My Adventures in the Dominican Republic in 2017 (1) - by Anne Shier

(In the city of Punta Cana, D.R.)

DAY 1 – Friday January 13, 2017:

Today was an exercise in perseverance, tolerance, and a challenge of the ability to adapt extremely quickly to changing circumstances.  It was a day in which I got almost no sleep from the time I woke up Thursday morning just after 8:00 am so that I could go to the chiropractor till the time I started writing this journal.  It is now after 8:00 pm on Friday night and we’ve just finished eating our first dinner at this brand new resort called the “Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia” in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and it is so new, guests have only been registering here for the last two months!

I have been up about thirty-six hours now and I never thought I would ever say that and mean it.  But, Brent was up even longer than that.  He had worked sixteen grueling hours on Wednesday just so that he could get Thursday off and prepare for our trip.  He was the one who would drive us all to Pearson International Airport, then drop his car off at his workplace nearby, and then grab a ride from a buddy at work so that he could get back to the airport.  As a result, Dave, Brent, James, and I were about to embark on an adventure that I’m sure will not be equaled anytime soon.

It’s not that this resort in the Dominican is so remarkable; it’s just that we are only human and that today somehow, we had decided for ourselves that we were going to do whatever it took to go on this adventure-of-a-lifetime and enjoy it no matter what.  As it turned out, the plane trip took about five hours, including the time zone change of one hour; then the trip through Punta Cana International Airport seemed to take forever because we had to keep showing our passports as well as our declarations to border officials.  Then, to top it all off, the bus trip to the resort also seemed to take forever.   We sat in the bus in the crowded parking lot waiting and waiting and waiting for God knows how long for God knows who – missing passengers , no doubt.  I was so tired by this time, I finally dozed off once the bus started moving and dreamt that I was still on the plane and that we hadn’t landed yet and, not only that, we weren’t going to land anytime soon.

About twelve hours after Brent had picked me up at Homewood Suites in Ajax - as we’d arranged for just after 4:00 am - we finally arrived in Punta Cana by plane at just after 1:00 pm, went through the border control at the airport, picked up our baggage, and made it to the resort around 2:00 pm.  Then, we had to wait and wait and wait at the resort for someone to check us into our hotel rooms there.  We weren’t sure we were going to get the two conjoined rooms that we’d so fervently insisted on, but in the end, it didn’t matter.   Brent and James are just down the hall a little from Dave and me.  We like the look of the resort; we like our hotel rooms; and we sort of liked the buffet dinner tonight, or would’ve if we’d been a little less fatigued.

Anyway, we are all here now ready to enjoy the various swimming pools, the beach, and any activities that we may feel inclined to sign up for.  Brent and James are, for sure, going to be very busy on their own, while Dave and I are probably going to lounge a lot by the pools and beach this week.  Brent also plans to be busy late at night and that’s where I come in.  I will look after James while Brent is out on the town, so to speak.  I don‘t care what he’s up to on or off the resort as long as he doesn’t get himself into trouble with the law.  He’s his own person and he will have to be responsible for himself.  I am merely the loving grandmother who has volunteered to look after James late at night while Brent is out.  It’s a labour of love, which I certainly do not mind doing for him and James.

So, tomorrow morning is the true beginning of our vacation here in Punta Cana at the “Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia” resort and we plan on making it the best vacation we’ve ever had or ever will have!

copyright 2017 - Anne Shier