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 $600 bill for the engine (the world’s most expensive sparkplug), and my intentions went out the window! Give me a few months without unexpected bills and I might reconsider again. 😊
(It might be easier to read the table when turning your device in the horizontal position.)
Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.
Next up: A one-week vacation in the Black Forest of Germany.
If you are enjoying these posts, please consider donating to Roaming About in support of our website and our lifestyle. A big thank you to all our readers who have helped out in the past!
Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂
This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, 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.
Mark, Maya, and I spent the first eleven days of June with our truck camper Thirsty Bella in Buenos Aires, Argentina. On that last evening, Julian, the owner of our storage spot, brought us to Ezeiza International Airport and we flew – via JFK – to Boston, Massachusetts, for the rest of the month and into July.
(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
Time for a summer adventure
We flew from Argentina to the US with American Airlines
Our route for the first 11 hours
For once, the car category wasn’t the highest one. Maya received that honor. Before leaving Argentina, we needed a health certificate and export paperwork for her (about $40 in total). On our first day in the US, we had an appointment with a vet to administer another rabies shot (the three-year version as that would make things easier for returns to the US) for $45. In South America, we paid between $4 and $7 for this!
Another vet visit for Maya
Visit to the agriculture department at BA airport before leaving
We also obtained an international health certificate for Belgium that day, which cost $220 and was valid for one month. This document had to be endorsed and validated by the USDA within 10 days of our departure date and a hard copy with seals had to be mailed back to us (overnight) for another $80 (July expense). We picked it up before leaving the country and made another appointment for September to repeat this process for Argentina. In addition, we bought a bag of salmon-based dog food. I mentioned that Maya would be pricy this summer!
Mark ordered a spare propane regulator for the camper, as well as an improved DC-DC battery charger. The regulator will save us in South America (where it is not available) if the old one dies. Without this, we can’t use our propane tank. The new charger will allow us to put a higher amount of power into our Lithium battery when we run the car, which helps on weeks of little or weak sunshine.
We needed improvements on the computer front as well and ordered two external keyboards and a bigger hard drive for our Surface laptops, a new tablet for the car (which we use for navigation and music), and a router for our home base in Massachusetts.
Testing the new tablet for our truck in Argentina
Our grocery bill was higher than it should have been, based on us finishing all the food in Bella’s fridge and cabinets and Mark’s mom sponsoring most of our shopping trips to Market Basket. We contributed to a family party and bought some goodies once in the US.
Family party – We provided the cheese and salami platter as an appetizer.
Gifts are usually in order whenever we return to our home countries. This time, I bought a few presents for my niece and nephew in Belgium (still to be delivered) and a wooden sign for a friend, we celebrated that friend’s birthday, and we treated one of Mark’s nieces and her husband to a delayed wedding dinner at a Thai restaurant.
Gift for Denise, who loves signs. By the way, this reads pee pee room.
Birthday balloons!
Birthday flowers and gifts
Floating in the pool with birthday girl Denise
Delayed wedding dinner at the Thai restaurant with Jo and Tom
Those friends splurged us on a weekend visit, that same niece organized a family party for us, and one of Mark’s nephews took Mark and me out to dinner.
Mark’s niece Jo took care of the family dinner.
Chinese take-out dinner at our friends Ryan and Denise’s place
Breakfast at our friends Ryan and Denise’s place
Look at that hard liquor smoothie at our sister-in-law’s restaurant, The Cormorant… It was super delicious!
Dinner out with nephew Randall and his wife Rebeccah
The car category consisted of fuel purchases in Argentina (we left Thirsty with a full tank so condensation – and therefore water – can’t build up) and Massachusetts, where we were fortunate to have the use of my mother-in-law’s car. Parking had to be paid at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires. We reimbursed Julian for the tolls to the airport.
We used the car from Mark’s mom to get around Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Our annual Chase credit card fee was due ($95), we spent around $50 on alcohol (beer and rum) during our stay and visits in the US, and we managed to order two dinners in Buenos Aires for $35 in total: a pizza and sushi. Both were delivered to our doorstep in one of Palermo’s parks, where we slept.
Interesting, spongy pie that is eaten with pizza in Argentina. Don’t ask me why…
A pizza for two – We made a mistake ordering. We usually never eat salami/pepperoni on pizza.
Splurging on heaps of sushi
Mark is picking out all the cream cheese that rolls in Argentina come with.
Our camping spot in Palermo, Buenos Aires, for two weeks.
An Uber brought us and our Dutch friends to San Telmo in Argentina’s capital one day and another one brought us back. We paid Julian the equivalent of $20 for bringing us to the airport, half an hour away.
Weekend fair in San Telmo
Artisanal goods in San Telmo
Moving on to Health & Fitness. I inquired at two hair dressers in Palermo, BA, how much it would cost to get a haircut, since I was convinced it would be cheaper than in our western countries and I wanted to start the summer with a short hairdo. Mission accomplished for $11. The other $13 went to electric toothbrush heads on Amazon.
New haircut
The laundry place that took care of our dirty clothes and linen
Of course, I shopped around before deciding on a laundromat. I took photos of each as a visual reminder of the choices.
Our $9 laundry expense was manageable in June and I visited La Recoleta cemetery for another $7, while Mark and Maya waited outside. It was pricey, but I don’t want to miss out on too many things anymore while on this South American journey. The Museum of Fine Art was free.
Entrance to La Recoleta Cemetery
Graves and mausoleums in the famous cemetery
A city of the dead
Paul Gauguin
Auguste Rodin
Household goods we purchased when prepping our camper to be left for multiple months were bleach to attack mold on our walls due to all the condensation and cold weather, and anti-moisture products to keep this issue at bay during our absence.
Apart from one night at Julian’s place for $7, our camping in June was free. We boondocked in the Palermo district of Buenos Aires. Once in Massachusetts, we stayed in the guest room of my mother-in-law’s condo.
Bella is prepped, winterized, and stored on Julian’s property.
Our current abode in Newburyport, Massachusetts
Being Amazon Vine members allows us to order a selection of items for free in return for product reviews. Since we have to be in the US to partake, we took advantage of that by ordering as much as we needed this way, which saved us hundreds of dollars.
Many Vine goods to sort through. Because of the poor quality of some items, we never keep all the orders.
Maya’s first real dog bed… She loves it!
New food and water bowl for Maya
Maya looses interest in toys quickly.
Frozen peanut butter is the best!
We ordered a lot of toys and goodies for Maya via our Vine account.
Mark paused our Starlink satellite internet connection for three months, so that’s less money spent. And, we still have a donation from long-time supporter Marian to use this summer. Speaking of summer, we sure feel like cheating by taking a plane from a chilly winter in the Southern Hemisphere to a hot and humid summer in the US! 😊
While June wasn’t a cheap month, the damage was manageable, knowing how much “stuff” we needed for our return to the camper.
On a side note, Mark and I had a little issue with some crisp US dollar bills we had hidden under the toilet, when our pee container overflew, because the sensor got stuck. The Ziploc bag that held the cash, leaked. We had to rinse each bill and hang it to dry! I guess we need a different hiding spot…
Our precious, rinsed and wet, money
Money laundering 🙂
Mark dries some of the bills in front of the heater vent.
June 2024 Overview:
Dog (permits: $257; food: $57; shot: $45):
Camper (propane regulator, charger USA):
Computer hardware:
Groceries:
Gifts:
Car ( fuel: $147; parking: $11; tolls: $2):
Bank charge (annual CC fee):
Alcohol:
Dining out (take-outs in BA):
Transportation (Uber, airport ride):
Health & Fitness (haircut, toothbrushes):
Laundry:
Entertainment:
Household:
Camping:
Utilities:
TOTAL:
$359
$312
$296
$242
$187
$160
$95
$53
$35
$25
$24
$9
$8
$8
$7
$0
———
$ 1,820
(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!
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.
Mark, Maya, and I would meet our Vermonster friends Heather and Jon in Tupungato, where we’d spent a few chilly nights previously, and travel together through Atuel Canyon and San Rafael for a week or two. If I complained about the cold in a previous blog post, well, winter seemed to have arrived early. That’s when living in a poorly insulated, solar-powered camper becomes less enjoyable.
(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
Winter arrived in Central Argentina
Snow!
It is freezing outside
Tupungato
After hugging our friends from Meat Around The World goodbye in Mendoza, our trio drove back south to Tupungato. We would have loved to meet Heather and Jon at Bodega Giaquinta to buy more wine, but the new, restricted opening times didn’t fit our schedule, so we returned to the municipal campground. Our friends would buy extra wine and meet us there.
It might be cold, but it is pretty!
Fall walk in the campground with Heather and Jon
Maya making a new friend
This cute girl loved Maya!
We parked in the same spot, were accompanied by the same, wagging dogs, and enjoyed more walks among the fall colors. But, by now, it was way too cold and cloudy to sit outside or walk to the shower block. We used our own amenities, filled up with drinking water afterwards, and managed to plug into the electric system of our friends. This allowed our Lithium battery to finally charge to 100% – a huge help – which hadn’t happened in six months or so!
And, another campground dog enjoying Maya’s company
Our battery is 100% full; an anomaly in our camper this season!
It was wonderful to see our friends again and spend more time together. On this first evening, Mark made ossobuco and squash risotto for the group. Delicious!
Ossobuco dinner in Bella with friends
Mark cooked ossobuco with a tomato-parsley sauce and squash risotto
Manzano Historico
It was grey and it was cold, so we weren’t in a rush to explore the canyon yet. On the drive to Manzano Historico, we made a brief stop at Bodega Azul. We managed a little wine tasting and bought a couple of bottles of wine (Mark and I really like their Chardonnay), but the place was expensive and fully booked for lunch, so the atmosphere wasn’t ideal. We moved on early afternoon.
Brief wine tasting session at acclaimed Bodega La Azul
Wine selection at La Azul
Little did we realize our next destination was even higher up… That dawned on us when I saw all the roofs in town were white and wondered why. Snow! To our horror, the picnic tables were covered with the white stuff when we pulled into the municipal campground. We needed the heater here during the day as well.
The roofs have snow on them
Driving through the vineyards of Central Argentina – The background shows snowy Andes mountains on a clear day
Camped in Manzano Historico and plugged into our friends electricity set-up
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 May 2024, Mark, Maya, and I (Liesbet) traveled around Central Argentina in our truck camper Thirsty Bella. Despite driving across the continent from west to east, we had a decent expense month, thanks to being careful with our budget, shopping for cheaper produce, donations we’d saved up, and emptying our cupboards and fridge.
(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
Dinner @ home – squash soup, veggie burgers, potato salad, and bread from our favorite bakery in Mendoza
A wonderful and simple dinner of pasta, tomatoes, and arugula with bread
Vegetarian spaghetti – with a little bit of pancetta – dinner at home
Veggie burgers with eggplant and pasta
Another homecooked meal – rice and chicken breast with a vegetable sauce and breaded eggplant. Yum!
As often, the car cost was the highest with fuel being the ultimate winner and us ordering spare parts in the US, like new brake pads for the front and oil filters. In the middle of the country, namely in the province of La Pampa, we encountered a nice surprise: gasoline was much cheaper than elsewhere in Argentina. That, combined with a better exchange rate for the dollar, had us fill up our tank for about $2.50 a gallon! Unfortunately, that joy didn’t last long as from the moment we entered the province of Buenos Aires, prices skyrocketed again. So, we are back to $4 a gallon ($1/liter). We only paid for tolls once.
Topping up with fuel in San Rafael
YPF fuel stations appear to be the cheapest option in Argentina.
Filling up with fuel again in La Pampa
Play on words in La Pampa
Toll booth nearing Buenos Aires
Our grocery cost for May was average. We bought some special ingredients for nice homecooked meals and appetizers with friends (like they did for us), but this was offset the last two weeks, as we started eating our stores. We want to leave as little food as possible in Bella during our impending absence.
We camped in the center of Mendoza to walk to this grocery store.
This bakery in Mendoza had decent pastries for decent prices!
Pancake breakfast in Mendoza
Popcorn makes for the cheapest snack!
Appetizer in Bella
Awesome and affordable whole wheat bread from a bakery in Mendoza
Amazing dinner Mark cooked for our friends: ossobuco with squash risotto
Incredible appetizer in Heather and Jon’s camper
Sharing a meal with friends in Bella: chicken-noodle soup with corn bread and salad & chicken as a second course
Incredible appetizer of assorted cheeses and meat in Vermonster RV
Recently, Mark and I have been ordering clothes, dog items, and other gear on Amazon for when we visit the US. It’s like everything we own has been ripped or irrevocably damaged. I guess we are going back at the right time! For more than a few reasons…
I think these jeans are done!
We paid the usual $35 for Starlink (our business takes care of the other half) and I added $5 to my Skype account, which allows me to call my parents on their landline if WhatsApp doesn’t work (or they don’t hear the ringtone). And, we spent much more money on “propane” again, which is a story in itself. Drinking water didn’t cost us anything in May.
Getting water in Tupungato
Getting free drinking water on a crisp morning in Realico
We try to filter our water when possible (when space and treads allow our filter to be attached)
Because of the freezing fall weather (yes, it’s been cold and uncomfortable for weeks now) in Central Argentina, we needed to run our propane heater a lot. Usually, one 20-pound (10kg) tank lasts us three months. Not now. After a ridiculous cold spell, our gauge showed empty and we needed to make a detour to get the tank filled. Except, unbeknownst to us, the owner of the shop only had butane, so put that into our tank – and overcharged us. In tropical climates (like when we sailed), this is not an issue. In icy temperatures, however, butane is not the right choice, which we learned the hard way.
And then, there was snow!
We camped with snowy picnic tables!
Snow on the bushes
A few mornings in a row, we woke up to this temperature – We only turn our heater on to prevent water pipes from freezing.
Bracing the cold – and a deep ditch – to fill our empty propane tank… with butane!
Our tank was chockfull – overfilled and overpriced – with butane. To top it off, can you see what this man is holding in between his fingers?
We had finally arrived in an attractive and peaceful spot by a lake. By 6am the following morning, the temperature had dropped so much that the butane – and therefore our heater – didn’t work. The only way to get the liquid gas flowing and evaporating (“boiling”) again was to pour warm water over the tank in an outdoor cabinet. Luckily, the flame of our stove was big enough to produce lukewarm fluids.
We found an awesome – yet cold – camping spot!
Soaking up the rare sunrays
We had two options: top up the tank with “real” propane (since it was a holiday and the weekend, no store was open) or move to a town where above-freezing temps were predicted. That’s what we did. Of course, the weather forecast was wrong and, this time at 3am, we were out of luck and heat!
Frozen grass
We needed a scraper for the window if we wanted to leave this morning!
We saw our breath inside and shivered, as Mark put many clothes on, warmed up some water on a struggling flame, poured it over the gas tank, used the then properly working stove to heat up a massive pot of water, and repeated the process. Our heater worked!
When the heater stopped working again (meaning the butane had gotten too cold), he went outside to pour more warmish water over the tank. Eventually, he wrapped Maya’s dog towel around the tank, so, when wet, that kept the gas in operating condition a bit longer. It was a long night!
Trying to keep the butane gas from “freezing”!
We found a new propane filling station (triple checking it wasn’t butane) as soon as possible. They charged us for a full tank, despite it only being half empty. It didn’t matter!
Filling our tank again, this time with propane in San Antonio de Areco
The cold weather brings other issues with it, like heaps of condensation, turning into mold. We need to open hatches and drafty cabinets and wipe up water constantly, which keeps us shivering and uncomfortable. Because of our upcoming trip to Massachusetts and Belgium, out of Buenos Aires, we cannot leave the area and escape what feels like winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
Airing out the cabinets – so much condensation!
Airing out the mattress – everything is wet from condensation when it is this cold!
Airing out our bedding and towels on a decent day
Eating lunch in Bella – We are cold outside and inside!
Maya snuggles in bed – we love our flannel sheets!
Other items we ordered online to bring back to the camper in September are a new keyboard and cover for Mark’s laptop, strong Velcro, water filters, and a gasket for Bella, and three types of batteries.
And now is when I want to thank our dear followers and readers who donated money towards our “enjoyment” level the past months. We’d saved some of that up and received new contributions, allowing us to go out for dinner a few times (or order take-out pizzas to make the funds last longer 😊) in May. One time, we picked up cheap, basic crusts at a restaurant and added our own toppings.
Pizza dinner out with our friends Abigail, Richie, and Zoe
Amazing pizza out – but pricey
Dinner out in San Rafael, for Heather and Jon’s 30th anniversary
Tomahawk steak with two side dishes
Pizza from a take-out place upon arrival
The same pizza slice “dressed up” at home
Your generosity also let us enjoy some good wines, which we bought in stores and vineyards (at an average of $3.50 a bottle), and it allowed Mark and me to savor a couple of tastings at Bodegas. To us, the wonderful yet affordable wine of Argentina is one of this country’s highlights so far!
Wine tasting in Maipu
List of available wines in Bodega Tempus Alma in Maipu
Wine tasting – and buying – at Bodega Giaquinta, our all-time favorite in Argentina
Wine tasting at Bodega La Azul
We both love the Dada brand of wine, which is affordable and flavorful.
Out of character, we did pay for camping last month. We spent a few nights ($3 x 4) at municipal campgrounds with American friends, who allowed us to plug into their rig (our system is not set up for the local 220V outlets) and – for the first time in six months – have a 100% full camper battery! For two nights and days, we did not have to struggle with our power supply and usage.
Our camping spot in the Municipal Campground of Tupungato allowed for sunshine on our solar panels
Camped at the cold and quiet Manzano Historico Municipal Campground
And we are full!!! Super awesome.
When checking options to store our camper during our absence, we stayed one night ($7) at Zaparancho near Buenos Aires. More about that in a future post.
Quick stop at Zapparancho in Villars, near Buenos Aires
Most of the nights, we camped for free; sometimes in nature and sometimes in bustling towns. Guess what’s our favorite?
Free camping spot near Portrerillo Reservoir on May 1st
Our favorite – and quietest – boondocking spot in San Martin Park, Mendoza
Boondocked by El Nihuil Reservoir
Nice and quiet camping spot in Canyon del Atuel
Another quiet night with friends in a side canyon towards San Rafael
Free – and noisy – camping in San Rafael
Free Municipal Campground in Realico
Free camping in Torres
I am currently buying a couple of small gifts for my niece and nephew in Belgium and, lastly, dropping off dirty clothes set us back $10. We can’t wait to do our own laundry soon! As a matter of fact, Mark and I are really looking forward to a multiple-month break from the road as this lifestyle has recently become much more challenging due to the lack of sunlight (power issues) and warmth (discomfort).
Having laundry done in San Rafael
Our first night in loud and hectic Buenos Aires (Puerto Madero)
We are both pleased with May’s expenses totaling around $1,000, especially since this amount includes a bunch of gear that is waiting for us in the US.
(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: Atuel Canyon & San Rafael in Mendoza Province
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!
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.
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“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
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! 🙂
