We traveled over 1100 miles in December. We visited natural wonders and ancient ruins in the Northern Highlands of Perú around Chachapoyas and Nuevo Tingo. We crossed the Andes Mountains on an often one-lane road with steep drop-offs in a tiny Combi. We hung out in Cajamarca, where we learned more about Perú’s ancient cultures and soaked up more of its natural beauty. We moved on to the coast and spent time in Perú’s second-largest city, Trujillo, where the uniqueness of the remains of its ancient civilizations and culture didn’t stop astonishing us. We spent a whole day on a bus to Lima, where we spent the night in someone’s home, before boarding another bus the next morning and heading for the magic of Paracas’ stunning landscapes and wildlife on the coast. We spent Christmas week in Jita and Lunahuaná, relaxing and checking out wine country in a river valley between clay mountains. We ended the month and the year on an island, Isla Galápagos de Pucusana, marveling at the sights from our balcony, a colorful fishing harbor, and wildlife soaring overhead.
Expenses
* A few notes about these expenses. Because Spanish classes are not a “normal” travel expense, I am presenting this expense separately from the total of everything else. In the past, I report exactly what actually comes out of my bank account each month, but since we may book one or two months of accommodations, transportation, or Spanish classes ahead of time, I’m now reporting not when I spent the money but what month the money was spent on.
Learning Spanish: $0
Everything Else: $2,512.98
The Grand Total: $2,512.98
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Learning Spanish
Although we still do our Duolingo lessons every day, most of our Spanish learning has become more practical.
In Nuevo Tingo we had a chat in Spanish with the owners of a restaurant. After they served us our meal, they sat down and engaged us in conversation. We talked about the nearby ruins, their kids, and Greg’s kids. I ran back to the hostel for some to-go containers, and on my return, I noticed two very bright stars in the sky right next to each other. I mentioned it to the restaurant owners and Greg. We ended the evening talking about the stars. Greg showed everyone his Google Star map and one of the owner of the restaurant had it downloaded before we left.
We went on two tours in Cajamarca, both conducted in Spanish. Our island tour in Paracas was conducted in both Spanish and English. I think we were the only ones to laugh at the jokes in both languages. We spoke to our host in Lunahuaná mostly in Spanish. We went on a winery tour conducted entirely in Spanish. We did a private island tour in Pucusana in Spanish, although most of the tour just consisted of pointing at birds and saying their names in Spanish.
We spoke Spanish with taxi drivers, bus employees, shopkeepers, and restaurant staff.
I burst out a few sentences in Spanish as I frustratingly tried to make a point about a mix-up in bus tickets.
Communication
Our December phone expenses ($63.88) included Greg’s US phone plan for calls and text only (base rate $20, plus calls at .20¢ a minute, and taxes). And my 4-country (Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, and Bolivia) phone and data plan, $16.01, which we purchased in Ecuador. We mainly keep Greg’s US phone plan so he doesn’t lose his number, and so he can make calls to his mother in North Carolina. I ported my phone number with Google Voice before we left the US, so I didn’t lose it (this was not an option with Greg’s phone). Originally, I thought I was unable to make and receive calls with Google Voice (although I can make and receive text messages and receive voice mails). But I discovered I was wrong when a friend called me on my number over Christmas while I was connected to Wi-Fi at our Airbnb. So we do have free Wi-Fi phone calls with Google Voice after all! Our phone expenses should be coming down in the future.
Consumables
Food has been an issue. We have been staying in numerous small cities without major grocery stores. This means we have been shopping at smaller stores and mercados with limited selection. We have had to go to many stores to find all the things we need. We’ve started buying food that we can carry with us in our backpacks – like a package of pasta, a bag of sauce (many items like mustard, ketchup, and pasta sauce come in bags here instead of cans or jars), and single serving bags of Parmesan cheese. This way we have something we can cook whenever we arrive in a new place without having to worry about if there are grocery stores nearby and how well they will be stocked.
Shopping at little markets is very different what we are used to in the US. Many little Peruvian markets don’t allow customers inside. We saw a little of this in Mexico but here in Perú it is much more common. You stand outside a gated store and peer between the bars to see what’s on offer, and tell the clerk what you require. This can make for a very slow process if there are other customers, if you are uncertain of what the store carries, and you have to use your bad Spanish for your inquiries.
At $346.97, I think our grocery bill was pretty good. It seems like food is cheaper here in Perú. We also had expenses for aluminum foil, $3.16. We carry foil for wrapping up leftovers and sandwiches for long bus rides. $18.47 was for Melatonin gummies for a little help sleeping.
Entertainment
– Drinks and Eating Out
We still ate out a bit in December, but we’ve found most places off the beaten path to be super cheap. And since we are packing more food in our backpacks to “at home,” our eating out expense has come down in December to $217.74, less than half of what it was in November ($455.15).
As vegetarians, we often have trouble finding places to eat, but surprisingly, we have also had some amazingly wonderful meals in some surprising places.
– Museums/Attractions/Music
We spent more money on attractions in December, $174.84. Because we don’t have our own transportation and because it can often be complicated to use public transportation to visit tourist sites, several times we decided to just take a tour. We have found that there are often lots of tourist agencies surrounding the plaza in a sizable city. And the tours are reasonably priced.
The biggest expense we had in the Attractions category was renting a scooter to ride around Reserva Nacional de Paracas. The rental, $32.21, was for all day, and they delivered it and picked it up from our hostel. So much better than taking a tour!
Personal
– Gifts/Charity
At our lodgings in Lunahuaná Greg made good friends with the owner’s grandson. Since it was Christmas, we bought him a big bag of candy, $7.23.
– Gear
I bought a cute change purse ($1.87) because we always end up with so many coins. Later that day, I lost it and all the change I had put into it. Luckily, the change didn’t add up to much — and perhaps a taxi driver or his next fare got a nice bonus.
– Subscriptions
Our usual subscriptions are to Netflix, Abode Photoshop, The New York Times, and Michael Fox’s (A freelance filmmaker, journalist, podcaster, and musician reporting from the road in Latin America) Patreon account. ($59.41). But the New York Times has raised their prices. They have also been sending Greg notices about an end-of-the-year sale. So I finally decided to take them up on the offer. I canceled my subscription and signed Greg up. But instead of following the Times link from their email, I just searched for the deal on the internet. Well, because I was searching from a computer in Perú, I discovered different prices — just $10 (instead of $50) for a whole year!
Traveling Life
– Storage
We pay $76 for a storage locker back in the US.
– Accommodations
The first day of December was spent at an Airbnb in Chachapoyas. You can read about what I thought about that place in our previous month’s expense report.
Nuevo Tingo, Perú
December 2-5, $24.75 per night (3 nights) room in a hostel with a dedicated bathroom/shower and shared spaces. (Booked through Airbnb)
After reading the reviews about the owner, Juanjosé, I decided I wanted to stay here. A Peruvian from Lima who speaks Spanish, English, and French, he was as helpful, kind, and generous as all the reviews said. He walked us to the teleférico for the Kelup Ruins and used his credentials to get us tickets faster. He booked us a combi to Cajamarca and a taxi to the bus stop. He stayed with us until we boarded the combi and were on our way to Cajamarca.
The accommodations were good. The room came with clean towels and tourist brochures. We had a dedicated bathroom. The shared kitchen was well-equipped and Jaunjosé provided clean drinking water.
Cajamarca, Perú
December 5-11, $33.18 per night (6 nights) one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. (Booked through Airbnb)
We booked this one because of the big window. I love natural light and a view. The apartment was very modern. It included an oven—a real luxury since many places either don’t have one or have one that is too complicated to use. We baked french fries! Unfortunately, the water from the shower didn’t get very hot.
The location was good, only about 4 blocks from El Centro.
Trujillo, Perú
December 11-16, $35.81 per night (6 nights) one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. (Booked through Airbnb)
This was another difficult decision. The place we picked was very modern-looking but small. Although it had some windows, they opened up to the front, where people parked and entered and exited the apartment building. We only opened the window shades enough to let in a little light.
The apartment was in a good location, a short walk from El Centro, shopping, and places to catch a bus.
Peruvian potato chips and chocolates welcomed us when we arrived.
Lima, Perú
December 16-17 $14.35 per night (1 night) room in a private home with a dedicated bathroom. (Booked through Airbnb)
It was going to be a long trip from Trujillo to Lima and we would only spend the night and then travel again the next day, so we needed something convenient to the bus station where we could sleep. This was a room in someone’s home. Although it was just about 4 blocks from the bus station we took a taxi when we arrived because it was dark. It probably took the taxi about a half hour to reach the apartment — traffic in Lima is crazy. The next morning, we walked with our packs to catch our next bus.
Our host was very nice. And we had a good rest.
Paracas, Perú
December 17-21, $28.00 per night (4 nights) private room in a hostel with a private bathroom. (Booked through Airbnb)
All the apartments I looked at in Paracas were expensive, so we decided to go with a hostel. I liked this one because of the balcony overlooking the street. It was in walking distance to the malecón and beach.
It was wonderful to have the doors open during the day, letting in a cool breeze. But for some reason the last day we were inundated by nasty little insects (termites, I think) that were attracted to the light and died and lost their wings overnight. The morning we left, the bathroom floor was covered with bug parts.
Jita, Perú
December 21-27, $33.71 per night (6 nights) private bedroom with a private bathroom with shared spaces in a hostel/homestay. (Booked through Airbnb)
We knew Christmas was going to be quiet for tourists, so we decided to spend it in a quiet place. Of course, I always want to go off the beaten track — and this place was very off that track in a super small town named Jita near a small town named Lunahuaná. The hostel was run by an older woman who lived on the property — or near it (I’m not really sure). She had a cute dog, several cats, and a grandson who was there almost every day. The property included a grape orchard for making pisco, a Peruvian liquor. The hostel was beautiful, decorated colorfully, with cozy spaces to relax, and a view of the mountains. There was a pool, books to read, and an outdoor kitchen. We had our own patio right outside the door to our room.
Pucusana, Perú
December 27-31, $81.48 per night (5 nights) two-bedroom, one-bath apartment on an island. (Booked through Airbnb)
And what do we do for New Years? Blow it out. Go to an island.
Again, we went off the beaten track. Apparently, even people who have lived in Lima, a little over an hour’s drive from Pucusana, have never heard of it. I found it by scanning the map for the most interesting place off the coast near Lima.
We had to take a boat to get to the island and then climb four flights of stairs with our backpacks, but the view was outstanding! Chocolates welcomed us on our arrival, and purified water was provided.
I feel like we were super lucky to rent this apartment, as it appeared that most of the other homes we saw were private family vacation homes.
– Transportation
We spent $274.91 on transportation in December.
We traveled in buses, taxis, combis, tuk-tuks, and boats for approximately 1130 miles.
Based on an average gas price of $4.16 per gallon in December in Peru, if we had been driving our van (which got approximately 15 miles to the gallon), we would have spent about $314. Somehow, we finally saved money by using public transportation. This number doesn’t include the tours we did and our scooter rental, things we probably wouldn’t have paid for if we had our own transportation.
Transportation confusion…
Transportation continues to be an adventure. In Perú, it can be even harder to figure out how to get places because in most places there isn’t one central bus terminal. Most bus companies have their own stations. And there are lots of them.
Our lack of understanding and lack of Spanish often caused us confusion. In Chachapoyas, we were trying to find a way to a neighboring town, Huancas, for a day trip. It wasn’t until after walking to two different bus terminals, speaking to people and not understanding, that a helpful person finally put us in a taxi to take us to a third location where we could catch a combi. We ended up not taking the combi, but taking the taxi all the way to Huancas. It wasn’t until we caught a combi back from Huancas, that we understood where people were trying to tell us to go. In Paracas, we did our due diligence and went to the Perúbus office to inquire whether there was a bus to San Vicente de Cañete. I asked the attendant in Spanish if there was a bus to San Vicente. She said yes and sold us tickets for the date we wanted to leave. When we showed up for the bus that morning, we found out that the bus didn’t go where we wanted to go, the bus went straight to Lima with one stop in Pisco. Apparently, there is a San Vicente in Lima and that’s where the woman thought we wanted to go. We asked for refunds on our tickets, but they wouldn’t give them to us, regardless of what we said. In my frustration, I even tried reasoning with them in Spanish. We ended up taking the bus (Tickets had cost us $100 soles, a taxi would have cost us 40 soles) and got off in Pisco. In Pisco, we paid for another bus to San Vicente.
But despite our miscommunications and general confusion, one thing I have convinced myself of is that there is always a way to get wherever we want to go. Some trips are just more interesting than others.
Interesting trips…
Once when we were in Jita we were trying to catch a taxi to a vineyard. We stood on the side of the road and when a car slowed down, flashed its lights at us, and then stopped, we hopped in. Besides the driver, there were other people in the car, two children and a woman. I thought that maybe the car was a colectivo situation (a car that picks up different people along a route). But the gratefully emphatic “gracias” we received from the mother after we paid 6 soles for the ride made us think this was just a family that stopped to pick up some tourists.
We’d previously avoided tuk-tuks when we had our backpacks, but in Imperial, I was surprised to learn that all of our luggage, us, the driver, his wife, and a child could fit into a tuk-tuk.
To get from Jita to our Airbnb in Pucusana we had 5 different legs of transportation. We caught a combi on the side of the road that took us to Imperial, where we caught a tuk-tuk to the bus station in San Vicente. From San Vicente, we boarded a bus to Pucusana. In Pucusana we were planning on taking a taxi into town, but locals convinced us to wait and get a combi instead. From the Plaza de Armas in Pucusana we walked to the waterfront where we caught a boat to the island where our Airbnb was located. All this to travel about 82 miles.
Over the mountain…
One of our most interesting journeys was probably our trip over the Andes Mountains from Nuevo Tingo to Cajamarca.
I had read that there were two routes from Chachapoyas to Cajamarca. One, a longer, less breathtaking route that would take us back towards Jaén (where we had come from just a couple of weeks earlier), or another, a breathtaking (sometimes breath-holding) route over the Andes up to 12,000 feet on a sometimes narrow one-way road with steep dropoffs and no guardrails. We chose the breathtaking route.
Our host, Juanjose, in Nuevo Tingo, booked us a combi to pick us up along the highway that ran through town. The morning of our departure, he arranged for a taxi to the highway and accompanied us to the pickup point. He stayed with us until our ride arrived, and we crammed ourselves and all of our stuff into cramped van. The road was bumpy and curvy. I soon became sick and threw up. Due to a prior experience, I was prepared with a bag. With that out of the way, I was able to enjoy the rest of the 10-hour trip through some stunning scenery. As we gained elevation, we passed through small settlements in the clouds. The road was sometimes paved, sometimes not. Sometimes there was enough room for cars to pass each other, but mostly not. At particularly narrow blind turns, our driver would honk his horn to alert oncoming traffic. He would often stop to clear rocks out of the road. There was evidence of landslides, with fallen boulders lining our path. Waterfalls threatened to wash the road away in some places. At one point, we passed a stranded semi-truck. Luckily it was at one of the rare wide places in the road. A few times a vehicle would have to back up so we could pass. Whenever we passed another combi going in the opposite direction, our driver would slow down, stop, and chat with the other driver. At some point in their chat, he would always reach out and grab the other driver’s hand. Perhaps he was saying, “Vaya con Dios y no se caiga del lado de la montaña.”, Go with God and don’t fall off the side of the mountain.
Right Now
We are in Lima at a 5-week house sit. It is great to be in one place for a while, to be able to have infinite food options of a big city, to be able to fill our fridge, and to not have to have the immediate worry about where we are going next and how to get there. The apartment we are staying in is big and comfortable. There is a maid who comes twice a week. The dogs are adorable!
And hopefully, I will have more time to write some posts. I know this one was long (it took me a long time to write), but there is so much to say just about the experience of traveling. I am trying to include details to make these posts useful to others planning a trip like this and interesting enough for those who just enjoy following along. I will definitely be keeping up with the expense reports, but my posts about the places we have visited might come a little later.
I hope everyone is having a good new year and for my friends on the road, traveling, and living life across the world, amazing adventures!
To see all of our expense reports, click here.
If you are interested in reading other expense reports from nomads who really know how to live cheaply while still having a good time, check out the blog from our friends Mark, Liesbet, and Maya who are traveling in their truck camper in South America at Roaming About.
If you are interested in becoming a Trusted Housesitter or having a Trusted Housesitter take care of your pet, use our link for 25% off!
It sounds like your Spanish is getting better!
Your description of the small grocery stores where you told them what you wanted and they brought it to you reminded me that grocery stores in the US used to be like that also. When I was 10 or 11 (1948 or 1949) we moved from public housing to an apartment closer to where my dad worked. The local grocery store was the type where you walked in to an area which was surrounded by counters on both sides and the meat counter at the back. You asked a clerk for what you wanted or handed them a list, which my mom would write out at home, and they would fetch the canned or packaged goods and set them down in front of you. When all the goods were collected they would ring them up on a cash register. There were several cash registers around the counters so multiple customers could be taken care of at the same time. The shelves behind the counter were very high and they had poles with grippers on the end to grab stuff that was too high to reach.
Eventually the store converted to the stores we are used to now (don’t know what year that was) where the customer walks down the aisles and selects the groceries and puts them in a cart. And eventually I ended up working there for 3 years when I was in college!
Have fun!