A DAY IN THE LIFE

Yes small dogs can go in the cabin under the seat in a carrier (less than 15 pounds or so).  Do know they are not charging $100 or more per leg of a trip.

Bigger items that don't qualify for air travel are shipped by boat.  The BBQ weighs in at #110 or so.

Bob K

Thank you....

Saw a link just today about a "blue barrel" shipping where you fill it with as much as you can and ship by boat? Anyone heard of this? Think its a 55 gal drum barrel.

Yes blue barrel is good.  they pick up where you designate & deliver it to anywhere in the D.R..  Door to door for about $150.  A friend in miami shipps rice. canned goods clothes etc. to his wifes mother in a barrio in SD.  Never a hassle. Heis a blog member. pete meyers.  don;t remember his handle.  find him & PM him.

Price is up but a great service still.

Cool, thanks!

We have friends who have used this service and very happy with it.  Planner is right the price is higher these days

Bob K

MInd you that applies to everything Bob......  everything has gone up in price.

About 10 days ago Jumbo had a big sale. For the first time EVER I saw coffee on sale.  Buy one get the second one 1/2 price, amounts to a 25% discount on coffee.  Heck I bought  10 pounds of coffee at that price.... its only going up.

Yep in fact today I gave the house staff a raise just to keep  up with the rising prices and the falling peso. Needless to say they were happy.

Bob K

Good for you Bob,  too often people ignore this! IT doesn't take much to help.   I've been watching the news regarding the negotiations to change all the minimum wages!  It will be interesting as this progresses.  As per the labor code, if minimum wage changes there is a proportional change to other wages!   

Labor wants a raise and needs a raise,  business doesn't want to do it.  This simply all makes sense but lets see how it plays out.....

It is all tied together.  Raise wages then the cost of products goes up for the producers, therefore to maintain profit margins they raise the price of their goods.  End result:  buying power stays the same.  The only way to save & get ahead is to do with less which lowers the living standard.  No one wins.

A big part of our "costs" is currency fluctuations and taxes!  You must factor that in.  The loser here is often the regular guy just trying to earn enough to feed his family, they just cannot keep up. 

Currency we cannot do much about but taxes caused by corruption, stealing and bad bloody management are another story.... and I mean the government of course.  But that is something that us expats have no say or influence over.....

It would be such a better place if they just decreased the corruption by 20%.

Look at fuel prices. Remember a couple of years ago when there was a huge increase in many goods blamed on the cost of shipping around the country because fuel was so expensive.  Well has any noticed a decrease in prices over the last couple of months due to the huge drop I fuel????? I certainly  have not!  In fact if the government actually stuck to the formula that is law for setting fuel prices it would actually be about $120 pesos per gallon.

Same can actually be said for the airlines  Anyone noticed a significant drop in air fares due to the huge drop in jet fuel prices????

Bob K

Good points Bob.....

I am a happy, happy, happy camper.  My BBQ got here this morning (only 3 days after promised) and box was in perfect condition.  Seems customs did not open it at all.

Took Pat and I 3 hours to put it together and now we have canceled plans for dinner in town tonight and it will be BBQ steaks, baked potatoes and salad instead.  Along with a nice bottle of wine from what is left of our wine cellar back in the US that we brought back with us last month.  ummmm good

Bob K

Be sure to season the grates.  Brush on cooking oil & heat them up to medium hot,  cool down & wipe,  repeat 3 times & you are good to go.  It is similar to seasoning a cast iron skillet.  Your products won't stick & it gets rid of any residual chemicals from manufacturing.   Have fun & good eating !    I have 2 B-B-Q's.  One for smoking & one for B-B-Q.    Dead sea grape wood smouldering adds a nice flavor.   Other woods can do the same.  Soak small pieces over night  so they won't burn as quickly.    Enjoy many fine meals with your new grill,

Congrats Bob and Pat.  Happy BBQing......

Yes grills seasoned.
Yes steak was wonderful.  It has an infra red searing area so the juices all stay in the steak

Bob K

I have not done any big investment.  It's been a while in Dr.  Gotta to go back to Canada and make more money

What brand & model?  Sounds great.  Can you also use thr local carbon?

Telephone conversations between the US and the DR: any suggestions?

i regularly call Barahona from Miami, and calls are frequently dropped or I cannot get a connection. I use a calling card service called nobel.com, which costs me about 5¢ per minute from my landline phone to a Claro cellphone in Barahona. I notice that land-line-to landline calls are cheaper, but I do not know how to get a landl;ine installed in Barahona. I think the company is Codetel. The house in Barahona is in a developed area known as Palmarito.
Another option would be to get a DSL or other broadband option in Barahona and connect using Ooma.

The question is what would be the possible options, and of those, which would be the best and cheapest?
Many thanks for any advice.

cheapest is probably to install a landline here - but - block or limit outgoing calls. ,Then you call from US to here.  Not sure who offers service there.

Or use Magic Jack.  We use it all the time and it is CHEAP

BObK

Does it work to a cell phone Bob?

Yes we have it on our cell as well.

Bob K

Ok something else that I don't think has been mentioned here:

"The short life of a car battery"  Have you all noticed that no matter  how much you spend on a new car battery they will last between 2 - 3 years max.  Maintenance free only means add water at least once a year. 

Friday I replaced a "dead" battery on my Jeep and today I will be doing the same on the Toyota which would not start when leaving the Super Pola here in Sosua

AND everyone should always have a set of jumper cables in EVERY car you own.  You will be surprised as how the battery will crap out at the most inopertune time.

Bob K

Yes Bob we just had one of our vehicles serviced because of this. It is partly the batteries, partly the contacts, the cables etc etc.  Seems salt air,  humidity etc conspire to  destroy everything.......     

We just redid  all the contacts, the grounding and the cables. The battery was only  3 months old!!!

AND yes  carry cables,  carry a flashlight,  carry emergency supplies -  it is not fun to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no light and no help!!!!!

As you may know I have been working really hard for the last  5 months and enjoying it!!!! Lots of changes, lots of challenges and lots of excitement..............   

Yesterday - I WENT TO THE BEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  woooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooo.  Yes people I went to the beach and I have the tan lines to prove it................LOL

At noon we went to Bayahibe for a few hours. It is a lovely public beach with  chair vendors, restaurants etc. The beach is beautiful,  there were a number of people there when we arrived,  the beach was clean, the people were enjoying themselves!

I was with the owner of the business who had never been there before.  We  sprayed on the  30 SPF (he is a very white guy)  and enjoyed 3 hours at the beach.  We brought our own cooler so had nice cold drinks on hand. 

By the time we were ready to leave there were 4 times as many people at the beach,  all enjoying themselves.  It was a great afternoon of relaxation!!!!  AND total cost  there -  200RD for our chairs.  Total cost of cooler contents -  250 RD..............

OK Planner, about time you relaxed!
So, before Gypsy asks you, I will....
When are you posting the bikini fotos?
Glad you had a good day!

Hahahaha thanks honey. Bikini shots.........hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I second his request.  Show us your pic & I'll show you mine.

Glad you took some time for you.  But be careful the beach can be addicting.

Bob K

That may be an addiction I can handle...........  It was a good afternoon for sure.............   Now boys............

Yesterday spent the day whale watching in Samana.  Great time lots of whales still around.  Always a fun time there.

Bob K

Nice Bob.  I've not been up there in quite a few years!!!

We spent Sunday with about 100 family members
at a resort in the north-west corner of Cabrera.
We also saw the big whales jump right of the water
& do a flip! Absolutely incredible as over half the
family had never seen whales at all, let alone
their amazing stunts!

Wow sounds like an amazing time honey.

It was the first time we had been back to Samana in 4 years or so.

Kim still is doing an excellent job

Bob K

Yesterday was quite the day. I was headed to the bus station to pick up someone visiting (he is on here too)  and I got into a fender bender. I was stopped at a red light (yup that is what you do) guy behind me got pissed off and started blasting his horn. I did not move.

SO this moron hits the back of my car!! And then starts pushing me INTO THE INTERSECTION.  I put the car in park,  put on emergency brake and got the hell out!!!

Moron gets out of his car and starts screaming at me!!!! REALLY!!!! Then he pushes me - I go back and slam my head into my car. Now I am out cold!!!!

Apparently other drivers now are stepping in,  cops are around etc..............  I get taken to the clinic,  purse is somewhere, phone is somewhere..............  8 stitches in my friggin head!!!!!  AND that hurts - I do not freeze, so 8 stitches without freezing............ YIKES...........AND my hair is now a mess.......

Eventually police return my purse...........  hmmmm no money but got my ID etc.
They return my work phone, which apparently I was holding...............  lots of calls on the phone........

My car is not damaged.  My head hurts.  And now I have to deal with police etc who have charged this moron with assault!!!!  Well bloody hell.

And the poor guy sitting at the bus station waiting for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you understand now.  My personal cell phone slid under my car seat during all this.  I got that back late  last night too.

What a day. This is one for my book!!!!!

Yikes glad you are ok. 
Am amazed at the assholes behind the wheel here.
It could have escalated into something much worse.  Hopefully this idiot will get some time in Jail but I doubt it.  May even work out that it was your fault since you had stopped at the red light.
Be well my friend.

Bob K

Thanks honey,  other then a headache and a hair issue I am fine.  Lets see how this plays out.....I have friends now in the police department because of my work! It is likely to not be good for this guy!