Plunta Cana, Maria Maira

Plunta Cana, Maria Maira Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Brazil was amazing, but we were very, very excited to head to our lovely all inclusive in Punta Cana. I think that it was just the thought of not eating rice and beans and being able to sleep in a bed that wasn’t a hammock. We stayed at the Iberostar Punta Cana, which in addition to having real pink flamingos wandering the grounds, was a helluva lot like Club Med. Crazy signs and all. Even though we were only here for four days, we feel like we squeezed in at least a month’s worth of fun. By day, we were mild mannered sun junkies, but by night, we turned into wild and crazy party people. Our nights usually started with a champagne or two at our favourite little bar. The staff were very friendly and came up with nicknames for everybody. For some reason, they decided to name us “drunky, drunky’, not sure why. After storming through a dinner buffet (if I never see another one, I’ll be happy) we would usually take in the evening show. The first night was absolutely hysterical. It was a talent search/ miss America sort of thing. Not only did our resort provide entertainment in the form of shows, they also provided an endless supply of cocktails. If you sat still for longer than three minutes, someone would come up and offer you a drink. Much like Mexico, responsible service of alcohol did not even come into these people’s minds. Food was also in abundance. We could choose from one of about seven restaurants and each one was stocked full of deliciousness. Needless to say we ate our little hearts out. After a show and maybe a dance, we would usually head to the casino to hit up the tables. Craig and I quickly ascertained that we have gambling problems. Joel would sensibly take half our chips and cash them in so we wouldn’t just blow it all. Then we would swarm him, snatching money out of his pockets. I am happy to report that after 4 days, I came out on top. Not by much, but definitely not behind. Our favourite bar featured karaoke after eleven. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, I cannot sing to save my soul. I decided to spare the crowd my impression of a dying cat and was just a backup dancer. Joel, on the other hand, decided to murder Aerosmith’s “I don’t wanna miss a thing’. I will say that Joel is usually a very good singer, but for some reason, he really struggled at this karaoke bar. Not having learnt his lesson, Joel and Craig decided to destroy a Mariah Carey classic, ‘Without You’ which the staff found endlessly amusing. The next day, random staff members would come up to them and sing ‘I can’t live….’ And then cackle with laughter. Mikey, it was a bit like Ken Lee. Four days later and it was time to say goodbye to Punta Cana but more importantly, Craig. We loved travelling with him for the past four weeks and will miss him. Thanks Kreg! Next stop US of A!

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