Anticipating Paradise

April 22, 2012

Here we sit in the Atlanta airport waiting for 4 hours for other last leg of our flight. Today is Neal's birthday so it will be so fun to arrive in Punta Cana on his birthday. I saw someone else in the waiting area with a red honey bunches of oats folder so I went over and introduced myself. They are as tired – and – and excited as I am. I'm wondering how many other red folder couples we will be seeing as the time approaches for take off.

Our earlier flights were better than expected, but this is the one I worry about. I have the middle seat and Neal has the window. I don't dare ask him to switch and be in the most uncomfortable seat on his birthday.

I haven't had wi-fi in any of the airports so I am doing this in a text document to upload when we get to the hotel. Hopefully there will be lots to tell in the next few days.

Airports bring out the oddest people in the middle of the night. Yes, I realize that this says something about me as well. However, there is a guy here in Atlanta that is having a real “what were you thinking” moment. He is about 65, and is sporting a full on Santa Claus beard, snowy white and everything. He's got the bowlful of jelly thing happening and you would think that he would seem very warm and approachable. However, what is a little unexpected and a bit off putting is the 5 inch Mohawk he's wearing on top. Now I'm not talking a nice, thick 3 inch wide Mohawk that would scare the begebbies out of you in a dark alley in L.A.., This one consists of a strip of hair less than a quarter inch wide, only a few hairs wide. It is about five inches long and sticking straight up, spiked with so much gel that he could put an eye out with it. He seems to be especially anxious for everyone to notice his “do” because he has dyed it a lovely neon blue, so blue you can see it clear across the airport waiting area, however he is making the rounds so everyone can get a good look. I was very amused by this guy until I looked down at myself and realize I have my own issues. I'm wearing a glaringly stupid passport holder. It is a Nintendo GameBoy color holder that is bright turquoise and purple and sports a nice picture of every one's favorite Pokemon, Pikichu. The place that is supposed to hold games has a zipper and it is perfect for cash, credit cards and ID. The part that was supposed to hold the gaming system is the perfect clear pocket for my passport. It has a nice buckle closure that keeps things secure but is easy for me to open quickly. It is ridiculous, but works perfectly, and I certainly won't ever lose it. I guess I'd better not be pointing out other peoples problems...

While sitting in the airport I see another person with a Honey Bunches of Oats red folder. I went over and introduced myself and she was awesome. Her name was Susan too and she was from California and brought her sister to the event. In the course of our discussion she mentioned that her husband was from Las Vegas. I told her that I was raised there and as we talked further I discovered that her husband went to my high school. But the craziest thing was – I went to the Senior prom with her brother in law. Small world...

The flight to the Dominican Republic was uneventful but the sight that met us when we landed was very unexpected. First, there was no”gate” tunnel. We deplaned by going down the stairs. And, the airport is a bunch of grass huts! I'm not kidding! It is a series of open air huts with thatched grass or palm leaves as the roof. We were met with a cheery “hola” by girls with fruit on their hats and a mariachi band was playing. It was certainly a signal that this was going to be a vacation like none other.

It was a long ride to the resort – but breathtakingly beautiful. I felt that if the bus slowed down for even a minute that the vegetation would grow right over it. It is so lush! If the breeze stops for even a second it feels so swelteringly hot that you think you will smother from it. But when the breeze is blowing, you don't even notice the heat. Luckily there is a light breeze most of the time!

The resort is beautiful. No other word for it. The lobby is also open air with granite floors and seems very elegant in a casual sort of way. We were met by Karen, the Honey Bunches of Oats planner that put this whole experience together for us all. She was just as delightfully warm and attentive as she had seemed with our preparatory interactions with her. It made me feel a little more secure to know I had someone to go to if I needed help in this environment where I was so unfamiliar. She led us back to a room flowing with cereal and fun and promptly plopped a margarita in both of our hands. Awkward... Most of you know that we are not drinkers and it was a little uncomfortable trying to figure out what to do. We just set them down at a little bistro type table and mingled without them. The room was full of happy people anyway, and with an open bar as well, people were downright giddy. There were sandwiches and cereal and although we were really only there for a few minutes it was an awesome and elegant kickoff to the event.

Our room is beautiful with it's own private balcony. It has a four poster king size bed and a beige/ yellow gingham check love seat. The whole room is a yellowy beige with white tile floors and a white ceiling fan. French doors open up to the private balcony that has a darling bistro set and hammock. It mentioned that the rooms were individually climate controlled in the brochure. However, how that seemed to be done in our room, was by pulling the chain on the ceiling fan. Slow, and slower... But it worked well enough to cool things down in the evening, and frankly, no one should be in their room during the day when they are blessed enough to be in a place like this!!! It screams relaxation in it's every inch. However, we have to work very hard for that relaxation. Top floor, no elevators...

There is what seems to be a continuous pool that meanders around the entire property. If you follow the pool it spits you out at a private beach with the softest, whitest sand I have ever seen. Tall palm trees sway in the cool breeze and just feet from the water's edge is my favorite part of this whole resort – the beach beds. Awesome doesn't even describe it. They are king size poster beds, complete with mattress and pillows, built high off the ground so the tide can come in under them, with canvas curtains you can pull all around them for private sunbathing. I just want to say, I know I'm not in Kansas anymore, but more women should have pulled the curtains around them. Totally topless with children everywhere. Multiple men will probably go home with whiplash from the double takes of what they couldn't believe they just saw! But anyway, I could live on one of those beds with a good book forever. I like to leave the curtains open to let the breeze from the ocean in. The cool breeze dancing over your skin and the sounds of the ocean transport you to a place in the world of relaxation that you can't imagine. My perfect vacation? Spend the entire time on one of those.

I'll write more tomorrow about what happens this evening – most likely from my laptop atop an ocean bed oasis...