AdventuresOfMegan

Things I'll Miss...

adventuresofmegan — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:14:00 GMT

In no particular order...

Moto rides
Inexpensive (but still yummy) food
The waves and the beach
The warm sun
Laidback lifestyle
Sunday morning breakfast at Claro
Being hot and sweating (it's cold here!)
The half hour walk into town along the beach
Being really happy and content and living for the moment
Circus - and all that went with it
The Circus crew
Gordito's
Hearing spanish all the time
My tan :)
The lush greenness
Being fit and toned from working out 6 days a week
Seeing the stars at night
Quiet contemplation
All the laughing, singing and dancing that used to happen around the trapeze

And so much more!

But I won't miss :

Mosquito bites
Laundry - not having clean laundry and trying to do it myself and it failing because it's so damp and things don't dry really well. By the time I was willing to give up, it was almost time to come home and it seemed a waste to send it out to get done when I'd be home soon.
Cheap toilet paper

Dec 1 - Saturday - Last Day / Departure Day

adventuresofmegan — Sat, 1 Dec 2012 21:40:00 GMT

Even though I went to bed late (well later than usual), woke up at 5:30 with a to-do list running through my head. The power was out (street power, it was fine once they switched to the solar power batteries, but that didn't happen for a bit) so I had to wait until the sun was up enough to see (~6:30ish) and start packing.

I went and sat on the beach alone for a little bit to soak up my last moments there. Somewhere around 9:30, the circus boys showed up for their normal Saturday morning, and to take apart and organize all the equipment they'd need for the show that evening. They were super excited to see me, and it made me feel really special to know that was for me.

Ricardo brought some circus pants for me to try. I had given him some cash to find me some since I wouldn't have time to find any in Puerto Plata before I left.

The goodbyes were really emotional and though I managed to keep myself together for a bit, the floodgates soon opened. (It's me we're talking about after all!) Eventually I thought it was probably time to go, as much as I didn't want to get on that flight and stay longer, I knew that wasn't an option.

So I go to get in the shuttle and we start pulling away. Then the driver says, we don't have to go yet, you still have 20 minutes. Ugh! I was out of that van faster than lightning. These are the things that happen when they show up super early to pick you up! I didn't really know what time it was, so I figured he'd been waiting a long time, that it probably meant I was cutting it close... Nope. Still had lots of time!

So I used those 20 more minutes (or so, not totally sure how many minutes I used) to their fullest and even managed to hold myself together again and so the second goodbye was much better. It allowed me to collect myself and feel less negativity about having to leave. It's a good thing I waited or I would have missed saying bye to the couple from Squamish and would have missed getting their contact information.

Those goodbyes I had to make that day were some of the hardest I've made in a long time. I really felt like Paul and the circus guys were like family. I'd spent so much time working with them, joking with them, and circus was such a central part of everything I was there for.

The airport isn't too exciting, I imagine partly because I really didn't want to get on that plane and leave. A month just wasn't long enough! But ultimately, it would just be delaying the inevitable and at some point I would have to leave anyways. Despite it all, I'm going to miss this place, and this experience and everything else.

I think tonight is going to be lots of tears. The show will be over by the time I land in Montreal. Sad to miss it. I definitely left a piece of me in the DR.

Curious to see what will come of it all. Of course it changed me. And my dream about growth gives me hope that there are big things out there for me.

So the flight was ready about half an hour early (everyone was on board) but we didn't leave early (many flights do) because we had to wait for some more bags to be loaded I guess. Eventually we backed away from the gate and started going out to the runway. We sat on the tarmac for awhile with no other planes in sight. It was strange. After sitting there at least 10 minutes the captain came on and said we were still waiting for the tower to clear us. Saw some planes waiting in line behind us but none landed, so I'm not sure what the holdup was.

So in the end, I gave my circus family (Paul and the 3 guys I worked with every day) a gift for each of them, a nice big tip. The amount doesn't matter. It was a suprise, and though I only got to see Marco & Ricardo's reactions, it was really awesome to see. Paul emailed me later thanking me. Watching them open their envelopes and realizing what I'd done for them was greater than seeing a kid's first Christmas! It was the least I could do for everything they had done for me.

Nov 30 - Friday

adventuresofmegan — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 09:34:00 GMT

Did some silks in the morning, then trapeze. Paul taught me to do a layout (swing then flip without the pike). Couldn't quite get it, but it was fun to have something new.

Tore my hand again... oops!

Was hoping to get a few more videos, including a catch and regrab the bar one, but it didn't end up happening. There won't be time in the afternoon, as it's a practice for the year end show for the kids. Sad I'll miss the show as it happens the evening I leave.

Looking forward to dinner and drinks tonight with everyone to celebrate my time there. Ended up going to Gordito's with the staff from Extreme and then we all met up with my circus guys at LAX afterwards and we all hung out for a bit. Made sure the guys didn't drink too much. Sophie (Paul's wife) made me promise they wouldn't be hungover for the show the next day.

It was a really good time, and a wonderful way to wrap up my time there, even with the rain that came down that night.

Nov 29 - Thursday

adventuresofmegan — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 13:22:00 GMT

Didn't feel really well in the morning, so only did a bit of trapeze.

Took a friend out to lunch at Mohito Bar. Someone kept telling me it was really good for lunch. It was okay, but not a place I'd keep mentioning to someone to go to, like was happening to me.

Had a really great conversation with one of the moms from the kid's circus group.

Nov 28 - Wednesday

adventuresofmegan — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:06:00 GMT

Learned the foot drop on the silks (ends up just hanging by my feet, super cool)

Did the knee drop again. That one is always fun.

Trapeze - did the bird`s nest again. Still not loving it.

Had fresh coconuts off the tree. The guy from next door climbed up and cut them down for us and a whole group of us drank straight from the coconuts and ate the yummy insides.

Went to Gordito`s with Allie & Mike then sat on the beach (after Allie found a place to pee...haha) and they drank Presidente beer and we chatted.

Jumped on a moto home. Pretty sure he wasn`t a legitimate moto driver though. He was from coming the opposite direction with his friend on the moto. Pulled into a parking lot and dropped his friend off, pulled a u-turn and came to us. We said sure, but can you fit all 3? He thought he could. It was one of the scariest moto rides I had. He wasn't super stable and Mike said the back tire sounded funny. We figure he was probably on his way to the bar and wanted to make a little extra cash.

The moon was really bright that night, and could see the stars. It was really pretty.

Nov 27 - Tuesday

adventuresofmegan — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:59:00 GMT

Ripped my hand up even more on the trapeze.

Dinner at Casa de Mami. Super yummy.

Tripled (3 of us + driver) on the moto home. We were just going to take 2 motos, but the guy slid forward and insisted he could do it. Was a bit of an adrenaline rush but super fun.

Woke up to an odd dream that morning. I don`t remember it super well, but it was something about having twins (a boy and a girl if that matters to anyone). It freaked me out a bit to have a dream like that, and I don`t normally try to read too much into them, but decided to look online to see what it might mean. Basically it means growth. And that makes sense. I was definitely doing a lot of growth down there and this year has been lots of growth as well.

It can also mean the birth of a new project. I had a similar dream after I got back from Montreal, but at the time didn`t know what it meant. Montreal was the birth of the project that became me going down the the Domincan Republic to do trapeze. Curious to see what these next projects are.

Nov 26 - Monday

adventuresofmegan — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:54:00 GMT

Spent the morning just sitting, reading and writing in my journal. Talked to the 3 boys from Ontario, but didn`t have a ton in common with them. Later they were out learning to kiteboard, so that was fun to watch.

There was work being done on my bathroom so I couldn`t really get into my room to change or anything, so I had to quickly sneak it and grab stuff so I didn`t feel super prepared when it came time to do trapeze. It of course took them longer to do the work than it was supposed to, but that`s life in the Dominican... things have their own time.

Afternoon did circus. Managed to do the bird`s nest position, but not one I`d do often. It`s hard on me! Tore my hand up on the trapeze bar.

Nov 25 - Sunday

adventuresofmegan — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 12:47:00 GMT

Breakfast at Claro's. Can't remember what time I got there, but sat there until noon. Sad to be leaving in a few days.

Sat and watched the kiteboarders for awhile from the beach.

Walked from hotel to Mojito Bar in Cabarete to look for Michaela but couldn't find her. Walked all the way back, then she emailed and said she was late but she was there now. Debated whether to go back. A couple folks from the hotel were walking down the beach anyways, so even though I was tired, I walked with them and stopped in again. Still couldn't find her so went to find that couple again. Went to the Chicken Shack and Gordito's, both places they said they'd be and couldn't find them. Eventually stumbled across them again, grabbed some food at Chino's (or at least that's what I'm told it's called, it's almost right beside Chicken Shack). Then we walked to the grocery store and back to the hotel along the road in the rain. In many places there were no lights, so it was sketchy in the dark.

Nov 24 - Saturday

adventuresofmegan — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 20:43:00 GMT

Recaught the bar twice in the morning.

In the afternoon, one of the guys had his girlfriend stop by with some of her friends to come do the trapeze. It was fun but also funny watching some of them struggle so hard to do trapeze while trying not to embarass themselves. I think everyone had a good time.

Caught the bar again in the afternoon.

'Gringo in the 'hood' story

Papo's comment.

Nov 23 - Friday

adventuresofmegan — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 20:20:00 GMT

Rain - so silks in the morning with my circus guys.

Afternoon there were kids but I still got to fly at the end/ Caught the bar again on a catch.

Went and got a massage from Grace. It was spectacular. Then afterwards I jumped on her motorbike and we went to Gordito's together for dinner.

Nov 22 - Thursday

adventuresofmegan — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 08:09:00 GMT

Yoga then trapeze in the morning.

Finally (finally!!!) caught the bar on the return on the catch. It was a big moment for sure. Too bad there's no photos or videos...

I won't write the next story out, partly because words just don't quite do it justice. But sometime ask me about the kite surfing guy and what he said. Unforgettable for sure.

Crazy parents being way too crazy about their kids being perfect on the trapeze... You're on vacation, the kid is 10, give me a break!

Perfect straddle whip on the trapeze.

Dinner at Aloha Surf for the buffet. It was not too bad. Went with Christian & his sister, the Swiss couple and the brother and sister pair from Canada. I went back to the hotel but they all went for ice cream afterwards.

Nov 21 - Wednesday

adventuresofmegan — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:58:00 GMT

It was raining in the morning, so no trapeze, just silks. Paul was injured so he wasn't in so I worked with Marco (and the other guys probably came too since it was raining).

Went to Sosua after lunch with Maya, G, Monica and one of her friends that was visiting. It was a fun adventure. They had lunch (I already had) and then we went to get groceries. They were getting stuff for their thanksgiving meal (since 1/2 the Team Extreme are from the US) they were going to be having.

Came back in time for trapeze. Some girls came and joined us and they were really annoying. They had a really short attention span and kept trying to do things they weren't supposed to and really made me feel like they always had to be supervised. They didn't come back again, so I guess in the end it doesn't matter.

Dinner in the penthouse again. Really yummy. Fish and lots of veggies, all dishes full of yummy goodness! :)

Nov 20 - Tuesday

adventuresofmegan — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:27:00 GMT

Did yoga at 8:15 with Grace. It was a good challenge as I hadn't done it much, and you can't beat doing it overlooking the ocean.

Then at 9:30 when class was over, met the circus guys for class and did pretty much 2 solid hours of trapeze. They commented I had lots of power and energy that day. Almost as soon as I was down, I'd be climbing back up again to do it again.

My split on the trapeze is getting much better. Did a catch with the usual knee hang, but then we also did it from my straddle whip and the split. Paul wasn't there to see any of it, he had to go into Santo Domingo. But it was fine, those guys are perfectly capable of handling things. Paul is often gone as he also manages a trapeze at a hotel in Punta Cana.

Walked down the beach to go to Gordito's. Ended up talking to some Calgarians, who as it turns out have a daughter who works for Cirque du Soleil.

Nov 19 - Monday

adventuresofmegan — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 19:07:00 GMT

It's Monday, no circus in the morning so a quiet morning.

Paul had something at 4 so he offered to come an hour early to do my class. I finally nailed the 'butterfly' as we're calling it, and fairly consistently, so that's super awesome. Then Sophie (Paul's wife) taught me a few more things on silks, since that's what she's really good at.

I learned to do a knee drop and that was fun... well as long as you do it right, otherwise it hurts...

No trapeze because of the rain.

Getting closer. Hopefully I'll be able to do more new stuff really soon. Learning a few new tricks, but just need a few things to get better first in order to really be able to take off and excel in those newer skills.

My legs are absolutely covered in bug bites, and my lower back. I look like I've been attacked like nothing else. There's hardly a spot that isn't covered, I wish I was exaggerating when I said that, but there are photos to prove it.

I feel really centered today and confident in my moves on the silks today. Hope that energy continues into the rest of the week.

Went to Cabarate Surf Camp for dinner for Josh (one of the hotel guests)'s birthday. Had the most delicious meal. It was called churrasco and it was almost like a steak that had been flattened out and grilled and yummy. There aren't really words for it besides delicious, and totally affordable. We brought a cake with us but it was hard to eat after being so full. Plus I just can't handle sweets anymore. They make me feel ill. So I didn't feel super after making myself eat the piece of cake.

Then to bed!

Nov 18 - Sunday

adventuresofmegan — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 18:55:00 GMT

I woke up early, around 7 and got ready. I left the hotel about 8 and walked along the beach with the eventual destination of Claro for breakfast but also just wanted to enjoy the sun and the relatively quiet beach.

There's probably about a 5-10 minute section (when you're wandering slowly) between Kite Beach and Cabarete itself where it's usually really quiet as there aren't many hotels there, so that's always nice to have the beach to yourself for those few moments.

I'm not sure I can do this story justice, but I'll try. As I get closer to town, a guy calls to me trying to sell me on some tour. Normally I would just ignore and keep going, but since there weren't any people close enough, I couldn't just pretend he was talking to someone else. It's not uncommon for there to be people selling stuff/services/anything on the beach, so I thought to myself, I'm in no hurry, he's got one minute and then I'm continuing on.

So at first he's really nice, trying to sell me on a tour and asking questions about where I'm coming from, etc.

Then he starts getting creepy. He went from nice to creepy in under 30 seconds. I'll save you the rest of the conversation but as he's eyeing me head to toe for the 5th time and telling me again how beautiful I am, I started to walk away. He asked if he could walk with me, and I simply told him that 'no, I was enjoying my quiet walk by myself but have a great day' and off I went. I walked into Claro just wishing I could have a shower and get that icky feeling off.

I came back to the hotel and saw Simon & Cynthia off. Then just enjoyed the rest of the lazy Sunday.

Nov 17 - Saturday

adventuresofmegan — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 18:47:00 GMT

Did circus in the morning. While I was working with Marco, I notice Zack (the trainer at the gym, and surf fanatic) walk past where I was with blood down the back of his head and down his back and side. I asked him what happened and he non-chalantly answers, 'got hit in the head with a surf board, no big deal'... then more people start to notice and freak out. Eventually he gets the information about which hospital is the right one for him to go to with his insurance and someone takes him. He ends up having to stay overnight and returns with stitches and told to stay out of the water for a few days.

I walked down the beach with Simon & Cynthia to have lunch. We went to Lazy Dog and it wasn't nearly as good as the first time I went. I felt bad for suggesting the place and then having such a disappointing meal.

Came back and did trapeze in the afternoon and almost caught the bar again on the catch. So close!

That night, I felt like I needed some quiet time to myself and found my own secret spot and just sat and watched the stars for a couple hours, listening to the world going on around me. I think this was probably the night most of my bug bites came. I'm sure my spot wasn't very secret, but most people didn't seem to see me, and I'm pretty sure the night watchman knew where I was and was willing to look the other way as long as I wasn't getting into any trouble.

Nov 16 - Friday

adventuresofmegan — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:04:00 GMT

Today the power was out when I got up. No big deal.

In the morning, only did silks and in the afternoon it was raining hard so no trapeze. The rain storm was crazy heavy at about 4.

Ricardo & Marco (2 of the circus guys) showed up anyways, so along with Maya, we did some acrobatics, like balancing (standing) on someone's shoulder. It was pretty nerve racking a few times but fun at the same time. Too bad didn't get any photos.

That night was Simon & Cynthia's last, so they invited me and a local couple (their kiteboarding instructor and his girlfriend) out for a nice dinner. They paid for everything, which was unexpected. I think in the whole scheme of things, I paid about 200 pesos (about $5) when I'm sure the whole night had to be at least 10 times (probably much more) that cost. The food was delicious and so was the company of those wonderful people.

Nov 15 - Thursday

adventuresofmegan — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:21:00 GMT

Today was a fun day. Went canyoning with Kayak River Adventures.

It took about 45 minutes to get to the base camp where we got ready and hiked into the mountains to our start point. It was muddy and slippery, but we made it there! Then we did about 6 rappels and then jumped off a bunch of waterfalls and ledges into the water.

One of the big jumps, I took a smaller ledge but still had trouble jumping. One of the guides (Helmut) took my hand and on the count of three, we jumped. It was scary, but fun.

On the other big jumps, one of the guides would take me on a side route down and then I would take pictures of everyone jumping. I totally felt like I was being a wimp not doing the big jumps, but the guys all said I rocked it, so I'll just go with that.

I took this epic slow-motion fall on a rock while we were walking along and ended up with a massive bruise (and a good road rash too). No one saw it, but everyone said they just looked over one moment and I was walking and the next I was flat out like a starfish.

Then it was a long, steep hike back up into the mountains. It was really muddy and my shoes didn't have a ton of grip. And the switchbacks were really steep. It started raining at one point, and I felt like I was holding everyone up since I wasn't as fast as them. Eventually we came out to a field and flat ground where we walked a bit. It was a welcome relief from all that steepness.

Only it wasn't over. There was more going up to do. In all, they said it would take 45 minutes to an hour to get back to base camp. I think it probably took longer, but we made it, and that's what matters. Once we got back to base camp, we had the most delicious homemade lunch and a cold beer to celebrate.

It was super fun (besides the hike) because it was Zach, me and Johnny (friend of Zach) plus 4 guides, so it meant we got a really unique tour and experience that other groups may not.

The taxi driver that came to pick us all up to take us back down to the hotel told us a story of what happened while we were gone. I guess he'd gone into town to run some errands (since we'd be gone a couple hours at least) and he said he witnessed a bank robbery, guns and all.

The drive back was pretty quiet as we were worn out but also my sinuses really hurt from all the water that rushed into them jumping off these high ledges into the water.

That evening went for dinner at the Chicken Shack with Maya, Monica and the British couple (Simon & Cynthia).

Nov 14 - Wednesday

adventuresofmegan — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:49:00 GMT

Did circus in the morning, lunch at Chichigua and reading on the beach.

Did some circus in the afternoon, but my arm is really sore. Best guess is tendonitis in my elbow and up into my shoulder. Really really painful if I work too much, especially on silks.

Went for a quick swim and laughed when I walked by the circus boys and they were making comments about me coming out of the pool. Nice little confidence boost, I think so.

Stayed in and ate leftovers then went to bed.

Nov 13 - Tuesday

adventuresofmegan — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:39:00 GMT

Did silks and then trapeze. Finally able to let go at the end of the split but then had trouble letting go to do the straddle catch. Funny how that happens. I think I was just in my head a little too much.

Finished my book.

Monica (one of the extreme staff), came back from vacation and we all went to Bodega for dinner to hear all about her trip.

Nov 12 - Monday

adventuresofmegan — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:28:00 GMT

There's no circus Monday mornings so I saw in the deserted restaurant (they don't open until 11, at least in low season) and read my book.

In circus, nailed a bunch of tricks that I've been struggling with for a long time. Nailed the straddle back on the silks and with Paul's help got up higher to do the upside down trick I've been working on. It felt fantastic!

Dinner at Gordito's with Maya, G, Zach and his friend who was visiting for the week. Had a shrimp bowl (they don't normally have shrimp) and it was out of this world fantastic.

Nov 11 - Sunday - Rememberance Day

adventuresofmegan — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 15:42:00 GMT

It looks like it rained a lot again. There's lots of water under the trapeze this morning. Only a couple people on the beach.

Went to Claro for breakfast with Maya & G, but G had to leave early to help out some guests at the hotel. On the way there, I had to jump on a moto on my own (as Maya & G were taking the hotel bike) and it started to just pour rain as I left the hotel. It was raining so hard at one point, the moto driver couldn't see where he was going, so he pulled under an overhang to wait it out a bit. About 5 or so minutes later, it let up enough to get going again and he dropped me off right by where I needed to be, just a little wet. During breakfast, we took a moment of silence to honour rememberance day that was happening back home in Canada.

On the way back, took a guagua (public van) with Maya and Candace since it was still raining a bit and we wanted to stay a bit drier. It's also cheaper than a moto. There was a huge traffic jam downtown Cabarete, which I found funny, because it's not a place you'd expect a traffic jam. It was caused by emergency services dealing with a (now extinguished) burning car. Ambulances and fire trucks (with Ontario license plates... made me laugh) taking up one lane of the road and everyone trying to get around them. It was a crazy, chaotic traffic jam.

Then we passed the once-again flooded gas station and (4 star) hotel across the street, both pumping water back into the street rather than diverting it. The guy sitting next to me commented that it was such a shame, because that water will end up running into people's homes or somewhere else where they are not able to deal with it. He said they have money, they should be dealing with it. It would be as easy as creating a little diversion ditch but instead they just pump it out and pretend it's not their problem. I thought I heard him say there was a news crew documenting it, so they would hopefully bring attention to it and be shamed into better dealing with it. But I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.

Finally we made our way back to the hotel. :)

The rain stopped for a bit but started again in the evening. The lightning goes off randomly but I don't hear the thunder.

Went for dinner with the Swiss couple just next door at Kite Club.

One week down, three to go. It's been going okay but I still feel like there's moments when I feel out of place.

Saw a quote today that seemed to fit. "Feelings are much like waves. We can't stop them from coming but we can choose which ones to surf."

Nov 10 - Saturday

adventuresofmegan — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 14:34:00 GMT

The internet eventually came back up in the morning, probably taken down by all the rain overnight.

There was some pretty heavy rain overnight and some really huge puddles. One of the gas stations was flooded. Wish I would have gotten a photo! That gas station being under a puddle of water isn't too rare an occurence, it happens after every big rain. Note to drivers: don't buy your gas there, no matter what they say, the water does find its way into the tanks and dilute it.

Breakfast at Café Claro. It was really nice and chill and relaxing. Michaela, the server there, is really friendly and wonderful. Originally from Washington state, she's been down there a few years now and loving it.

Then this foursome showed up and found a way, in about 10 seconds flat, to suck all the relaxation and fun vibe out of the place. They were really demanding, obnoxious, loud and just seemed more like they belonged at the country club then at the beach.

After that, went to Janet's (it's on the way) to get some more groceries while Aaron was still around to help carry them.

Got back to the hotel and helped Aaron pack up his stuff before he jumped in the shuttle to the airport around noon for his flight.

Read my book most of the afternoon and just tried to keep my thoughts and feelings under control. Reflecting lots on the year it's been and feeling a little lost sometimes.

I did trapeze in the afternoon and learned the split position (basically the position ends doing the splits). My straddle whip position is getting way better, and it's my go-to when I go to swing.

We did a few catches until the rain got to be too much. Got a good laugh at Kai (Paul's 10 year old son) chasing the guys around trying to hit them with his towel. It made me laugh really hard watching them all being really silly.

That evening had dinner in the penthouse suite with Maya, G the Swiss couple and some of the other folks. It was yummy and nice to hang out together and have a homemade meal.

Nov 9 - Friday

adventuresofmegan — Fri, 9 Nov 2012 15:23:00 GMT

The internet wasn't working in the morning, probably because it was raining. Only did silks because of the rain but that was okay because I'm starting to more consistently be able to do the straddle up, which I need in order to do many of the things I need to be able to do bigger tricks.

Lunch at Chichigua - smoothie and pastelitos.

Sat on the beach and watched the kiters. Later, when it was time for afternoon circus, I didn't have training because there is a kid's class 2x a week, so I sat and watched them.

Back to Gordito's for dinner. Yummy. It was raining and there was lightning and thunder starting, hoping for a good storm.

Played with the hotel cats (not wild, very much spoiled!) and watched the rain. It rained lots.

Nov 8 - Thursday

adventuresofmegan — Thu, 8 Nov 2012 15:17:00 GMT

Started the morning with circus.

Leftovers from Pomodoro's for lunch. Walked down the beach, but only as far as the flags on Kite Beach. Came back and sat on the beach chairs outside the hotel and had a nap.

Had a couple drinks at Chichigua then went off to Casa de Mami for dinner in the taxi van with some staff and other guests. After we went to Blue Bar and LAX. The rain started pouring down and when it finally stopped (albeit briefly), made a break for it and jumped on a moto home while G & Maya stayed behind to keep partying. The moto driver tried really hard not to get us wet and did a great job. As soon as we pulled up to the hotel though, a van drove by and splashed us.

Nov 7 - Wednesday

adventuresofmegan — Wed, 7 Nov 2012 15:05:00 GMT

Started the morning with circus - no Paul this morning, but Maya joined me. Worked with Marco on silks. Maya lent me some cool circus leggings and that made a difference.

In the afternoon went with Maya up to the farm which is run by the hotel, with the eventual plan that it will supply all the food for the restaurant as well as be a place people can come and stay as well. We grabbed some inner tubes, took a little walk and did a lazy river float back to the farm. We did a little tour of the farm and sampled some of the food they have growing there. I'm excited to see in a few years when they will hopefully be a bit more established and be more consistent in their growth cycles.

Afterwards, we went back to Janet's to get some more sunscreen and aloe. Then we went to Pomodoro's for dinner. It was... meh... I had heard it was supposed to be good, but it wasn't. The waitress was unpleasant (the other one was nice though) and the food was disappointing. At least the glass of wine was good. That's about all I can say good about that meal.

Nov 6 - Tuesday

adventuresofmegan — Tue, 6 Nov 2012 14:50:00 GMT

Today's election day in the US. Being as there were American guests and staff, we were made aware of it.

Started the morning with circus - both on the silks (tissu) and flying trapeze.

Wandered down the beach after to find some lunch at Lazy Dog. Met a couple at the table next to us who were from US (him) & Australia (her), but who work for the cruise ships. Afterwards, stopped at Janet's Supermarket to get food for the week. Ran into them again at Janet's. Took a moto back to the hotel.

Swam in the ocean again.

Went for dinner with Maya & G (who work at the hotel) along with some of the other hotel guests (2 kitesurfers from Norway and 2 ladies from New York). We went to La Parilla de Luis Chicken aka The Chicken Shack in the area known as callejón (translates to alley). Cheap food, but yummy.

Afterwards, we went to Lazy Dog to watch the election results. Left before it was over.

Nov 5 - Monday

adventuresofmegan — Mon, 5 Nov 2012 21:00:00 GMT

It was a long weekend in DR, so Monday was a holiday - Constitution Day we were told. There was no circus and many places were closed for the day. The beaches were packed with locals.

Walked along the road in search of Cabarete Coffee Company - it was closed with a sign saying 'open November' :)

Kept wandering along road, being asked repeatedly if we needed a ride on a moto. Guess no one really walks along the road.

Ended up at the Belgian bakery and had some breakfast. There were a couple local boys who sat near us and were acting really strangely. Pretty sure they were high... After they'd ate, they just got up and left without paying the bill. Caused quite a scene. I looked at the baked goods, but just couldn't stomach the thought of something really sweet when it was so hot out.

Wandered back along the road, stopping at the grocery store to pick up some food to put in the mini-fridge in the room.

Sat on the beach for awhile and then eventually wandered along into town and found some lunch at Ezee cafe. Ended the meal with some chocolate Mamajuana - a very Dominican drink and often served after a meal. The addition of chocolate was a nice touch.

Sat on the beach again and had a quick dip in the ocean. Got a bit of a sunburn, but it was the only time I did. Watched the kitesurfers play in the ocean.

Jumped on a motoconcho (motorbike taxi sort of thing) and went to Gordito's - a local mexican place - for dinner on Zach's recommendation (he eats there often, even has a dish named after him). The moto on the way back felt tipsy and I wonder, looking back, whether he was an official moto driver or just some guy with a motorbike trying to make some money.

Nov 4 2012 - Day 3 - Sunday in Cabarete

adventuresofmegan — Sun, 4 Nov 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Sundays are the quiet day in Cabarete. Slept in until about 8 (so slept for something like 10 hours).

Decided to walk down the beach towards town to get breakfast and explore a bit. So it starts raining a little, more like a sprinkle. No big deal. Keep walking. Then it gets heavier and quickly turns into a downpour. Got soaked before making it back to the hotel.

Since it was a little late when it stopped raining, we decided to just go eat next door at Kite Club's restaurant. Cheeseburger and fries - was okay, but nothing memorable.

Nothing too exciting happened. Mostly just getting settled. Dinner/late afternoon ate at Chichigua, the restaurant at Extreme.

All in all a quiet day.

Nov 3 2012 - Day 2 - Arrival in Dominican Republic

adventuresofmegan — Sat, 3 Nov 2012 20:00:00 GMT

So most of the night I barely slept, but at some point I must have dropped into a deeper sleep because I woke up to the other person who had been sleeping nearby having packed up and left. My stuff was still there, so I was happy. I wasn't super worried, because I had used my pack as a pillow and clipped it though the suitcase handle. But it was still a small concern.

Oh, not to forget. There was this lady who kept wandering (pacing perhaps?) the terminal with her luggage cart. I'm not sure if she was looking for a place to sit down or what, but every 15 minutes or so, she'd pass by again and because it was relatively quiet, you'd hear her coming for awhile, so it was a bit of a disturbance.

Anyways, at that point, once I woke up, I realized I wouldn't get much more sleep, and the coffee shop was starting to open. I think it was probably around 3 or 4 am. There had been some ladies sitting near me for a little while. I think I felt they were trustworthy because I think it was when they were around that I slept. They disappeared but came by later and kindly offered me some food (orange and apple slices) which was much appreciated.

Once the coffee shop opened, I got a coffee and went and checked in for my flight. It was a relief to drop off my bag and not have to worry about it any longer.

Went through security and had a laugh at the ridiculousness their rules are sometimes. The woman in front of me had a bottle of water she forgot she had. The security woman pointed it out and told her she had to take it. No problem, but did the security lady mind if she just took a sip first? She said she wanted to let her, but if her boss saw she'd be in trouble. Really? Everyone in range just sort of laughed at the silliness of it and moved on. I said to the woman after that it seemed a little silly, and she agreed and then made some comment like 'it's not like it's going to blow up' and I was really glad security didn't hear because I sure didn't want this day to start badly! Grabbed my stuff and tried to get as far away from her as I could so I wouldn't mistakenly be associated with her.

Found a spot to sit and charged my phone while I waited for the flight. When it finally left, I was happy to be on it and on my way to start my grand adventure. The four-ish hours passed, but I'd say the last hour or so, I just wanted to be there.

As we got close to landing in Puerto Plata, I realized everything was reminding me not of the DR, but of Belize. That thought came up a few other times too.

Landed in Puerto Plata and made it through customs and everything and sat down to wait for Aaron's flight to land from Newark. I couldn't get a network signal, nor a wi-fi signal, so I had no way to check whether the flight was on time or not. We had arrived about 1/2 hour early so I was worried I'd be waiting a really long time. He was about 1.5 hours behind me, but luckily his flight came early as well but it was still quite a wait before he came out. I got asked multiple times whether I needed a cab or anything, but eventually after being asked yet again, I said I was waiting for someone on the next flight, and then they stopped asking.

I really had to pee, but wanted to be there waiting when he walked out because he's not an experienced traveller and I was worried that even though I'd arranged a shuttle, he'd end up finding some way to be put in an expensive cab or something. Well, eventually he walks out, and just as I worried, there's someone 'helping' him with his luggage (which is on wheels). I said something to him about it and he said 'well the guy just grabbed it off the conveyor belt when I had to put it through the x-ray machine'. He's still working on learning to be more assertive... next time I guess.

We found the shuttle guy and I ran to the bathroom, then off we were to Cabarete, which was about 15 minutes away. It was really hot out (and me especially having been sitting in it for the past 1.5-2 hours in jeans) so the air conditioning felt really great.

We enjoyed the short drive to the hotel, the driver pointing out points of interest along the way, while Aaron and I traded stories from our adventures since we'd left Calgary. He went Calgary-Ottawa(overnighted there)-Newark-Puerto Plata, whereas I went a little more direct.

Once we got there, we were greeted by Geneviève, the assistant manager and got all checked in and settled (and of course overwhelmed with information). Got changed, had a snack and then it was time for trapeze! My reason for being there.

Feel free to skip the next paragraph or so. You probably don't want to know... It's more for me than anything... I'm sure it was partly just from lack of sleep and the heat and such but I had a total meltdown. I sat on the bed and just started crying and freaking out. I was questioning myself and what I was doing and whether I should be there and what was I thinking trying to do this, did I take on too much, etc. (If you're reading, I know, I seemed so excited about this trip). It was crazy anxiety and the feelings had been creeping up in the days leading up to that moment, but that just happened to be the release. Perhaps it was just dealing with the stress of getting all the time off approved and wondering whether I was going to have to quit my job just to be able to do it, etc. Whatever it was, it came out, and it came out big!

Ok, you can read again... :) Since we both had long days of travelling, it was time for a shower, unpacking and organizing. Felt much better after that. Then it was early to bed, even though it meant missing a really great surf competition and a huge jazz festival on the beach.