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A Life Less Ordinary

Village Life in Southern Portugal (And Our March 2026 Expenses)

May 10, 2026 / / 8 Comments

From Órgiva in Andalusia, Spain, it took a full day of driving – and topping up with expensive fuel thanks to the newly created war – in our rental car to reach the final two Portuguese destinations of our Southern Iberian Peninsula trip.

Sniffing the air in the Portuguese countryside

It was the middle of March by then. We had a five-night gap between two-week rentals and, since I wanted to explore the Algarve a bit more, I had booked a short stay in São Teotónio, in Portugal’s Alentejo region. Sleeping in the actual Algarve province was cost prohibitive for us.

Alentejo Region in Portugal
Visited places in Alentejo, Portugal

São Teotónio and the West Coast

The only nice day in the forecast was the day after we arrived, a Monday. An online friend of mine – fellow memoir author and successful artist Alison Sheldrake – lived in nearby Aljezur and we agreed to meet for lunch that day in Odemira, only a ten-minute drive north of us.

To fully take advantage of the sunshine that day, Mark, Maya, and I set out on a coastal walk in the morning, which might not have been the best idea as we showed up to our date sweaty and exhausted!

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

Ready for a walk along the cliffs
Waterfall on one of the beaches
View over the west coast of Portugal

Nevertheless, it was a great opportunity to check out two pretty beaches that are part of the famous Fisherman’s Trail. One even had a waterfall!

Pretty bay
Taking a break along the Fisherman’s Trail

For a couple of hours, we enjoyed local food and getting to know Alison and her husband, Dave, better. Their rescue dog, Zara, and ours, Maya, got along just fine. Well, both pretty much ignored each other after the initial introduction. It was a lovely time.

Alyson and Liesbet, fellow self-published authors
Lunch with Alyson, Dave, and Zara
Rescue dogs Zara and Maya

Rain was predicted for the following afternoon. Once again, we tried to make the best of the weather before that happened by driving farther north and focusing on exploring the coast and another section of the Fisherman’s Trail.

We started at Furnas Beach, which sported a wide stretch of sand and the mouth of the Mira River. Curious about the town across the river, we made the 20-minute detour into Vila Nova de Milfontes to check it out.

The big beach near Vila Nova de Milfontes
We spotted a fort on our drive out of Vila Nova de Milfontes.

Then, we followed a dirt road for a while to gaze over a cliff and cove before reaching Cavaleiro Beach. We didn’t feel energetic enough to climb down to the actual sand and then back up again.

Following a dirt coastal track
View along the cliffs
Despite the grey skies, the water of the Atlantic Ocean looked attractive.

Instead, we continued our drive to the lighthouse to eat our sandwich lunch on the boardwalk and check out popular Cabo Sardão while backpacking hikers continuously passed by.

Zambujeira do Mar – a mouth full!
Chapel along the coast
Arriving in Zambujeira do Mar
Quick walk through town

By the time we reached the cute village of Zambujeira do Mar, threatening clouds had gathered. We stubbornly walked through town and along the cliff trail before running back to the car as the first fat raindrops appeared.

Threatening skies approached.
Following the boardwalks along the coast

The weather remained crappy for the rest of our stay in the area. We dealt with research, searching for a 4×4 Vario van, travel logistics, future bookings in France, and job and writing tasks for me. In between storms, we walked into the center of São Teotónio for groceries.

Arriving by rental car in road work-ridden São Teotónio
The main, broken-up. square of São Teotónio

Ironically, our shortest stay during these 2.5 months in southern Europe turned out to be the most pleasant regarding accommodation. This small rental house – for once – had everything we needed, including modern appliances. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t nice enough to sit outside on the patio.

Our comfortable village house
Our village home in São Teotónio
The kitchen even had a dishwasher. We would have preferred a washing machine, though.
The bathroom was super roomy and comfortable.
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WANTED: 4×4 Mercedes Vario

May 1, 2026 / / 27 Comments

Readers of this blog probably know that Mark and I have been looking for a very specific van as our new home on wheels. With this vehicle, we hope to explore Europe and beyond – Asia, Africa, and the Middle East when safe again.

A 4×4 Vario in Germany

This next stage of our lives requires a robust, reliable, fixable, durable, and yet comfortable camper. That’s why we are looking for a 4×4 Mercedes Vario, as it ticks all those boxes. The living area and the cab are connected, the engine is almost bulletproof, and these vehicles are known to be resilient. The 4WD part is non-negotiable for us (there are plenty of 2WD versions available) as we plan to venture off the beaten path and know the importance of high clearance and four-wheel drive from our previous overlanding experiences.

But… this particular vehicle is extremely popular and difficult to come by and that’s why I am asking for help. If you know of anyone who might be thinking about selling their Vario or you have one for sale yourself, please get in touch.

Mark and I are interested in just the empty van (to build out ourselves/with a company) or in one that’s already converted into a camper.

The Vario we checked out in Pichilemu, Chile
This is the Vario we put all our hopes on, eight months ago in Chile

You might remember that we have been looking for this type of Vario for a long time. I’d say for almost an entire year. First the research, then pursuing a few options in Chile (which all failed), and then in Europe and elsewhere in the world.

Another Vario we checked out in Chile
Scrutinizing this Vario near Santiago, Chile
Mark inspects the grey 4×4 Vario
We had hoped to switch from one camper into the next while in Chile and concluding our three-year overland adventure in South America.

We have followed leads in Peru, Chile, Bahrein, Dubai, Germany (we just returned from a 12-hour drive to check one out that has too many issues and rust), and the Netherlands. It has taken a lot of time, effort, focus, and energy and we are running out of steam… Soon, we will need a different plan and approach.

We made a very long drive to check out this Vario in Germany. This company has one 4WD version and three 2WD ones!
Close-up of the most recent Vario we had put our hopes on.
Checking the engine of the German Vario van

Thank you for sharing our quest and spreading the word, especially if you are a fellow overlander or someone who knows these kinds of vehicles or owners.

This is how our future camper would look like. This is NOT a 4WD version, though.

Happy May!

Andalusia, Part Three – Attractive Villages in Spain’s Granada Province

April 15, 2026 / / 27 Comments

This is the last blog of three about our six weeks in Andalusia, Spain. The first one covers Ayamonte and Sevilla – and a side trip to Cadiz – while we stayed in El Rompido for two weeks (you can find it here) and the second one focuses on the pretty white villages in Málaga province. Read about them here.

Andalusia in Spain
Sights around Orgiva in Granada province

Órgiva

The funky cottage we booked in Órgiva was the accommodation we had looked forward to the most. And while it was indeed super pretty and unique—with a few inconveniences—our fear of being cold in the mountains during the first half of March turned out to be justified. Whenever we were home, we needed either the gas heater or the smoky wood stove on.

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

Living room and kitchen
Our colorful, tiled cottage
Our bright bedroom
The smaller (cold) cottage on the property of our colorful cottage would make a great writer’s retreat.
We tried to be conservative using this gas heater.
Even Maya is chilled, rolled up in a ball.
Our separate, unheated bathroom

The shower was in a separate, unheated building, which made washing up… less than pleasant. Have you ever taken a hot shower with low pressure and felt the water turn cold by the time it reaches your feet? (The opposite is true as well, when you take a cold shower and the water feels lukewarm by the time it gets down.) Add in patches of skin remaining dry from uneven water flow, exposed to chilly air, while you awkwardly turn in circles trying to get clean… That was our daily experience. Going outside to pee in the middle of the night was less uncomfortable.

Our sunny cottage
The driveway goes through a creek.
Side of the cottage that faces the entrance to the fenced yard
Finally a nice day in the garden
We loved having a big yard with many nooks.
Looks cool and comfy, until everything is soaking wet and moldy from the rain

This place would be amazing on sunny days, or in spring and autumn. One positive of visiting in winter was that the closed windows kept out the constant barking of dogs at night.

This video will give you a great feeling of our special cottage and garden.

Órgiva had been marked on our map as a potential place to live someday. It didn’t take long to cross it off the list. While there are a few cute alleys, the overall vibe felt a bit rough—more struggling hippies and noticeable homelessness than we expected.

Church of Orgiva
Pretty display of the area
Police station
Cute and colorful corner
Strolling Orgiva’s few narrow streets

On a better day, Mark, Maya, and I went for a long walk along the stream and into the hills. Despite having to take multiple steep detours due to the swollen river, we enjoyed peaceful moments and decent views.

Walk in nature with my companions
Spring is in the air!
View from the top of the hill

Lanjarón

This neighboring village—also on our list—left a much better impression. It’s relatively small, clean, and less touristy than Órgiva, with beautiful views and great access to hikes into the river canyon.

Lanjeron in the valley with a snowy peak behind it
Viewpoint over Lanjeron – Maya jumped up without any reason….
Senior men on a bench across from the senior couple’s statue
Cute entrance to a patio
Mark and I are too tall for these entryways.
Tiny dwelling under a staircase

There are plenty of trails in the surrounding mountains, one of which Mark and Maya explored while I took it easier. During our stroll through town, we came across castle ruins perched on a hill. Of course we had to climb up.

The ruined castle of Lanjeron
View of the town from the castle
View of the valley from the castle ruins

Overall, we didn’t find anything negative about Lanjarón as a potential place to live, but it also didn’t quite make it to the top of our list.

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Andalusia, Part Two – White Villages & Other Sights in Spain’s Málaga Province (And Our February 2026 Expenses)

March 30, 2026 / / 22 Comments

For our second two-week stint in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, Mark and I rented a fairly modern apartment in the coastal city of Benalmádena. The main reason for coming to Spain this winter was to check out a few cute Andalusian villages as a potential future base. Ideally, we would have stayed in one of those towns, but higher rents and cooler mountain temperatures in mid-February nudged us towards the Mediterranean coast instead.

View over the town and the Med from Benalmádena 

The weather improved for a little while, but our apartment lacked outdoor space to enjoy those elusive sunrays during what turned out to be a particularly cold, windy, and wet winter. The thin walls didn’t help either, especially with loud neighbors above us. We relied on the fan for background noise to sleep.

Andalusia
Around Benalmádena
From Benalmádena to Orgiva

Ronda

The first town we decided to visit was a winner! Mark and I were immediately charmed by the beautiful architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, and spectacular surroundings. We picked a sunny day for our visit and quickly fell in love with Ronda. Yes, it’s touristy—but with good reason.

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

Fort in Ronda
Nice open space and buildings
First view of the canyon
Narrow streets in Spanish towns are the norm.
View towards the old part of town
The walled city of Ronda

We admired the historic buildings, three different bridges, and the dramatic El Tajo gorge. While we had planned to descend to the river far below, a couple of hours of strolling around town—combined with a fantastic tapas lunch at dog-friendly El Lechuguita—left us without the energy for that steep descent and climb back up.

Interesting church on another pretty square
Wide open promenade along the canyon wall
El Tajo gorge
Outside the famous bullring of Ronda
View into the bullring from a hotel/restaurant balcony
Our popular lunch restaurant
The tapas, atmosphere, and good prices were worth the long wait

Instead, we drove around the outskirts for a better view of what many consider Ronda’s masterpiece: the Puente Nuevo. Completed in 1793, it spans the lush canyon in truly impressive fashion.

The New Bridge from outside of town
The new bridge seen from the bottom of the canyon

Setenil de las Bodegas

Since we still had some daylight left, we made a quick stop in Setenil de las Bodegas—a town I had only recently come across in a blog and that immediately piqued my curiosity.

Beautiful and accurate welcome sign
Having houses built into the rocks is so cool!
A village built in the cliffs
Narrow, steep paths crisscross town
Bell tower with a blue sky

For an hour, we wandered the shaded streets and photographed the homes built directly into the rocks and cliffs. I found this fascinating, as we never saw anything like it before. The closest comparison we could think of were the cave dwellings of Mesa Verde in Colorado—which, of course, are completely different.

Can you believe cars actually drive through these narrow, dripping streets?
A dark alley covered by rock
This remains one of my favorite shots and views of Setenil de las Bodegas
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Andalusia, Part One – The Southwest of Spain (El Rompido, Cadiz, Ayamonte, and Seville)

March 25, 2026 / / 31 Comments

El Rompido

On February 1st, Mark, Maya, and I left Lisbon in a rental car and joined our friend Patti at her rental house along the Piedras River in El Rompido. We stayed for the final two weeks of her three-month stint there.

Welcome to Spain!

While the setting and views were lovely, the weather didn’t cooperate. Long beach walks and outdoor happy hours were off the table.

(Hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)

Sporty Patti with two of the dogs
Koozie soaking up some sunrays on the balcony

That said, whenever sunshine was in the forecast, we made the most of it — heading into the Algarve of Portugal for day trips to visit my parents or explore with our friends Heather and Jon. One particularly good morning, our little group — three people and three dogs (Patti has two of her own) — managed to get some exercise along the river beach and through the nearby forest.

Cloudy walk on the river beach
Fishing boats on the sand

The house itself was spacious but cold. Luckily, we had a small electric heater in our room, which made it possible to warm up and get cozy under the covers. Patti, on the other hand, prefers cooler temperatures — a difference we definitely noticed. 🙂

Dinner at Patti’s rental
Vegetarian frittata
Flooded streets in El Rompido
Three relaxing doggies
More rain led to flooding

Despite the chilly, rainy conditions and busy days, our evenings were enjoyable and social.

Sunset after another rainy day
Indian curry on the stove
Social with friends
Comfy Maya
Enjoying an Indian-style lunch with friends

We indulged in home-cooked dinners, fabulous wine and port, and great conversations. At night, we sometimes watched the Winter Olympics together. Our trio even hosted an Indian curry lunch for one of Patti’s friends and were invited to a traditional Spanish tapas and tortilla meal at a neighbor’s house.

Authentic Spanish lunch at a neighbor’s house
The Spanish tortilla
Is the sky finally clearing up, after two miserable weeks?

Cádiz

Patti had bought a car in Spain, which needed to pass inspection in Cádiz. Since it was a 2.5-hour drive each way, she appreciated having company. With questionable weather in the forecast, Mark stayed behind with Maya and Koozie, while Patti, Pekoe, and I turned it into a day trip.

Arrival in Cadiz with Patti
City hall
Historic church
The main square of the city
Sheltering from the rain under this arch
The stately and giant cathedral of Cadiz
Wandering around town
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Dipping Our Toes into the (Eastern) Algarve of Portugal

March 14, 2026 / / 32 Comments

The Travel Plan

During our last three weeks in South America in December, Mark and I needed a “What’s Next?” plan. We had just sold our truck camper in Chile and were officially homeless. Finding our next campervan would likely take a while — we’re very picky. (If you have a Mercedes Vario 4×4 for sale or know someone who does, please let us know!)

After more than two decades as nomads, we don’t really have a home base. Mark’s niece and her husband moved into “our” room above the garage at his mom’s house in Massachusetts, which is a win-win for everyone involved. Living in “our” guest bedroom with a shared bathroom in the middle of a New England winter would only work for about a month. So where could we go after that?

Renting a place in the Caribbean for a few winter months was too expensive. We didn’t want to go to Belgium yet to stay at my parents’ “little house,” because winter there is cold and rainy — and Mark can only stay in my home country 90 days out of every 180. It made more sense to use those days closer to summer. And we were ready to leave South America and its Hispanic culture.

Then an opportunity appeared. A friend invited us to stay at her rented house in southern Spain for a couple of weeks. My parents would also be nearby for their winter break. Add our curiosity about Andalusian villages and the discovery that Mark, as my spouse, didn’t have to do the Schengen shuffle while traveling with me — and the southern Iberian Peninsula became the obvious destination.

Yes, the irony of going from Hispanic South America to Hispanic Spain isn’t lost on me. There are plenty of similarities, but luckily some differences too. 🙂

We started in Lisbon, Portugal, mainly because rental cars were much cheaper there than in Spain, and we could take a direct flight from Boston with Maya. Our plan was to stay in the region for two months and then slowly make our way to Belgium – by train! – in early April. That would be the real adventure of this trip.

The Blogging Plan

This year, I had hoped to publish simple monthly wrap-ups. But honestly, we are doing and seeing so much — way more than we did in South America — that those posts would become ridiculously long.

Writing chronologically and geographically is tricky as well. During our first two weeks in Spain, we actually spent more time in Portugal. So I’m splitting that period into two blog posts: one highlighting our visits in Portugal, and the second focusing on southern Spain.

The Algarve — Part One

Faro

On February 1st, we brought the rainy and windy weather with us from Lisbon to El Rompido, Spain. After a wet drive without mountain views, we greeted our friend Patti and stayed indoors for the next few days, trying to be warm and dry.

Leaving Lisbon in the rain
Spain, here we come!

On the first decent day — which turned out sunnier than expected — Mark, Maya, and I drove to Tavira to meet and pick up my parents. It had been a year and a half since we last saw each other in person.

And, back into Portugal for sightseeing
Seeing my parents again after a year and a half

We didn’t need an early start because crossing the border into Portugal meant gaining an hour. In theory, we would arrive at the same time we left, since the drive itself took about an hour. Of course, that also meant the return trip would take two hours. 🙂

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

The airport of Faro is close to its historic downtown
The main entrance to the old town
Downtown Faro
Walking in the historic downtown of Faro
Lavish building within the walls
Tiled facades again
The Cathedral of Faro in the historic center
A pricey but tasty three-course day dish with seafood, a drink, and olives
The place to have lunch!

Our little family group spent part of the day exploring historic Faro — wandering narrow streets, having lunch on a sunny patio (Maya wasn’t allowed inside), and strolling along sections outside the old city walls.

The city sign with Maya
My dad leaning on the F of Faro
Roaming the streets of historic Faro
Maya meets another dog.
Stork on the roof of the gate
Leaving the old town through a different gate
The elaborate gate seen from the outside
Another historic building outside the old town
A different side of the city
Church along the way to a more impressive church
Mark, Maya, and I in front of the Igreja do Carmo in Faro
The bell tower of yet another church
No excuse to leave dog shit on the sidewalks!!

Tavira

Since we had time left that afternoon, my parents introduced us to Tavira, another beautiful town. As usual, we hadn’t done research beforehand, which meant every corner of the historic center revealed something new and charming.

The Roman Bridge in Tavira is a 17th-century, 7-arch stone pedestrian bridge spanning the Gilão River.
Pretty building across the river
Chapel in Tavira
Church tower aiming for the sky
Old fort walls
Mark and Maya on the fort walls – Can you see Maya’s head poking out?
A short walk on the uneven walls
Looking back into the garden of the old fort
Mother and daughter in Tavira
One of the ruined towers of the fort
Another church in Tavira
My dad in front of another church
Bell tower against the sky
A simple church facade
Tavira’s town hall
Praça da República is Tavira’s main square.
Good girl, Maya!
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Our Introduction to Portugal – Four Days in Lisbon and Sintra

March 4, 2026 / / 40 Comments

When Mark, Maya, and I arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, after a bad experience with the airline company TAP Portugal, there was a lot of talk about “the storm” that had hit the southern Iberian Peninsula on the evening before our arrival and which had caused some of our delays. For the first time, we checked the weather. It didn’t look promising.

Welcome to Lisbon, Portugal!

There was more rain — and wind — in the forecast, but we would make the best of our four-day stay, despite already missing out on a free taxi ride promised by Booking.com (because we had to postpone our arrival), moving our accommodation out for two days, having less time on the peninsula, and needing to pick up our rental car earlier than expected.

Maya in front of the Lisbon sign

Since we had a six-hour delay (in addition to the two-day delay because of the blizzard in New England), we had to skip our nap upon arrival after a red-eye flight. All these experiences helped with our need for flexibility and resilience. We were not going to complain. Not even about our tiny and moldy, wet apartment, where nothing dried. Because its location in Alfama was perfect. It was our first time in Portugal. And we had finally arrived in Europe!

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

Half of our luggage and Maya on the cobblestones of Alfama, Lisbon
Small bedroom
Small dining room
Maya loved “her” couch in the small apartment.
Dated kitchen
Tiny bathroom

Day one

Since it was noon by the time we checked in, we hit the cobblestone streets after taking a shower and settling in. We decided to try a typical local lunch of grilled sardines and a white fish. For some reason, I’d forgotten that serving entire fish with all the bones — and sometimes intestines — is a thing in Europe. While the flavors were great, I’m a lazy person when it comes to eating. The less work, the better. 🙂

Only fish with bones
Alfama alley
Lone winter tree in Alfama
One of the main roads in the Alfama neighborhood of Lisbon
Many displays of azulejos – white and blue tiles typical of the region
Strolling around the Alfama neighborhood
Many houses have tiled facades
Panteao Nacional
Tiled buildings
Detail of the tiled walls
My first pastel de nata pastry: yum!

In the afternoon, we explored the cute and mostly pedestrian Alfama neighborhood, climbing its hills, strolling its cobblestone streets, and eating my first of many pastéis de nata. For someone who loves pastries and pudding, this treat is heaven!

One of Lisbon’s churches
The tram is a popular way to get around the city – We never used it.
Tram 28 is the most famous one.
Tiled blue facade of a city dwelling
Another detail of the tiled walls
I love the moss on this colorful building.
Castelo de São Jorge in the distance
View over Lisbon’s colorful Alfama neighborhood
Cute church addition
Liesbet posing before an azulejos wall
A beautiful 3D art installation on the wall
Walking around Lisbon
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A Five-Week Winter Visit to New England – Never Again! (And Our January 2026 Expenses)

February 19, 2026 / / 31 Comments

Making our Christmas Day flight from Santiago de Chile to Boston, Massachusetts, USA was tricky. First, we had no idea if Maya’s neck injury — and the side effects of all the drugs — would be cleared in time for the trip.

Then, we were faced with extremely slow and long lines and inefficient officials at Chilean immigration to receive our exit stamp and be able to leave the country. Impatience. Frustration. Running. Sweating. Being the last two people on the plane…

But we made it! And we looked forward to some rest, comfort, and social times in the US.

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

A red eye flight to the US
The day after our arrival in Massachusetts and the US

Week 1: Fun Times

The day after Christmas (Boxing Day), Mark, Maya, and I arrived at our “home base” (aka official address) in Newburyport. The temperature contrast couldn’t be bigger. We went from 90°F (32°C) to 12°F (-11°C), and the sun set at 4pm! Snow decorated the ground and trees. This would become a theme; our surroundings remained white for the entire time we were there.

Mark’s first job: shoveling snow
Winter walk
Winter scenery
Our daily walk to the park with Maya
Maya’s first snow
Still possible to walk on the sidewalks

After reorganizing our belongings (what stays, what comes to Europe, what gets packed for our next camper, what gets donated), doctors’ visits for Maya and me, and catching up with my mother-in-law, helping where necessary for a handful of days — we already left her again to celebrate the New Year with good friends.

Our home for five weeks
Organizing our belongings
Going through our boxes from the basement, after many years
Memories of our Wirie business, which we ran for eight years
Snuggles with Maya
Mark’s childhood bear cuddles with Maya
Winter walk along the rail trail
Short days
Happy Maya!
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Annual Expense Report of a Nomad – 2025 (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Brazil, USA)

February 7, 2026 / / 21 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. “The less money you spend, the less you need to make” is our motto. 🙂 At the beginning of each year, I produce an expense report for the previous 12 months. This is the most recent one, for 2024.

Our first yearly expense report (2016) can be found here, the report of 2017 is here, the one for 2018 here, our 2019 expenses are located here, our total costs for 2020 are documented here, those for 2021 are detailed here, 2022’s financial summary hides here, you can find our full expense report for 2023 here, and our 2024 costs are recorded here.

These reports include ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and a 60-pound dog. We adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019. Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the US East Coast. The internet cost is for our Starlink’s monthly subscription fees. We bought our satellite dish in Lima, Peru, in September 2023.

It truly feels like the year 2025 came and went extremely fast. I still remember it starting at “the end of the world” in Ushuaia, Argentina, and what felt like mere months later, finishing in Massachusetts, USA, after our South American RV journey ended. During that last year, we crisscrossed Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and southern Brazil, covering many thousands of miles and spending even more thousands of dollars. As a matter of fact, 2025 was our second-most expensive year on record, after 2014 when our life changed due to Mark’s cancer.

Posing by an Ushuaia sign
Back to Argentina
Back in Chile for the seventh or so time
Welcome to Paraguay!

As expected, the car category — at $6,000 — was the highest; a trend during those three years on the South American continent. Most of that went to fuel (around $5,000), while the rest was spent on parts, maintenance, tolls, parking, and insurance.

Quiet (but littered) parking lot for car maintenance
Filling up with fuel – including our jerrycan – in Concordia, Argentina, before crossing the border into Uruguay
The most affordable fuel station in Argentina
Fuel prices in Argentina
In Chile, the fuel is 1/3 more expensive than in Argentina
Fuel prices by the liter in Paraguay – PYG 8,000 resembles US$1
Fuel pump in Encarnacion
It’s not so easy to find a fuel station where we fit in Brazil – the last fill!
Trying this credit card machine with our debit card for tolls, in vain
Finally finding a place that can install our new tire, which we had to carry around
New tire on the rim and ready to install
Dealing with brake maintenance

Groceries came in at $4,000, which boils down to $333 a month, which is very manageable. I’m pretty sure we won’t stick to that amount this year in Europe.

A decent grocery chain in Argentina
A really cool and affordable grocery store in Foz de Iguaçu, Brazil
Coastal grocery store in Brazil
Some of the bounty from a grocery store
This is the Jumbo grocery store on the ground level of the Costanera building in Santiago de Chile. It is the best supermarket in all of South America!
The Carrefour in central Mendoza is a great grocery store.
Buying groceries at Lider, Chile’s cheapest grocery store
Affordable groceries in Paraguay

Our accommodation cost was higher than in other years, mostly because we spent three weeks in an Airbnb in Santiago de Chile ($800) and I took a 4-night side trip to Easter Island, where I stayed at a hostel ($200). We also “splurged” with a few weeks of real campground stays in Brazil, Paraguay, and Chile.

My hostel on Easter Island had several rooms, two shared bathrooms, a shared kitchen, and outdoor spaces.
My private bedroom with shared bathroom at the hostel Va’ehu
Our cozy Airbnb apartment in Santiago de Chile for three weeks
We decided to go with this campground in Bertioga, Brazil, for Maya and me
Camped for two nights at the affordable but basic Cerro Cora campground in Paraguay
Home for three weeks at Camping Manantial – We did move twice a week!
Our spot at Camping Las Varas in the hills

I have no idea how much other couples spend on dining out. Feel free to enlighten me in the comments. Our total for 2025 was $1,560. Restaurants in South America are generally cheaper than in the US and Europe, so we might have to take a step back in this category. Not that we went wild before.

A wonderful dinner out for my 50th birthday on November 28th
Our favorite restaurant in Santiago de Chile, not that we tried many…
Dinner out in Bonito, Brazil, for Wayne’s birthday
Dinner out in Puerto Rio Tranquilo: : Mark’s (vegetarian) pizza
Our only dinner out (with a friend) during our five weeks in Ushuaia, Argentina
Lunch at a Chilean restaurant in Rapel
Group sushi fest at Hiroshima restaurant in Encarnacion, Paraguay
Ramen bowl for lunch at a fantastic Japanese restaurant in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Ramen at a Japanese restaurant in Yguazu, Paraguay

Under travel ($1,484), we report our plane rides. Last year, Mark flew from Brazil to the US for his annual health check-ups, I hopped on a plane to Easter Island, and we booked two one-way tickets from Santiago, Chile, to Boston, Massachusetts, for the end of the year.

I was the only one on this big, commercial plane wearing a mask
Ready for my flight to Rapa Nui!
Our plane has landed in Hanga Roa, Easter Island
Flying north from Chile to the US- We are the only ones wearing a mask on the plane.

Dog Maya’s expenses hovered around $1,100. The biggest chunk went to vet visits, mostly because of a mysterious pain she developed in her neck in December. This ordeal set us back $500 between the vet in Chile, the one in the US for a consultation, and the drugs she needed. It was the first time in seven years of having her that she needed to see a vet other than for permits and shots.

Waiting at another inadequate vet office in Chile
The vet filling out our health permit in Mendoza, Argentina – and making a mistake!
Maya at the vet for another shot

We also bought dog food for around $400, obtained health permits to travel between Chile and Argentina and then to the US with her for about $150, and bought supplies like treats and toys…

Another massive bag of dogfood for Maya, which we have only been able to buy in Colombia and Chile.
This is the pile of dog documentation/permits after three years of traveling with Maya in South America.

The entertainment category of $800 includes my national park pass for Easter Island and three tours there, our scary rafting trip in southern Chile, a river tour in the Pantanal of Brazil, and entrance fees to other national parks on the continent.

Iguaçu Falls in Brazil
Last shot of the moai of Rapa Nui
Close-ups of two moai on Easter Island
Boat tour on a grey and chilly day in the Southern Pantanal, Brazil
Rafting down more Class IV rapids in different positions, Futaleufu, Chile
Getting closer to the Moreno Glacier via boardwalks in Argentina

Alcohol came in at $768. Mark and I usually have wine, beer, and a bottle of rum around. Quite a few bottles were purchased to share with friends and at a party on New Year’s Eve.

Some of our alcohol bought in August 2025
Homemade pizza with a fantastic bottle of cheap red wine
The best wine we found in Paraguay – from Chile
Happy hour by “our” falls in Brazil
Happy hour with Heather in Paraguay
Happy hour with Larry in Paraguay (Photo courtesy of Larry Tofler)
Happy hour at sunset
Happy hour on our grassy beach along the coast of Brazil

Our utility cost was $541, mostly for internet via our Starlink antenna. Our business paid for half of the monthly subscriptions, so the service is actually twice as expensive as the $435 I mention underneath. Topping off our propane cost $106 for the year.

Our Starlink antenna is a part of our ceiling
Getting our propane tank filled in Santiago de Chile
This propane store does the effort to gravity fill foreign tanks
Getting our US propane tank filled in Brazil is no easy feat.
Topping up with propane gas at a good price in Paraguay
Weighing our propane tank
Getting our propane tank topped up in Argentina
Gravity filling our US-style propane tank takes 30-40 minutes.

Transportation for us means Uber and taxi rides, mostly to get to airports and city centers when camped on the outskirts. The $383 number for 2025 also includes one checked bag fee when Mark brought parts back to Brazil from his US summer visit.

Mark waiting for his Uber driver to get to the airport of São Paulo, Brazil
An exhausted Maya on the Uber ride back home
We ordered an Uber XL to bring us and all our belongings to the Airbnb in Santiago de Chile

Our miscellaneous category shows $380, of which the most painful part ($220) went to a traffic ticket in Argentina. We also paid money for one mechanical check of a Vario campervan we had planned to purchase in Chile, for an online ad to sell Bella (which brought us our buyers), for Mark’s new driver’s license, and for small souvenirs.

Getting our first ever traffic fine (in Argentina)
My Antarctica magnet; the only souvenir I bought on this trip.
Our own souvenir armillary sphere from Paraguay

Maintaining and fixing our truck camper cost $227 in 2025, which is negligible in the grand scheme of things.

Fixing our freshwater pump
We took the camper off to fix something underneath.
Resealing the small back window of our camper
Recaulking all the seams

Mark and I also spent $170 on medical interventions like teeth cleanings (one for him and two for me) in Chile and Brazil and a few medications.

Returning to Puerto Natales in Chile was a big detour, but we had dentist appointments for cleanings.
My dentist in Bertioga, Brazil

Gifts amounted to $165, which mostly went to the annual photo calendars I create for my family.

The computer category was $157, all for hosting fees to keep this website up and running and for our email accounts.

I think most would agree that our drinking-out category is low at $116 for a year for two people. I bet some of you could spend that on one night out at a bar with friends. 🙂 We usually opt to stay in and drink our own cocktails or organize our own happy hours.

Happy hour at the beach bar in Encarnacion, Paraguay
Enjoying a drink at Copacabana Beach in Rio
Our new Belgian friends Marc and Anne-Marie met Larry, Jon, Heather, Mark, Maya, and me at the pizzeria-brewery one evening.

Household supplies came to $103, our annual Chase credit card fee was $95, and we only paid $83 for a year of laundry. Most of our clothes were washed by hand with tap water at campgrounds or river water in nature. When we have the use of a free washing machine (like at our last Airbnb), we go crazy!

Happy with our new camping chairs!
A choice of bread knives in the grocery store
Our laundromat of choice in Bonito, Brazil – good service, despite the little issue we ran into
We did our last Brazilian loads of laundry at this laundromat in Foz do Iguacu at the border with Paraguay.
An efficient, affordable, and clean self-serve laundromat in Brazil
Hanging our laundry to dry by a river in Chile
Hand laundry by the river in Rapel, Chile
Laundry day in Paraguay!
More laundry in Bertioga campground, BraZil
Hand laundry in Paraguay

Mark owed the Brazilian immigration department $80 for a visa, but this allowed him to stay six months. Belgians don’t need a visa, but I was unable to get an extension after our initial three months in the country, so we had to leave. Should I have entered on my American passport?

Family portrait in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
Driving by Uber to the center of Rio
The two of us with a Rio backdrop

And the last and lowest category of 2025 was clothing. Mark bought a pair of jeans on eBay for $28. We really don’t like shopping for clothes and, for some reason, our gear lasts forever. When we purged in Santiago before leaving the continent, I discarded clothes that were easily two decades old. Friends often offer us clothes that they don’t have use for anymore as well.

Speaking of the generosity of others, some of you sent donations in 2025, which took care of our web hosting, a couple of dinners, and a few bottles of wine. Thank you!

The grand total for 2025 comes to a shocking $19,552, a far cry from our usual average of $16,000. Yes, inflation is a thing and we do realize that life only gets more expensive, especially in Europe. We will see what happens this year.

Could you live off $20,000 a year for two adults and a good-sized dog, everything included? Let me know in the comments.

2025 Overview:

Car (fuel: $5,088; maintenance: $700;

tolls: $157; parking: $26; insurance: $22):

Groceries:

Accommodation (Lodging: $998; camping: $570 ):

Dining out:

Travel (plane tickets):

Dog (vet: $488; food: $387; permits: $152; supplies: $83):

Entertainment (national parks, rafting trip, river tour):

Alcohol:

Utilities (internet: $435; propane: $106):

Transportation (Uber, taxis, checked bag fee):

Miscellaneous (fine, car check, ad, license, souvenirs):

Camper (maintenance & repairs):

Medical (teeth cleanings, meds):

Gifts (B-days, Christmas):

Computer (web hosting fees):

Drinking out:

Household:

Bank fees (Chase visa card):

Laundry:

Customs & Immigration (visa Mark):

Clothing:

 

TOTAL:

Donations:

 

GRAND TOTAL:

 

 

$5,992

$4,015

$1,568

$1,560

$1,484

$1,110

$810

$768

$541

$383

$380

$227

$170

$165

$157

$116

$103

$95

$83

$81

$28

———

$ 19,836

– $ 284

———

$ 19,552

(It might be easier to read the table when turning your device in the horizontal position.)

And that’s a wrap! If you are enjoying these posts and would like to help out with our expenses to maintain this blog, please click on the donate button underneath, in the side bar, or in the menu bar on top. I promise Roaming About will remain an ad-free website. Thank you!

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Next up: A month long winter visit to the States

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The Last Three Weeks of Our Three-Year Journey in South America

January 26, 2026 / / 34 Comments

In November 2022, Mark, Maya, and I started our latest adventure by staying at Airbnbs in Cartagena, Colombia, stressing about the arrival of our home on wheels. One rental apartment turned into five different ones, just like the expected one week of waiting turned into five weeks.

All the while, we had no idea if and when we would be reunited with Thirsty Bella as we refreshed the page of the shipping company schedule every hour for updates. Day after day, things went wrong and delays continued. We could not plan or prepare for anything and our stress level went through the roof, as we wasted precious time and money. We almost flew back to Texas and abandoned this journey. I wrote about that giant ordeal here.

Fast forward three years and we found ourselves at an Airbnb in Chile’s capital, Santiago, stressing again, but about different things. Ironically and fittingly (as irony and bad luck keep finding us, the perfect victims of Murphy’s Law), we ended our three years in South America in a similar way as we’d started them.

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

Time to organize and purge the rest of our belongings after moving out of Bella
Goodies we brought from Bella for our next camper
It was very nice to have a couch.

When Mark, Maya, and I handed over our truck camper Thirsty Bella and arrived at our city accommodation for three weeks before flying out of Chile, we had three goals: finally rest up after the stress and commotion of the last months, eat good food at home and in restaurants, and make a plan for 2026. One would think that three weeks would be plenty for this. Of course, we still had to take care of the usual work, living, and dog requirements while being “homeless.”

A curry Mark made at home
Having a full-size oven meant we could make our staple pizzas from scratch again.
Our meal combos were a bit odd at times, since we wanted to “get rid” of all our fresh foods before leaving the country.

We splurged a bit more than usually on our Airbnb, picking a modern apartment that had air conditioning and a washing machine. Both were well utilized and appreciated! Unfortunately, buildings in developing nations aren’t built the same as in first-world countries.

Our living space was roomy enough
I loved this washing machine with a combo dryer! We used it a lot.

Which brings me to our craved rest. Our Murphy bed was extremely creaky each time one of us moved and the mattress was hurting our backs. We usually like hard mattresses, but this one was too much. After a few painful nights, we took the mattress off, stuffed extra duvets between it and the bottom sheet, and stored the frame of the bed in its cabinet. Yup, we paid good money to sleep on the ground, but this change helped our poor backs and ears.

The Murphy bed that creaked and didn’t quite work
Our redesigned bedroom
Our USB-fan vibrated against the wood of the cupboard, creating somewhat of a white noise

The next issue was the person who lived above us. She (since we heard what sounded like high heels clicking back and forth) was awake every and all night, walking around, moving furniture, frequently dropping items. We heard it all. Even her bathroom movements and toilet flushes. Once we were asleep it didn’t bother us too much, but, when awake, there was no way of dozing off again. The noise also kept Maya up and restless, because she hates stuff “falling” on the ceiling — whether it is in a camper or an apartment. A USB fan we brought from Bella helped create “white noise.” When the pounding was too loud, I used our broomstick to hit the ceiling.

Our kitchen was missing necessary items, but that wasn’t an issue as we’d brought stuff from the camper that were duplicates or gifts. Construction in the hallways happened about half of our days there and every bit of commotion seeped through the thin door, but we did appreciate being on the back side of the building instead of alongside the busy road.

The kitchen was spacious and decent.
The luxury of renting an apartment across a Grido store: a freezer and fresh ice cream!
This was the only cheese and carrot grater – not big enough!
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