First up, happy New Year to everyone! I had a great night here in Gonaives, Haiti after a bit of a crazy day getting back here that you can read about on Wanderstruck if you like.
Sorry I haven’t written in a little while, I’ve been taking a break from the mud and have just returned from a week in the Dominican Republic in a small tourist town called Cabarete. The place is everything someone who has been in Haiti for two months could want — easy, organized, stocked with great food and drink options, and equipped with a beautiful sandy beach to relax our sore bones on.
I left the computer behind and enjoyed a week of doing nothing but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t considering it as a possible working destination. On the plus side you have the beauty of the place, cafes and hotels equipped with reasonably fast wifi, lots of people around and decent nightlife, plenty of activities to keep you busy when you want to escape the internet, and a large number of rental options from hotels to apartments to a surf camp hostel.
On the downside, Cabarete is very touristy and accommodation is expensive and food was a lot more than I expected. I attempted to find accommodation on the internet but couldn’t find much for less than $17 to $20 per night. Once we arrived in town we found a place smack in the middle of the action and across the road from the beach for $10 per person. Cheap by most standards but not the bargain that Asia can offer. Plus, to get this price we crammed four people into two double beds. Had I been travelling by myself, I think I would have been lucky to get a place for $10 per night unless I tried to wrangle a long term deal or stayed in the off season.
All up, I had a great time in this place and it was the perfect way to unwind from the craziness of Haiti. Cabarete is small enough of a place to feel like a town rather than a tourist resort similar to the ones that can be found all around the Dominican Republic. People seem friendly and I think a stop here would be worthwhile, especially for people who are into kite or wind surfing.
I’ll post my December earnings tomorrow and I hope 2009 will see a turnaround in my sliding earnings. All the best in 2009!
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