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A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Friends (page 1 of 5)

Biking down Death Road in Bolivia – The World’s Most Dangerous Road

February 10, 2024 / / 32 Comments

Mark, Maya, and I had just started our camp host duties at Las Lomas in La Paz, Bolivia, at the end of December 2023 and our Canadian friends Sheri and Jeff were with us in their truck camper. Jeff and I had done a couple of crazy things in South America so far, like jump off a bridge in Baños, Ecuador, and order patitas from a toothless street vendor in La Paz. If you follow our Roaming About page on Facebook, you might remember that shocking food discovery. If not, I suggest you Google what patitas are. 🙂

An “official” stand for patitas
Don’t these look yummy?

So, when Jeff was looking for an adventurous buddy to bike down the World’s Most Dangerous Road, which is located near La Paz, the only thing that kept me from joining was the tour price of around US$70. Then I remembered I still had gift money from my parents. The game was on!

Group shot above a valley

The two of us did a bit of research into tour companies (these daytrips range from $60-$120), picked a middle-of-the-road agency with good reviews (Vertigo), and booked our mountain bike tour for December 29th. There was one problem, however: the company needed at least three participants to set out on Death Road. Luckily, we had a full campground by then and I succeeded in arranging a group of seven people to participate: six bicyclists and one sightseer.

Our transportation to and support vehicle on Death Road
Time to test our gear and start the day!
Impressive mountain scenery

The official name of Death Road is North Yungas Road. Its other famous nickname of The World’s Most Dangerous Road was appointed in 1995 after 200 to 300 people died yearly in accidents, usually from vehicles falling off the steep cliffs. The road is gravel and narrow, single-lane in most places, with barely a guardrail or space to pull over.

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One Month in La Paz, Bolivia – As Campground Hosts

February 2, 2024 / / 29 Comments

The Opportunity

When we first arrived at Las Lomas Campground in La Paz, Bolivia, on Christmas Day, we couldn’t wait to leave. It had been a pain to get here, the nasty approach caused damage to the camper before we arrived, the place was busy and tight, and we had an engine problem.

Location of La Paz in Bolivia
Big and colorful La Paz sign

Soon, however, the cozy environment grew on us. When we learned the owner, Marcos, was leaving on vacation for one month the next day and could use an overlander couple to watch his property and manage the campground, we made a quick decision. We committed to the job. Free camping with amenities in exchange for running this small (and at that moment quiet) business seemed fair – and our trio was more than ready for a break from the road!

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

The patio and communal buildings
The communal living and dining room
The kitchen
One of the two bathrooms

The Campground Tasks

The first day we were “on duty,” only our Canadian friends Jeff and Sheri were here. We could get used to this! Being responsible for a small property and a couple of buildings we kept tidy, and sitting outside in the sun, chatting, lying low…

Full campground
Drone footage of Las Lomas Campground, early January 2024
Thomas and Sandra leave for their next adventure
Katherine is all geared up for her next trip
Watching our friends Katherine and Brandon leave for the umpteenth time. When will we see them again? Chile or Argentina?
Saying goodbye often is part of this lifestyle

Then, one after another camper showed up and soon, the place was filled to the brim with German and French visitors. Mark and I played Tetris to fit them all onto the property. Someone needed to spend their first night on the street, since there was no more room inside. And, when one vehicle wanted to leave, others had to move around and exit the gate to accommodate the departing campers. That was the scene for a good two weeks, over and after the holidays.

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From Cusco, Peru to La Paz, Bolivia – As Overlanders

January 29, 2024 / / 23 Comments

Peru

Cusco

After my cousin and her husband left Cusco on December 6th, Mark and I finished some work assignments and camper projects (and I created a 2024 calendar for my family), and socialized with our Canadian friends Sheri and Jeff. Just as we were ready to leave town, we learned our American motorcycle friends Katherine and Brandon would arrive the following day!

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

Great group photo of us and our vehicles in Cusco
Dinner out with Katherine and Brandon at our favorite vegetarian restaurant in Cusco
Mark gives our friends tips about how to reach Machu Picchu

We didn’t want to miss that, of course, and decided to camp on the edge of Cusco for a couple of nights to spend time with them – and work. We have met up with Katherine and Brandon in “every” country of South America so far: Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. (And, most recently, Bolivia.) After seeing them several times in Baja, Mexico and Idaho and Oregon in the US.

Drinks and popcorn in Bella with Katherine and Brandon
Katherine carries dog food for strays on her motorcycle – Maya knows!
Waving our motorcycle friends off again – not for long, this time…

Sheri and Jeff – who we were supposed to meet down the road – had finished their Sacred Valley explorations by then and joined us as well. We had fun times together, especially when Jeff revealed one of his T-shirts… I mentioned in a previous post that our friends had a few surprises for us. 😊

Back at Piss Alley, where we camped near Jeff and Sheri’s camper for our last nights in Cusco
Drinks out in Cusco with friends – Jeff and Sheri surprised us with this funny T-shirt!
A slightly better look at the surprise T-shirt Jeff was wearing

Tinajani Canyon

Us, truck camper overlanders, moved on and drove for two long days. Our first stop – after filling up with propane at the other end of Cusco – was Tinajani Canyon, where we had camped and walked before.

Crazy drivers in Peru – they always have to cut you off. Always.
Another, long-term, road closure in Cusco
Company of a skinny stray dog while patiently waiting for our propane tank to get filled.
Getting our propane tank topped up on the edge of Cusco
Road work – at every bridge – between Cusco and the border
Arriving in Tinajani Canyon for the second time

It was quiet at night, but a tad chilly at 13,000ft (around 4,000m). We paid the cheese factory a visit, but they were out of Gouda. This is where the exhaustion and sickness caught up with me, leading to an extra night of staying put, for me to rest. The symptoms reminded me of the flu and I was “out” for five days.

Camped in Tinajani Canyon with Jeff and Sheri (Photo courtesy of Sheri Ouellet)
My favorite spot to hang out – protected from the strong winds and enjoying the nice view
Can you spot Thirsty Bella?
Maya keeps me company, but has an eye on the camper (which contains Mark) at all times!
One more visit to the local Tinajani cheese factory
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Overlanding from Lima to Cusco in Peru – Paracas, the Famous Nazca Lines, and Other Attractions

October 19, 2023 / / 30 Comments
Lima to Cusco via Paracas, Peru
Route from Lima to Cusco

Paracas

Before heading inland again from the generally unattractive Peruvian coast, Mark, Maya, and I stopped in the beach town of Paracas on 9/11. The commercial center didn’t do much for us – it was touristy, expensive, and unfriendly – but when we arrived at a free parking lot late afternoon, we liked what we saw. This camping spot was big and relatively level, quiet, pretty, and litter free. Maybe we could stay a few days? The sun was present in a blue sky when we walked Maya, and later gloriously set over the peninsula that is Paracas National Park. Not bad…

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

More trash along the coast
Our first impression of Paracas town and beach
Afternoon walk along the boardwalk without hordes of tourists
Maya meets a buddy on the boardwalk
Sunset on our first evening

We watched in awe as local men pulled boats out of the water on a rusty trailer, pulled by an old, extremely noisy pickup truck, pulled by a newer truck. We deducted that they keep using the crappy, ancient truck to deal with the salty water and the fancier one higher up the beach for its power.

Truck pulling truck pulling boat – a daily occurrence next to us, outside the sand storm days

Mark and I had parked our camper next to a big, stationary power boat on a trailer that didn’t seem to have moved in years. It had bent axels and flat tires. We figured our spot was wise; out of the way and somewhat blocked by the trailer.

“This boat must have been stored here for many months and will never move,” we thought.
How could it move, right?
Well, it did!

Imagine our surprise when, around sunset, a group of guys in pickup trucks arrived, inflated the tires of the trailer with a compressor powered by a generator, removed some wooden blocks, and, after a few attempts, managed to pull this mastodont with a truck pulling a truck, all the way to the street and out of sight, taking down an electrical wire along the way. The scene was insane!

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Mindo, Pululahua, and Ibarra in Ecuador – Hiking in the Jungle, Camping in a Crater, and Being Stationary for Three Weeks

July 21, 2023 / / 44 Comments

After our time in Quito, Mark, Maya, and I had less than a week left, before Mark would fly out of Ecuador for seventeen days.

June stops in Northern Ecuador

We contemplated traveling to Amazonia/El Oriente, the jungle in the eastern part of the country, but soon realized we’d need more time for that massive detour and unique experience. So, we headed west, to Mindo.

Mindo

Mindo is a popular destination for travelers alike, especially backpackers and families. While the town is nothing special, activities in nature abound. From tubing to hiking; from cable cart riding to ziplining. We found a decent place to camp for free near the center of town, which allowed us to splurge at some of the western-style restaurants.

We also moved to a riverside spot for one night, to be able to sleep better, but since there was no cell signal, we couldn’t stay long.

This school group decided to pose in front of Thirsty Bella for their photo.
Our camping spot was a popular place to launch tubing adventures from.

Our main reason to come this way was a hike in the jungle among a plethora of waterfalls. Mindo is at a much lower elevation than we have been used to in Ecuador. At only 4,000ft (1,200m) above sea level, the climate turned hot and humid, yet still very rainy. It’s the perfect place to grow mold and we can’t quite see the attraction of living there. Is that why so many properties are for sale?

In tourist towns, everything is more expensive. The usual way to reach the park with the waterfalls is via two cable carts, in which Maya was allowed. The lower one was pricey; the second one was included in the waterfall trail walking fee of $5 a person. Since the entrance to the park is quite the hike up and our camper couldn’t fit over the bridge to get there, we paid for a single cab ride.

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Living Large for Two Days in Quito, Ecuador’s Capital

June 29, 2023 / / 38 Comments

After our tour of waterfalls, lakes, and hot springs in Northern Ecuador, Mark, Maya, and I checked out one more campground, a potential refuge for me when my husband left for the US. We enjoyed the company of Fernando and Evelyn and the center of Puembo, so kept it as an option.

Camped on Fernando’s property in Puembo – I don’t mind staying here for 2.5 weeks during Mark’s absence
Doggie cuddles
Cute façade in Puembo
Lunch with Fernando, Evelyn, and daughter S.
A tight squeeze to enter and exit the property – we did scrape the metal gate on the driver’s side due to the the slope of the driveway…

As a matter of fact, our two-day trip into Quito was squeezed between “skinny” campground stays. I wanted to get my bearings at Hostal Colibri, which sounded promising in iOverlander at only 10 minutes from the aeropuerto. But this meant planes landed over our heads, similar to our Point Loma experience on a three-month house sit stint in San Diego, California. Because of that fact – and the price – we ruled this option out!

Parked on the soccer field in this tight and small “overlanding” place – we’d have to move over the weekend.
Landing plane above our heads
Conversations cease each time a plane lands nearby
First glimpse of another snow-covered volcano, near Quito
Hostal Colibri also has a very narrow driveway, with low-hanging branches and wires…

No way, Mark and I were going to take our “massive” truck camper Thirsty Bella into the center of Quito. Instead, we stored it at a campground under construction, with an amazing view over the city. We paid $8 to leave our home on wheels there, safe and sound. Staying here as campers would set us back way too much money ($10 per person, officially), so we didn’t even consider it.

More view over Quito from Andy’s place
View over Quito from Andy’s place
Taking a cab into the historic center

Why Quito?

There was no doubt that we wanted to visit the historical center of Quito one day, without driving there. When we learned that our motorcycle friends Katherine and Brandon were leaving their vehicles near the border in Colombia and flying out of Ecuador’s capital for a summer stint in the US, the deal was sealed. We would spend their last two nights on the continent together and split an Airbnb.

Four friends reunited at the Airbnb in Quito

Our Airbnb

Well, what can I say? Mark and I did try to find a more modest apartment to rent for those two nights, but they were either more expensive or in an undesirable location. So, we ended up with an entire, 170-year-old house with three floors, funky layout and colors, and ample space. One of Ecuador’s presidents lived here in the 1930s. Once we didn’t get lost anymore, we enjoyed the rooms and courtyards.

Entrance and hallway of this ex-hotel
Cute courtyard
Our Airbnb with three floors
Living area near one of the bedrooms
One of the two bedrooms we had access to
Easy to get lost
Dining room
View over the historic center of Quito from the Airbnb – towards Panecillo Hill
View of our street towards the basilica
Living room area downstairs
In the courtyard
A historic house in the historic center

The historic center

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Finishing Our Six-month Colombian Adventure in El Puerto, Pasto & Spectacular Santuario de Las Lajas

June 8, 2023 / / 37 Comments

Colombia has two southern land borders with Ecuador. Mark, Maya, and I drove to the western one via a detour called El Trampolin de La Muerte (Trampoline of Death road). Why? Mainly because we really wanted to visit Santuario de Las Lajas near the other border in Southwest Colombia. We’d seen photos of this impressive church straddling a deep ravine; an image straight out of a fairytale.

Mark, Liesbet, and Maya in front of Santuario de Las Lajas

After passing through the Mocoa road block, we could have easily continued to the eastern border and leave the country. We briefly considered it, when being stuck at a landslide before even entering the Trampoline. But that one cleared up in “no time,” so we could stick to our initial plan.

Trampoline of Death road
Location El Puerto, Pasto, Las Lajas

El Puerto

On the other side of the Trampoline of Death, we decided to stop for two nights in El Puerto. Also called “Little Switzerland” or “The Venice of Colombia,” it is the lakeside neighborhood of the town El Encano. A blog about this destination on our friends Susan and John’s site Latitude Adjustment encouraged me to add it to our itinerary.

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

Dirty car after the wet gravel road that is the Trampoline of Death
Bouncing on this dirt road messed up the contents of our cabinets.
We have learned to be careful when opening cabinets after a rough trip.
Lot of rain made for a wet and muddy environment
Waking up to our camper being “circled” by a meeting of boat drivers
Road along which we were parked

Because of all the rain, however, the canals were a deep brown, and because of it being a long weekend, the hamlet was incredibly busy. While located at Laguna de La Cocha, good public lake access or views were missing in El Puerto.  We enjoyed our strolls with Maya, the colors and cuteness of the buildings, and the setting, but it felt weird to be in a place solely geared towards tourism. Where were the panaderias (bakeries)? Or the produce stalls? Or the friendly locals living in typical Colombian pueblos?

Brown canals
Tourist spot
The cow décor was popular in Colombia – for vendors in cars as well as stores
It’s easy to see why this town is called “Little Switzerland.”
The only view we found of the lagoon in town
The road out of town was flooded on the day we left.
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Introduction to the New Year and the Colombian Mountains — Historic Barichara, Guane, Guadalupe & Las Gachas

March 23, 2023 / / 34 Comments

On New Year’s Eve, after exploring a few lesser-known towns and sights, Mark, Maya, and I arrived at campground Guiamaro to spend the New Year period with our friends Sheri and Jeff from Canada. But first, we had to navigate the narrow streets of historic Barichara, another one of Colombia’s 17 pueblos partrimonios, which stand out for their cultural heritage.

Driving into Barichara

While small for the US, Thirsty Bella is gigantic for Colombia’s town centers!

The area around Barichara, in the department of Santander, offers different places to camp in a peaceful environment, but we picked this official camping for its location – away from any settlement and along hiking trails to the center of town and another village called Guane – and its facilities; hot outdoor showers, a communal kitchen, and a washing machine. Of course, our ulterior motive was to escape any NYE fireworks for our stressed-out dog.

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

We snatched the best spot at Camping Guiamaro
The communal kitchen
Kitchen facilities – popular with backpackers and tent campers
Honor system for drinks, fresh bread, and laundry
The bathrooms are integrated into the landscape
Rustic, outdoor shower at the campground
Hanging otu with our friends Sheri and Jeff at the campground
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Our Colombian Christmas Story – From Horror to Hospitality

March 5, 2023 / / 33 Comments

DISCLAIMER: This is a real-life story, nothing more, nothing less. Just like when sharing a previous, relatively scary experience about a car burning out next to us in a remote area of the Baja Peninsula, Mexico, a year ago, I’m not looking for sympathy, concerns, warnings, or criticism. Also, like the previous story, this one has a good ending. Bad things happen everywhere. We are aware of that and realistic about it. In the twenty years of being nomads, this was the very first time we felt unsafe. And we do not blame it on Colombia or its people.

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

Our route in Colombia thus far
Location of the Gramalotes

The Setting: Gramalote Viejo, Norte de Santander

After spending about a week in Playa de Belen in the department of Norte de Santander, Mark, Maya, and I drove many hours into the mountains, up and over terrible roads consisting of rocks, gravel, bumps, and potholes to reach Gramalote Viejo in time for Christmas. Our friends Sheri and Jeff had already arrived in their truck camper. They drive faster and had less errands to run. 

Drive to our Christmas destination
Reflected – and Jeff and Sheri’s camper as well
Potholed road
Rocky approach

We parked by the spooky remains of a church, on cracked pavement with weeds poking through. Next to us sat the ruins of a town square and a dilapidated gazebo we repurposed as our happy hour patio.

Parked in a quiet spot for Christmas and New Year – or so we thought
Church and gazebo in Gramalote Viejo

A peek behind the slanted, still existing church façade revealed old crypts with human bones, most of the cubby holes plundered. Vegetation had taken over the church property and an eerie atmosphere lingered. 

Stable enough?
Church interior
Crypts
An eerie scene
Human bones
We had hoped to climb the steps one day, but this never happened.
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Ode to Our Friends – Help and Hospitality during Our Camper Preparations for South America

November 27, 2022 / / 32 Comments

I am behind with my blog posts. A lot. Blame this crazy life of ours.

I want to write about all the improvements we performed on Thirsty Bella and the heaps of preparations we went through to ship her abroad. And what it all cost. But those stories feel boring to me at the moment (and, until recently, also irrelevant and obsolete – right!).

I hoped to have this particular blog ready by Thanksgiving Day in the US – a more appropriate timing – but, on that day, we had bigger fish to fry in a once-again turned-upside-down-world. I promise an update soon, but I am not ready for it; I can’t handle reliving it all (without a happy ending so far).

Ever since we returned to the US from Baja California, Mexico, last spring, our friends from the western states have played a key role – offering us a driveway to park and camp or a room to stay, allowing us access to their bathroom, kitchen, and laundry facilities, showing us support (mentally, logistically, and physically), and providing advice, help, knowledge, or their skills.

Our gang near the top of an epic high-altitude hike in nature

These have been amazing experiences and the highlights of our many months of work, effort, focus, stress, and investments to get ready for the next big adventure: traveling throughout South America in our truck camper, Thirsty Bella.

Us and Thirsty Bella in Austin, Texas

California

It’s been a tough road this year, with nothing going according to plan. We entered the country in California for a quick visit to friends Janis, Paul, and Amy in San Diego. This was followed by a pit stop on our friend Diana’s property in Julian, to clean and photograph our previous truck camper, Temp, before heading to British Colombia to pick up a Lance 830 truck camper we’d paid a deposit for. Diana is someone we house and pet sat for in San Diego twice, years ago. We became friends, stayed in touch, and she’d asked in the past if we were interested in property sitting this place. Now was the time!

Quick stop to visit Janis and Paul in San Diego – no photos of our evening with Amy
Diana taking a selfie with the rest of us in the background
Washing Thirsty & Temp in Julian, CA, to put Temp up for sale

Unfortunately, the Canadian owner of our prospective camper backed out of the deal and we were back to square zero, in a state with extremely high fuel prices. We frantically looked for, researched, and inquired about another Lance 830 and left the Julian property sooner than planned to pursue one in Northern California.

High fuel prices in California (we didn’t stop here)

Idaho

Our next set of friends to help out were Katherine and Brandon, whom we met two short months earlier in Loreto, Baja California Sur. She bought a paperback of my memoir Plunge, we got along really well, and they even invited us to their condo in Loreto. They also offered up their small house in Boise, Idaho, if we needed a place to crash or change gears. And that’s what we did…

We have two campers on the driveway of our friends!
Shopping by bike in Boise

For two weeks in May, we happily slept in their one-bedroom home while switching truck campers. This sounds easier than it was! We had to make the well-used and rough-around-the-edges Lance 830 we just bought and picked up in Auburn, California, livable before our friends returned, and… we had to sell Temp and ideally our e-bikes as well. All within three weeks. The pressure was on!

Selling my electric bike in Boise
Our friends Katherine and Brandon
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