Having spent 2 months at home in my cold Colorado, I began missing the warm seas again. Dominican Republic was one of the few countries that did not require COVID test results or quarantine amidst the pandemic. Moreover, it provided free healthcare and reimbursement for cancelled flights if a visitor got sick there.
Not knowing when I would be back, I booked a one-way flight to Punta Cana, packed my backpack and filled out an online registration form with a health questionnaire. When the plane landed, the passengers were asked to use paper forms. Nobody checked the QR-code we received online.
The Greek Resort hotel was outside Punta Cana which was good as the city itself is not interesting. My room was the cheapest and it overlooked the restaurant area.
While I was having dinner at the hotel restaurant a DJ came and started playing music. Guests warned about loud music in the hotel reviews but I chose to ignore them. As the sun was going down the music grew louder to the degree when it resonates in the chest and hurts the eardrums; people enthusiastically danced to the music. Normally, I’d join them but that day I left home at 3.30 a.m. to catch the flight and hardly slept the previous night.
I asked the DJ when they would stop playing the music. She smiled happily and said that the fun would go on until morning. Seeing that her answer upset me, the DJ disappeared and returned with a middle-aged man who turned out to be the place owner and he actually was Greek.
The owner offered me an upgrade to a suite across the road that was vacant anyway. He also told me to order any food or drinks from the restaurant for free because he wanted me to be happy. I thanked him for that. This was not really necessary; all I needed was a quiet room.
The suite was huge with 2 bedrooms, dining and sitting areas, a spacious bathroom and a balcony with a couch and armchairs. There were 3 writing desks in it which would make it a nice place to work remotely if I had had a travel companion to share the costs.
The issue with accommodation was resolved. Next, I needed an activity for the following day. The receptionist found an agent who helped me to book a daytrip to Samana. It included horse riding and time on the beach. A little nervous in anticipation of my first ever time on the horse but overall happy with the day, I could finally go to bed.
It is so strange to hear that there are parties going on and people dancing in the restaurant:) Feels like other life. Here is 100+ day of the lockdown and the carneval in the beginning of February was cancelled. Good that people can still have fun anywhere else.
The Caribbean is a different world. Some islands have quarantine requirements for new arrivals but when the quarantine is over life is almost normal. Masks are mandatory in public places, some museums are closed and that’s about all.