Dominican Republic – Me • Doing • Me • Things

Try Coconut Water – from an actual coconut

November 23 2023January 26 2020 by TheOneDoingTheThings

Like I said – I got to mark a lot of firsts off my list on this trip to the Dominican Republic. There’s things I didn’t even know should have been on my list that need to get added.

This, I’ve wanted to do for quite a while. My husband and I watch a lot of those ‘Alone’ type shows where they have to survive on their own. (supposedly, but either way its still interesting).

Coconut water is frequently used for hydration on those shows when they cant get their fire working. So, naturally, I had to try this. Sure, we have coconut water in stores, but that’s different. I wanted to try it straight from the coconut.

Thank you to my dear co-worker for offering me some. It was warm but still good. I like cold water for that ‘refreshing’ feeling, so I can’t say it was super refreshing, but it was tasty.

Much like the consistency of water, it didn’t leave a residue in your mouth. It had a coconutty taste, but, if you’ve never tried unsweetened coconut or anything remotely natural coconut, you will just have to add this to your own bucket list to have a try.

Snorkeling – (Kind of)

November 12 2023January 26 2020 by TheOneDoingTheThings

I have been fascinated by water for as long as I can remember. From the shimmer of light on the surface or rippling water to the bottom of the oceans. It’s amazing the life that lives in water. Aaaaaand Terrifying.

If you have read any of the other posts, its possible you came across me talking about my fear of water. Well, this is where I started to embrace my fear. I have quite a few things about me that I would love to change. The fact that I’m stuck in my head 90% of the time is definitely one of them. Being stuck in my head has impacted my ability to just enjoy the experience quite a few times. Snorkeling in the Ocean wasn’t an exception.

Clearly – based on the pictures I was extremely excited to go snorkeling. Knowing full well that the ocean scares me. I put on all the gear, did my cheesy pictures and had fun with it…. Then… I jumped into the ocean… That Vast Blue Beautiful Water that holds so many mysteries.. and Fish!

Of Course there’s fish in there. What the hell was I expecting, right?

So – here I am, all geared up and I jump into the ocean. All is well.. I’m trying out my flippers and I stick my head under the water to test out the seal on the snorkel and goggles. All good! Some minor adjustments and trying to swim over to Don. (He got in after me). Lets take a look at whats around me.

Here I go looking around under water and I see vast wide open spaces of crystal clear water…. and…. Fish..

My head immediately goes Fish = Life = Crazy ass shit in the ocean = My ass is gonna get ate by some random as shark/whale hybrid that will swallow me hole and leave everyone else in perfect condition. That Sting Ray I seen is gonna git me! GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!!……

Yes – Yes – ALL of that did go through my head in a matter of maybe 1/2 a second. I quit swimming towards done and went back towards the boat. As calm as I could keep myself. (I’m pretty sure it wasn’t as calm as I was trying to present myself). The entire swim back to the boat ramp I was chanting to myself “Just keep swimming” Dory style with an internal mantra of ‘stay calm, you’re nuts’!

I finally get to the boat ramp, and slide myself up on it tearing up my leg a little bit as I go. Once I got up on the boat my leg was all bloody from the scrape I took.

And THIS is where I decided to embrace my chicken shit and accept that – I might love water, but I dont want to be in it.

Hold a Monkey

November 23 2023January 26 2020 by TheOneDoingTheThings

Unless its in a zoo, I’ll never get to hold a monkey. I mean, where else would I encounter a monkey right? Especially being in the United States? And I know I’m NEVER going to get to go out of the country. I can’t afford flights like that.

Fast Forward MANY Years…. Here I am in the Dominican Republic, AMAZED that I have a monkey standing on me and feeling bad that the poor thing is having to perform.

I seen them on the beach a couple times but didn’t want to pester the monkey. So many people want to be just like me – Please let me hold the cute animal that should be free! One of the last days we were there I had to – I chased the people down and asked if I could hold the monkey. They almost didn’t because it was the end of the day – but they let me anyways. Immediately feeling bad for the animal, but still enjoying the moment.

He peed all over me and bit me, but I was still happier and excited and wanted to abscond with the poor chap and give him an amazing home where he could be free to come and go as he pleased and feel safe. (YEAH my “save everyone” mode kicked in. No- I did not abscond with the monkey. I still wanted to though!)

Such an AWESOME experience. I had asked the guy what kind of monkey he was and was told a ‘spider monkey’. After digging a bit – I am pretty sure he is a squirrel monkey. – What do you think?

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Either way, I so would have loved to just curl up with the little guy but he was wound lol. He did nip me too, but – hey, ya only live once. Now I just have a million more animals to see and love on for the first time. This was definitely a highlight of our trip to Punta Cana.

I will have to apologize for the video. just as he started recording he flipped the camera – and I’m being far to lazy to cut and fix the video. This is what you get!

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Leave the Country

November 23 2023January 25 2020 by TheOneDoingTheThings

The beginning of 2020 started out pretty decent. No Covid yet, a trip to the Dominican Republic, experiencing going through customs (that was very anticlimactic lol). I practices quite a bit of Spanish in the Dominican and was happy to get some pointers and do pretty decent as well.

Leaving the country brought quite a few new experiences. I’m sure you will be able to review them as I get them all posted.

Things certainly work differently in different countries. Granted – I’ve not been to a plethora of countries to compare it to anything. On arrival to the DR, we exited the plane on stairs. Walk down, jump on a bus that takes you to customs. (If you can call it that)

At Customs, you go through a line, they stamp your passport, and off you go. Its possible there were a couple questions, but I don’t recall anything standing out that made any of it very secure. Some people got checked, other people got waved through.

It was a bit different coming back. Landing in the US, we go through customs, run all over the back side of the airport (at least that’s what it felt like). Stand in line with a bunch of people coming into the country from all over. I particularly loved how closely everyone seemed to get packed in line. Coughing all over everyone. This annoyed me already – before Covid.

Some people had to go in one type of line, and others were shuffled over to another line. Slightly disconcerting when you are traveling with someone and aren’t used to airport anything.

Clearly – I made it just fine. ☺

I can also mark off eating airplane food. I don’t recommend it. It wasn’t horrible. But I can’t imagine its all that healthy. Okay….. Do it once! – Get it off your bucket list of something you didn’t realize was on your bucket list. Then… don’t do it again!