Travel Mugs a.k.a. Guest Gift

FYI - I will be providing everyone with a very nice double walled stainless steel travel mug. It's big, it's pretty and it's all yours. My plan to distribute these will be to pack them all into a separate bag, check them, then hand them out at the Punta Cana airport / bus to resort.



They say a travel mug is a good idea, to keep your drinks cold and of course get more of them up front rather than getting smaller glasses repeatedly.

Now feel free to bring your own, as several people will have the exact same mug, I'm going to try and find a way to put your names on them with a sticker or something but they can easily get confused. They can also be used just as a gift, if you have one already you prefer to use or don't want to lose.

Anyway FYI - I will be giving you a mug in the Dominican, use it as yous see fit! Less than 1 week now.

Carry-On List Airport Information

Here is some info you may be interested in
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority's mission is to protect the public by securing critical elements of the air transportation system as assigned by the government... >more

NOTICE TO PASSENGERS

As of 4:00 a.m. EST on Monday, November 6, 2006, and until further notice, the following security measures will be in place.

Passengers will be permitted to bring liquids, gels and aerosols through security screening at Canadian airports provided that the items are packaged in containers with a capacity of 100 ml / 100 grams (3.4 oz) or less, and that the containers fit comfortably in one clear, closed and resealable plastic bag with a capacity of no more than 1 litre (1 quart). The approximate dimensions of a one litre/quart bag are 15.24 cm by 22.86 cm (6 in. by 9 in.) or 20 cm by 17.5 cm (8 in. by 7 in.). One bag per passenger will be permitted. Learn more




PERMITTED through pre-board security screening NOT PERMITTED through pre-board security screening

Baby formula, baby food, milk and juice when passengers are travelling with a child aged two years and under, liquid prescription medicine and essential non-prescription liquid medicines, are exempt from the container size restrictions and are not required to be placed in a plastic bag. However, passengers must declare all such items not in a bag or over 100 ml / 100 grams (3.4 oz) in capacity to screening authorities. These passengers may be subject to additional screening.
EXEMPT from restrictions

In order to minimize potential delays at the screening point, passengers must remove from their carry-on bag, the closed, re-sealable plastic bag containing all permitted liquids, gels, and aerosols and place them directly into the trays provided at the beginning of the screening process.
There are no size or bag restrictions for liquids and gels packed in checked baggage.

* Read our list of Permitted and Non-Permitted Items
* Frequently Asked Questions - Restrictions on Liquids, Gels and Aerosols
* REMINDER TO TRAVELLERS: New security measures for liquids, gels and aerosols
* Passengers with Special Needs

Passengers should contact their air carrier regarding any possible delays or should they have any questions regarding the status of their flights.

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) is Canada 's aviation security authority. CATSA's primary responsibility is to enhance the security of the travelling public by ensuring that threat items are not carried onto an aircraft.
Quarterly Performance Indicators

Wedding Reception / Par-Tay Planned

February 24th, 2007. Good Ol' Trenton.

We have set a date for a reception, at least we'll call it a reception for now. A chance to see some family and friends who are not able to come on the trip with us, and show them pictures, share some stories and kick back, have a few drinks and a few laughs. And for those that were in the Dominican with us that will be there, we'll remember the week that was, as we have eased back into boring routine and see who's tans have faded.

The minor details will still need to be worked out, but mark the date on your calendar. Be prepared to play some darts, shuffle some cards, sing some karaoke, eat some good food and have fun. If you have any questions in the meantime regarding this party let me know, otherwise stay tuned.

G&L

Deep Sea Fishing Excursion

You are encouraged to look at all the excursion possibilities available to you, check out Debbies "Things to Do / Tours", remember to read the forums etc. since some of them come very poorly recommended.

One thing that looks great however is Mike's Marina, and the Deep Sea Fishing Experience. This boat:


Will take between 8-12 people, but 10 is a good number. A half day (4hrs) is $590USD. This covers a lot of amenities, water, bait, tackle, but if you factor in the addition of some food/beer and some sort of tip, we're looking at $700 for 10 people, or $70 per person. We have 4 people confirmed right now, looking for 6 more. Comment Below. Anybody is welcome BUT - if you have ever suffered from motion sickness, consider this one of those things to sign up as a "maybe". 4 Hours of feeling like puking, or actually puking is horrible. Other than that let me know if you're interested, or ask any questions.

Fishing Timing: Late January is good timing for
- Wahoo



- Dolphin Fish (not related to flipper) AKA Mahi Mahi



- Sailfish



- Whale Spawning



This is something that I will need you to confirm. Email me: grcory@hotmail.com or respond below. Right now I have Rob Cory, Nancy Bell, Seth Vallier and Myself. Spots are limited - see you soon. G.

Ocean Sand Becoming Very Popular

I do love opportunities to pat myself on the back, so I'm going to use this as one of those times.

When we were first selecting a resort that would be fun, include all sorts of different elements for a wide variety of people, and would be classified as a 5 ***** establishment I was left with the usual options. The usual options are still very nice, don't get me wrong, but they all seem to have little things that I didn't like. Some of the top rated places were not "24hr" all inclusive. Some of the places basically shut down at 11pm. Some of them did not offer much variety regarding restaurants, activities, nightlife, casino's, bar activities, beach activities, and I looked at every hotel in the "Top 50" according to Trip Advisor. That is when I stumbled across the Ocean Sand / Blue. At the time it was rated around the 80th most popular hotel in the Dominican, and I thought 'I wonder why'?

I concluded it's poor standing was due to the fact it was so new, hell, a few travel agents who specialize in the Dominican had never even heard of it. Because of the popularity issue, we were able to get a damn good deal. Room rates have since increased 26% and are still rising. The rating, not 6 months ago in the 70-90 is now top 20. And the traveler satisfaction reviews have also climbed at the same amazing rate. It is good to read some of them, good and bad, as you will get a few tips.

For instance: Bring Pepto Bismo, you'll need it and they sell it there for $20. Bring a dollar store floaty for the pool - then give it away when you're done with it. It will add enjoyment, and save you tons of money if you were to buy one.

Although I'm well aware that the 28 or so of us would make this trip a blast no matter where we were staying, the fact that we're going to do so in one of the nicest resorts in the Dominican makes me smile.

Check out the recent reviews. We're under 2 months now.

Trip Advisor

Spanish Phrases

The following looks a little confusing, but hey what the hell. It is written the following way.

1: English Word 2: Spanish Word 3: Spanish Pronunciation

English Spanish Pronunciation
The Simple Stuff
Yes Si SEE
No No NOH
Please Por favor Pore fah-VORE
Thank you Gracias GRAH-see-ahs
You’re Welcome De nada De-NAW-da
No, thank you No, gracias No GRAH-see-ahs
Sorry Lo siento Loh see-EHN-toh

Greetings

Good morning Buenos dias BWEHnos DHEE ahs
Good afternoon Buenas tardes BWEHnahs TAHRdh ehs
Good evening Buenas noches BWEHnahs NO chehs
Good bye Adios Ah dhee OHS
Hello/Hi Hola OH lah
See you later Hasta luego AH-stah LWEH-go
What is your name? Como se llama? KOH-moh say YAHmah
My name is… Mi nombre es Mee NOMBreh ehs
How are you? Como esta usted KOH-mo ehs-TAH OOS-THE-dh
Fine, thank you. Muy bien, gracias MOOay bee en GRAH see ahs
Language
Do you speak English? Habla ingles? AH-bla een-GLASE
I’m Canadian. Soy Canadiense. Soy kah nah dheeEHN sehs
I’m American. Soy norteamericano Soy nohr the ah meh ree KAH noh
I don’t understand. No comprendo. Noh kohm-PREHN-dho
Please speak slowly. Hable despacio por favor. HAHbleh dhehs-PAH-see-oh, pohr fahBOHR

English Spanish Pronunciation
Questions
Where is/are…? Donde esta/estan…? DHOHN-dheh ehs-TAH
When? Cuando? KWAHNdho
Who? Quien? Kee-EHN
Why? Por que? Pohr kay
What? Que? Kay
How long…? Cuanto Tiempo? KWAHN-toh TYEHM-po
How much does it cost? Cuanto cuesta? KWAHN-toh KWEH-stah
How far? A que distancia? Ah kay dhees-Tan-syah
Can you help me? Puede ayudarme? PWEH-dhe ah-yoo-dh-AHR-meh
What time is it Que hora es? Kay OH-rah ehs

Useful Statements
I (don’t) like it (No) me gusta Meh GOOS-tah/No meh GOOS-tah
I don’t know No se NOH say.
I’m hungry Tengo hambre TEHN-go AHM-breh
I’m thirsty Tengo sed TEHN-go SAY-dh
I’m tired Estoy cansado Ehs-TOY kahn-SAH-dho
I’m ready Estoy listo Ehs-TOY LEEsto
Right now Ahora mismo Ah OHR ah MEES mo
Just a minute Un momento Oon mo-MEHN toh
Come in! Entre EHN-treh
It’s cheap Es barato Ehs bah-RAH-toh
It’s expensive Es caro Ehs KAH-ro
It’s cold (weather) Hace frio AH-say FREE-o
It’s hot (weather) Hace calor AH-say kah-LOHR
A little Un poco Oon POH-ko
A lot Mucho MOO-cho
Tomorrow Manana Mah-ny-AH-nah
Next week La semana proxima Lah-say-MAHN-ah PROK-see-mah

English Spanish Pronunciation
The Hotel
Bathroom Banos BAH-ny-os
Swimming Pool Piscina Pee-SEE-nah
Open Abierto Ah-bee-ehr-toh
Closed Cerrado Say RAH dho
Bed Cama KAH-mah
Towel Toalla Toh-AH-yah
Soap Jabon HAH-bohn
Pillow Almohada Ahl-moh-Ahdah
Shower Una ducha oo-nah DHOO-chah
Iron Plancha PLAHN-chah
Hair drier Secador Say-kah-DOHR
There are no towels No hay toallas Noh Ah-ee toh-AH-yahs
I have a problem. Tengo un problema TEHN-go oon pro-BLEH-mah
The Restaurant
Waiter/waitress Camarero/camarera Kah-mah-REH-roh/rah
I’d like…. Quiero KYEH-ro
The bill please La cuenta, por favor Lah KWEHN-tah, pohr fah VORE
Breakfast Desayuno Dhay-sah-YOO-noh
Lunch Almuerzo Ahl-MWEHR-so
Dinner Cena SAY-nah
Knife Cuchillo Koo-CHEE-yo
Fork Tenedor Tay-neh-dh-OHR
Spoon Cuchara Koo CHAH-rah
Tea Te Tay
Black Café negro Kah-FEH naygro
Coffee with milk Café con leche Kah-FEH kahn LEH-cheh
Milk Leche LEH-cheh
Ice Hielo Yellow
Mineral water Agua mineral AH-gwah mee-neh-RAHL
Wine Vino BEE-no
Beer Cerveza Sehr-BEH-sah
White wine Vino blanco BEE-no blawn-coh
Lemonade Limonada Lee-moh-NAH-dh-ah
Juice Jugo HOO-go
Egg Huevo WEH-boh
Scrambled eggs Huevos revueltos WEH-bohs reh-BWEHL-tos
Cheese Queso KAY-soh


English Spanish Pronunciation
The Restaurant continued...
Butter Mantequilla Mahn-the-KEE-yah
Bread Pan Pahn
Fruit Fruta FROO-tah
Salt Sal Sahl
Pepper Pimienta Pee-mee-en-toh
Sugar Azucar Ah-soo-kahr
Fish Pescado Pehs-KAH-dho
Salad Ensalada Ens-sah-LAH-dha
Soup Sopa SOH-pah
Dessert Postre POH-streh
Ice cream Helado Eh-LAH-dho
Days of the Week
Sunday Domingo Doh-MEEN-goh
Monday Lunes LOO-nehs
Tuesday Martes MAHR-tehs
Wednesday Miercoles Mee-er-cohl-ees
Thursday Jueves HWEH-behs
Friday Viernes Bee-HER-nehs
Saturday Sabado SAH-bah-doh

Numbers
1 Uno Oon-o
2 Dos Dhos
3 Tres Trehs
4 Cuatro KWAH-tro
5 Cinco Seen-koh
6 Seis Say-ees
7 Siete See-EH-the
8 Ocho Oh-choh
9 Nueve NWEH-beh
10 Diez De ez

Family
Husband Esposo Ehs-POH-soh
Wife Esposa Ehs-POH-sah
Son Hijo EE-hoh
Daughter Hija EE-hah

Read This. You will be quizzed.

What will the weather be like in the Dominican Republic?
Generally, the temperatures are hot during the day. Many of the days are a mixture of sun and clouds, the clouds being a welcome relief from the hot sun. In the evening you may need a light sweater. The chart below shows you the average temperatures for each month. January is the coldest month, and August is the hottest month. There is no real rainy season in the DR, it can rain at any time during the year. Much of the time the rain occurs overnight or as a brief afternoon shower.

Average Daily Temperature oC
Jan
High 26
Low 18

These temperatures are in Celsius
Average High is 87o in Fahrenheit
Average Low is 73o in Fahrenheit

Are locals allowed to stay at the resorts?
Yes they are . The following email sent to us by Yvonne from Cardiff, South Wales, U.K, basically covers our feelings on the subject.
I just feel I must put my frustration and anger across to all the tourists who travel to the above resorts and moan about the Dominican people staying at the complex. They like us all, have paid good money for a well earned break and if like me probably saved hard for it. What rights have foreign tourists to complain that they shouldn't be allowed to use the hotels, after all it is their country. I was brought up to treat people with respect and to treat them how I would like to be treated myself. So these people who say the locals are rude, try being friendly towards them, I am sure they would find a difference.

I live in Canada. Should I bring U.S. or Canadian money?
The Dominican peso is the official currency of the Dominican Republic. The banks are phasing out "defaced money". Do not accept any pesos that have been written on, you will not be able to use it. Both Canadian and U.S. cash and traveler's cheques can be changed at hotels and currency exchanges for Dominican pesos. It is sometimes easier to exchange U.S. traveler's cheques. (When cashing traveler's cheques, make sure you take your passport or I.D. with you). At the present time (Feb./05) there seems to be a definite advantage to taking U.S. currency over other currencies. In some cases U.S. currency can be used to pay for tours, etc. booked at the hotel, without having to change it into pesos first. (Also, if you're planning on visiting the casinos, you should take U.S. money for that, otherwise you have to play with pesos, and if you win, you'll win in pesos, which are difficult to change, whereas if you play with U.S. money, your winnings are paid in U.S. money). Canadian currency must be changed into pesos. Credit cards are widely accepted in the Dominican Republic.

Are credit cards accepted? and are there ATM's?
Most hotels, restaurants and businesses accept major credit cards. Please be careful when and where you use your credit card. There have been incidents reported of double billings and other charges being billed to credit cards used by tourists while in the DR.

Gambling in the DR
A number of hotels in the DR have casinos with slot machines, table games, etc. Suggest you use U.S. currency to gamble with - if you play with U.S. money any winnings will be paid in U.S. currency. If you use Dominican Pesos, winnings will be paid in Dominican Pesos. Please be careful and use common sense when visiting the casinos.

There have been allegations against various hotel casinos in the DR about certain games that are scams, often run by Americans (ie KENO), where people have lost thousands of dollars. Be careful! Stick to the games you know, always keep track of your cards/points - don't rely on what the dealers are telling you - We have experienced cases where blackjack dealers make mistakes in counting. And above all, don't bet more than you can afford to lose!

Is there topless sunbathing in the DR?
Yes, topless sunbathing is quite common. It's not a Dominican custom, just the fact that many of the tourists are European, and topless sunbathing is natural for them. Many hotels do not allow topless sunbathing around the pool areas.

Is it safe to walk around during the day and night?
In my opinion it is perfectly safe to walk around tourist areas and towns during the day. Most resorts have security personnel, and the beaches are also patrolled periodically. When going into town, or out of the resort area at night, use common sense, just as you would anywhere else. Don't wear expensive jewellery or flash large sums of money around.

What is the Departure Tax?
Each person is required to pay$20.00 U.S. departure tax when they leave the Dominican Republic. This is generally not included when you buy an all-inclusive package, and is payable at the Dominican Airport. Only U.S. cash is accepted. They will not take Dominican pesos or any other currency as payment, nor will they take traveller's cheques. Some Canadian tour companies now collect this $20.00 U.S. tax when you book your trip, so you do not have to pay it when you leave the DR. Similarly, I am told that Americans always pay for the departure tax in their packages, so do not have to pay it when they leave the DR. Check with your travel agent to confirm what has been prepaid.

Is the water safe to drink?
Drink only purified or bottled water while in the DR. Hotels use purified water for washing and cooking food, serving in restaurants, making icecubes, etc. Do not drink the tap water in your hotel room - it is not purified. Hotels provide bottled or purified water for use in your room.

Why does it seem a lot of people complain of being sick?
I think a lot of the time the reason people become ill is simply because of the change in diet, as well as overindulgence in alcohol, food, sun, etc. Make sure meat - hamburgers, etc. are well-cooked. If outside the resort, drink only bottled water.


What should we wear during dinner and at the casinos?
Dress at the resorts is basically casual. Many hotels require that men wear long pants to dinner, especially at the a la carte restaurants, so make sure you pack a pair. Most buffet restaurants have relaxed the “no shorts” rule, due to the increasing numbers of North Americans traveling there. (Apparently we don’t like to dress up for dinner). Some people dress up a bit in the evening - ie. dress, long skirt, etc. for the ladies, some prefer to be casual - jeans, shorts. It's basically up to you. The same applies to casinos. Take along Immodium for diarrhea - just in case.

I have heard horror stories about the airport porters?
Yes, you can count on there being Dominicans at the airport when you come out wanting to carry your bags, and they can be quite persistent. A "No, gracias" and a firm grip on your luggage is all that is required. It is usually a very short distance from the airport exit to buses, taxis, etc. Or, if you do have heavy luggage, the easiest thing is to let someone carry them. We've done this and given them $3 or $4, and had no problems. Some will demand $5 U.S. a bag, don’t be intimidated into paying this, just give them $3 to $5 depending on how much luggage you have and how far they carried it.

Are the vendors aggressive?
In most resort areas the vendors have stalls set up outside of the resort property. Most hotels don't allow vendors to approach tourists on the beach. You have to go to them, then you're fair game. Each one will tell you he has the "best prices". Of course, the first price he quotes you will be twice what it's worth - you have to bargain, it is expected. If you're not into bargaining, stick to the hotel gift shops.

Final Full Payment Due December 5th

Well, the deposit wasn't so bad now was it? It's now time to think about paying the rest. Full payment is due by December 5th. And if more than one of us waits until the 5th, rushing last minute, we could be in trouble. December 5th is a Tuesday, however it is also a very busy time for Travel Agents, and if we miss the deadline the repercussions could be costly. So, for those who could pay now, I suggest you do so. For others who are stashing their pennies under the mattress, just beware, that although the deadline is the 5th, waiting till that day could be a bad idea.



Something that could easily get overlooked is your passport. Find it, check the expiriy, get a new one if needed. If you don't travel much, or at all this is an important piece of the puzzle that if left unchecked could result in you staying home. Think of it as a permission slip - without it, you clean chalk brushes while we all party harty.

Arrivals and Departures: Flight Times

The flight is booked, its just a matter of getting on it Skyservice Flight 3028/3029 - Destination: Fun.



Flight #1 - Getting There:
Skyservice Flight 3028
1/20/2007 Depart Toronto (YYZ) Terminal 3 at 4:25 PM
1/20/2007 Arrive Punta Cana (PUJ) at 9:30 PM

Flight #2 - Going Home:
Skyservice Flight 3029
1/27/2007 Depart Punta Cana (PUJ) at 10:30 PM
1/28/2007 Arrive Toronto (YYZ) Terminal 3 at 1:59 AM

As you may have noticed we leave later than most destination departures, and arrive at 9:30 in the evening in Punta Cana - 30 minute drive to the Resort, after check-in, tour and a couple drinks we'll be ready for bed (yeah right). The good news however is the jet lag will be very minimal, and we do not rush home the following Saturday, infact, we get to enjoy a full day, even have dinner before returning to Toronto at 2 am on Sunday. Personally I think this works out.