find Kathi’s Facebook page here and Mary’s here.

Ivan from Spain

One of our first evenings on a (rocky) beach in Baja, Mark, Maya, and I sat in our chairs enjoying the view, when a man purposefully walked towards us, masked. He appeared to be the only other camper at Papa Fernandez and had braved a mile of sinking-in-the-pebbles effort to reach us. We chatted, became friends, and met up several times afterwards, expectedly and unexpectedly. Ivan introduced other seasoned travelers to us in Mulegé, some of whom we ran into again later.

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Tale of Two Towns – Mulegé & Loreto in Baja California Sur

Mark, Maya, and I entered Baja California, Mexico, on February 1st 2021 in Zesty, without much of a plan. No surprise there! The main reason for our decision to cross the border was threefold: we needed a break from the US and its chaos, politics, and atmosphere, we aimed to find warmer weather, and we were both ready for a little “vacation” after all the hard work on my travel memoir Plunge.

Other than that, we’d drive until we found 1) warmth or 2) an area that spoke to us. Number two came first in the form of Mulegé, a town off the beaten tourist track about 2/3 down the Baja peninsula on the Sea of Cortez side.

Why Mulegé?

Sometimes, when you find a place that touches your heart, it’s difficult to describe why. Mark and I drove through and stayed in this town – actually in the exact same campground – fifteen years ago on our journey south (which brought us all the way to Panama and back) in a truck camper with our dogs Kali and Darwin. But it didn’t leave an impression. Also, we had different goals of sightseeing and exploring back then, not hanging out and immersing ourselves.

Here’s what we liked about this little gem on our recent visit:

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Monthly Expenses – March 2021 (on the Baja Peninsula, Mexico)

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, we both return to the East Coast.

Pretty much the entire month of March, Mark, Maya, and I lived and traveled in Zesty in Baja California, Mexico. In general, life is cheaper south of the border, with the big exception of fuel. That’s why these final numbers were a bit surprising to me; I thought we’d do better. But, there were some unusual additions to our normal spending habits.

One of them was the annual city tax for our camper, which ironically is rarely ever in Newburyport and when it is, it just sits on the driveway unused. We splurged on a whale tour, which was seriously worth the money – but not so much the effort getting there… Our annual Chase Sapphire Reserve visa card fee is always due in March. While this seems high, we get much more than $150 back in credits, points, and other benefits during a year of usage. We also had a wonderful dinner out for Mark’s 50th birthday.

One of the many whales approaching our little boat

The utility category is higher than usual, because we kept our affordable and discontinued AT&T plan in the US  ($35/ month for unlimited data use) while also buying a Mexican equivalent from Telcel for our time in Baja. The same happened with our dog, Maya. We needed new dog food in Mexico, which wasn’t a good idea (more about that in an upcoming blog) and which resulted in ordering better food that awaited us upon our return across the border.

On the flipside, groceries were affordable. We only bought enough for a few days at a time and ate out frequently. Based on that, I did expect the dining out category to be higher, especially since it includes a fancy (very!) delayed birthday meal for me, joined by our friends Sandie and Karsten. On my actual birthday (and book launch), our bubble of friends only had snacks to hold us over because nobody felt like cooking.

While it sure adds up, camping appeared cheaper than anticipated as well. Half of the nights in Baja, we paid for Zesty to be parked at an official campground ($10 a night) or on the beach ($7 – $10/night), where Mexican concessionaries would collect their fees. I did bargain when we stayed longer in one place along Bahia Concepcion and we intermittently camped for free in Mexico and always once back in the US.

To see how fellow nomads Duwan and Greg made out in March, click here.

March 2021 Overview:

Camper (diesel: $184; city tax: $77):

Groceries:

Camping:

Bank charge (visa card):

Dining out:

Entertainment (whale tour):

Utilities (internet: $61; water: $9; prop: $6; Skype: $5):

Dog (food: $61; vet: $4):

Gifts (B-day dinner Mark):

Household:

Alcohol:

Clothing (flip flops):

Laundry:

 

TOTAL:

 

$261

$189

$162

$150

$97

$94

$81

$65

$50

$25

$8

$6

$6

———

$ 1,194

Compare this result to the one from last month – also in Baja California – here. 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.

Writing Update April 2021 – Baja Bounty

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For April, the question is: “Are you a risk-taker when writing? Do you try something radically different in style/POV/etc. or add controversial topics to your work?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are PK Hrezo, Pat Garcia, SE White, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diane Burton! Click on their names to see what they are up to this month..

My answer to the question – Do I take risks when writing?

People who have followed this blog for a while know that I am not averse to risk taking. Although I call my swift decisions, adventurous lifestyle, and “going with the flow” attitude “calculated risks.” ???? You only live once, so you better do the things you’re passionate about, and enjoy your precious time on earth. That sometimes involves expanding horizons, nudging comfort levels, taking risks.

I don’t feel like I’m taking big risks with my writing as it reflects my personality and doesn’t push my personal boundaries. That being said, I am aware that my travel memoir Plunge is different and a tad controversial. For starters, the story is set in the present tense, taking the reader along for the ride – physically and emotionally. I don’t cover things up, have no taboos, and touch on the good as well as the bad and the ugly when it comes to my alternative lifestyle and 24/7 relationship with my husband. This makes some readers uncomfortable; they are not used to “brutal honesty” and don’t care for an exposed soul (another aspect that makes my memoir unique).

Based on that – and the fact that this approach led to a one-star review and some criticism – I guess I am a bit of a risk-taker in my writing, too!

Sunrise at the beach

My book news

Mark, Maya, and I spent February and March enjoying our lives in Baja California, Mexico. This was a reward for all the hard work finishing and publishing Plunge last year. I knew that once we arrived on the peninsula, internet would be sparse and unreliable and that my time would be better spent charging my batteries (other than usual work commitments). Therefore, I laid a lot of groundwork spreading the word about my book before we crossed the southern border of the US.

Relaxing and reading

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A Special Baja Birthday – My Husband’s 50th

Mark has a fantastic group of tight-knit college friends. Most of them turn 50 this year. The plan was for the men to gather somewhere fun in the spring of 2021 and have a mighty good time. But, because of Covid, no such plans were made. It was up to me to throw a two-person and one-dog special birthday party! How? By renting a small casita along Bahia Concepcion, via AirBnB.

The blue casita is where we stayed for Mark’s birthday weekend

A jaunt to Mexico seems to be my go-to when it comes to quick Mexican-themed birthdays for my husband. Three years ago, we ended up in Puerto Penasco, because I couldn’t find a restaurant in the middle of the desert of Southern Arizona to treat him (he loves Mexican food). In March 2006, we found ourselves on the mainland of Mexico for Mark’s birthday celebrations.

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read the captions. My images are heavily resized for easier downloading and uploading; I apologize for their inferior quality.)

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Baja Bound (Part Two) – Beach Time!

I’m running a little behind with my Baja blogs. Sorry! Blame my lack of internet. Or, just blame me. I haven’t felt like sitting behind my computer lately, or scanning thousands of new photos. I’ll get there. When time and WiFi availability allow. Soon. ????

Who wants to sit inside, behind a computer, when this view can be had while relaxing outside?

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read the captions. My images are heavily resized for easier downloading and uploading; I apologize for their inferior quality.)

From West to East

The Baja California peninsula is relatively narrow, so it doesn’t take long to get from one side to the other. Mex 1 is the main “highway” in this part of Mexico. It predominantly runs along the coasts with a few zigzags back and forth. After our stop in Guerrero Negro, where I left off in a previous post, Zesty transported us through the narrow middle, past desolate landscapes, cacti, dry terrain, barren hills, and small settlements.

We decided to stop in the oasis of San Ignacio, a lush and tropical reprieve from the desert that is Baja California. The town is exceptionally clean and well taken care of. Highlights are the town square and the mission, Misión San Ignacio Kadakaamán, which was founded by the Jesuit missionary Juan Bautista de Luyando in 1728.

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Monthly Expenses – February 2021 (on the Baja Peninsula)

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, we both return to the East Coast.

Approaching Bahia Concepcion

The entire month of February, Mark, Maya, and I lived and traveled in Zesty in Baja California, Mexico. In general, life is cheaper south of the border, with the big exception of fuel. Even though we drive a campervan – some might call it an RV – we get 23 miles to the gallon. This is awesome fuel economy, especially compared to the 16mpg in our truck camper, fifteen  years ago, and to most other campers. Back in Arizona, diesel was cheap ($2.20/gallon), which meant we spent about $1 for every ten miles we drove. Here in Mexico, we pay double that ($4.50/gallon)!

Another bigger-than-normal expense was the gift category. Mark had a special birthday on March 1st, but his main “present” was bought in February. More about that later. We also bought tourist cards upon entering the country.

Our camping/accommodation category is usually zero. In Mexico, we decided to take things a bit easier and more comfortable while at the same time supporting local businesses that are hit hard due to the pandemic. For the same reasons, we savored plenty of take-out and outdoor meals. We love street tacos, especially the fish ones!

The utilities category is also higher than other months, because we are paying for two data plans: the one from the US (which we are not using at all right now) and our Amigo plan (8GB for $25)  in Mexico, which comes in handy around towns. Staying at official campgrounds has allowed us to be frustrated with take advantage of intermittent WiFi. We are filling our fresh water tank up with agua purificada from water-dispensing stores, so we can keep drinking it instead of buying and refilling 5-gallon jugs. Doing the dishes and showering with “pure” water does feel a tad luxurious!

February was a month of few expense categories and enjoying a quiet, basic lifestyle. This is reflected in our less-than-average total, despite the extra money for certain conveniences. I am a bit behind with my blog posts and – certainly – with my blog reading and commenting, but I happily blame the lack of internet for that, which has been blissful! 🙂

To see how our friends Duwan and Greg made out in February, click here.

February 2021 Overview:

Gifts (birthday Mark):

Camper (Mexican ins.: $143; diesel: $114; maint.: $17):

Groceries:

Camping:

Dining out:

Utilities (internet: $67; water: $11):

Customs & Immigration:

Alcohol:

Laundry:

 

TOTAL:

 

$277

$272

$196

$172

$86

$78

$61

$20

$5

———

$ 1,167

Sunrise over the Sea of Cortez

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.

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