Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Wrapping Up a Year of RV Travel in Argentina – From Mendoza to Posadas

June 4, 2025 / / 30 Comments

Mark, Maya, and I set foot in Argentina for the first time on March 6th, 2024, coming from Chile and Bolivia. Sure, we hopped into Chile a few more times, and we enjoyed a three-month break in our home countries since then, but we feel we gave our explorations of Argentina a valiant attempt. So much so that, in the end, we couldn’t wait to leave. We realized that slow travel—while it has many advantages—can also wear you down in third-world countries.

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

After saying goodbye to our friends Heather and Jon in Mendoza, our trio headed east, with the Córdoba region as our first main destination. We stopped at a couple of places beforehand, but didn’t sleep well due to traffic noise and encountered restrictions in national parks because of Maya. After that, we gave up on Argentinian parks altogether.

What follows is a realistic account of our life and discomfort on the road, with a few sights thrown in. It wasn’t the best month we’ve had.

Route Northern Argentina

Dique Luján

We searched iOverlander for a quiet spot over Easter weekend and found a reasonable option by the dam of Luján. Coincidentally, we had picked a campsite close to a pilgrimage site with Stations of the Cross.

We managed decent walks with Maya and the sun finally gave us the warm weather we’d been waiting for after our coldest and wettest summer on record. But because of the heat, our fridge started acting up again—running too much, too hard, and draining the camper battery.

After one warm day, the clouds returned, power became precious again, and the wind picked up. The incessant shaking of the camper upset both Maya and our sleep. We had finally found a quiet place, but ended up moving in the middle of the night to find better wind protection among trees.

The following morning, we moved away from those same trees, fearing they might drop particles on the roof that would upset Maya. We found an open-air spot, but that didn’t help with power since it rained all day. We had to run the car for an hour just to charge the battery enough to work—our computers and Starlink need a lot of electricity. Mark and I also cleaned the fridge’s compressor with Q-tips and improved its ventilation. That helped it run more efficiently.

On Easter morning at 8am, teenagers in two cars pulled up next to us, opened their doors, and blasted music. We had planned to leave anyway, so we took off for a long day in the car.

Capilla del Monte

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Monthly Expenses of a Nomad in South America – April 2025 (Argentina)

May 2, 2025 / / 23 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. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the US East Coast. Other health issues are resolved locally and out of pocket where needed.

Mark, Maya, and I traveled throughout Argentina in  Thirsty Bella for the entirety of April. The last week, we mostly stayed put to save money, as the numbers were adding up quickly again! This way, we managed to keep our expenses within budget, despite a massive splurge, for which we used some donation money. 🙂

Previously, I mentioned the dollar was getting stronger against the Argentina peso, but that was short lived. After a week or so, both presidents, the local one and the US one, made changes that decreased its value. Argentina is becoming cost-prohibitive for us, so we are wrapping up our stay in this country.

Because of the uncertainty of the US economy thanks to the one in charge, we – as well as most Americans – have lost a bunch of our savings, causing more insecurity. The ripples are felt internationally, of course. On a personal level, we are working more than usually to make up for some of the losses. My blog updates might become less frequent, since there will be less to report and we’ll be stationary for longer periods of time.

On to the expense report of April. I will add some ways we try to keep our costs down. Fuel is the highest category once more. We drove about 1,700 miles (2,700km) in a month, which is a lot for us. We are ready to leave Argentina, so tried to cover ground north and east. Because of the lower exchange rate, the increased price per liter, and our crappy fuel economy of 10 mpg, our gasoline cost for this stretch was $524. Insane.

Still in the car category, $19 went to toll roads. Due to the height of our truck camper, we get charged twice as much as a normal car, which adds up at $4 a toll. We tried our best to avoid the booths as long as the extra distance wouldn’t be more costly in gas or the dirt roads wouldn’t become too annoying or time consuming. For our fifth oil change on the continent, we bought a $2 bucket.

We tried to be careful in the grocery stores, only buying items on sale and produce that was affordable.

Two factors influenced our $364 food cost in April: together with our friends Heather and Jon, we bought heaps of meat ($100 worth) and ingredients for side dishes when visiting European friends in Maipu, near Mendoza, for two nights. We wanted to give our ex-overlanding friends a break, culinary and financially. Unbeknownst to us, there was another (hungry) couple staying on the property.

And, our budget was relieved a bit by food items given to us by Heather and Jon, before they stored their camper in Mendoza and flew to the US for the summer. I am still enjoying their cheese, butter, and mayonnaise!

Our big splurge for April was a fancy lunch out at a Michelin-star restaurant (Zonda) in Luján de Cuyo with our friends. We figured it would be our only chance to ever eat in a star-rated place, so we decided to celebrate everyone’s anniversary early. Ours would be the end of April and theirs sometime in May.

Zonda was an exclusive affair and we enjoyed the different courses with wine pairings, but, since all of us have eaten in similarly renowned establishments before (Mark and I in the US, Belgium, Peru, and Bolivia) and could compare, we found the portions meager, the menu slightly uncreative (three dishes involved sorbet), and the service less professional than expected. That being said, the food and wine were tasty and of excellent quality and the company and fabulous time together trumped it all!

This seven-course meal set each couple back about $300, including tips. In our case, we finally used the generous Christmas donation from our supportive and kind follower HR and another donation of MD to set off the expense. All donations have now been used up.

I also treated myself to a three-scoop ice cream ($2) following the lead of Jon and Heather, which, believe it or not, had not happened since last September. It had been six months since I grabbed my previous ice cream treat from my mother-in-law’s freezer! Ice cream is still affordable in Argentina. Now that I know this, I might repeat this experience.

Just like in March, we only ate out once, also for a special occasion, which means that our other meals were cooked at home; it’s healthy, tasty, and affordable.

Regarding alcohol ($76), Mark and I bought wine from grocery stores – we enjoy red Malbec and white Torrontés the most in Argentina – and had a little “stock-up” at our favorite winery of all times, Giaquinta in Tupungato.

The utility cost went up because of the worse exchange rate. Our Starlink antenna for internet is registered in Argentina, so this affects our total. Half of the monthly subscription price is reflected here, since our business pays for the other half. We topped up our propane tank as well, for $17. All the water we added to our tank in April was free.

Most of the month, we camped for free in nature and on the edges of cities, which was a mixed bag between noise and peace.

Two nights, however, we stayed at a campground called Valentin Storage to see our friends again and to focus on chores like an oil change, cleaning the car and camper, and laundry.

I was out of birth control pills, which I usually get for free in the US or buy abroad for $1-$2 a month. Not in Argentina! When I finally found a pharmacy that carried the medicine with the correct balance of ingredients, I was charged $8 for one strip. I bought it, thinking I wouldn’t find it elsewhere. After checking one more pharmacy in Córdoba and being quoted $5 for the same thing, I bought it and returned the other pack by walking another mile. Yes, we do those things to save a few dollars. Don’t get me started on the hassle involved when we discover the supermarket receipt is incorrect! 😊

Mere dollars went to laundry (I did one load of sheets, towels, and heavy clothes at the campground and washed everything else that month by hand), sending a fax to a health institution for Mark to get Power of Attorney for his mom, and a museum visit for me. More about that one in an upcoming blog.

So, all in all, we kept it manageable in April, but we really tried hard to stay under our $1,300 average. We are now heading to Paraguay, counting on a cheaper cost of living. Stay tuned!

April 2025 Overview:

Car  (fuel: $524; tolls: $19; maint.: $2):

Groceries:

Dining out:

Alcohol:

Utilities (Internet: $41; propane: $17):

Camping:

Medical (meds Liesbet):

Laundry:

Miscellaneous (fax):

Entertainment (museum Liesbet):

 

TOTAL:

 

$545

$364

$196

$76

$58

$20

$5

$3

$2

$2

———

$ 1,271

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

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

Next up: Completing our year-long travels throughout Argentina

If you are enjoying these posts, please consider donating to Roaming About in support of our website and lifestyle. A big thank you to all our readers who have helped out in the past!

Coming Full Circle in Mendoza, Argentina

April 28, 2025 / / 28 Comments

While we were camped at a peaceful lake in Central Chile, snow was predicted in the mountains, where the border stations are located. Since Maya’s international health permit was expiring soon, we needed to prevent getting stuck because of road or frontier closures. So, at the end of March, Mark, Maya, and I left Chile with no intention to return. Unless we decide to sell our truck camper in Santiago, its capital, whenever we are done with this adventure. 

Loncopué

Entering Argentina for the last time was smooth, but involved a lot of bumpy roads and disappointing campsite hunts for one reason or another; the strong winds, incessant traffic noise, and an anxious Maya being the main culprits. We encountered countless sleepless nights on our drive north. 

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

When we moved to a different town and found a relatively peaceful, wind-protected, and grassy spot among the herds and shepherds moving their animals from their summer grounds in the Andes Mountains to the winter valleys and farms, we felt better. It was cool to be a part of “the pack.”

Here are two videos to get a better feel of the camping scene:

Caviahue

Then, it was time for an unexpected highlight in Argentina. Caviahue contained a few attractions based on our resources, but it was located at an even higher elevation, meaning it would freeze at night. Since this causes condensation and discomfort issues, we wanted to keep our time there to a minimum and managed to complete all our excursions within 24 hours.

First, we drove to this fascinating, beautiful, and diverse area and hiked along a clear lake to a stone bridge. Erosion had impacted the volcanic rock here, creating this natural arch.

Then, we reached and admired patches of monkey puzzle trees. Also called Araucaria (or Pehuen in the local language), it is the national tree of Chile and of the Argentinian province, Neuquén, where we found ourselves. 

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The Lake Districts of Argentina and Chile

April 21, 2025 / / 25 Comments

Leaving Chile

It was a bit tricky, but Mark and I managed to get a vet check-up and international dog permit for Maya in Futaleufú over the span of three hours and for a total cost of $28. Unfortunately, unlike her other permits, this one was only valid for 30 instead of 60 days. It would keep us moving!

The same afternoon, we left the country and crossed into Argentina on washboard roads, aiming for six things in one week: sunnier weather on the other side of the Andes Mountains, better roads, cheaper fuel, no ferry schedules/costs that were mandatory on the Carretera Austral, an affordable laundromat, and a full propane tank. After accomplishing those goals, we’d return to Chile for about three weeks.

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

In Esquel, our first town in Argentina, we failed dropping off our laundry and it took multiple attempts to find a decent camping spot. We did manage to fill our fuel and water tanks for almost half the price than in Chile!

The next stop was Rio Azul, where we planned to take a mini-break from the road for a few days and sit out bad weather. We did have to move once, because it rained so much that the river rose rapidly and we worried about being flooded.

Bariloche, Argentina

The idea was to – urgently – fill our propane tank at a depot on the way north to Bariloche. We were now on paved roads, the sun had returned, and progress was smooth. We had confirmed this depot was open on a Saturday morning, but when we arrived, desperate for gas to cook, shower, and heat Bella, the people capable of filling international tanks didn’t work during the weekend. The facility was only open to swap Argentinian tanks… Right.

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Life of a Prehistoric Nomad – Guest Post by Author Jacqui Murray

April 16, 2025 / / 73 Comments

Note from Liesbet: Ever since I discovered Jacqui’s blog, WordDreams, I’ve been fascinated by her prehistorical fiction writing and characters and I’ve been impressed by the amount of research, passion, and skill that goes into creating her three trilogies that make up her Man Vs. Nature saga. Here is my review for Born in a Treacherous Time, the first book in her first trilogy, Dawn of Humanity.

Previously, I gave her a shout-out on Roaming About in 2021, when Laws of Nature, book 2 in Dawn of Humanity came out and she provided a guest article in 2022 about the wanderlust of prehistoric nomads, to promote Natural Selection, the third book in that series.

Badlands

Jacqui launched her third trilogy in the Man Vs. Nature saga this year. It’s called Savage Land and the second book in this set, Badlands, was just released. Jacqui has been as interested in our lifestyle as I’ve been in that of her characters. As “modern-day nomads”, Mark, Maya, and I don’t have a lot in common with our roaming ancestors, but we are almost as curious about what’s behind the horizon! 🙂

Over to you, Jacqui. If anyone has questions for my author and blogger friend, please ask them in the comment section. She will check in to elaborate and interact.

Thank you for inviting me to your blog today, Liesbet, to talk about the lifestyle of the Neanderthal characters in my newest book, Badlands. Neanderthals lived in a vast swath of Eurasia, from the Atlantic shore to the Altai Mountains in Siberia. They migrated often in response to the movement of herds, the fruiting of trees, and the weather. Evidence left behind in their home-of-choice, caves, shows they stayed there for only a few weeks to a month before moving on.

Why were Neanderthals nomadic?

The reasons for the Neanderthal nomadic lifestyle is similar to those of today’s nomads:

  • They were hunter-gatherers. Herds moved so the Neanderthals moved. Edible plants expired or grew–tribes followed them. Their lifestyle was to use different resources in different places.
  • They lived in small groups. They moved around to find more of their kind, to mate with and pairmate–to continue the species.
  • Each group shared their skills with other Neanderthal tribes.
  • They didn’t own materials–clothing, weapons, tools, pottery, jewelry, artwork. They believed materials were shared by all. They took with them what they could carry in their hands (spears and club-like cudgels) and (I speculate) in a shoulder sack (stone tools, extra pelts, travel food, an ember to start a fire). Since they owned nothing and what they had could be reproduced, there were no reasons to establish a home to keep their belongings as we-all do.

Today’s nomads

The modern-day Hadza (also known as the Hadzabe) are historically nomadic, moving with the seasons. They have been doing this for the last 50,000 years. Neanderthals disappeared 45,000 years ago, though they didn’t make it as far south as Africa. They never would have known the Hadza, but their lifestyles overlap with a lot of similarities despite the massive difference in time.

If you’re interested in the lifestyle of modern hunter-gatherers who are as old as the Neanderthals in my story, check out this 43-minute (slow and raw) documentary, viewed by over 2.4 million:

Here is some more information about Jacqui Murray and her new trilogy, Savage Land:

Summary

Savage Land is the third prehistoric man trilogy in the series, Man Vs. Nature. Written in the spirit of Jean Auel, Savage Land explores how two bands of humans survived one of the worst natural disasters in Earth’s history, when volcanic eruptions darkened the sky, massive tsunamis crossed the ocean in crushing waves, and raging fires burned the land. Each tribe starring in the story considered themselves apex predators. Neither was. That crown belonged to Nature and she was intent on washing the blight of man from her face.

In Endangered Species, Book One of the trilogy, Yu’ung’s Neanderthal tribe must join with Fierce’s Tall Ones—a Homo sapiens tribe–on a cross-continent journey that starts in the Siberian Mountains. The goal: a new homeland far from the devastation caused by the worst volcanic eruption ever experienced by Man. How they collaborate despite their instinctive distrust could end the journey before it starts or forge new relationships that will serve both well in the future.

Cover Badlands

In Badlands, Book Two, the tribes must split up, each independently crossing what Nature has turned into a wasteland. They struggle against starvation, thirst, and desperate enemies more feral than human. If they quit or worse, lose, they will never reunite with their groups or escape the most deadly natural disaster ever faced by our kind.

Join me in this three-book fictional exploration of Neanderthals. Be ready for a world nothing like what you thought it would be, filled with clever minds, brilliant acts, and innovative solutions to potentially life-ending problems, all based on real events. At the end of this trilogy, you’ll be proud to call Neanderthals family.

Book information Badlands:

Print, digital, audio available: http://a-fwd.com/asin=B0DFCV5YFT

Genre: Prehistoric fiction

Editor: Anneli Purchase

Author bio:

Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman , the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes 100+ books on tech into education, reviews as an Amazon Vine Voice and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics.

Excerpt of Badlands

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Monthly Expenses of a Nomad in South America – March 2025 (Argentina & Chile)

April 7, 2025 / / 24 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. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the US East Coast. Other health issues are resolved locally and out of pocket where needed.

In March, Mark, Maya, Thirsty Bella, and I left the Carretera Austral in Chile and explored the Lake Districts in that country and in Argentina.

We hopped back and forth between Argentina and Chile a couple of times.

Before I get into our expenditure details of last month, I want to say something about our income. Throughout my blog posts, I mention that we both work on the road. Yet, some of you are still surprised about us trying to make a living, not being retired (will we ever?), or the extra challenges that come with the need to earn money.

Mark and I have been nomads for 20+ years and we have had several jobs during that time. (I elaborate on those in my sailing memoir Plunge.) Otherwise, we couldn’t have traveled this long and this far. And, no, we don’t have rental income or a property anywhere. Our camper – and whatever it holds – is all we own, apart from a few boxes of memorabilia, stored with family in Belgium and the US.

At the moment, since my translation and proofreading jobs have dried up, Mark and I both work as freelancers, completing different tasks that aim to improve AI. While Mark’s work is straightforward, steady, and poorly paid, my projects are sporadic, specific, complicated, and with a higher hourly rate. Rarely, our monthly income covers our expenses. We still have to dig into savings to support ourselves. That’s the reason we need to spend less money. We always try…

Which brings me to our expenses of March, during which we did not succeed to live frugally. As a matter of fact, it was an expensive month. But if you look at the details, it is easy to understand why our total reached $2,000; many hundreds of dollars above our average.

As you’ve come to expect, the car category is the highest again. We actually left Chile to cover a substantial distance in Argentina, where the gasoline is cheaper, before returning to Chile. Still, we spent $419 on fuel. Since motor oil (as well as any imported products) are cheaper in Chile than in its neighbor, we bought enough for our next oil change (7 liters), at a price of $49. The rest of the “car money” went to tolls ($4) and a parking lot for a hike ($3).

Filling up with gasoline in Argentina

The extra category that made our total “jump” was an occurrence that we usually attend to in April or May: Mark’s annual summer visit to Massachusetts for health care and family reasons. He and I were loosely chatting about where in South America he should leave from in July, while Maya and I stay behind. I’m confident we will be in Brazil by then, so he looked into plane rides from São Paulo (more affordable than Rio de Janeiro), and, before I knew it, he had booked flights, because the price was right. Indeed, $435 for a return journey between São Paulo and Boston is a good deal!

Our grocery bill went up again, because we bought a few things in Chile that are not available, or twice the price, in Argentina. We do feel $400 a month for food shopping in third world countries is on the high side. To be honest, we can’t wait to reach cheaper countries again after more than a year of expensive shopping.

And, since we would leave Chile indefinitely in March, we stocked up on Maya’s dog food ($200) as well, for reasons mentioned above – it’s either not available or more expensive elsewhere in South America. Unless Brazil surprises us! Now, she can keep eating her high-end, salmon-based, chicken-less kibble for another six months or so. We needed a new international health permit for her to cross into Chile as well.

Mark and I went rafting in Chile, which you might have read about in my previous post. Yes, for the privilege of almost drowning, we paid $188. Other than that unfortunate glitch, it was a lot of fun. I’ll mention here that the US dollar kept devaluating against the Chilean peso. So, while a year ago 1,000 pesos amounted to one USD, this was not the case anymore in 2025. Another reason the scales are shifting towards Argentina again, where the US dollar is becoming stronger.

Mark celebrated his birthday on March 1st, so we could potentially have added all our activities for that event under the gift category, but we didn’t. The rafting trip is mentioned above and other related expenses below. Because we changed plans, we arrived in Futaleufú that day, allowing us to enjoy a fabulous, fancy dinner at an excellent restaurant. The cost was $80. The other $11 for “dining out” went to empanadas and a portion of French fries bought at street stands.

We only ate at a restaurant once in March and that was for a special occasion. All the other dinners were cooked and consumed at home.

A bottle of Bacardi rum and a myriad of Malbec, Carménère, and Chardonnay wines constituted our $56 bill for alcohol. Thanks to a donation from MD, this number wasn’t higher. 😊

Dinner al fresco

While we were heading north on the Carretera Austral in Chile (where no facility fills propane bottles), we were running low on propane gas, causing us to be super careful using the heater. We often felt cold inside the camper. This precaution allowed us to reach Argentina, where American tanks can be filled, either at depots or by the gravity-fill method. Unfortunately, the facility we planned to get our tank full again didn’t have crew on Saturday morning to help us out, despite the depot being open…

This meant we had to make it to a bigger town before noon (when businesses close for the weekend), namely Bariloche. Three attempts later, we found a man willing to sell us propane… at the crazy price of $5 per kilo (or $45 for a full tank). Since we were in a bind – our tank was utterly empty by then, because we had confidently run the heater in the morning, thinking we’d get propane an hour later – we had him fill half our tank. Only to repeat this cautious and stressful procedure a month later. Our next camper will NOT have a propane system.

And we paid the usual monthly subscription to Starlink for our satellite internet ($36). Our business takes care of the other half. A better exchange rate in Argentina saw a slight drop in this fee.

Mark never wants anything for his birthday, so we went rafting and I bought him some goodies – Belgian-style beer and homemade jelly – in a small grocery store. This year, I didn’t even have access to a Western-style supermarket to spoil him.

On his birthday, we also went out for a drink at a brewery in Futaleufú, something we rarely do. It was nice to just listen to music and relax on a patio with Maya. Until it got too chilly.

Anyone who follows us on Facebook might have seen multiple series of photos of us doing laundry in the icy Patagonian rivers. We continued that tradition in March, since laundromats are, really, very expensive.

One shop charged $1 per piece of clothing; sheets, sweaters, towels, and jeans didn’t count. Well, those are the exact items that are difficult to hand wash! Luckily, lake water is warmer than river water! We eventually found a shop where we dropped off our sheets and bigger items for a total of $10.

The last two categories were peanuts. We bought more painkillers, since the container of Tylenol we brought back from the US is going fast, due to my frequent headaches and migraines. And, we needed a new spray bottle for a bleach solution to attack the mold created by condensation and frigid weather.

Every night in March, we camped for free. We enjoyed most of these quiet places in nature.

In April 2025, we will still be driving a lot – this continent is big – but we will do our best to stay within our budget.

March 2025 Overview:

Car  (fuel: $419; oil: $49; tolls: $4; parking: $3):

Travel (flights Mark):

Groceries:

Dog (food: $197; permit: $28):

Entertainment (rafting):

Dining out:

Alcohol:

Utilities (Internet: $36; propane: $17):

Gifts (B-day Mark):

Drinking out:

Laundry:

Medical:

Household:

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

$475

$435

$395

$225

$188

$91

$56

$53

$19

$11

$10

$4

$2

$0

———

$ 1,964

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

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

Next up: The Life of a Prehistoric Nomad – a guest post by author and blogger Jacqui Murray

If you are enjoying these posts, please consider donating to Roaming About in support of our website and lifestyle. A big thank you to all our readers who have helped out in the past!

Rafting the Rambunctious Futaleufú River in Chile – From Exhilarating to Life-threatening

March 30, 2025 / / 35 Comments

My previous blog post about the Carretera Austral in Chile was getting too long, so I’m reporting on our rafting trip in Futaleufú separately. This cute town is located near the border with Argentina, two hours from the Carretera via a really bad dirt road. Mark and I booked a tour with Rio Futaleufú Rafting for March 3rd, which would have the least amount of rain in the forecast. We left Maya at home for six hours, a record for her, and looked forward to this exciting adventure.

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

I love, love, love rafting. In my book, it is the most fun and thrilling excursion one can experience; the more rambunctious and frequent the rapids, the better. The action of rushing through the water, frantically paddling to the instructions of the guide, and being one with the elements is invigorating. And that’s how this ride started out.

Our group consisted of two rafting guides, two rafts, eleven rafters, and three support crew in individual watercraft. Everyone was equipped with a wetsuit, undershirts, booties, a rain jacket, a life vest, a helmet, and a paddle.

After some instructions ashore, we practiced commands on the water and got to know each other better. Each of our six-person team had rafted before. Mark and I did so in Costa Rica 19 years ago and my first rafting trip was in New Zealand, when I backpacked in Southeast Asia and Down Under at age 25. It had been a while, since rafting isn’t cheap.

Every river is different and the Futa is famous for its high density and frequency of Class IV and Class V rapids. Mark and I had never rafted a Class V stretch of water, so we’d paid for the longer session ($92 per person, including photos) to experience them. Within the first five minutes of floating down the foamy river (the water level was quite high), we were soaking wet and loving it. We rushed through the sequences of Class IV rapids, smiling wide, and most of our group jumped down a 20-foot-high cliff just for the fun of it.

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The Carretera Austral – Chile’s Famous & Scenic Road through Patagonia

March 25, 2025 / / 32 Comments

Paso Roballos Border

After a quick clearing out process at the remote Paso Roballos border in Argentina – and receiving a rare exit stamp – entering Chile was supposed to be easy. Fast. Straightforward. Uneventful. Well…

First, about twenty people were waiting to clear out of Chile, filling out forms and not having applied for the right paperwork online. Mark and I were the only ones entering, but we couldn’t cut the line in front of the one window. So, we waited for over an hour.

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

When we finally approached the booth, the officials seemed to be surprised we were actually arriving in Chile. I guess they hadn’t seen our giant cow-like camper through the window, on the Argentinian side?

Since this is a police-manned post instead of the usual offices of immigration, customs, and agriculture, reports of 5-minute crossings abound. What we found, however, was a team of unhelpful and inefficient cops. Our paperwork was in order, yet, we were told to wait in our car until “Interpol confirmed our identities.” How long would that take? What about them keeping our passports and original car title? Oh, and it was raining as well.

After another hour of sitting in the cab of our truck, one of the uniformed men opened the gate and motioned us to drive forward. He handed us back our important, now water-stained documents. Because it was after 5pm already and too late to make it to our next destination of Cochrane, we spent the night by a historic building in Patagonia National Park.

At 1am, when the relentless wind shook the camper violently, preventing us from sleeping, we moved behind the protection of trees. Our neighbors did the same.

Patagonia National Park

Usually, dogs are not allowed in national parks and there are steep entrance fees, but because pretty Patagonia NP envelops the bouncy dirt road to the border, anyone can drive through. So, that’s what we did. We kept Maya in the car and skipped the trails. Instead, we observed this special and somewhat spiritual park through our car windows.

We stopped by the visitor center to pay our respects at the grave of Douglas Tompkins, an American philanthropist and conservationist, who was responsible for founding this park and preserving millions of acres of land in Chile and Argentina.

Cochrane

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The Real Patagonia – Welcome to the Mountains of Southern Chile and Argentina

March 19, 2025 / / 34 Comments

Ushuaia, the southern-most city of the South American continent, was a pleasant surprise with its excellent free camping, well-developed trails, and beautiful mountain scenery. But, by the time we left in our camper, Mark and Maya had been there for five weeks and I for over three, due to my 10-day trip to Antarctica.

Needless to say, Mark was more than ready to head north again, especially since the weather had turned rainy. So, from the moment I disembarked the MV Ushuaia, we topped up our propane tank, received copies of our dog paperwork from the friendly attendant after asking for this favor, and left. Mark had taken care of groceries, fuel, and drinking water during my absence.

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

We made decent progress that first day I was home, but I felt like I was thrown right back into our challenging lifestyle. Extremely strong headwinds made the drive dangerous and ruined our fuel economy. We lost an hour at a fuel station near the border with Chile, because they were out of gas. We waited for the tanker to supply the station and filled up our truck and a jerrycan. This container travelled at my feet and was leaking profusely, spilling liquid and fumes. At the border in Chile, officials took all our beans and lentils, which had never been a problem before. And, the next morning, we woke up to a flat tire!

Day two started with a tire repair kit that didn’t work, us installing the spare tire before the relentless wind picked up, and Mark discovering that the flat was caused by the car reversing onto a screw that had fallen off our own camper due to all the bumpy, gravel roads! Irony is ever a big part of our lives. We left Tierra del Fuego on a ferry and continued our journey north to the real Patagonia, covering a chunk of miles every day.

That day ended unexpectedly as well. We had parked at the only level spot, in front of a small, seemingly abandoned boat that rested on the grass, not on a trailer. At 10:30pm, commotion outside had us up and about. You guessed it. Exactly on this particular Sunday evening, someone needed to pick up this particular boat! So, we moved. This one had us laugh out loud…

A detour to Punta Arenas was necessary to get our tire fixed with the last local cash we had and to stock up on groceries, Chilean pesos, alcohol, and Maya’s dogfood. You have no idea how much Mark and I had been looking forward to visiting these decent, affordable stores. We could finally splurge on a few items that are unavailable or unaffordable in Argentina!

The next town in Chile, Puerto Natales, also required a stop for more errands. We dropped off our dirty sheets, towels, and jeans, made dentist appointments for teeth cleanings, topped up with potable water, took Maya for a walk, and did work and research while waiting for our laundry to be done. I started to feel sicker and realized I must have picked up a bug on the expedition ship.

One of the main attractions in this part of Patagonia is Torres del Paine National Park. We had found an amazing free camping spot in iOverlander, one that friends had recommended, and looked forward to resting up and working in this pretty location, across from a river and the incredible park.

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Monthly Expenses of a Nomad in South America – February 2025 (Argentina & Chile)

March 9, 2025 / / 24 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. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the US East Coast. Other health issues are resolved locally and out of pocket where needed.

In February, Mark, Maya, Thirsty Bella, and I explored an attractive part of Patagonia. The first week, we drove north in Argentina and the rest of the month, we bounced on the gravel, potholed Carretera Austral (Ruta 7) in Chile.

While it is still summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the rainy weather has made our time here less pleasant. But more about that in future posts.

This expense report could well be the most straightforward one ever. Nothing complicated, unexpected, or weird happened. And, despite fuel being at an all-time high (I say this every month) at $670 (!), we stayed on budget. This record amount accounted for more than half of our expenditures in February! Blame all the driving, the awful roads, and the high fuel prices in Chile ($6/gallon).

Our grocery bill is back on track at around $300. We didn’t come across “real” supermarkets, so have been buying our bread at bakeries, our produce at vegetable shops, and other necessary goods at convenient-store like establishments. We buy what we need, rarely what we want.

Once we reached Chile, we ate out again! Empanadas in Cochrane that consist of ground beef, boiled egg, an olive, and a raisin (beware of the pit in the olive; yes, many dishes containing olives down here, like pizza, still have pits); a tasty fish lunch in Tortel; an incredible pizza in Puerto Rio Tranquilo; and a set lunch menu in La Junta. None of this was cheap, but the total remained under $100.

As usual, most of our meals were cooked and eaten at home. I’ll never tire of Mark’s cuisine, but when he’s busy, working, or tired, I take over.

We also paid for excursions in February. An intended highlight was a boat tour on stunning General Carrera Lake to the famed Marble Caves ($54). The trip didn’t really go according to plan, but we still enjoyed the experience. And, the three of us walked up to Las Manos in Cerro Castillo, to observe rock art in the form of hand paintings ($6). I’ll report on these Chilean attractions later.

Our engine still contains two generic injector coils that we purchased new in Bolivia over a year ago and that we ideally replace with OEM ones. Mark ordered one on Amazon (he always waits for the best available price – one more to go) and, when discovering that an unopened tube of caulk had gone off after we separated our camper from the truck for a repair, we had to hunt for caulk locally. Again, we only found a temporary solution. These two items brought the camper repair category to $58.

Life is more enjoyable with a glass of wine, so we spent $54 on alcohol: some local beers for Mark and a few bottles of wine for both of us. The $39 for utilities went to our monthly Starlink subscription. The exact amount depends on the exchange rate for Argentinian pesos. Our company pays the other half. Filling up with potable water was free.

For once, we needed to stay at a campground, because we had to wash the car, take our camper off, and fix parts of the box. We managed to keep it to one night.

In general, we wild camp and avoid official campgrounds for several reasons (just like marinas when we sailed). Boondocking/wild camping is free, offers privacy, flexibility, and natural surroundings; you don’t have to reserve or register; and there is no check-out time. So that’s what we did the other 27 nights in February. Although we were rarely alone then, too!

The last item of this month’s expense report is laundry ($10). Mark and I have been washing, rinsing, and drying our clothes and linen in nature most of the time. The river water in Patagonia is extremely cold, but the sense of accomplishment – within our own time and space – after finishing a load, or three, is immense. That being said, we do wish laundromats get cheaper as we head north, especially since it has been raining non-stop, lately. This means lots of dirty clothes and no option of drying anything out.

The grand total for February was $1,307, so right on track. But we do need to start spending less on fuel!

February 2025 Overview:

Car  (fuel):

Groceries:

Dining out:

Entertainment (Marble Caves & Las Manos):

Camper repair:

Alcohol:

Utilities (Internet):

Camping:

Laundry:

 

TOTAL:

 

$671

$306

$94

$60

$58

$54

$39

$15

$10

———

$ 1,307

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

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

Next up: The real Patagonia!

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