GARRETT:
Thinking back on every major trip I've ever taken,
there are always a handful of memories or experiences that stand out. They are
the stories that you find yourself telling over and over when people ask you
about one vacation or another. This trip had a lot of those: from standing next
to one of my best friends as a groomsman while he got married in Mexico, to
off-roading to some of the most beautiful (and deserted) beaches I've ever seen
in Puerto Rico, to playing golf on a course that rivals pretty much any other
in terms of ocean views and breathtaking holes in the Dominican Republic. But
at the risk of sounding cheesy, what I'll remember most about this trip is that
I got to spend it with Lauren and three of our closest pals.
For me, traveling with friends makes a trip even
more fun. Five people equals five times the laughs and goofy experiences that
inevitably come up on a trip to strange places. A waitress of ours in Cabarete
put it best when we asked her where we should go one evening to have fun. She
said (in shaky English), "You are five. You bring your own ambiance
wherever you go." And she was right. Even when it was just us, we had the
best of times, building up a mountain of inside jokes that we'll be able to
laugh about forever. ("In esta area...!")
As Mark Twain said, "there ain't no surer way
to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with
them." Well, el Caribe Cinco, I like you guys, and I look forward to our
next adventure...
LAUREN:
It was an honor to be the first "official"
female Travel in Sandals companion, although I'd like to think the first REAL
Travel in Sandals adventure was Thailand in 2005. While the obvious highlight
of the trip was the Hanniston wedding, I have to say all of the pool and beach
time topped my list. We really lucked-out with the weather this time of year -
every time we departed a city, we took the sunshine with us and made it rain
behind us. I enjoyed spending time relaxing with friends, playing Hearts,
eating some delicious meals, taking my first real dip in the ocean (in a long
time), and drinking 'Ron Punch.' Low points for me would have to be Montezuma's
revenge and roughing it at the Bananas guesthouse, but I got past it. It was an
adventure, as always, and I hope our readers enjoyed following us along the
way.
MO:
As the fourth chapter of Travel in
Sandals has come to a close, I am once again thankful for the memories,
experiences, discoveries and laughs we had along the way. This trip was made
even more memorable as we kicked off the trip with the wedding festivities of
two very special friends, Dustin and Hannah! Thank you so much for letting me
be part of your special day. It was perfect in every way! From there, our adventures were highlighted
by private beaches, off-road exploring, sunny skies, bioluminescent bays, new
cultures, amazing food, new friends, shiny shoes, historical sites, incredible
waterfalls and an unbelievable golf experience! Thanks again to all my Travel
in Sandals pals who were there to make the trip another great one! I look
forward to our next adventures! Boom!
GREG:
Another Travel In Sandals trip is in the books, and once again it
was a great success. The weather held up throughout the trip and no one would
have ever known it was hurricane season. Despite my extensive travel
experience, this trip included my first ever destination wedding, and I must
say, spending fourdays at an all inclusive resort with a bunch of your friends
and seeing two great people get married is pretty awesome. Some other
highlights of the trip included kayaking and playing with the water in the bioluminescent
bay, which needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated, and exploring
deserted beaches and a rain forest. But perhaps the greatest discovery of the
trip was finding out that casinos in Puerto Rico and the Dominican serve free
food as well as free drinks at the tables. It really brought my gambling
experience to a whole new level. Thanks to the rest of the TIS crew and
everyone else who contributed to another amazing experience. I can’t wait for
the next trip!
MATT:
I enjoy listing things so here are a couple thoughts...
- Weather - Talk about lucky...in the 15 days we were in the Caribbean during "hurricane season," it rained a total of 2-3 days and most of that was at night
after we'd gone to bed. Hurricane season my ass!
- Off-season v. In-season - The cost in the off-season is significantly cheaper but the amount of activity and people in restaurants, bars and beaches is also greatly reduced. We enjoyed the exclusivity and the pampering but I think I'd prefer visiting when the towns and beaches are really bustling.
- Adapting - Plans change, cultures vary and
things can always go wrong so you must be able to adapt. We were constantly discussing changes in itinerary and different options and everyone was always more than willing to go with the flow. Having a group that is so willing to adapt makes a trip much easier.
- Accepting - The people you travel with can be as different
as the countries you visit so you have to keep an open mind and be accepting of
other people's ways. It's ironic that the things that irritate you at first end
up being the things you like about a person...most of the time.
- Adventurous - Taking the traditional path is essential
for experiencing the basics but I'm a believer in testing the boundaries and
exploring a bit further. Whether it's a
dirt road to a secret beach, a club in the heart of a supposedly all-local
area, scarfing down a whole fish head to tail, a night-time kayak tour, or accepting a
round of golf from a stranger, willing to go outside your norm is the only way to
travel.
- Family - I think we've reached a point that we're beyond friends, we're family. Only family members argue and get on each others nerves one second and are right back to laughing and having fun the next. Only family make fun of each other and point out each other's flaws but love them because of those flaws - snoring, picky eating, mispelling, bathroom breaks and always needing snacks. Only family can spend two weeks with each other nonstop and within 36 hrs of being home be excited to hang out again.
Like with all great things, you can't be sad that they’re over, you
have to be happy that they happened.
Thanks for following along on our Caribbean journey and for chiming in with comments, e-mails, suggestions and support. We'll do this all again on our next trip so be sure to log back in when Travel In Sandals hits the road in 2012!
Until next time, travel whenever possible, and if you do, travel in sandals!
A few of our favorite photos:
