Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Tag: overlanding in South America (page 1 of 3)

A Month in Northern Argentina – Dusty Towns, Pretty Vineyards, Wonderful Wine & Scenic Drives

April 21, 2024 / / 45 Comments

“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
Continue reading

A Day in the Life of a Nomad – Salta, Northern Argentina

March 28, 2024 / / 40 Comments

Mark and Maya had a restless night. I did a little bit better, staying covered by a sheet. The heat and humidity in Salta are still relentless, this time of the year. It is mid-March 2023. Fall is around the corner in the southern hemisphere, but we had forgotten what it is like to live in a jungle-like setting at barely 4,000ft (1,200m). The day time temperature soars at around 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35°F) and – unlike in the desert or the Andes Mountains – it barely cools off at night. Tiny no-see-um bugs (gnats) make their way through the mosquito screens, so if you leave yourself exposed, you’re itchy as well as sweaty.

Our campground in Salta: Carlos Xamena
Pricelist of the Carlos Xamena campground (Divide by 1,000 to get the US dollar amount.)

We decided to stay at an established campground for a few reasons: it would be quieter than anywhere else in this sizeable city, it is affordable ($5 a night), there are hot showers, toilets, trash cans, and potable water, I had a project with a tight deadline, and the sites are level and shady.

Shady spot at the campground

When we arrived, yesterday, we found a relatively shady spot next to a tree that didn’t obscure our roof-mounted Starlink satellite internet antenna. By this morning, however, our lithium battery is almost drained from being parked in the shade, running all our fans at high speed, and an inefficient fridge that never turned off, because of the heat. Yeah, this is still our expensive, over-priced Isotherm compressor fridge that we bought brand-new in the US, inconveniently replaced in Texas before leaving the continent, and have struggled with since!

Apart from the “validation step,” I finished my translation job, after a sweaty and tough afternoon and evening and – because we are trying to keep our stay to a minimum due to the uncomfortable climate – I have a busy day planned. The idea is to complete all our sightseeing and errands in Salta within one day and head to a higher altitude.

Thirsty Bella in the sun, with laundry strung up

Everything that needs to be done should happen between 8am (when the sun comes up) and 10am (when the heat becomes unbearable). Of course, that is impossible. Because we have unlimited water at the bathroom sinks, I wash our underwear, socks, and shirts by hand. We hang everything up on a line in the sunshine. Then, I prepare for a short visit into the historic center. Mark is not interested in joining – it’s too hot – and stays home with Maya. Ideally, we move the camper in a shady spot, but we need the solar power to charge our battery and our laundry is strung alongside Bella.

Mark and Maya found cooler weather in the shade – the pool is empty now and for ten out of the twelve months

I leave my family by a shady picnic bench and walk to the entrance of the campground, at the opposite end of the grounds. Sweat drips down my face when I inquire about ways to reach town. The public bus stops right in front and is cheap, but you need a card. Colectivos are affordable as well, but they don’t stop by the main square (my destination) and I have no idea where to grab one. A taxi it is. For the first time on this South American trip, the vehicle is metered. Progress is slow and I watch with dread how the meter keeps climbing. When the price reaches the equivalent of $2, I ask the driver to stop and hop out. I’ll walk the last bit.

Street in the downtown
Big hotel in Salta
Colonial buildings and police presence along the plaza
Continue reading

An Eventful Three Weeks in Northern Chile – As Overlanders

March 23, 2024 / / 38 Comments

When the three of us left Uyuni, there were two options to exit Bolivia. Initially, like all our overlanding friends, we planned to take the southern route to Argentina, a country everyone raves about. We realized, however, that this meant missing out on Valle de las Rocas and the northern part of Chile.

“At which border will you leave Bolivia?” the vet asked. He needed to know the answer for Maya’s health certificate details. “Ollagüe, Chile,” we said and our fate was sealed.

Ollagüe

The border crossing on February 12th was easy and straightforward. Mark and I had eaten most of our perishables, leaving us with an empty fridge and meager food pantry. We checked out of Bolivia after scanning a QR code, filling out forms, and receiving the exit stamp. There was some confusion, since we each had two entry stamps, due to our border run from Peru, a few months ago.

Leaving Bolivia
Walking to the Bolivian customs and immigration building to check out of the country.
Welcome to Chile!

We received new passport stamps for the new country, obtained a Chilean TIP (Temporary Import Permit) for the vehicle, and handed over Maya’s international health certificate. Another agriculture official entered the camper and – before he started opening cabinets – I asked him which items were prohibited: fresh meats, fish, eggs, honey, and produce. I gave him whatever we had left of one onion and a lime. Then, we chatted about his experiences as a border agent, Afghanistan veteran, and dog owner.

The roads in Chile are amazing!

From the moment we entered Chile, the bumpy, gravel road surface turned into beautiful, smooth asphalt. A joy! We stopped in the town of Ollagüe to find local money and vegetables. We failed on both accounts, but managed to fill our tanks with potable water.

Topping up with potable water in Ollagüe

The volcano route

Another reason we picked this border crossing was the appeal of a scenic drive in the high Andes, past lakes, altiplano (high plains), and volcanoes. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy and rainy. The views could have been better (where were the anticipated snowy tops?), but we still enjoyed the ride and camping spots and ate whatever we could scamper from the cabinets. There were no stores, banks, or fuel stations along this multiple-day trip. At least we weren’t spending any money.

Flamingos in the salt pond
Cloud cover over the snowy volcanoes
Lots of vicunas at our first camp spot in the Chilean Andes
Meager ingredients for dinner – Mark picks out the carrots of a jalapeno can to eat more vegetables.

We could have sped up towards the city of Calama, really not that far away, but we wanted to cherish the surroundings and take our time. Mark, Maya, and I climbed one of the small volcanoes before breakfast one morning. I admit to seriously miscalculating this effort at over 13,000ft (4,000m). I had read this excursion would take 20 minutes up and 15 minutes down. Right. For fit millennials maybe…

Parked between two volcanoes

Continue reading

Two Otherworldly Highlights in Bolivia – Salar de Uyuni & Valle de las Rocas

February 25, 2024 / / 27 Comments

Salar & Valle de las Rocas in Bolivia

Salar de Uyuni

Salar de Uyuni – or Salar de Tunupa (the local Quechua people prefer to call the area by its original name) – is located 20 minutes north of Uyuni and is the largest salt flat in the world. It measures 12,000 km2, which, to put it in perspective, is a bit over 1/3 the size of Belgium and four times the surface of Luxembourg. For Americans, Rhode Island fits three times into this Salar and Delaware twice – and New Jersey is twice as big.

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

Salt, salt, and salt
Mark and “our” Land Cruiser on the Salar
Cool textures
Salt, as far as you can see

Many overlanders prefer to drive and camp on this white, vast surface, usually stopping when they can’t see anything but salt around them. A trip on the salt flat with your own vehicle offers a lot of freedom, solitude, and fun, but it also requires protecting the undercarriage from all that destructive salt and giving it a detailed and thorough cleaning in the end. In the dry season. Once the wet season has started in Bolivia, taking your own home on wheels is a bad idea, because the (wet) salt will get anywhere and destroy everything it touches, over time. Plus, some parts of this area are closed when (too) wet.

Reflection pool on the salt flat

With that in mind, Mark, Maya, and I booked a tour for the day. Even better, we arranged a private excursion for our little family to give Maya (who was recovering from a nasty dog bite) enough comfort and space, and to allow us the privacy and freedom of a trip tailored to just the three of us. We could tell our guide wherever we wanted to go on the Salar, what to skip or limit, and whenever we wanted to move on. And, to be honest, at twice the price of a group tour ($120 for the three of us instead of $60), we believed it was worth the splurge. 😊

Eusevio eating coca leaves to stay alert
Prepping for lunch
Maya had a lot of space during the drives
Driving on the salt flat

Our tour started at 10:30am, would finish after sunset, around 8pm, and included lunch and drinks. We decided to skip stop one (the Train Cemetery where we had been living, exploring, and photographing for four days already) and made stop two (salt processing tour and artisanal markets) shorter, for an earlier start on the Salar. A massive rain storm was threatening, so I wanted to stay ahead of that!

Salt block from the Salar
Packaging the salt for consumers

Once on the salt flat, the fun could begin! We stopped by the Ojos de Agua, which our Spanish-speaking guide, Eusevio, called the “breath” of the Salar. Water bubbled up from below, as if something was breathing under the surface.

Bubbles in the Salar
Ojos de Agua

He encouraged us to employ a local guy to take “forced perspective” photos of us and Maya. Since that was affordable, we obliged.

Big Maya, tiny Mark
Posing on a bottle of rum
We love Flor de Cana rum
Monster Maya
Continue reading

Overlanding and Dog Challenges in Bolivia (Early 2024)

February 17, 2024 / / 41 Comments

Once in a while, I offer a glimpse behind the scenes of our nomadic lifestyle. Yes, I do often write about the ups and downs of life on the road, but rarely in detail. If you’ve been following along for a while – or read my memoir, Plunge – you know that I aim to present a realistic image of being perpetual travelers.

Let’s pick up where I left off in January: departing the Las Lomas Campground in La Paz after running the place and being stationary there for one month. It was a nice break that let us catch our breaths from the challenges of the road, but it brought (unexpected) consequences, namely an array of road blocks, the start of rainy season, and a dog attack.

Leaving Las Lomas on bumpy roads
Very informative truck regarding passing him

Road blocks are “a thing” in Bolivia, meaning they are quite common and often related to the political situation involving ex-president Evo Morales. I just finished reading a great memoir by fellow overlander and virtual friend Mary Hollendoner, called Monkeys on the Road, in which she describes being stuck in what almost became a Bolivian revolution in 2019! Interestingly, this happened while she was camped at Las Lomas Campground. Their plans in this country were affected as well.

Ironically, this latest set of road blocks started on January 22nd, which was Plurinational State Foundation Day, a newish holiday initiated in 2009 to celebrate Bolivia’s multi-ethnic identity. That’s when the indigenous people started their political protests. Our next destination was the constitutional capital and World Heritage Site of Sucre, but access was impossible.

These road blocks popped up while we were still camped in La Paz

Mark and I gave it a few more days in La Paz and then left to a split in the road further south, near Oruro, where we camped for another two nights at Sora Sora. Based on the roadblock situation, we could drive to Sucre from there, or skip the town and head to Uyuni, where its salt flats are the highlight of Bolivia.

Camped between the ruins and the river for two nights
The sun returns in Sora Sora
Cute church ruins at Sora Sora

But first, we needed gasoline for Thirsty Bella. The Bolivian government makes it difficult for foreigners to fill up their tanks, as fuel stations need special systems and paperwork to make that happen. Plus, the price for non-Bolivians is more than twice what it is for locals. We believed using a jerry can circumvents some of these issues, but it sure is a hassle to get gasoline this way. Yet, that would be our approach.

My travel companion in Bolivia

Continue reading

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
Continue reading

Annual Expense Report of a Nomad – 2023 (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia)

January 25, 2024 / / 28 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, and 2022’s financial summary hides 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 costs is for Starlink hardware and monthly subscription fees. We bought our satellite dish in Lima, Peru, in September 2023.

In 2023, Mark, Maya, and I drove from Colombia through Ecuador and Peru into Bolivia with our truck camper Thirsty Bella. During this multiple-year South American overland journey, which started in November 2022, we have visited Colombia for six months, Ecuador for three, Peru for five, and Bolivia for over a month so far. That’s a lot of driving.

A beautiful but narrow gravel road in the Colombian Andes
Driving along a salt lake in Peru
One of the mountain roads during the rainy season
Narrow dirt road along the cliffs in Colombia
Welcome to Bolivia!

So, it is no surprise that the biggest expense category for last year was, once more, our vehicle, with over $3,200 going to fuel. We also bought a new hub for one of the wheels ($250), a safety kit required by local police, a cow horn just for fun, caliper pins, fluid, and cleaners for the brakes, a new taillight, grease, and oil filters. We also reimbursed the baggage fee for a friend who brought a sharp tool back from the US for us.

Fuel station in Colombia, where gasoline cost $2 per gallon
Mark brought a hub back from the US in his carry-on luggage
Button on the dash to make the cow horn moo
High fuel prices in Peru ($5/gallon)
Filling up with fuel in Peru

Other big car repair items were two oil changes ($200), which are more expensive in South America than in the US, security film for the car windows ($160), and an ignition coil ($85) with another one going towards this year already. Plus, we needed a mechanic to check a tire issue and someone else to fix six malicious punctures. Furthermore – and surprising – is the fact that we paid $151 in tolls, mostly in Colombia. These sure added up!

The metal rod that some criminals stuck into our tire in Soacha, Colombia
A Colombian mechanic discovers one of our hubs needs to be replaced.
Oil change in Pasto, Colombia
Security film for the truck windows

We extended our vehicle insurance in Colombia after deciding to stay an extra 90 days, bought liability car insurance for six months in the Mercasur countries (Bolivia and south from here), and spent a total of $55 on parking – in SA and in the US when Mark went back for a visit.

Car wash in Huaraz, Peru
Toll rates in Ecuador
Toll booth in Ecuador
Toll booth prices in Peru
Most toll booths in Peru are still burned down from protests in early 2023

Groceries cost $2,585 (averaging $215 a month). Not bad. Probably because the dining out amount is high, at over half that ($1,542)!

Colorful market in Colombia
I have a weakness for good European bakeries
Visit to a grocery store in Colombia
Produce market in Ecuador
Well-equipped grocery store in Peru
Lots of fruit on the markets in Peru

Being in “cheaper” countries means that we are splurging at restaurants much more than in the US, which is reflected here!

Eating out for lunch in Colombia with Sheri and Jeff
Vegetarian meal in Colombia
Mark’s birthday dinner in Jardin, Colombia
Dinner out: pizza!
Amazing vegetarian set lunch in Colombia
Afternoon splurge in Banos, Ecuador
Local day menu for lunch in Ecuador
Dinner at a local restaurant in Peru
Amazing seafood dinner in Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Amazing dinner at Teriyaki in Cusco, Peru
Fancy dinner out with Griet and Wim

The computer category is substantial, due to Mark requiring a new laptop and accessories, me needing a new smartphone (Google Pixel) as my original one was stolen in Cusco, and our decision to buy a Starlink satellite internet system for almost $500 in Peru. Hooking it up in our camper required extra parts and cables as well. Usually, our hosting fee is higher, but thanks to donations from you, dear readers, those costs related to the Roaming About website are taken care of.

Our new family member: Starlink
Installing all the wiring for Starlink
Finished three-day project: Starlink is now a part of our ceiling
My new phone, a Google Pixel 7a

Another higher-than-usual category is accommodation. In the US and Mexico, we pretty much boondocked (wild camped) for free 100% of the time. Because of logistical and safety issues, we have paid for campgrounds in Colombia and Peru. A third of the almost $1,000 for lodging went to renting Airbnb apartments and hotel rooms during the visit of my cousin and her husband in November and December and a two-night stay in Quito with friends.

Pay campground in Huaraz, Peru, where we took the camper off and just used the truck to reach amazing scenery high in the Andes
Airbnb in Quito
Paid campground in Ibarra, Ecuador
Spending a few nights at a pay campground in Medellin, Colombia
Our Airbnb in Santa Teresa, Peru

Of course, most of our nights we still camped for free on the edges of towns or in spectacular natural surroundings. Otherwise, this lifestyle would be unaffordable for us.

Camped in the Tatacoa Desert in Colombia
Parked for the night at a village square in Colombia during the holiday period
Camped for free by a quiet pond in Northern Ecuador
Wild camped in front of Cotopaxi Volcano in Ecuador
Wild camped in Ecuador, near Chimborazo Volcano
Camped on a beach in Peru
Wild camped in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru
Boondocked at the pretty Laguna Antacocha, Peru

Maya has lots of allergies. This means she eats a specific diet and dog food brand, which is more difficult to come by and much more expensive on this continent than in the US. Therefore, the dog category went up compared to last year. Despite us bringing three big bags into Colombia. Vet visits, on the other hand, are affordable here and our dog – touch on wood – has been pretty healthy on the road.

Maya gets weighed at the vet
One of Maya’s nails got ripped out on an escalator in Medellin, Colombia
Health certificate for Maya, leaving Ecuador
Maya needed a muzzle to enter the cable cars in La Paz, where we stayed for a month.

Even though we have our own mode of transportation, we end up spending a chunk of money for that category, no matter the location in South America. Mark has to fly back to the US once a year for health check-ups (I skipped mine in 2023) and, once we are camped near a main city, we use Uber, InDrive, taxis, minivans, tuk tuks, and cable cars to get around. Those forms of transportation added up to over $600 last year.

Efficient, clean, cheap, modern, and amazing cable car system in La Paz, Bolivia
Plane above Quito, Ecuador
Tuk tuk ride with Maya

The category one expects to be high when traveling the world is entertainment. Yet, we often find free activities, like hikes and viewpoints. I feel we didn’t skimp on excursions in 2023, visiting plenty of volcanoes, ruins, canyons, museums, and hot springs.

High-altitude hot springs in Colombia
Hot springs in Ecuador
Equator monument in Ecuador
Hot springs in Ecuador
Ventanillas ruins in Cajamarca
Archeological site along the Northern coast of Peru
Colca Canyon in Peru

Other tourist attractions that stood out were the Three Colored Mountains, the reed islands of Uros, and the Sacred Valley archeological sites in Peru and, of course, the biggie: Machu Picchu.

Three Colored Mountains in Peru
The reed islands of Uros in Puno, Peru
Moray Archeological Site in the Sacred Valley, Peru
Maras salt flats in the Sacred Valley of Peru
Machu Picchu

Our trio also paid to visit the Nazca and Palpa Lines, Gocta waterfall, a salt cathedral, and a bird sanctuary.

Gocta Waterfall in Peru
The Palpa lines and geoglyphs in Peru
Exploring the salt cathedral near Bogota with Maya, who was only allowed in this mine when seated in a stroller
Cantalloc Aqueducts in Nazca, Peru
The cock-of-the-rock bird or gallito de las rocas in a bird sanctuary in Jardin, Colombia

We used the cable car in Bogota, joined a few “free” walking tours, and I jumped off a bridge in Banos, Ecuador.

Cable car in Bogota, Colombia
Free walking tour in Medellin
Jumping off a bridge in Banos, Ecuador

Mark and I could do better with our alcohol expenses. But, especially when hanging out with friends, it’s nice to have a drink. Or two.

Homecooked dinner and wine with Valeria and David in Bella, Peru
Our rum selection with family

A massive change regarding utilities is our acquisition of Starlink in September 2023. We now have internet at our fingertips everywhere and all the time. The price for that is $70 a month, half of which is paid by our business. Since we replaced the RV’s propane fridge with an electric, compressor fridge, our cost for propane gas went down to $50 for an entire year, compared to $180 last year. Our potable water expenses were negligible.

Waiting to have our propane tank filled
Buying five gallons of emergency water

Every home needs maintenance, including a camper. Last year, we spent $342 on camper improvements inside and outside, like a propane hose, fridge thermostat, wood for a platform in the bed of the truck, water filters, screws, glue, caulk, and plexiglass for the Starlink installation.

Building and installing a wooden platform for the camper to sit on
Buying plexiglass and having it cut to size
Installing Starlink and the plexiglass in a dome of our ceiling

More than $200 went to drinking out in 2023; either with friends or just the two of us. This includes hot beverages and juices as well.

Drinks and dinner out with friends John and Susan in El Retiro, Colombia
Afternoon splurge at a café
Meeting fellow overlanders in Cuenca, Ecuador, for drinks
Pina Coladas on my birthday in Peru
Brewery visit with family in the Sacred Valley, Peru

The next categories down the list are birthday and Christmas gifts for family and friends, Customs and Immigration, mainly our three-month extensions in Colombia and a Bolivian visa for Mark, and medical, namely medicines at local pharmacies (no prescriptions are needed in most of Latin America) and a tooth exam and X-ray for Mark.

Christmas gifts of Baileys in La Paz, Bolivia
X-ray for Mark

Clothing and household items had the same number attached ($125) and enriched our cabinets and drawers. I bought a wool alpaca poncho, while Mark purchased a couple of alpaca sweaters in Ecuador and shorts in the US. Other (extra) clothing was obtained with gift money from my parents. They also sponsored a biking activity and two dinners out. Our household purchases contained a new router, vacuum cleaner, camping chairs, cutting boards, ice tray, and dishtowels.

My new alpaca poncho, bought in Huaraz
Packages brought to us by American friends Heather and Rodney
Mark’s new alpaca sweater, bought in Ecuador

Every year, we pay a $90 fee for the use of our Chase visa card. This allows us to collect points, which then can be redeemed for flights or other items, meaning the card is essentially free.

The miscellaneous category contains more than random expenses and toilet visits, or the amount would be lower. This is where we include souvenirs, mostly for me: a leather purse from Colombia, small paintings from Ecuador, and a Pachamama (Mother Earth) statue in Peru.

Little painting from Ecuador: Cotopaxi Volcano
Store in Jerico, Colombia, where I bought my leather purse
Little painting from Ecuador: Laguna Quilotoa

We also ran into a few obstacles with our “giant” camper, like a roof in Villa de Leyva in Colombia and another person’s car (his fault) in Huaraz, Peru. We reimbursed the owners for their tiles and side-view mirror.

Someone was parked on the side of the road, so we had to squeeze by and ran into this overhang with the top corner of our camper.
Pile of tiles on the sidewalk, after we ran into the roof overhang

The two remaining items in the report are laundry – quite low on a year basis, because we stayed with friends at times, who let us use their washing machine – and health & fitness, which resembles two haircuts for me, one in Colombia and one in Ecuador. Mark and I have clippers to cut his hair every other month.

Haircut in Villa de Leyva, Colombia
Laundromat in Colombia

2023 Overview:

Car (fuel: $3,203; maintenance: $972;

tolls: $151; insurance: $146; parking: $55):

Groceries:

Dining out:

Computer (hardware: $1,124; hosting: $44; software: $2):

Accommodation (Airbnbs, hotels, camping):

Dog (food: $525; supplies: $116; vet: $84):

Transportation (plane ticket M, Uber, taxis, cable cars):

Entertainment:

Alcohol:

Utilities (internet: $408; prop.: $51; water: $11):

Camper:

Drinking out:

Gifts (B-days, Christmas, NY):

Customs & Immigration (extensions Colombia; visa Bolivia M):

Medical:

Clothing:

Household:

Bank fees (Chase visa card):

Miscellaneous (souvenirs):

Laundry:

Health & Fitness (haircuts L):

 

TOTAL:

 

$4,527

 

$2,858

$1,542

$1,170

$993

$725

$616

$603

$592

$470

$342

$238

$217

$205

$155

$125

$125

$93

$88

$84

$13

———

$ 15,781

(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 maintaining 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.

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

Arequipa and Colca Canyon – Exploring Southern Peru in a Truck Camper

January 8, 2024 / / 22 Comments

After our crazy, stressful, and unexpected three-day “border run” to Bolivia, hoping to receive sixty extra days as a tourist in Peru (and eventually succeeding), Mark and I needed a quiet place to recover. Our next destination was Arequipa, but we were not in a rush.

Southern Peru
Visited Sites Southern Peru

First, we drove the three hours from the Kasani border to Puno, where we stocked up on groceries. Then, we continued for another two hours to a peaceful, remote lake, Laguna Sara Cocha, to rest and catch up on internet chores. Because the elevation was still quite high, at 13,800ft (4,200m), the nights were cold, so we couldn’t linger too long.

Welcome to Puno
Driving by Puno and its Lake Titicaca
Laguna Sara Cocha

Laguna Sara Cocha

When our trio arrived at the lake, we were happy to find a pretty, free camping spot, surrounded by alpacas and llamas. Perfect!

Camped for a couple of nights by Laguna Sara Cocha
Greeted by alpacas
This is llama and alpaca territory
Curious llamas and alpacas
Flamingos live at high elevations as well!

Imagine our surprise, when at 6am the next morning, a Sunday, we woke up to the sound of hundreds of cars driving by. If we wouldn’t know any better, we’d think we were parked next to a gravel highway! We were baffled by the commotion and brainstormed reasons as to why traffic had picked up so much. Did the inhabitants of the little hamlet nearby all go to church – in their own cars – in Puno? Nope. The cars were driving in the opposite direction, towards no-man’s land. A massive party in the middle of nowhere?

When vehicles surrounded Thirsty Bella and people got comfortable on blankets and in chairs near us, I inquired. Apparently, the annual car rally around the lake took place that day and spectators drove in early to pick good “podium seats”! Unbelievable. Our peace and rest would have to wait until the following day.

Camped close to the action
A car race in session

We embraced this unusual event and reveled in the families having fun on a Sunday morning and afternoon. By the end of the day, only garbage remained.

Laguna de Salinas

Continue reading

Peru, Take Two – Our Border Run to Bolivia

December 20, 2023 / / 27 Comments

Many months ago, back in Ecuador, I invited my cousin and her husband to join us in the Cusco area of Peru when it would be time for their “winter vacation” in November/December 2023. They had visited us many times before, mostly when sailing on our then 35ft catamaran Irie. The idea of having them travel with us on the Baja peninsula in Mexico two years prior fell through and, last winter, when we had just arrived in Colombia, a visit had seemed too soon.

Plans were set in motion, with the only potential caveat our allotted time in Peru upon entering the country. When we crossed that border between Ecuador and Peru the end of July, Mark and I asked, pleaded, and begged for a six-month entry stamp at Peruvian immigration, something we knew friends had been able to obtain, which was one of the reasons we had picked this particular crossing. Our request was denied.

We received 90 days in the country with a “visa” expiration date of October 27th. Not enough time to cover my family’s visit. Yet, we did not despair. Despite the extension system in Peru having just been scrapped in early 2023 due to all the indigenous protests, we knew of ways to get more time in the country and gave my cousin the green light for a trip to Peru.

Fast forward to the end of October, when our time in the country was running out and my family had their holiday in the Cusco area sealed: from November 20th to December 6th. We had heard and read and learned that it was possible to drive to the small border of Kasani in Peru, park the car, check out at immigration, walk across the border into Copacabana, Bolivia, check in and out of the country there, and return to Peru to receive another 60-day entry stamp. With that stamp, you could either apply for a TIP (Temporary Import Permit) extension for the vehicle online or at the border. So, that was the plan…

On October 25th, with a couple of days to spare (experience had taught us that officials in South America don’t like to deal with things too far ahead of time and many extensions and permits are issued last minute), Mark and I set our plan in motion. Not only was a positive outcome of this border run necessary to spend time with my family and friends who would return from Canada to Cusco during this period, we also had skipped Machu Picchu, Arequipa, and Colca Canyon – highlights in Peru – counting on being able to see them during our extra time…

Driving east along Lake Titicaca

Our water and fuel tanks were topped up, our fridge was relatively empty, and our Peruvian soles had been spent (an issue when trying to fill up in gas stations around Puno that didn’t accept credit cards), just in case we wouldn’t be allowed back into the country anymore. It was important to us that neither our camper, nor our dog left Peru to not make things more complicated.

Looking towards Bolivia from the parked camper

So, we parked Thirsty Bella in a parking lot on the Peruvian side of the border around 9am and walked to immigration to inquire about our options. The first officer I talked to made my heart sink: “You are only allowed to stay 90 days out of every 180 days. You will have to leave the country for three months if you want to come back.”

Continue reading

The Sacred Valley in Peru – As Overlanders

November 6, 2023 / / 29 Comments

After two weeks in Cusco, doing camper projects, running errands, being sick, and exploring the historic center, our plans turned a bit tricky. My cousin and her husband, perfect guests who visited us frequently when we sailed in the tropics, had booked plane tickets to join us in the Cusco area for two weeks, towards the end of November, following a two-week bus tour through Southern Peru. Nothing tricky about that, except for the fact that our immigration stamps expired the end of October…

Based on accounts from other overlanders, we believed we had a good chance to obtain another sixty days in Peru, at the border with Bolivia; an ordeal we’d have to figure out later and something I worried about for over a month. It was mid-October now and we had two weeks left in the country.

We expected to visit the Sacred Valley with my family, but what if we wouldn’t be allowed back into Peru? Were we willing to miss out on this country’s highlights, like Machu Picchu, Arequipa, and the villages and archeological sites in the Valle Segrado?

Mark and I opted for an in-between solution: we skipped famous Machu Picchu (expensive and a hassle to get to) – for now – and bought a two-day tourist ticket for 70 soles/$20 each to visit the highlights of the Sacred Valley. This would be a different way of traveling for us, who usually take it slowly, camping wherever it looks attractive. We had two days to explore five sites and two historic villages!

Location Sacred Valley in Peru
Highlights of the Sacred Valley

Pisac archeological site

From the Cusco campground, we headed uphill, past the trio of ruins we’d checked out previously, via a viewpoint that offered potable water from a spigot, to a pull-out along a quiet road for the night. The following morning, we descended into the valley and spotted the famous terraced hills of Pisac.

Getting potable water at a viewpoint
The terraces of Pisac, seen from the viewpoint
Incredible stonework and paths!

Traveling with a camper makes it easy to leave our dog behind, in a cool and shady environment with plenty of water. Mark and I braved the long climb to the citadel, breathing heavily in the thin air and taking many breaks.

The Pisac archeological site is a large Incan complex of agricultural terraces, residences, guard posts, watchtowers, and a ceremonial center along a mountain ridge above the town of the same name. It was built around 1440.

Fort-like structure when entering Pisac
Buildings at a lower level
View into the valley and over the switchback road to the ruins
Structures higher on the hill, a serious climb away
Meandering through the old fort

Little is known about the site’s actual purpose. Researchers believe that old Pisac defended the southern entrance to the Sacred Valley and was an observatory and religious site.

Famous terraces of Pisac
Walking over the top terrace to get to another side of the grounds
Well-maintained Inca wall
The terraces and valley seen from the other side
Climbing up and among the buildings of the upper part of the site
Remnants of the old Inca village of Pisac

The best way to explore this destination is by taking a taxi or minibus to the entrance, climbing the hill, and then following a path down to Pisac town. Since we had our vehicle with us, we only visited the top part of this impressive site.

A llama and an alpaca grazing in the old walls
Trying to leave this touristy site that had gotten much busier by the time we finished exploring
Quechua mother and child on our way down the mountain

Pisac town

Continue reading
Older posts

© 2024 Roaming About

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑